President refers recreation law to Supreme Court instead of returning it to Parliament

The President of the Republic of Cyprus has referred the Law on the Establishment and Operation of Recreation Centers of 2026 to the Supreme Court. This action challenges the constitutionality of the bill recently passed by the House of Representatives. The Pancyprian Association of Recreation Center Owners (PASIKA) expressed regret over this decision, arguing that the alleged constitutional issues are not sufficiently clear to justify a referral to the Supreme Court instead of a parliamentary return. PASIKA notes that the President exhausted the constitutional time limit for a return, while the Parliament had already self-dissolved, leaving the referral as the only remaining procedural option. The association emphasized that the law resulted from extensive parliamentary consultations intended to modernize and simplify industry regulations. PASIKA urged the relevant Deputy Ministry to avoid reintroducing previously rejected proposals. The legislation aims to streamline the operational framework for recreational facilities.