Parliamentary candidate confirms past drug conviction in the north

Valerie Tarabay, a parliamentary candidate for the Direct Democracy party, has confirmed media reports regarding her 2017 conviction in the north. Tarabay and a co-defendant, Sofoklis Mavroskoufi, were arrested at the Ayios Dhometios crossing point while attempting to transport 170 grams of cannabis, drug-processing equipment, and €700. The pair admitted to importing a total of 236 grams of cannabis across multiple instances while acting as couriers. A local court in the north sentenced both individuals to three years in prison. Tarabay served two years of this sentence before being released for good behavior. The candidate explicitly stated that she does not recognize the legal framework of the north, noting that it does not align with the laws of the Republic of Cyprus or the European Union. She argued that the sentence was disproportionate and that, under Cypriot law, she would not have received prison time for a first-time offense. Currently, Tarabay maintains she has a clean criminal record within the Republic of Cyprus.