Cypriot parliament eliminates fixed number of judges for administrative courts

On October 29, 2026, the Cypriot House of Representatives unanimously approved legislative amendments to reform the administrative judicial system. The new laws abolish the previous statutory requirements that limited the Administrative Court to six judges and the Administrative Court for International Protection to ten judges.

Under the revised framework, the authority to determine the number of judges in these institutions is transferred to the Supreme Constitutional Court. This body will now set the number of judicial positions based on the interests of justice and the headcount allocations provided for in the annual state budget. The initiative for these changes originated from the judicial branch itself, with the Ministry of Justice and Public Order stating that the move is designed to ensure the efficient and smooth operation of these courts.

This legislative action replaces rigid staffing levels with a more flexible administrative mechanism. By aligning judicial capacity with budget-approved positions and the assessment of the Supreme Constitutional Court, the state aims to reorganize the judicial framework and better manage the workload of the specialized administrative tribunals.