- A Cypriot whistleblower and former aide to President Nikos Anastasiades has accused the EU country authorities of engaging in surveillance activities to the benefit of powerful Russians, something the president vehemently denies.
- Although the regulation entered into force, Cyprus was inundated with as many as 29 Israeli spyware companies because it was easy to acquire export licenses there as controls were lacking, thus allowing the transfer of such products throughout the EU.
- When the Israeli group NSO, who developed the Pegasus product, was bought by Novalpina, a London-based private equity fund, for $1 billion, one of the selling arguments was that NSO had acquired export licenses from Bulgaria and Cyprus.
Whistleblower: Spyware helps the mafia rule in Cyprus
