The anti-corruption authority has flagged possible criminal liability for former agriculture minister Nicos Kouyialis and two former department heads over the irregular approval of water extraction from the Kouris river and permits for an illegal fish farm near Trimiklini reservoir.

The department heads in question are Loizos Loizides from fisheries and Kostas Hadjipanayiotou from environment. The authority also points to possible criminal liability for seven other individuals, two of whom are named in multiple cases.

According to the authority’s report, Kouyialis approved a special appeal allowing water extraction from Kouris river, just upstream of Trimiklini reservoir, without following due process.

He also approved the supply of water directly from the dam itself, despite no such request having been submitted.

As regards the two department heads, the report states that Loizides signed two licences for the establishment and operation of a fish farm, in 2011 and again in 2013.

The 2013 licence followed a letter from the environment department, sent by Hadjipanayiotou, which the report describes as “illegal and a complete abuse of power”.

During the investigation, Loizides claimed that if he had not issued the permit, the fish farm would have continued operating illegally. The inspector dismissed this justification as “arbitrary and unjustified”.

The report further reveals that Loizides issued the 2013 permit in coordination with Hadjipanayiotou in order to legalise the site ahead of its inauguration by the then minister.

“Essentially”, the report states, “they knowingly, intentionally and deliberately bypassed all legislation and regulations, relying on the positions they held as directors of the respective departments, and completely arbitrarily and in abuse of their power, coordinated between themselves to issue the fish farm establishment and operation permit.”

Meanwhile, in its findings, the authority establishes that the directors of the environment and fisheries departments demonstrated “unjustified urgency” in issuing the fish farm permit in view of its inauguration that would take place “in a few days by the then minister, bypassing the legal procedures”.

According to the anti-corruption authority, this conduct also shows “irresponsibility and a superficial rather than real legality,” adding that government officials should ensure a business’ full compliance before attending inaugurations.

The authority identified a pattern of deliberate stalling within the Limassol district administration, involving repeated letters and meetings justified as “constructive discussions”. This resulted in multiple deadline extensions without any substantive resolution of the issues.

It also found that the fish farm project, which was co-financed by EU funds under the 2007-2013 Rural Development Programme, breached a clear rule stipulating that “no employee shall perform any of the duties in question without his work being supervised by a second employee”.

The report says that the deputy ministry intends to seek the attorney-general’s opinion on possible breaches of trade description and consumer protection laws by the fish farm.

It further flags potential illegal intervention on state land, recommending that the interior ministry examine the matter for any civil or criminal offenses and take appropriate action.

The case file has been referred to the attorney-general for assessment of criminal liability, and to the relevant bodies for disciplinary proceedings.