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Lakkotrypis' 'Pay-to-Play' with Alleged Investors and Lobbying: What Does the Law Say?

Published January 13, 2026, 21:09

A video showing Giorgos Lakkotrypis meeting with representatives of investors at the Presidential Palace has raised questions about the legality of his actions and their relationship to the practice of lobbying. According to the Transparency in Public Decision-Making Law of 2022, influencing public decisions requires registration in the lobbyist registry and adherence to a specific code of ethics. Mr. Lakkotrypis, who recently stepped down as minister, is not registered in the lobbyist registry as an individual. The legislation stipulates that former officials must have passed two years since the end of their term to register, or obtain approval from the competent committee. Mr. Lakkotrypis submitted three applications for employment in the private sector within three months of his departure, but none are registered in the lobbyist registry. If the discussion with the investors concerned issues of public decision-making, Mr. Lakkotrypis should have declared the meeting to the authority and registered in the registry. If he is not registered, Mr. Charalambous, with whom he met, should not have scheduled the meeting. It is not excluded that Mr. Lakkotrypis is operating through another legal entity that is registered in the registry. The Independent Anti-Corruption Authority did not respond to a question about this possibility, due to the ongoing investigation.