The Pandora Papers revelations on tax heavens have stirred the political world in several countries and exposed the European Union and its alleged fight against black money and tax evasion. The Pandora leaks do not contain the names of any active or former politician, but a long list of Greek names.
The names of 283 Greeks are mentioned in the Pandora leaks and these names are expected to be published in mid-October.
According to Greek media ( proto thema, capital.gr and others) these 283 are businessmen and mostly lawyers, who appear as owners of offshore companies, thus protecting the data of their clients.
Greece marked white on the Pandora Papers map as revealed by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists.
In contrast, neighbouring Cyprus has suffered a big blow by the Pandora Papers as the leaks alleged the involvement of the law firm of president Nikos Anastasiadis to have hided assets of a Russian oligarch in exile, so the UK newspaper Guardian.
Contacted by the Guardian and the BBC, Anastasiades & Partners strongly denied filing false information to the broker. The firm’s founder, Nicos Anastasiades, became president of Cyprus in 2013. He said that while he owned shares in the law firm until his election, he had no active role in its affairs after becoming leader of the opposition in 1997.
In a statement to the Guardian, Anastasiades said: “I have no knowledge and it would be impossible for me to know and be in a position to respond to any allegations concerning the handling of the affairs of my ex-law firm.”
Τhe Pandora Papers link over 300 leaders, politicians and high-ranking officials on the public life in 91 countries and regions with offshore activities and tax evasion.
