The anti-corruption authority on Monday said it is monitoring developments related to a video which alleged campaign finance lawbreaking on the part of President Nikos Christodoulides and his associates which was widely shared on social media, but that it will not launch an investigation.

It announced that the video had been “studied in detail” at a meeting on Monday morning, and that while “many, both politicians and members of the public, are asking the authority to conduct an investigation into its content”, it had found that “the legal service was immediately mobilised for a criminal investigation into aspects of the video”.

As such, it said, “by virtue of the legislation governing its operation, the authority is not permitted to conduct any investigation if a criminal investigation has already been initiated by the legal service or the police”.

However, it did say that it will be “in constant communication with the legal service regarding any developments”, and that it is “willing to provide any assistance in investigating any criminal aspects related to the legislation on lobbying”.

This, it said, is because it is the only government body responsible for the implementation of laws related to lobbying.

Earlier, transparency commissioner Harris Poyiadjis had told the Cyprus News Agency that the anti-corruption authority would examine the video “minute by minute”.

“We are not acting hastily, but we are not remaining inactive,” he said, adding that the matter has been “under continuous examination” since it gained traction on social media last week.

The video first appeared on social media platform X on Thursday, having been shared by an account using the handle “EmilyTanalyst” and the name “Emily Thompson”.

It features close associates of Christodoulides, his chief of staff Charalambos Charalambous and former minister Giorgos Lakkotrypis, appearing to explain how they used and intended to continue to use cash donations to circumvent election campaign finance laws.

Both men also appeared to say that donations to Christodoulides by oligarchs under threat of appearing on international sanctions list would lead to him defending and assisting them to avoid sanctions from the European Union.

Construction company Cyfield’s chief executive officer Giorgos Chrysochos, meanwhile, appeared to say that he pays €250,000 per year for his access to the government.

The social media account was registered in 2022 and according to information available on the platform is based in the United Kingdom.

The government has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.