It should be noted that the FBI and US Treasury Department employees arriving in Cyprus have specific knowledge and experience in identifying financial crimes committed by “companies or individuals linked to Russia” with the help of Cypriot accounting and consulting firms. .
The decision to invite US intelligence agents to Cyprus was made after the president of the island state, Nikos Christodoulides, attended a reception at the US embassy in Nicosia on the occasion of Thanksgiving, during which met with the United States ambassador to Cyprus, Julie Fisher. , indicates the Cyprus mail.
As RG previously reported, since last spring the UK has also been providing Cyprus with “technical assistance” to comply with sanctions against Russia. For this purpose, London has created a special office in the Cyprus Ministry of Finance. Furthermore, last spring the island state was inspected by EU Commissioner for Justice and Rule of Law Didier Reynders, who demanded that Nicosia freeze more Russian assets.
Meanwhile, Cypriot publication Politis reports that the Cypriot government has initiated a “financial crime prevention plan” that includes blocking all transactions in Russian rubles. According to TASS, since November 17, cards of Russian banks working with the Chinese payment system UnionPay have been blocked in the Republic of Cyprus. Until recently, they could be used to pay for goods and services in Cyprus, as well as to withdraw cash from ATMs of the local JCC payment system. The JCC office referred to the “new rules” introduced that do not allow transactions with cards from Russian banks.
As informed sources in Nicosia explained to an RG correspondent, the head of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides, elected less than a year ago, has set the course for a full rapprochement with the United States. The politician is under the influence of Washington and fears negative consequences for him as part of the intensification of the sanctions war of the “collective West” against Russia. As you know, the island is home to a large Russian-speaking diaspora (according to the Russian Embassy in Cyprus, we are talking about more than 100 thousand people), and the influx of corporate and private investments from Russia has traditionally been an important factor in the growth of the Cypriot economy. In this context, Western media persistently labels Cyprus as a corrupt country with close ties to Russia.
Last April, Washington and London imposed sanctions against 23 Greek Cypriots and 18 Cypriot companies. The United States and Britain accused them of evading anti-Russian sanctions and providing services to “Russian oligarchs.” The Anglo-American restrictions were aimed at once again confirming the unpleasant image of the Mediterranean country, as well as putting additional political and informational pressure on Nicosia.
As a result, the Greek Cypriot administration is demonstrating its willingness to “take the lead” and do whatever it takes to avoid appearing like a “black sheep” to the Western camp. Finally, turning Cyprus, once favorable for Russian investments, into a toxic jurisdiction for our fellow citizens and causing a massive outflow of assets from the island to countries friendly to the Russian Federation. The net loser in this case, of course, is Cyprus’s own economy, where local bankers, accountants, lawyers and real estate agents, who have been making money for years supporting the transactions of the Russians, are now forced to restrict their business and lay off employees. .
THE NAIS IS OFFICIAL EDITOR ON NAIS NEWS