COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT 2021 Rule of Law Report Country Chapter on the rule of law situation in Cyprus Accompanying the COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS 2021 Rule of Law Report The rule of law situation in the European Union
Date: 2021-07-20
Institutions: European Commission, Secretariat-General
Subjects: Cyprus, administrative transparency, coronavirus disease, corruption, democracy, epidemic, independence of the judiciary, infringement of EU law, political rights, rule of law

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 20.7.2021  SWD(2021) 704 final  COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT 2021 Rule of Law Report   Country Chapter on the rule of law situation in Cyprus Accompanying the COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS 2021 Rule of Law Report   The rule of law situation in the European Union {COM(2021) 700 final} - {SWD(2021) 701 final} - {SWD(2021) 702 final} - {SWD(2021) 703 final} - {SWD(2021) 705 final} - {SWD(2021) 706 final} - {SWD(2021) 707 final} - {SWD(2021) 708 final} - {SWD(2021) 709 final} - {SWD(2021) 710 final} - {SWD(2021) 711 final} - {SWD(2021) 712 final} - {SWD(2021) 713 final} - {SWD(2021) 714 final} - {SWD(2021) 715 final} - {SWD(2021) 716 final} - {SWD(2021) 717 final} - {SWD(2021) 718 final} - {SWD(2021) 719 final} - {SWD(2021) 720 final} - {SWD(2021) 721 final} - {SWD(2021) 722 final} - {SWD(2021) 723 final} - {SWD(2021) 724 final} - {SWD(2021) 725 final} - {SWD(2021) 726 final} - {SWD(2021) 727 final}  
 
 
ABSTRACT 

The structural reform of the Cypriot justice system continues, but is experiencing delay. Draft 
legislation on splitting the current Supreme Court into a Supreme Constitutional Court and a 
High Court, and on the appointment procedures of the judges and Presidents of these two new 
jurisdictions,  is  pending  before  Parliament.  These  appointments  would  be  decided  by  the 
President of the Republic, following the non-binding advice of the Advisory Judicial Council. 
It  is  important  that  this  reform  guarantees  judicial  independence,  in  line  with  EU  law  and 
taking  into  account  Council  of  Europe  recommendations.  The  establishment  of  a  Court  of 
Appeal is also being discussed before the Parliament. The establishment of specialised courts 
and the restructuring of the courts are ongoing. The new rules of civil procedure have been 
approved, which aim at accelerating judicial proceedings. The enhancement of the capacity of 
the Law Office continues, including the separation of functions and recruitment procedures. 
Further reforms aim at overcoming important challenges for the efficiency and quality of the 
justice  system,  in  particular  for  digitalisation.  Civil,  commercial  and  administrative  judicial 
proceedings remain very lengthy.  

Cyprus continues to improve its legislative framework to combat corruption, although a few 
important reforms remain pending, such as setting up an anticorruption agency, protection of 
whistleblowers, regulation of lobbying and asset  disclosure for elected officials. The Office 
of Transparency and Prevention of Corruption has been tasked to oversee the implementation 
of a new anti-corruption plan for 2021-2026. The investigation of corruption cases continued, 
with  the  manipulation  of  sports  competition  standing  out  as  a  particular  risk  area,  although 
adjudication  of  corruption  cases  remains  low.  The  Attorney  General’s  Office  received  new 
resources, and an amendment to the Criminal Code increased the sanctions for the crime of 
abuse  in  office,  triggering  the  possibility  to  use  special  investigation  techniques  in  the 
investigation  of  this  offence.  The  Government  launched  an  inquiry  into  the  investor-citizen 
schemes  to  respond  to  allegations  of  corruption  involving  foreign  individuals  and  high-
ranking officials. A new code of conduct focused on anticorruption seeks to improve integrity 
in  the  police.  During  the  COVID-19  pandemic,  actions  launched  to  provide  financial  relief 
were accompanied by measures that sought to mitigate the risk of fraud and corruption.  

Freedom of expression and the right of access to information find legal and formal protection 
in the Constitution. Secondary legislation expressly ensures protection of journalistic sources, 
fosters media pluralism in the radio and television sectors. Since December 2020, secondary 
law establishes the framework and conditions for public access to information and establishes 
the  office  of  the  Commissioner  for  Information.  Draft  laws  envisaged  for  adoption  in  the 
second half of 2021  are  geared  at  strengthening the independence of the  Cyprus Radio  and 
Television Authority, reinforcing free speech guarantees and ownership transparency.  

The  system  of  checks  and  balances  includes  a  consultation  process  as  part  of  a  Better 
Regulation  Project.  However,  the  consultation  process  on  draft  legislation  is  limited  to 
discussions within the House of Representatives and concerns exist on the access to drafts by 
the public. The state of emergency enshrined in the Constitution was not declared during the 
pandemic.  However,  restrictions  were  imposed  to  citizens  and  businesses  under  the 
Quarantine  Law,  which  empowers  the  Council  of  Ministers  to  issue  decrees  related  to 
COVID-19 pandemic. Some civil society organisations still face certain challenges regarding 
the registration framework, as noted in the 2020 Rule of Law Report, though improvements 
are noted in new legislation, which allows an easier registration of federations of NGOs.  

1 

 
 
 
I. 

JUSTICE SYSTEM  

The court system1 is composed of six District Courts, six Assize Courts2, the Administrative 
Court3,  the  Administrative  Court  of  International  Protection4  and  the  Supreme  Court5.  The 
establishment of a Constitutional Court is ongoing. In addition, there are family courts, rent 
control courts, industrial disputes courts and a military court6. There are 113 judges serving in 
all courts of first instance and 13 judges serving in the Supreme Court. Supreme Court Judges 
are  appointed  by  the  President  of  the  Republic  within  the  ranks  of  the  judiciary  and  upon 
recommendation  of  the  Supreme  Court,  which  the  President  is  not  obliged  to  follow. 
However,  according  to  an  established  practice,  the  President  of  the  Republic  follows  the 
recommendations of the Supreme Court, which, based on seniority, proposes the oldest judge 
in service for each vacancy. The same practice applies to the appointment of the President of 
the  Supreme  Court,  for  which  the  President  of  the  Republic  always  follows  the 
recommendation to appoint the oldest judge in service of in that Court7. First instance judges 
are appointed, transferred and promoted by the Supreme Council of Judicature (SCJ), which 
is composed of all the members of the Supreme Court (the President and 12 Justices)8. The 
Prosecution  Service  is  independent  and  organised  under  the  Attorney  General  of  the 
Republic.  The  Attorney  General  heads  the  Law  Office  of  the  Republic  which  is  an 
independent service assisting him, not subjected to any ministry9. The Attorney General has 
the power, exercisable at his discretion in the public interest, to institute, conduct, take over 
and  continue  or  discontinue  any  proceedings  for  an  offence  against  any  person  (legal  or 
natural) in the Republic. The Attorney General is also the legal adviser of the Republic, of the 
President, of the Council of Ministers and of the Ministers individually. He performs all other 
functions  and  duties  conferred  on  him  by  the  Constitution  or  by  statutory  law10.  Cyprus 
participates  in  the  European  Public  Prosecutor’s  Office.  The  independent  national  bar 
association has regulatory and disciplinary competence as regards its members. 

Independence  

The level of perceived judicial independence is average. Among the general public, 48% 
consider  judicial  independence  to  be  ‘fairly’  or  ‘very  good’,  a  share  that  decreased  by  7 
percentage points in 2021 compared to 2020. The corresponding figure among companies is 

1   CEPEJ (2021), Study on the functioning of the judicial systems in the EU Member States. 
2   The Assize Court has unlimited jurisdiction to hear and determine at first instance any criminal case. 
3   Law 131 (I)/2015 on the Establishment and Function of the Administrative Court.  
4   Law 73 (I)/2018 on the Establishment and Function of the Administrative Court for International Protection. 
5   The Supreme Court acts as an appellate body. It also acts as a Constitutional Court. 
6   Contribution from the Supreme Court of Cyprus for the 2021 Rule of Law Report. 
7   Input from Cyprus for the 2021 Rule of Law Report; contribution from the Supreme Court for the 2021 Rule 
of  Law  Report,  p. 6 and information received by the  Supreme  Court in the context of the country  visit to 
Cyprus. 

8   Constitution  of  Cyprus,  Art.  157.2,  provides  that  the  appointment,  promotion,  transfer,  termination  of 
appointment, dismissal and disciplinary matters of judicial officers are exclusively within the competence of 
the  Supreme  Council  of  Judicature.  The  abovementioned  constitutional  provision  is  further  elaborated  in 
Law No. 33/64 of the Administration of Justice, Section 10. 

9   The  two  functions,  prosecution  and  legal  advisor  are  separated  and  operate  with  two  different  staff.  The 
Attorney  General’s representatives (Counsels of  the  Republic) act on his behalf and take instructions only 
from him. All Counsels of the Law Office of the Republic are members of the Public Service and they are 
regulated by the Public Service Law  and Regulations including disciplinary procedures as all other public 
servants. 

10   Constitution of Cyprus, Art. 112. 

2 

 
                                                 
45% and has decreased by 3 percentage points since 202011. This level of perceived judicial 
independence12 has been average since 2016. 

The splitting of the current Supreme Court into a Supreme Constitutional Court and a 
High Court is pending before the Parliament13. The draft legislation was submitted to the 
Parliament at the end of 2020, with an ad hoc Committee having been established to finalise 
the text14. This draft currently provides that appointment of the judges and the Presidents of 
these  courts  would  be  solely  taken  by  the  President  of  the  Republic15.  It  would  set  up  an 
Advisory  Judicial  Council16  –  different  from  the  Supreme  Council  of  Judicature  –  charged 
with  preparing  a  list  of  the  most  suitable  candidates  for  appointment,  which  would  not  be 
binding on the President17. It is important that this reform guarantees judicial independence, 
in  line  with  EU  law  and  taking  into  account  Council  of  Europe  recommendations18 
Consultation of the Venice Commission on the draft legislation would give reassurance about 
the  proposed  reform  to  that  effect.  Draft  legislation  also  provides  for  setting  up  a  Court  of 
Appeals, for which the judges and the President would be appointed by the Supreme Council 
of  the  Judicature.  After  the  dissolution  of  the  Parliament  on  14  April  2021  in  view  of  the 
legislative  elections  on  30  May,  the  pending  bills  will  be  discussed  by  the  newly  elected 
Parliament.  

Reforms are ongoing as regards the Supreme Council of Judicature, in order to make it 
more  representative  of  the  components  of  the  justice  system.  A  bill  prepared  in  2020 
proposed  the  enlargement  of  the  Supreme  Council  of  Judicature  (SCJ).  This  would  be 
composed  of  the  members  of  the  Supreme  Court,  the  President  and  Justices  of  the  High 

11   Figures 47 and 49, 2021 EU Justice Scoreboard. 
12   The level of perceived judicial independence is categorised as follows: very low (below 30% of respondents 
perceive judicial independence as fairly good and very good); low (between 30-39%), average (between 40-
59%), high (between 60-75%), very high (above 75%). 

13   2020 Rule of Law Report, country chapter on the rule of law situation in Cyprus, p.2. 
14   The Committee is chaired by the Minister of Justice and Public Order and comprised of one representative of 
each political party participating in the Legal Affairs Parliamentary Committee, as well as the President of 
the Cyprus Bar Association. The Minister of Justice and Public Order is at the same time consulting with the 
Supreme Court. Information received in the context of the country visit to Cyprus. 

15   Written contribution received by the Ministry of Justice in the context of the country visit to Cyprus. 
16   “An Advisory Council for the Judiciary […] shall act as an advisory body to the President of the Republic as 
regards the suitability of candidates for appointment as judges of the Supreme Constitutional Court and the 
High Court. The Advisory Council for the Judiciary shall have two configurations, depending on  whether a 
Judge  is  appointed  to  the  Supreme  Constitutional  Court  or  the  High  Court,  respectively.  In  the  case  of  a 
procedure for the appointment of members of the Supreme Constitutional Court, it will be composed of the 
President of the Supreme Constitutional Court as President of the Council, the four oldest members of the 
same Court, the Attorney General of the Republic and the President of the Cyprus Bar Association. In the 
case of a procedure for the appointment of members of the High Court, it will be composed by the President 
of the Supreme Court, as President of the Council, the four oldest members of the same Court, the Attorney 
General of the Republic and the President of the Cyprus Bar Association”. Draft legislation received in the 
context of the country visit to Cyprus. 

17   “The Advisory Council for the Judiciary shall draw up a list of persons deemed suitable for appointment, the 
number of which shall be at least three times the number of vacant posts…. and shall draw up assessment 
reports  for  each  of  the  candidates,  which  shall  be  submitted  in  alphabetical  order  to  the  President  of  the 
Republic. The report sets out the Council’s reasoned opinion on the suitability of each of the candidates and 
its  content  is  advisory  to  the  President  of  the  Republic”.  Draft  legislation  received  in  the  context  of  the 
country visit to Cyprus. 

18   Recommendation  CM/Rec(2010)12  of  the  Committee  of  Ministers  of  the  Council  of  Europe,  para.  47; 
Judgment of the Court of Justice of 20 April 2021, Repubblika, case C-896/19,  ECLI:EU:C:2021:311, para 
71; Judgment of the Court of Justice of 9 April 2021, AB et al., case C-824/18 para. 122. 

3 

 
 
                                                 
Court, the President of the Appeal Court, the most senior President of the District Courts, the 
President of the Association of Judges, the Attorney General and the President of the Cyprus 
Bar Association. The judiciary expressed the preference for a revised SCJ composed solely of 
members of the judiciary19. This bill is currently pending since the end of 2020 and had not 
been adopted before the dissolution of the Parliament earlier this spring20. It is important that 
this reform take into account Council of Europe recommendations21. 

The  Action  Plan  for  the  strengthening  of  the  Law  Office  of  the  Republic  is  being 
implemented22  and  a  legislation  ensuring  budgetary  independence  of  the  Office  is 
envisaged. Amongst others, the reform23 includes the restructuring and creation of separate, 
self-contained  directorates  within  the  Law  Office  to  make  the  separation  of  the  two  main 
functions  of  the  Attorney  General  more  effective,  the  creation  of  new  posts,  the 
rationalisation  of  procedures,  separation  of  functions  and  recruitment  procedures.  A  draft 
legislation is still under discussion between the Attorney General and the Ministry of Finance 
concerning  the  budgetary  independence  of  the  Law  Office24.  In  order  to  anticipate  the 
envisaged reform, at the end of 2020, a substantial number of new lawyers were recruited at 
the  Law  Office  of  the  Republic  and  a  number  of  them  handle  criminal  cases  including 
corruption cases25.  

Quality  

Measures are taken to improve the digitalisation of justice but serious concerns remain 
in  this  area.  Very  limited  online  information  about  the  judicial  system  is  available  for  the 
general  public26.  Furthermore,  there  are  very  few  digital  solutions  to  initiate  and  follow 
proceedings in civil/commercial and administrative cases27. The introduction of an electronic 
court administration system is one of the main objectives of the ongoing reforms28. However, 
its implementation and the relevant public procurement procedures have been delayed since 
2017. In the meantime, an electronic mini-registry for filing cases was prepared and became 
operational in 2020 in all civil registries and the Supreme Court to allow for a more efficient 
processing  of  applications,  pending  the  full  implementation  of  the  e-justice  system29.  The 
implementation of the registry was accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Informative  websites  on  case  law  and  legislation  for  the  public  have  been  further 
developed.  A  website  managed  by  the  Cyprus  Bar  Association,  provides  for  open,  free  of 
charge,  public  access  to  a  number  of  datasets,  such  as  case  law  and  legislation  databases. 

19   GRECO, Fourth Evaluation Round - Second Compliance Report, p. 8; Information received in the context of 

the country visit to Cyprus. 

20   Information received by the Ministry of Justice in the context of the country visit to Cyprus. 
21   Recommendation CM/Rec(2010)12 of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, para. 27.  
22   2020 Rule of Law Report, country chapter on the rule of law situation in Cyprus, p.3. 
23   A functional review of the Law Office by independent experts was conducted in 2019. Based on this report, 
an action plan has been finalised and approved by the Council of Ministers on 15 October 2019. The Action 
Plan foresees a comprehensive reform of the Law Office of the Republic.  

24   Input from Cyprus for the 2021 Rule of Law Report, p.2. 
25   Input from Cyprus for the 2021 Rule of Law Report, p.4; information received in the context of the country 

visit to Cyprus. 

26   Figure 39, 2021 EU Justice Scoreboard. 
27   Figure 43, 2021 EU Justice Scoreboard. 
28   Cyprus requests assistance from the Recovery and Resilience Facility in this area. A pilot project on e-justice 

is expected to be implemented in 12-15 months. 

29   Input from Cyprus for the 2021 Rule of Law Report, pp.6-7. 

4 

 
 
                                                 
Namely, it provides access to the database of Cyprus case law, Supreme Court of Cyprus case 
law,  European  Court  of  Human  Rights  case  law  and  Cyprus  legislation.  Access  to  national 
and foreign online databases is provided to the Cypriot Judges by the Supreme Court, which 
bears the cost30. 

Efficiency 

The justice system continues to face serious concerns as regards its efficiency31. The time 
needed to resolve civil, commercial and administrative cases in first instance courts (882 days 
in  2019  compared  to  737  days  in  2018)  still  remains  among  the  highest  in  the  EU32.  In 
administrative justice at first instance, the length of proceedings increased (495 days in 2019 
compared  to  487  days  in  2018)33  and  clearance  rates  decreased  (around  170%  in  2019 
compared to around 219% in 2018)34. Since September 2020, a project has been implemented 
on a pilot basis in the District Court of Paphos to reduce backlogs. Following the recruitment 
of a number of additional judges, a taskforce has been created which focuses in particular on 
handling the backlog of cases35. 

The implementation of the action plan to address efficiency challenges continues albeit 
with  some  delay36.  Within  this  framework,  a  bill  drafted  by  the  Ministry  of  Justice  and 
Public  Order  at  the  end  of  2020  provides  for  the  increase  of  the  civil  jurisdiction  of  the 
District  Court  Judges  and  the  Senior  District  Court  judges,  with  regard  to  the  amount  of 
disputes they can hear and adjudicate, in order to allow more flexibility to the system37. The 
decision  taken  by  the  Supreme  Court  in  February  2019  to  assign  the  handling  of  financial 
disputes - judicial procedures relating to non-performing loans - to six already serving senior 
District Court judges, continues to be implemented38. 

The  new  civil  procedure  rules  have  been  approved.  On  19  May  2021,  the  new  Civil 
Procedure  Rules  were  approved  by  the  Supreme  Court,  replacing  the  outdated  legal 
framework  in  force  since  195839.  These  rules,  which  are  not  yet  implemented,  aim  at 
accelerating judicial proceedings and at increasing the overall efficiency of the civil judicial 
process including as regards the execution of court decisions40. 

II. 

ANTI-CORRUPTION FRAMEWORK  

A  new  action  plan  against  corruption  for  2021-2026  was  adopted,  and  the  Office  of 
Transparency  and  Prevention  of  Corruption  is  tasked  to  monitor  its  implementation.  The 
Attorney  General  has  an  overall  competence  to  prosecute  criminal  offences,  including 
corruption.  The  Prosecution  Office  provides  legal  advice  to  law  enforcement  authorities 
investigating corruption  offences.  A new Attorney  General  was  appointed, accompanied by 

30   Cyprus Legislation website; Information received in the context of the country visit to Cyprus. 
31   2020 Rule of Law Report, country chapter on the rule of law situation in Cyprus, p.4. 
32   Figure 5, 2021 EU Justice Scoreboard. 
33   Figure 8, 2021 EU Justice Scoreboard. 
34   Figure 12, 2021 EU Justice Scoreboard. 
35   Input from Cyprus for the 2021 Rule of Law Report, p. 9. 
36   2020 Rule of Law Report, country chapter on the rule of law situation in Cyprus, p. 4. 
37   Input from Cyprus for the 2021 Rule of Law Report, p. 9. 
38   Ibid. 
39   The new Civil Procedure Rules were approved on 19 May 2021. 
40   No further legislative actions are needed for the adoption of the new Civil Procedures Rules. This reform has 

been implemented based on Technical Support provided by the European Commission to Cyprus.  

5 

 
                                                 
the recruitment of new staff, and the reorganisation of the office for prosecution of financial 
crimes. A new bill on access to public information marks an improvement in the legislative 
framework against corruption.  

The perception among experts and business executives is that the level of corruption in 
the public sector remains relatively high. In the 2020 Corruption Perceptions Index by 
Transparency International, Cyprus scores 57/100 and ranks 12th in the European Union and 
42th globally41. This perception has deteriorated42 over the past five years43. 

The  strategic  framework  on  anticorruption  has  been  revised.  In  January  2021,  a  new 
Strategy against Corruption for 2021-2026 was adopted by the President of the Republic and 
the  Minister  of  Justice  and  Public  Order.  The  proposed  measures  concern  transparency, 
accountability and corruption matters, with the goal to reinforce the existing institutions and 
create new safeguards44. The Strategy includes three pillars45, divided into specific actions46. 
The  Office  of  Transparency  and  Prevention  of  Corruption  (placed  under  the  Ministry  of 
Justice  and  Public  Order)  has  appointed  two  officers  tasked  with  the  inter-institutional 
coordination and implementation of the Strategy. Every public institution has a focal point on 
the  anticorruption  strategy,  who  reports  on  the  progress  regarding  the  implementation  of 
anticorruption measures under their respective responsibility. The Office of Transparency and 
Prevention  of  Corruption  collects  and  centralises  information  on  the  implementation  of  the 
strategy, and publishes the results on an online platform47. At the end of 2020, the Council of 
Ministers 
the 
International Organization for Standardisation’s (ISO)  standard on  anti-bribery management 
system.  The  Ministry  of  Justice  is  responsible  for  overseeing  the  implementation  of  this 
programme48. 

programme 

launched 

integrity 

national 

based 

also 

on 

a 

The  law  on  access  to  public  information  has  been  enacted  but  other  anti-corruption 
legislation  is  still  being  discussed  in  the  Parliament.  The  law  on  the  right  of  Access  to 
Public  Sector  Information49,  which  gives  a  natural  or  legal  person  the  right  of  access  to 
information  held  by a public authority, came into force in  December 2020.  The bill  for the 
establishment of an Independent Authority against Corruption and the bill on lobbying have 
passed the first reading before the relevant Parliamentary Committee. A number of draft bills 

41   Transparency International, Corruption Perceptions Index 2020, pp. 2-3. The level of perceived corruption is 
categorised  as  follows:  low  (the  perception  among  experts  and  business  executives  of  public  sector 
corruption scores above 79); relatively low (scores between 79-60), relatively high (scores between 59-50), 
high (scores below 50). 

42   In 2015, the score was 61, while, in 2020, the score is 57. The score significantly increases/decreases when it 
changes  more  than  five  points;  improves/deteriorates  (changes  between  4-5  points);  is  relatively  stable 
(changes from 1-3 points) in the last five years. 

43   The Eurobarometer data on corruption perception and experience of citizens and businesses as reported last 
year is updated every second year. The latest data set is the Special Eurobarometer 502 (2020) and the Flash 
Eurobarometer 482 (2019). 

44   Input from Cyprus for the 2021 Rule of Law Report, p.10. 
45   Notably 1) prevention, education and awareness; 2) legal measures, and 3) risk supervision and assessment. 
46   Among others: memoranda of understanding between the State and universities, establishment of a unit for 
combatting  corruption  under  the  supervision  of  the  Attorney  General;  creation  of  an  independent 
Commission for human resources management; and the establishment of the independent Authority against 
Corruption. Information received in the context of the country visit to Cyprus. 

47   Exandas Communication and Information website. 
48   Information received by the Ministry of Justice in the context of the country visit to Cyprus. 
49   Right of Access to Public Sector Information Law of 2017 (184 (I) / 2017.  

6 

 
 
                                                 
on  assets  declaration  of  elected  and  State  officials  remain  before  the  Parliamentary 
Committee on Institutions, Merit and the Commissioner for Administration50. However, there 
is no indication on the timeline for the final adoption.  

The  sanction  for  the  crime  of  abuse  of  public  office  has  increased.  In  March  2021,  the 
sanction for the crime of abuse of office51 by public officials (whether elected or appointed) 
was increased from three to seven years of imprisonment52.  

The Attorney General office continues to improve its capacity. A new Attorney General 
was appointed at the end of June 2020. The office has recently recruited 24 first level lawyers 
mandated to prosecute financial crimes, including corruption, and three officials were moved 
from the personnel department to the Attorney General office. Between 2013 and 2020, 149 
corruption cases were investigated, of which 20 cases were adjudicated (including five cases 
concerning high-rank officers and politically exposed persons)53. One particular area of risk, 
regulated  by  the  law  on  the  fight  against  manipulation  of  sports  competitions54,  resulted  in 
several  open  investigations  on  corruption  (12  cases  in  2020,  and  three  cases  in  2021)  and 
conflicts of interest (two cases in 2020, and one in 2021) but no adjudications so far55. In the 
course of 2020, the Attorney General coordinated meetings with the betting association and 
the police, related to the implementation of the law on the fight against manipulation of sports 
competitions56. 

The Government  launched  a commission  of inquiry to investigate the Cyprus investor 
citizenship  scheme.  In  response  to  allegations  of  corruption  involving  foreign  individuals 
and high-rank officials (including possible participation of politically exposed persons), at the 
demand of the Council of Ministers, the Attorney General appointed, on 7 September 2020, a 
commission  of  inquiry  tasked  to  investigate  and  examine  all  naturalisations  pursuant  to  the 
Cyprus  investor  citizenship  scheme  from  2007  until  2020.  The  commission  reportedly 
examined  6,779  naturalisations  based  on  investment57.  The  preliminary  conclusions  of  the 
commission, issued in April 2021, indicate that more than 53% of all analysed naturalisations 
were granted in violation of the law58. The European Commission launched an infringement 
procedure against Cyprus in relation to the investor citizenship scheme59.  

50   Input from Cyprus for the 2021 Rule of Law Report, p. 11. 
51   Criminal Code, Art. 105. 
52   Input from Cyprus for the 2021 Rule of Law Report, p. 17.  
53   Information  received  by  the  Attorney’s  General  Office  in  the  context  of  the  country  visit  to  Cyprus.  For 
comparison,  the  2020  Rule  of  Law  Report  chapter  on  Cyprus  noted  that  a  total  number  of  120 corruption 
cases had been investigated or were under investigation between 2013 and 2018, out of which 98 have been 
completed and 22 cases are still under investigation. 47 cases were pending for trial or under trial. 37 persons 
were  convicted  for  corruption  in  26  cases,  out  of  which  there  were  12  high-level  corruption  convictions, 
including the deputy Attorney General, members of the House of Representatives and ex-ministers. 

54   Law 180(I) of 2017. 
55   Information received by the Attorney’s General Office in the context of the country visit to Cyprus. 
56   Ibid. 
57   See Sigma Live, 7.06.2021, “Report on citizenship”. 
58   Information received in the context of the country visit to Cyprus and Kathimerini, “Interim report on golden 
passports  delivered”,  10.06.2021.  Also,  Commission  of  inquiry,  “Interim  Report  on  the  procedure  of 
granting citizenship to foreign investors and businessmen”, 16 April 2021.  

59   European  Commission,  Investor  citizenship  schemes:  European  Commission  opens  infringements  against 
Cyprus and Malta for “selling” EU citizenship, 20 October 2020, INFR(2020)2300; European Commission, 
June infringements package: key decisions, 9 June 2021. The infringement concerns Cyprus’ failure to fulfil 
obligations  under  the  principle  of  sincere  cooperation  and  Union  citizenship  by  offering  citizenship  in 
exchange of predetermined payments and investments. 

7 

 
 
                                                 
The  prosecution  office  of  financial  crimes  has  been  reorganised.  In  2020,  the  office  of 
investigation of financial crimes was reorganised into two divisions: one division responsible 
for  investigating  financial  crimes,  and  one  supporting  division  (whose  operations  started  in 
February 2021) with two police investigators and four forensic accountants60. The supporting 
unit  does  cross-support  to  other  units,  through  financial  intelligence  analysis  and  due 
diligence  on  suspicious  persons.  However,  the  difficulty  to  attract  and  retain  qualified 
personnel  remains  a  challenge  for  the  office61.  Some  investigations  of  financial  crimes  are 
delayed due to the slow response of financial institutions to court disclosure orders and, for 
some international cases, to the alleged length of foreign authorities’ responses to requests for 
mutual legal assistance62. In 2020, there was one confiscation regarding a corruption offence 
involving four defendants, including one civil servant63.  

New  instruments  for  improving  integrity  within  the  police  have  been  introduced, 
including an online platform for whistleblowing. In 2020, the Police internal affairs service 
(PIAS), which is in charge of investigating corruption allegations within the police, launched 
an  online  platform  for  whistleblowing.  Since  then  it  has  received  141  complaints64:  36 
complaints  have  already  been  investigated  (of  which  21  were  later  dismissed).  There  is  no 
information  on  adjudicated  cases.  In  early  2021,  PIAS  adopted  a  police  code  of  conduct 
focused on anticorruption (enshrined into the existing police code of ethics)65, and explained 
its competences in a community informative leaflet. In case of suspicions of corruption on a 
police  officer,  PIAS  may  decide  to  perform  an  “integrity  test”  on  the  suspect.  While 
suspicions of corruption are notified to the Attorney General, elements pointing at breaches 
of  disciplinary  provisions  are  sent  to  the  Director  of  the  police,  for  possible  corrective 
measures.  Between  2018  and  2020,  13  cases  were  referred  to  the  Attorney  General  office, 
and one case was adjudicated (with conviction). Currently, there are 11 open investigations, 
and one pending at the Attorney General’s office66. 

New  provisions  have  been  adopted  regarding  conflict  of  interest  of  Members  of 
Parliament. In February 2021, the House of Representatives adopted a Code of Conduct for 
its  Members,  with  provisions  related  to  incompatibilities,  declarations  of  asset,  gifts  and 
lobbying67.  Compliance  with  the  Code  will  be  monitored  by  a  specific  Parliamentary 
Committee.  For  other  civil  servants,  in  addition  to  the  existing  administrative  law68,  an 

60   Information received by the Police Office of Investigation of Financial Crimes in the context of the country 

visit to Cyprus. 

61   Ibid. 
62   Input from Cyprus for the 2021 Rule of Law Report, p. 25. 
63   Input from Cyprus for the 2021 Rule of Law Report, p. 16. 
64   Input from Cyprus for the 2021 Rule of Law Report. 
65   Cyprus Police, Code of Police Ethics.  
66   Information received in the context of the country visit to Cyprus. 
67   Input from Cyprus for the 2021 Rule of Law Report. It is worth noting that the 2020 Rule of Law Report, 
country chapter on the rule of law situation in Cyprus, p.8, indicated that while Codes of Conduct exist for 
Members  of  the  Government,  public  officials  and  prosecutors,  there  are  no  similar  provisions  for  the 
members of the House of Representatives. The Code would aim at offering guidance on how to prevent and 
manage conflicts of interest concerning Members of Parliament. 

68   Law No. 1 of 1990 concerning the Public Service and Law N° 100(I) of 2015 amending the Law on Public 

Service.  

8 

 
 
 
                                                 
ongoing  project  aims  at  designing  a  common  set  of  principles  on  conflicts  of  interests  for 
public officials from all sectors69. 

There is no data on the implementation of asset disclosure framework. Although rules on 
asset declarations are in place, issues were raised as regards the accuracy and verification of 
these  declarations70.  Furthermore,  while  rules  and  sanctions  for  non-compliance  with 
obligations on asset declaration exist, including for high-rank officials and politically exposed 
persons  (such  as  Members  of  the  Parliament  and  the  President  of  the  Republic),  their 
effectiveness remains unclear in the absence of any information on the implementation of the 
asset declaration system. Thus, the concerns set out in last year’s report remain valid.  

A draft law on “Reporting Acts of Corruption” is pending approval71 by the legislator 
since  May  2017.  This  legislation  would  introduce  new  provisions  on  the  protection  of 
persons reporting acts of corruption, both in the public and the private sectors72. 

Actions  aimed  at  preventing  fraud  in  relief  schemes  have  been  deployed  during  the 
COVID-19 pandemic. The Ministry of Labour, Welfare and Social Insurance has launched a 
control mechanism, linked to the Social Insurance Services’ database, allowing for automatic 
checks  on  beneficiaries  of  COVID-19  related  subsidies  (also  called  “special  scheme”).  In 
case of violation of the criteria to qualify for the “special scheme”, the Ministry of Labour, 
Welfare  and  Social  Insurance  has  demanded  for  the  relevant  benefits  be  returned.  In  the 
health  sector,  price  ceilings  on  essentials  for  protection  against  the  disease  (for  example 
masks, or COVID-19 medical tests) are among the measures aimed at addressing corruption 
risks73. 

III.  MEDIA PLURALISM AND MEDIA FREEDOM 

In Cyprus, freedom of expression and the right of access to information find legal and formal 
protection in Article 19 of the Constitution of the Republic of Cyprus. Secondary legislation 
expressly ensures protection of journalistic sources and fosters media pluralism in the radio 
and  television  sector.  The  Right  of  Access  to  Public  Sector  Information  Law  (2017)  came 
into  force  in  December  2020  after  several  delays  with  the  aim  to  enshrine  this  right  in 
secondary legislation74. The Law establishes the framework and conditions for public access 
to information held by public authorities and establishes the office of the Commissioner for 
Information.  Two  separate  bills  scheduled  for  adoption  in  the  second  half  of  2021  are 
expected  to,  respectively,  align  Cypriot  legislation  with  the  Audiovisual  Media  Service 
Directive  and  bolster  freedom  of  the  press75.  Cyprus  distributed  a  state  grant,  mainly 
consisting  of  advertising  revenue  disbursed  to  media  outlets  to  inform  the  public  about  the 
COVID-19 pandemic. 

69   Input from Cyprus for the 2021 Rule of Law Report, p.12. 
70   2020 Rule of Law Report, country chapter on the rule of law situation in Cyprus, p.8. 
71   Input from Cyprus for the 2021 Rule of Law Report, p. 12. 
72   According to the proposed law, those directly involved in the act of corruption but that voluntarily report to 
the police and/or offer cooperation with the authorities resulting in the full investigation and prosecution of 
the case, may profit of a reduction (up-to half of the maximum) in the penalty foreseen for that offence. 

73   Input from Cyprus for the 2021 Rule of Law Report, pp. 13-14. 
74   Law 184 (I)/2017 on the Right of Access to Public Sector Information.  
75   Since  2020,  Cyprus  climbed  one  more  position  in  the  Reporters  without  Borders  World  Press  Freedom 
Index, now registering at 26th position worldwide and 13th in the EU. Reporters Without Borders – Cyprus. 
Since  2020,  Cyprus  climbed  one  more  position  in  the  Reporters  without  Borders  World  Press  Freedom 
Index, now registering at 26th position worldwide and 13th in the EU. 

9 

 
 
 
                                                 
Amendments  were  submitted76  with  a  view  to  strengthening  the  independence  of  the 
regulator  for  audio-visual  media  services,  the  Cyprus  Radio  Television  Authority. 
Amendments  to  the  Radio  and  Television  Broadcasters  Law  7(I)/1998  were  submitted  in 
Parliament  in  order  to  expressly  stipulate  the  Authority’s  functional  and  effective 
the  Audiovisual  Media  Services  Directive77. 
independence  aligning 
Furthermore,  the  selection  criteria  of  the  Cyprus  Radio  and  Television  Authority’s  board 
members are in line with the Cypriot Code of Public Governance as introduced by Decision 
87/869  of  the  Council  of  Ministers,  thereby  ensuring  that  board  members  possess  a  high 
degree of professional qualifications78. 

the  Law  with 

Cyprus’  independent  press  council,  the  Media  Complaints  Commission,  consists  of  13 
members and is responsible for the self-regulation of the news media, both written and 
electronic.  If  enacted,  the  Bill  on  safeguarding  freedom  of  the  press  and  the  operation  of 
media79  would  enshrine  the  Complaints  Commission  in  law80.  While  the  Complaints 
Commission  is  entirely  free  from  government  interference  and  judicial  supervision,  the 
Media  Pluralism  Monitor  points  out  that  the  COVID-19  pandemic  and  related  layoffs  have 
exacerbated  longstanding  issues  whereby  the  Commission’s  work  is  largely  focused  on 
safeguarding employment and salaries and less on editorial independence81. 

The  regulatory  framework  in  Cyprus  which  already  allows  for  a  certain  degree  of 
transparency  of  media  ownership  in  the  audio-visual  media  sector  is  expected  to  be 
strengthened. The 2021 Media Pluralism Monitor (MPM) recalls the concerns and confirms 
the risk levels highlighted in the MPM 2020 with regard to the effective implementation of 
the current provisions and the absence of a framework guaranteeing ownership transparency 
in  the  written  press  and  digital  media  sectors  making  it  difficult  to  identify  and  verify 
ultimate  owners  or  cross-ownership  in  these  sectors.  The  draft  legislation  that  is  currently 
undergoing consultation, aims to address these gaps82 by obliging all media outlets to publish 
audited accounts providing information with regard to beneficial owners83.  

Mechanisms  remain  in  place  to  safeguard  political  independence  of  the  media  and  to 
prevent  conflicts  of  interest.  While  there  continues  to  be  no  framework  regulating  state 
advertising,  a  state  grant  of  EUR  700,000  -  mainly  consisting  of  advertising  revenue 
disbursed to media outlets to inform the public about the COVID-19 pandemic was provided. 
MPM 2021 considers that the subsidies provided are more diversified than past schemes and 
that they have drastically reduced the risk factor relating to the indicator on state regulation of 
resources84The  MPM  2021  concluded  that  there  has  been  an  overall  decrease  in  risk  in  the 
area of political independence (from 59% to 55%) although editorial autonomy continues to 
be  jeopardised  and  at  high  risk  due  to  the  pursuit  of  political  agendas  by  media  owners 
leading  to  a  degree  of  self-censorship  among  editorial  staff85.  A  detailed  mechanism 

76   On 4 March 2021. 
77   Input from Cyprus for the 2021 Rule of Law Report, p. 20. 
78   Input from Cyprus for the 2021 Rule of Law Report, p. 19. 
79   2021 Draft Bill on safeguarding freedom of the Press and the operation of media in the Republic of Cyprus. 
80  The  Media  Complaints  Commission  was  established  in  1997  by  the  Association  of  Newspapers  and 

Periodicals Publishers, the owners of private electronic media and the Cyprus Union of Journalists. 

81   2021 Media Pluralism Monitor, p.10. 
82   2021 Bill on safeguarding freedom of the Press and the operation of media in the Republic of Cyprus. 
83   Input from Cyprus for the 2021 Rule of Law Report, pp. 19-20. 
84   2021 Media Pluralism Monitor, p. 14. 
85   Ibid. 

10 

 
                                                 
regulating  disbursement  of  advertising  revenue  for  state  publicity  campaigns  beyond  the 
COVID-19 pandemic is being elaborated86. 

While  direct  threats  remain  rare,  a  case  of  online  harassment  and  surveillance  of  a 
journalist  has  been  reported.  Regulatory  safeguards  for  the  protection  of  journalistic 
sources  are  in  place.  When  enacted,  the  Bill  on  safeguarding  freedom  of  the  press  and  the 
operation of media is expected to reinforce free speech guarantees both online and offline87. 
Stakeholders  have  raised  concerns  related  to  stalking,  a  cyberattack  on  and  serious  digital 
harassment of an investigative journalist88, particularly through social media exposure89. The 
Council  of  Europe’s  Platform  to  promote  the  protection  of  journalism  and  safety  of 
journalists  had  published  no  alerts  since  the  2020  Rule  of  Law  Report,  concerning  the 
Republic of Cyprus.  

IV.  OTHER INSTITUTIONAL ISSUES RELATED TO CHECKS AND BALANCES 

The Republic of Cyprus is a presidential representative republic. The President of Cyprus is 
both Head of State and Head of Government. The House of Representatives is the Parliament 
and  is  vested  with  legislative  power.  Both  Representatives  and  Ministers  have  the  right  of 
legislative initiative. The Supreme Court is competent to assess the constitutionality of laws 
in  the  context  of  specific  cases  brought  before  it90.  There  are  a  number  of  national 
independent  authorities,  organisations  and  institutions  that  aim  to  protect  and  safeguard 
human rights. 

Despite  the  measures  taken  to  improve  stakeholder  engagement,  public  consultation 
does  not  always  occur  at  an  early  stage  of  policy  design  and  drafting.  Open  public 
consultation on pieces of legislation rarely takes place91, despite the commitment taken in the 
context  of  the  Better  Regulation  Project  and  the  respective  circulars  of  the  Ministry  of 
Finance  and  the  Law  Office  of  the  Republic92.  Instead,  the  consultation  process  on  draft 
legislation is not very accessible by the public and limited to discussions within the House of 
Representatives.  At  this  stage,  draft  pieces  of  legislation  are  shared  though  a  standard 
distribution list of the Ministry of Justice to pre-identified stakeholders93 so that the latter can 
provide  their  views  and/or  participate  in  the  discussions  of  the  relevant  standing 
parliamentary  committees94.  The  Attorney  General  proceeds  with  a  prior  review  of  draft 
legislation as regards the observance of the principles of legality and proportionality95.  

86   Input from Cyprus for the 2021 Rule of Law Report, pp. 20-21, and information received in the context of 

the country visit to Cyprus. 

87   Input from Cyprus for the 2021 Rule of Law Report, pp. 20-21, and information received by the Press and 

Information Office in the context of the country visit to Cyprus. 

88   Organized  Crime  and  Corruption  Reporting  Project,  “Cypriot  Journalist  Says  He  is  Being  Spied  on  and 

Fears for His Life”. 

89   Reporters Without Borders – Cyprus.  
90   The  creation  of  a  Constitutional  Court  that  will  take  over  the  constitutionality  review  of  laws  from  the 

Supreme Court is planned (see Section I). Input from Cyprus for the 2021 Rule of Law Report. 
91   Contribution from Fundamental Rights Agency for the 2021 Rule of Law Report - Cyprus, p.5. 
92   2020  Rule  of  Law  Report,  country  chapter  on  the  rule  of  law  situation  in  Cyprus,  p.  10;  OECD  (2019), 

Indicators of Regulatory Policy and Governance – Cyprus. 

93   E.g. the Bar Association, Civil Society organisations. Information received in the context of the country visit 

to Cyprus. 

94   Information received in the context of the country visit to Cyprus.  
95   Information received by the Attorney’s General Office in the context of the country visit to Cyprus. 

11 

 
                                                 
The  Government  has  been  empowered  to  adopt  measures  to  face  the  COVID-19 
pandemic.  The  state  of  emergency  enshrined  in  the  Constitution  has  not  been  declared  in 
Cyprus. However, restrictions were imposed under the Quarantine Law, which empowers the 
Council of Ministers96 to issue Orders, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which apply both to 
citizens  and  the  public  authorities  and  businesses97.  The  Cypriot  Parliament  monitors 
regularly the implementation of all COVID-19 related measures98. According to information 
received  from  the  Government,  the  restrictive  measures  have  so  far  only  been  challenged 
once,  with  a  case  brought  in  2020  and  still  pending  before  the  Administrative  Court, 
pertaining  to  the  number  of  employees  up  to  which  offices  and  other  places  of  work  could 
operate99.  

In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ombudsperson has been active to help 
citizens. Since March 2020 the Ombudsperson has been conducting an awareness campaign 
in  relation  to  the  COVID-19  pandemic  and  the  protection  of  human  rights100.  The 
Ombudsperson  was  accredited  with  B-Status  by  the  Global  Alliance  of  National  Human 
Rights  Institutions  (GANHRI)  in  2015101  and  its  accreditation  will  be  reviewed  in  June 
2021102.  

While some progress has been made, concerns remain as regards the registration of civil 
society  organisations103.  These  concerns  were  reiterated  by  the  Commissioner  for  Human 
Rights  of  the  Council  of  Europe104  namely  as  regards  the  ability  of  NGOs  to  operate  in 
Cyprus and to the implementation of the legislation on associations which has recently led to 
the de-registration of several non-governmental organisations. Replying to these concerns105, 
the Government stressed that the 2017 legislation106 introduces elements of transparency and 
accountability for the operations of NGOs in compliance both with the Financial Action Task 
Force (FATF) guidelines107 for protecting NGOs from financing terrorism abuse and with the 
EU’s  fifth  directive  for  the  prevention  and  supervision  of  money  laundering108.  The 

96   The power was delegated to the Minister of Health. 
97   The  legislation  on  COVID-19-related  offenses  and  penalties  was  debated  and  decided  in  the  Cypriot 

Parliament in 2020. Information received in the context of the country visit to Cyprus.  
98   Information received by the Ministry of Justice in the context of the country visit to Cyprus. 
99   Input from Cyprus for the 2021 Rule of Law Report, pp. 22-24. 
100  Contribution from ENNHRI for the 2021 Rule of Law Report. 
101  2020 Rule of law Report, country chapter on the rule of law situation in Cyprus, p. 11. 
102  United  Nations  UPR  (2019)  –  Cyprus  accepted  seven  recommendations  received  on  ensuring  a  Paris 

Principles compliant NHRI. 

103  2020 Rule of Law Report, country chapter on the rule of law situation in Cyprus, p. 12. 
104  Letter from Dunja Mijatović, Commissioner for Human Rights to Mr. Nicos Nouris, Minister of Interior of 

Cyprus, 18 March 2021. 

105  Reply  of  Mr.  Nicos  Nouris,  Minister  of  Interior  of  Cyprus  to  Dunja  Mijatović,  Commissioner  for  Human 

Rights (2021). 

106  Law on  Associations and Foundations and other Related Matters. Input  from Cyprus  for the 2020 Rule of 

Law Report, p. 47. 

107  Financial Action Task Force (2015), Combating the abuse of non-profit organisations (recommendation 8), 

pp. 22-23. 

108 In addition, the Government explained that all existing NGOs were required to amend their status and take 
other actions, such as to prepare financial accounts and to inform the registrar on the members of the board 
of directors until 31 December 2019. From the approximately 6500 NGOs, 3500 complied within the time 
limit set. For those that had not complied until the end of 2019, a new opportunity for compliance was given 
until  October  2020.  The  big  majority  of  the  NGOs  concerned  did  not  take  any  initiative  to  meet  the  new 
deadline.  From  the  2020  cases  in  which  NGOs  were  refused  registration,  60  appeals  were  lodged  for 
administrative review of which the reviewing authority (the General Registrar) has annulled the decision of 

12 

 
                                                 
 
registration  of  federations  of  organisations  is  now  possible  directly  without  their  members 
being also individually registered109.  

the Registrar to not include them in 23 cases. Only one NGO challenged the administrative decision to not 
be registered before the Supreme Court at the end of 2020, the case being pending. 

109  Contribution  from  the  Fundamental  Rights  Agency  to  the  2021  Rule  of  Law  Report;  Art.  44  (1)  of  law 
104(I)/2017,  as  modified  by  law  118(I)/2020  “Five  (5)  or  more  associations,  foundations,  non-profit 
organisations or other similar non-profit legal entities, whether foreign or domestic, which share a common 
purpose, subject to the provisions of the law governing them, may set up federations and/or associations and 
be registered as such in a register maintained by the Registrar, provided that their statutes specify that the 
law applicable to their activities shall be the law applicable in the Republic”. 
“It  is  understood  that,  subject  to  the  provisions  of  the  European  Convention  on  the  Recognition  of  Legal 
Personnel  of  International  Non-Governmental  Organisations  (Ratification)  Law  of  2003,  such  federations 
and/or  associations  may  also  be  established  with  equivalent  organisations  abroad,  provided  that  their 
statutes specify that the law applicable to their action in the Republic of Cyprus is the law applicable in the 
Republic”. 

13 

 
 
                                                                                                                                                        
Annex I: List of sources in alphabetical order* 

* The list of contributions received in the context of the consultation for the 2021 Rule of Law report 
can  be  found  at  https://ec.europa.eu/info/policies/justice-and-fundamental-rights/upholding-rule-
law/rule-law/rule-law-mechanism/2021-rule-law-report-targeted-stakeholder-consultation. 

Centre for Media Pluralism and Media Freedom (2021), Media pluralism monitor 2021 – Report on 
Cyprus (link to be added when available). 

CEPEJ (2020), Study on the functioning of the judicial systems in the EU Member States. 

Council  of  Europe:  Committee  of  Ministers  (2010),  Recommendation  CM/Rec(2010)12  of  the 
Committee of Ministers to member states on judges: independence, efficiency and responsibilities. 

Cyprus Bar Association (2021), Contribution from the Cyprus Bar Association for the 2021 Rule of 
Law Report 

Cypriot  Commission  of  inquiry  (2021),  Interim  Report  on  the  procedure  of  granting  citizenship  to 
foreign  investors  and  businessmen  (https://www.pio.gov.cy/assets/pdf/newsroom/2021/04/Interim 
Report 27 04 2021(pdf).pdf). 

Cypriot Government (2021), Input from Cyprus for the 2021 Rule of Law Report 

Directorate-General  for  Communication  (2019),  Flash  Eurobarometer  482:  businesses’  attitudes 
towards corruption in the EU. 

Directorate-General for Communication (2020), Special Eurobarometer 502: corruption. 

GRECO  (2020),  Fourth  Evaluation  Round  -  Second  Compliance  Report  on  Cyprus  on  corruption 
prevention  in  respect  of  members  of  parliament,  judges  and  prosecutors  (https://rm.coe.int/fourth-
evaluation-round-corruption-prevention-in-respect-of-members-of/1680a06389) 

European Commission (2020), 2020 Rule of Law Report - The rule of law situation in the European 
Union 

European  Commission  (2020),  Investor  citizenship  schemes:  European  Commission  opens 
infringements  against  Cyprus  and  Malta 
for  “selling”  EU  citizenship,  INFR(2020)2300 
(https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_20_1925).  

European Commission (2021), EU Justice Scoreboard. 

European  Commission  Press  Corner  (2021),  June 
(https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/inf_21_2743). 

infringements  package:  key  decisions 

Republic  of  Cyprus  Presidency,  Exandas  Communication 
(https://exandas.presidency.gov.cy/)  

and 

Information  website 

Financial  Action  Task  Force  (2015),  Combating 
the  abuse  of  non-profit  organisations 
(Recommendation  8)  (http://www.fatf-gafi.org/media/fatf/documents/reports/BPP-combating-abuse-
non-profit-organisations.pdf)  

Fundamental Rights Agency (2021), Contribution from the Fundamental Rights Agency to the 2021 
Rule of Law Report. 

Kathimerini 
(https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/news/interim-report-on-golden-passports-delivered). 

passports 

Interim 

(2021), 

golden 

report 

on 

delivered 

Letter  from  Dunja  Mijatović,  Commissioner  for  Human  Rights  to  Mr.  Nicos  Nouris,  Minister  of 
Interior  of  Cyprus  (2021)  (https://rm.coe.int/letter-to-mr-nicos-nouris-minister-of-interior-of-cyprus-
by-ms-dunja-m/1680a1c09b). 

Letter  of  Reply  of  Mr.  Nicos  Nouris,  Minister  of  Interior  of  Cyprus  to  Dunja  Mijatović, 
Commissioner for Human Rights (2021) (https://rm.coe.int/reply-of-mr-nicos-nouris-minister-of-the-
interiorof-cyprus-to-the-lett/1680a1cb15) 

OECD (2019), Indicators of Regulatory Policy and Governance – Cyprus. 

14 

 
Organized  Crime  and  Corruption  Reporting  Project,  “Cypriot  Journalist  Says  He  is  Being Spied  on 
and  Fears  for  His  Life”  (https://www.occrp.org/en/daily/12631-cypriot-journalist-says-he-is-being-
spied-on-and-fears-for-his-life). 

Reporters without Borders (2021), Contribution from Reporters without Borders for the 2021 Rule of 
Law Report 

Reporters  Without  Borders 
(https://rsf.org/en/cyprus) 

(2021),  2021  World  Press  Freedom 

Index  –  Cyprus 

Sigma Live (2021), Report on citizenship (https://www.sigmalive.com/news/politics/795517/ekthesi-
politografiseonto-53-ektos-nomikou-plaisioupeitharxikes-efthynes). 

Supreme Court of Cyprus (2021), Contribution from the Supreme Court of Cyprus for the 2021 Rule 
of Law Report. 

Transparency International (2021), Corruption Perceptions Index 2020. 

15 

 
Annex II: Country visit to Cyprus 

The Commission services held virtual meetings in April 2021 with: 

  Ministry of Justice  
  Supreme Court 
  Cyprus Bar Association 
  Office of Transparency and Prevention of Corruption 
  Police - Internal Affairs Service 
  Police - Office of investigation of financial crimes 
  Radio-Television Authority 
  Press and Information Office 
  Attorney General Representatives  
  Ministry of Interior – Media 
  Cyprus Integrity Forum 

* The Commission also met the following organisations in a number of horizontal meetings: 

  Amnesty International 
  Center for Reproductive Rights 
  CIVICUS 
  Civil Liberties Union for Europe 
  Civil Society Europe 
  Conference of European Churches 
  EuroCommerce 
  European Center for Not-for-Profit Law 
  European Centre for Press and Media Freedom 
  European Civic Forum 
  European Federation of Journalists 
  European Partnership for Democracy  
  European Youth Forum 
  Front Line Defenders 
  Human Rights House Foundation  
  Human Rights Watch  
 
ILGA-Europe 
 
International Commission of Jurists 
 
International Federation for Human Rights 
 
International Planned Parenthood Federation European Network (IPPF EN) 
 
International Press Institute 
  Netherlands Helsinki Committee  
  Open Society European Policy Institute 
  Philanthropy Advocacy 
  Protection International  
  Reporters without Borders 
  Transparency International EU 

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