A political storm has erupted in Cyprus following the circulation of a video on social media platform X, prompting former Minister of Energy Giorgos Lakkotrypis to file an official complaint with the Criminal Investigation Department of Nicosia.

>>What We Know – and What We Don’t – About the Video Rocking the Cyprus Presidency<<

The video, published by an account under the name 'Emily Thompson', presents excerpts from secretly recorded conversations involving Lakkotrypis, Presidential Office Chief Charalambos Charalambous, and CEO Giorgos Chrysochos.

According to sources, Lakkotrypis appeared at TAE Nicosia as a complainant, arguing that the video circulating online is selectively edited and misleading. He reportedly told investigators that his statements were deliberately spliced to support a specific narrative suggesting the use of illegal cash during Nikos Christodoulides’ 2023 presidential campaign.

The footage implies that campaign spending may have exceeded the legally permitted €1 million limit, allegedly relying on cash transactions. It further insinuates that such funds were handled by Charalambos Charalambous, who is also the President’s relative by marriage.

Lakkotrypis is said to reject these interpretations, maintaining that the video does not present his full remarks or the broader context in which they were made.

In one segment, Lakkotrypis is heard speaking in general terms about election campaign financing, noting that the legal cap stands at around €1 million and that, hypothetically, exceeding it could involve reliance on cash. The phrasing has fuelled allegations of shadow funding mechanisms, amplified by the framing and titling of the video, which refers to “hidden funds” linked to the President.

Another focal point of the video involves statements attributed to Charalambos Charalambous regarding how investors gain access to the Presidential environment. He is heard describing informal channels of communication, suggesting that investors could approach the President by presenting themselves as having projects, capital, or potential contributions framed as Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives.

The leak has prompted swift political reactions.

DISY President Annita Demetriou publicly stated she hopes the allegations do not reflect reality and called on the authorities to act decisively.

AKEL General Secretary Stefanos Stefanou described the video as raising “serious institutional and political issues” and demanded clear answers from the government.

DIKO President Nikolas Papadopoulos said that a video circulating on social media referring to funding linked to the President of the Republic makes it imperative, in the interest of transparency, for citizens to receive clear explanations about its content.

EDEK said it views the video and the account that published it with strong reservations, expressing doubts about their authenticity and motives, while calling for a full investigation so the government can provide clear, lawful and scientifically grounded explanations in the interest of transparency and Cyprus’ institutional credibility.

DIPA stressed that transparency and accountability are non-negotiable in a rule-of-law state, calling on the competent authorities to immediately investigate any allegations raised by the circulating video, while urging restraint, responsibility and trust in institutional procedures rather than rushed conclusions or public condemnation.

The matter has already triggered internal mobilisation at the Presidential Palace, with efforts underway to assess the authenticity of the video and manage the fallout.

The controversy unfolds at a sensitive moment, as Cyprus has just assumed the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, further heightening the political stakes.

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