At its meeting on Thursday, the cabinet approved six proposals to withdraw citizenship from 28 naturalised individuals granted under the controversial citizenship by investment programme.

Earlier this month, on 3 September, the cabinet authorised the revocation of nationality from 7 investors and 19 family members, following a proposal by Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou, who then went on to prepare a further list for review.

These decisions are in addition to 35 others taken by the Christodoulides government since it took office in March 2023, bringing the total to 41 decisions to revoke Cypriot citizenship involving a total of 150 individuals, namely 41 investors and 109 members of their families.

According to the interior ministry, these latest actions are part of a wider government strategy to “enhance transparency, combat corruption and restore Cyprus’s international reputation.”

Between 2021, when the citizenship by investment programme ended, and the present, a total of 360 individuals, including 101 investors and 259 dependents, have been subject to citizenship revocation.

Of these, 112 cases have been completed, with documents officially cancelled.

During the same period, the government also authorised ‘decrees of deprivation of citizenship’ for 69 individuals, whose cases originated between 2021 and 2023.

To date, the deprivation process has been finalised for 15 persons, including five investors and ten family members.

The government, working alongside the Law Office of the Republic, is finalising the latest changes to the legislation on the population registry, with the aim of harmonising it with the recommendations of the European Commission, ensuring that there will be no scope in the future for the return of practices that have in the past damaged the international image of the Republic.

“This is an important reform that enhances transparency, restores the country’s credibility, and sends a clear message that Cyprus is moving forward with modern European principles and values,” the interior ministry concluded.