The Cypriot government is moving toward a more coordinated communication counter-offensive—led by the Presidential Palace—following the publication of a controversial video on the X platform last Thursday.

Despite a 5-day delay after the video’s release, information indicates that during the Cabinet meeting held on the morning of Tuesday, 13 January, the issue of the disputed footage was discussed and the government’s next steps were outlined.

Key decisions reportedly included the adoption of a narrative describing the incident as a “hybrid attack” against the country, the government, and President Nicos Christodoulides—a claim currently under investigation by the Police, the Law Office, and a criminal investigator. The strategy also involves a series of staggered public statements by ministers and deputy ministers aimed at reinforcing this narrative and publicly defending the President.

Part of the presidential planning further entails ministers “stepping forward” to defend the government’s investment-attraction policies and its overall record in office.

The first public intervention came from Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou, who, following the foundation stone-laying ceremony for the Cyprus Land Development Corporation’s first affordable rental housing project in Limassol on the morning of 13 January, stated that the video is under investigation and shows signs of malicious editing. He rejected allegations of suspicious transactions, urged caution against the uncritical acceptance of the video’s content, defended the government’s investment strategy, and stressed that the truth would ultimately refute what he described as a misleading and damaging narrative.

Later the same day, Deputy Minister of Migration Nikolas Ioannides followed with a post on the X platform, adopting a more confrontational tone toward political parties in Cyprus. He expressed certainty that the video constitutes a hybrid attack against the state, arguing that recent political, economic, defence, and migration-related developments have unsettled certain actors ahead of parliamentary elections. He called on citizens to act responsibly and remain united in the face of what he described as an ongoing hostile operation.

The latest response came today, January 15, from Transport Minister Alexis Vafeades, who, ahead of the completion of official investigations, argued that the claims presented in the video are not supported by documented evidence or financial data demonstrating any illegal activity. While emphasising that informing the public is a government obligation, he underlined that this cannot substitute for investigations conducted by the Attorney General and the Police. He also warned against drawing conclusions from selectively edited material, cautioned that corporate social responsibility initiatives should not be conflated with political financing without proof, and stressed that the country’s credibility depends on institutional transparency and evidence-based evaluation.

According to information, the mobilisation of Cabinet members under this new—albeit delayed—communication strategy was considered necessary after the initial wave of pressure and inquiries was largely absorbed by Victor Papadopoulos, Director of the Presidential Press Office, and Yiannis Antoniou, Deputy Government Spokesperson. Additional public statements or social media interventions by other ministers are expected to follow.

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