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Cyprus Interior Ministry Requests Clarification on Allegations Against Direct Democracy Candidates

Published March 18, 2026, 10:15
Cyprus Interior Ministry Requests Clarification on Allegations Against Direct Democracy Candidates

The Cyprus Ministry of Interior has sent a letter to the president of DIKO, Nikola Papadopoulos, requesting clarification regarding allegations he made about three candidates from the Direct Democracy party. The allegations concern a person arrested for drug trafficking in the occupied territories, another under investigation for fraud, and a third accused of defrauding investors during the stock market boom. The Legal Service is responsible for determining whether these offenses constitute 'dishonesty' or 'moral turpitude,' criteria that determine a person's eligibility to run for office. The candidate in Kyrenia, Valeri Tarapai, confirmed she spent two years in the occupied territories' prisons. The evaluation process of the candidates will determine if they can run for a parliamentary seat.