Parliament discusses European Commission report on the rule of law in Cyprus

On Wednesday, the Parliamentary Committee on Institutions began discussions regarding the European Commission's annual report on the state of the rule of law in Cyprus. The report reiterated a long-standing recommendation to reform the Legal Service by separating the powers of the Attorney General and the public prosecutor. Additionally, a new recommendation was introduced regarding persistent delays in judicial proceedings.

During the session, Haris Poyiatzis, the Commissioner for Transparency, addressed the operation of the Anti-Corruption Authority. He confirmed that the agency is recruiting six new officers to reach a total staff of 22 and noted that complaint processing has accelerated, with 71% of cases now completed. Conversely, Akis Gkikas from the Audit Office raised concerns regarding the report's findings about difficulties in accessing information, which he argued hinders the Office's oversight functions.

The discussions highlighted ongoing pressures to align national legal structures with European standards. As the legislative committee continues its review, stakeholders are monitoring how these institutional recommendations will translate into concrete legislative or administrative actions to address judicial efficiency and transparency bottlenecks.