Supreme Constitutional Court of Cyprus rules civil procedure amendment unconstitutional

On September 30, 2026, the Plenary of the Supreme Constitutional Court of Cyprus unanimously ruled that the "Civil Procedure (Amendment) Law of 2026" is unconstitutional. The law, which had been passed by the House of Representatives, sought to retroactively cancel existing court orders (memos) regarding the seizure of debtor property located in the occupied areas of the Republic.

The Court's decision, issued following a referral by the President of the Republic, emphasizes that the legislative proposal violates the principle of separation of powers and Article 30 of the Constitution. The Court reasoned that a registered court judgment constitutes a statutory instrument of enforcement protected by judicial oversight. Consequently, the retrospective deletion of such registration undermines the effectiveness of court judgments by stripping them of their legal consequences. The Court further noted that the general legislative authority granted to the House of Representatives under Article 61 does not permit interference with these judicial protections.