‘Police out to destroy me’, claims Greek Cypriot MEP

Date: 29/07/04

A GREEK Cypriot MEP at the centre of an investigation into allegations that he sought bribes from a police officer has declared that he is the victim of a "vicious campaign" to discredit him.

Marios Matsakis, from the Democratic Party of President Tassos Papadopoulos, is suspected of requesting a €16,000 backhander from a drug squad officer to help secure his acquittal on an attempted manslaughter charge.

He also faces accusations that he was involved in the illicit trade of ancient historical artefacts from the Turkish Cypriot-dominated north of the island.

Cypriot Attorney-General Solon Nikitas was expected to apply last week to the European Parliament to lift Matsakis' immunity from prosecution.

The application, delayed due to ongoing inquiries into the antiquities case, is now expected to be made early next week.

But speaking to European Voice, Matsakis declared he had done nothing wrong.

A former state forensic pathologist, he has sparked controversy in the past after giving evidence against the Cypriot police in several cases of alleged assault and human rights violations.

He said: "The Cypriot police are, basically, out to destroy me. These are trumped-up charges, which I completely deny."

Matsakis said he had "no intention" of either resigning his MEP seat or renouncing his immunity.

"Why should I? I've done nothing wrong," he said.

The bribery allegation arises from an incident in January in which a suspected drug dealer was shot and injured by a policeman in Nicosia. An investigator recommended, partly on the basis of evidence provided by Matsakis, attempted manslaughter charges against the officer.

The policeman subsequently alleged that Matsakis had asked him for a backhander in return for changing evidence at the trial, which will take place in November.

Matsakis denies this and the antiquities allegation, of which he says: "The allegation was made by the same police officer involved in the shooting purely on the grounds that I have antique furniture in my home. But since when was it a crime to possess antique furniture?"

A Cypriot police spokesman said they could not comment on individual cases.

A Greek Cypriot MEP Marios Matsakis at the centre of an investigation into allegations that he sought bribes from a police officer has declared that he is the victim of a 'vicious campaign' to discredit him.

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