Journalist Sefa Karahasan has brought attention to a significant scandal in Southern Cyprus through his social media account, revealing that approximately 3,000 EU citizenships were sold under the "Cyprus Investment Program." The citizenship sales reportedly earned Southern Cyprus $7.5 billion, with allegations implicating top government officials in the process.

According to reports, former Greek Cypriot President Nikos Anastasiadis, the Speaker of the Parliament, and several ministers are alleged to have played a role in these transactions. It is further claimed that Anastasiadis and his associates earned €2.5 billion from the sales. As a result, an investigation has been launched, focusing on accusations of "corruption and profiteering" against Anastasiadis, former ministers, and their families.

Greek writer Dino Teodotou commented on the scandal in his column, calling it "shameful" and accusing Southern Cyprus of deceiving the European Union. Teodotou wrote, “We deceived the Europeans, they made us members of the EU, and we sold our European citizenship for quick and easy gain.” He further criticized the Greek Cypriot administration for its reputation of corruption, stating that Southern Cyprus is internationally recognized as a symbol of “shame and humiliation.”

Teodotou added that despite the numerous scandals, the Greek Cypriot leaders seem unfazed, and that illegality is widely tolerated within the country.