The Cyprus government was informed on Thursday about natural and legal entities in Cyprus to be included in the new US and UK sanctions lists, President, Nikos Christodoulides said on Friday, adding that the information will be evaluated by the competent authorities of the Republic.

Asked by journalists about this issue during a visit to Larnaca, the President underlined that his message is that he will not cover up for anyone.

He said that in recent days, he has heard some people saying that supposedly the government unconditionally accepts the decisions of foreign governments, the Americans and the British, jeopardizing the relevant industry. 

"The message is crystal clear: I am not here to cover up for anyone. Legal measures must be taken when and for those who infringe the sanctions and create a problem to the country's reputation and the industry itself," he added.

He said that all information handed over to the Republic will be evaluated and measures will be taken based on real facts. "Only this way we will protect an important industry of the Cypriot economy. When something is rotten it must be removed," he added.

Christodoulides noted that the first thing to be done is to evaluate the information and take action if necessary, adding that this is the only way to safeguard the country's reputation and the reliability of an important sector of the economy.