Call for money-laundering clampdown in north

The Cyprus Integrity Forum on Wednesday called for action over sanctions evasion and money laundering in the north.

It was reacting to a Deutsche Welle production, which revealed that Iranian and Russian nationals buy property in the north to avoid sanctions.

The NGO said the report confirmed suspicions that there is no regulatory framework that bars money laundering or sanctions evasion in the north.

It described a “diametrically different direction” that the Republic is taking, where it follows western principles and EU law.

Cyprus has faced a deluge of sanctions in the past year, as the US, UK and EU have tried to clamp down on Russia’s economy since its invasion of Ukraine.

On Tuesday, the government announced cooperation with the US including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), to clamp down on money laundering and sanctions.

The Cyprus Integrity Forum called on the government to move forward with a strict oversight authority and an independent authority for sanctions compliance.

Last month, the government announced the creation of an oversight body which will now be discussed in parliament, amid criticism it is not taking the matter seriously.