COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT 2026 Rule of Law Report Country Chapter on the rule of law situation in Cyprus Accompanying the document Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions 2026 Rule of Law Report The rule of law situation in the European Union
Date: 2026-07-17
Institutions: European Commission, Secretariat-General
Subjects: Cyprus, administrative transparency, corruption, democracy, freedom of the press, human rights, independence of the judiciary, pluralism in the media, rule of law, whistleblowing

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 17.7.2026  SWD(2026) 913 final  COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT 2026 Rule of Law Report                      Country Chapter on the rule of law situation in Cyprus Accompanying the document Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions 2026 Rule of Law Report                       The rule of law situation in the European Union {COM(2026) 900 final} - {SWD(2026) 901 final} - {SWD(2026) 902 final} - {SWD(2026) 903 final} - {SWD(2026) 904 final} - {SWD(2026) 905 final} - {SWD(2026) 906 final} - {SWD(2026) 907 final} - {SWD(2026) 908 final} - {SWD(2026) 909 final} - {SWD(2026) 910 final} - {SWD(2026) 911 final} - {SWD(2026) 912 final} - {SWD(2026) 914 final} - {SWD(2026) 915 final} - {SWD(2026) 916 final} - {SWD(2026) 917 final} - {SWD(2026) 918 final} - {SWD(2026) 919 final} - {SWD(2026) 920 final} - {SWD(2026) 921 final} - {SWD(2026) 922 final} - {SWD(2026) 923 final} - {SWD(2026) 924 final} - {SWD(2026) 925 final} - {SWD(2026) 926 final} - {SWD(2026) 927 final} - {SWD(2026) 928 final} - {SWD(2026) 929 final} - {SWD(2026) 930 final} - {SWD(2026) 931 final}  
 
 
ABSTRACT 

In Cyprus, the ongoing reform of the Law Office, which plans to establish the Office of the 
Public  Prosecutor  General  and  the  introduction  of  an  effective  review  of  decisions  not  to 
prosecute  or  to  discontinue  proceedings,  remains  pending  before  Parliament.  A  distinct 
branch of administrative justice was established. Measures to reinforce trust in the judiciary 
have been taken, including new guidelines on recusal of judges. The Supreme Constitutional 
Judicial  Council  held  that  probationary  appointments  of  judges  rely  on  a  long-standing 
practice.  The  digital  transformation  of  the  justice  system  remains  limited  with  key  projects 
progressing  slowly,  while  efforts 
the  alternative  dispute  resolution 
to  strengthen 
framework continue.  Challenges  regarding  judicial  recruitments  and  infrastructure  persist. 
While the clearance of backlog cases is progressing, and new procedural rules aim to enhance 
efficiency,  the  duration  of  judicial  proceedings  and  the  delays  in  making  the  Commercial 
Court  operational  continue  to  raise  serious  concerns,  including  among  the  business 
community.  The  establishment  of  an  Independent  Court  Service,  that seeks  to  streamline 
court administration and alleviate the burden on the judiciary, faces persistent delays. 

The  Independent  Authority  against  Corruption  (IAAC)  has  been  strengthened  with  the 
adoption  of  new  legislation  on  recruitments.  Efforts  continue  to  investigate  high-level 
corruption with further new convictions, new police structures are being created and there are 
calls  for  specific  trainings  for  judges  and  prosecutors.  The  new  legislation  on  asset 
declarations for elected and appointed officials started to apply. As regards post-employment, 
a new law has enhanced restrictions while initiatives are underway to expand the categories 
of persons subject to oversight. The monitoring of the law on lobbying is being strengthened. 
Integrity  rules  were  strengthened  and  a  comprehensive  strategy  for  the  integrity  of  persons 
entrusted with top  executive functions  is in preparation. Plans to  revise the law on political 
party financing  aim to  address  previously  identified shortcomings. Measures continue to  be 
deployed to tackle risks in public procurement. 

Measures are being taken to ensure the adequacy of the resources of Cyprus’s regulator for 
audiovisual media services. Reforms to improve the legal framework relating to transparency 
of  media  ownership  are  at  an  advanced  stage.  Reforms  are  also  underway  to  improve 
transparency in  the field  of state advertising and to strengthen the rules and mechanisms to 
enhance the independent governance of public service media. The Office of the Information 
Commissioner  continues  to  raise  awareness  on  the  law  regulating  public  access  to 
information, while further measures are needed to improve it. The overall situation as regards 
the  safety  of  journalists  remains  stable,  however  they  continue  to  experience  precarious 
working conditions.  

Substantial  steps  have  been  taken  to  enhance  public  participation  in  decision-making. 
Businesses continue to see challenges in the quality of law-making and the need to streamline 
legislation.  The  Audit  Office  gained  financial  autonomy  and  safeguards  were  introduced  to 
the  appointment  procedure  for  the  Auditor  General  and  the  Deputy  Auditor  General  to 
enhance  their  independence.  The  Audit  Office  is  seeking  ways  to  improve  access  to 
information  necessary  for  the  performance  of  its  tasks.  Reforms  to  improve  the  framework 
for  Civil  Society  Organisations  are  advancing.  Parliament’s  regular  stakeholder  discussions 
foster public debate on the rule of law. 

1 

 
 
 
 
RECOMMENDATIONS 

Overall, based on the recommendations in  the 2025 Rule of Law Report, considering other 
developments  that  took  place  in  the  period  of  reference  and  in  addition  to  recalling  the 
relevant  commitments  made  under  the  Recovery  and  Resilience  Plan,  and  the  country-
specific  recommendation  under  the  European  Semester  on  the  efficiency  of  the  justice 
system, the Commission concludes the following:  

•  Limited  further  progress  has  been  made  on  the  reform  of  the  Law  Office  and  on 
establishing an effective review of decisions not to prosecute or discontinue proceedings. 
Since relevant draft legislation remains pending before Parliament, it is recommended to 
Cyprus  to  finalise  the  ongoing  reform  of  the  Law  Office  and  the  establishment  of  the 
Office of the Public Prosecutor General and to establish an effective review of decisions 
not  to  prosecute or  to  discontinue proceedings, including for  victimless offences,  taking 
into account European standards on independence and autonomy of the prosecution. 
•  The duration of court proceedings remains a serious concern and the establishment of an 
independent  Court  Service  to  streamline  court  administration  faces  delays.  It  is 
recommended  to  Cyprus  to  take forward  plans  to establish an  independent  Court 
Service with a view to improving the efficiency of justice. 

•  Significant  progress  has  been  made  on  the  legislative  reform  to  strengthen  the 
Independent  Authority  against  Corruption  (IAAC)  and  to  ensure  it  has  the  human  and 
technical  resources  to  effectively  perform  its  task,  as  new  legislation  was  adopted  on 
recruitments.  To  ensure  a  fully  effective  IAAC,  further  measures  remain  necessary.  To 
address this, it is recommended to Cyprus to enhance the operational effectiveness of the 
IAAC.  

As regards the other 2025 recommendations, the Commission concludes that: 

•  Some progress has been made to (i) ensure fair and transparent distribution of advertising 
expenditure by the state  and state-owned companies and (ii) to  strengthen the rules and 
mechanisms  to  enhance  the  independent  governance  of  public  service  media,  as  draft 
legislation  has  been  tabled.  Given  that  the  topics  of  these  two  recommendations  are 
covered by provisions of the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA), while the Rule of 
Law Report will continue to monitor significant developments and report on their impact, 
further follow-up will be ensured as part of the Commission’s support to Member States 
and enforcement of the EMFA. 

•  Significant  progress  has  been  made  in  introducing  safeguards  in  the  appointment 
procedure  for  the  Auditor  General  and  the  Deputy  Auditor  General  to  enhance  their 
independence,  with  establishing  a  fixed,  non-renewable  eight-year  term  and  stricter 
qualification  criteria  for  their  appointment.  Monitoring  of  further  developments  in  this 
area will continue in the Rule of Law Report.  

2 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
I. 

JUSTICE SYSTEM1  

Independence  

The  level  of  perceived  judicial  independence  in  Cyprus  is  now  low  among  both  the 
general  public  and  companies.  Overall,  39%  of  the  general  population  and  34%  of 
companies perceive the level of independence of courts and judges to be ‘fairly or very good’ 
in 20262. Among the general public, this figure has decreased in comparison with 2025 (42%) 
and  significantly  decreased  in  comparison  with  2022  (50%).  The  perceived  judicial 
independence among companies has significantly decreased in comparison with 2025 (44%), 
as well as in comparison with 2022 (45%).  

There has been limited further progress on the recommendation regarding the reform 
of the Law Office and the establishment of the Office of the Public Prosecutor General3. 
The draft laws providing for the separation of the dual role of the Attorney General and the 
establishment of the Office of the General Public Prosecutor are pending before Parliament 
since  July  2025.  A  first  discussion  took  place  in  September  2025  before  the  Legal  Affairs 
Committee, where the Attorney General raised reservations of constitutional nature as regards 
the  envisaged  reform4.  Members  of  Parliament  also  appeared  divided.  The  only  element  of 
the reform that so far received general support and has a clear timeline for implementation is 
the  proposal  for  a  fixed  eight-year  mandate  for  the  Attorney  General  and  his/her  Deputy5. 
Parliament went into recess in late April 2026 in view of the parliamentary elections of May 
2026 and the debate on the bills was suspended. There has thus been limited further progress 
on  the  implementation  of  this  specific  element  of  the  recommendation  made  in  previous 
years.  

Initial discussions were held on the draft reform introducing a review of decisions not to 
prosecute  or  to  discontinue  proceedings6.  In  December  2025,  the  Council  of  Ministers 
approved a bill to introduce internal and judicial oversight of key prosecutorial decisions by 
the  General  Public  Prosecutor7.  Under  the  proposal,  decisions  not  to  prosecute  would  first 
undergo internal review within the Prosecutor’s Office; if dissatisfied, the injured party could 
then  apply  for  judicial  review  by  the  Supreme  Court.  Decisions  to  discontinue  proceedings 
pending  before  an  Assize  Court  would  be  directly  reviewable  by  the  Supreme  Court.  The 
definition of an injured party is broad – covering both natural and legal persons that suffered 
harm  from  the  non-prosecuted  offense  –  while  the  draft  does  not  specify  whether  specific 

1  An overview of the institutional framework for all four pillars can be found here.  
2   Figures 48 and 50, 2026 EU Justice Scoreboard and Figures 51 and 53, 2025 EU Justice Scoreboard. 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%). 

3   The 2025 Rule of Law Report recommended to Cyprus to “further advance with the ongoing reform of the 
Law  Office  and  the  establishment  of  the  Office  of  the  Public  Prosecutor  General”.  Some  progress  was 
previously assessed on this recommendation in 2024 and 2025.  

4   Cypriot Government (2026), written input, p. 3-5. 2025 Rule of Law Report, Cyprus, pp. 3-4. 
5   This  part  of  the  reform  is  planned  to  enter  into  force  in  December  2027,  provided  it  is  adopted  by 

Parliament, Country visit Cyprus, Ministry of Justice.  

6   The 2025 Rule of Law Report recommended to Cyprus to “establish an effective review of decisions not to 
prosecute  or  to  discontinue  proceedings,  taking  into  account  European  standards  on  independence  and 
autonomy of the prosecution”.  Limited progress was previously assessed on this recommendation in 2025 
and some progress in 2024. 

7   Cypriot Government (2026), written input, pp. 3-6. The bill was discussed extensively among the Ministry 

of Justice, the Attorney General and the Supreme Court.  
3 

 
 
 
institutions, such as the Independent Authority against Corruption or the Audit Office, could 
also qualify as injured parties8, when reporting potential cases of corruption. In January 2026, 
Parliament’s Legal Affairs Committee held an initial discussion on the bill, alongside with an 
alternative  proposal  tabled  by an  individual Member  of  Parliament9. The  Attorney  General 
reiterated his reservations, while the Supreme Court cited concerns over increased caseloads. 
Discussions remain on hold, also due to the parliamentary elections. There has been limited 
progress  on  the  implementation  of  this  specific  element  of  the  recommendation  made  in 
previous years.   

A  distinct  branch  of  administrative  justice  was  established.  Since  July  2025,  the 
administrative  branch  consists  of  the  Administrative  Court,  the  Administrative  Court  of 
International  Protection,  the  newly  established  Administrative  Court  of  Appeal10,  and  the 
Supreme Constitutional Court. A second judicial council, the Supreme Constitutional Judicial 
Council,  is  established  to  decide  on  careers  and  disciplinary  issues  for  administrative 
judges11. Its decisions are subject to judicial review by the Supreme Judicial Council12. The 
composition of the Supreme Constitutional Judicial Council mirrors the existing composition 
of the Supreme Judicial Council13. It is composed of the President and the eight judges of the 
Supreme  Constitutional  Court  and  four  non-judicial  members14.  Non-judicial  members 
participate  without  voting  rights  in  appointment  and  promotion  procedures  and  do  not 
participate in disciplinary or transfer proceedings. However, a recent ruling of the Supreme 
Constitutional  Council  questioned  the  role  of  the  non-judicial  members  in  the  judicial 
councils,  stating  that  they  are  invited  to  participate  only  at  the  discretion  of  judicial 
members15.  

Measures to reinforce trust in the judiciary have been taken, including new guidelines 
on recusal of judges. According to the rules introduced by the Supreme Constitutional Court 
in November 2025, and which build on the pre-existing framework16, judges shall not sit in 
cases involving close family or professional connections with lawyers representing one of the 

8   Venice  Commission  (2010),  para.  45  and  (2018),  para.  67;  Council  of  Europe:  Committee  of  Ministers 

(2000), para. 34. 

9   This  proposal  presupposes maintaining the  Attorney  General’s  dual  role  and  establishes  a  Special 
Committee,  composed  of  a  retired  judge,  two  senior  prosecutors  and  a  senior  expert  on  law  and  human 
rights, that would issue non-binding recommendations to the Attorney General.   

10   The administrative court of appeal is currently composed of three judges, all transferred from the Court of 
Appeal (now dealing only with civil and criminal matters). The latter retained its number of judges of 16. 
The  total  number  of  judges  serving  at  the  administrative  court  of  appeal  can  be  expanded  to  six  judges. 
Judicial  Service  (2026),  written  input,  p.  1.  For  the  2023  reform  of  the  court  system,  2023  Rule  of  Law 
Report, Cyprus, p. 3. 

11   It  issued  the  necessary  regulations  for  its  functioning,  including  on  disciplinary  matters,  Judicial  Service 

(2026), pp. 2 and 4. Its decisions are subject to judicial review by the Supreme Judicial Council.  

12  The judicial review is confined to the legality of the decision and the sufficiency of its reasoning and does 

not extend to the merits. Cypriot Government (2026c). 

13   Following  the  reform,  the  Supreme  Judicial  Council  retains  its  competences  over  judges  of  civil  and 

criminal courts. 2025 Rule of Law Report, Cyprus, p. 5. 

14   The  non-judicial  members  are  the  Attorney  General,  the  President  of  the  Bar  association  and  two 

experienced lawyers. 2023 Rule of Law Report, Cyprus, pp. 5-6.  

15   Supreme Constitutional Council (2026), Decision 2/2025. The Cyprus Bar Association expressed concerns, 
arguing that the institutional presence of non-judicial members is essential for transparency and legitimacy 
in  appointments  and  promotions,  and  announcing  the  Bar’s  intention  to  advocate  for  a  legislative 
amendment to formally secure that participation. CBA (2026b). 
Including  rules  and  principles  on  impartiality,  recusal,  personal  relationships  and  contact  with  the  legal 
profession,  which  applied  to  all  judges  before  the  separation  of  the  administrative  jurisdiction.  Cypriot 
Government (2026c). 

16 

4 

 
 
 
parties.  These  rules  seek  to  address  both  conflicts  of  interest  and  a  possible  perception  of 
bias,  bringing  the  framework  further  in  line  with  European  standards  on  judicial 
independence  and  impartiality17.  The  Supreme  Constitutional  Court  also  launched  official 
social  media  accounts  to  improve  public  communication  and  understanding  of  the  work  of 
the Court18. 

The  Supreme  Constitutional  Council  held  that  probationary  appointments  of  judges 
rely  on  a  long-standing  practice.  In  Cyprus,  judges  serve  a  mandatory  two-year 
probationary  period  before  becoming  permanent,  during  which  their  performance  is 
reviewed. In June 2025, the Supreme Council of the Judicature denied permanent status to a 
judge under probation, who then appealed, arguing that there is no clear legal framework in 
Cyprus  governing  how  judges  on  probation  can  be  dismissed  or  have  their  probation 
confirmed19. In January 2026, the Supreme Constitutional Council confirmed by majority the 
initial decision, considering that the practice of probationary appointment of judges relies on 
a long-standing tradition20.  

Quality  

The  digital  transformation  of  the  justice  system  remains  limited  and  key  projects  are 
progressing slowly. The existing i-justice system operates effectively but remains primarily 
focused on electronic filing and document exchange and is utilised only  by selected courts. 
The first phase of its upgrade, slated for completion in June 2026, is on schedule21. However, 
a fully integrated electronic case management system is not expected until 203022. No other 
major  reforms  are  currently  planned  to  improve  the  effective  use  of  digital  technologies  in 
courts23. Despite efforts by the Judicial Service, paper-based procedures are still widespread, 
and  judicial  statistics  continue  to  be  gathered  manually24.  Key  projects  aimed  at  enhancing 
digitalisation have faced implementation challenges, and some projects had to be abandoned 
or  deferred25.  The  Cyprus  Bar  Association  advocates  for  broader,  systematic  adoption  of 

17   Supreme Constitutional Court (2025b). Judicial Service (2026), written input, p. 4.  
18   Judicial Service (2026), written input, p. 6. 
19   According  to  European  standards,  where  recruitment  of  judges  is  made  for  a  probationary  period,  the 
decision  on  whether  to  confirm  or  renew  such  an  appointment  should  be  based  on objective  criteria  pre-
established  by  law  or  by  the  competent  authorities.  Council  of  Europe:  Committee  of  Ministers  (2010), 
paras 44-51; Also, refusal to confirm the judge in office should be made according to objective criteria and 
with  the  same  procedural  safeguards  as  apply  where  a  judge  is  to  be  removed  from  office,  Venice 
Commission (2007). Figure 55, 2026 EU Justice Scoreboard. 

20   According  to  Decision  2/2025  of  the  Supreme  Constitutional  Council,  the  absence  of  an  explicit  legal 
provision does not render probationary judicial appointments unconstitutional, because they are grounded in 
a consistent practice that has been followed over time and accepted by the relevant institutions. The three 
minority judges, including the President of the Court, raised concerns as to the lack of explicit legislative or 
regulatory basis in Cypriot law. The minority’s view was that the  issue  met the criteria  for a preliminary 
reference to the Court of Justice. However, the majority considered it unnecessary to make a reference. 
21  The  phased  implementation  of  the  upgrade  began  in  September  2025  and  covers  all  court  jurisdictions, 

including the Supreme Court and the Supreme Constitutional Court. Cyprus Government (2026c). 
22   Country visit Cyprus, CBA and Judicial Service. European Semester 2026, Cyprus, pp. 11 and 64.  
23 

In December 2025, an AI-based Digital Assistant was introduced on the websites of the Supreme Court, the 
Supreme  Constitutional  Court  and  the  government  portal,  providing  information  on  public  services  and 
processes. Judicial Service (2026), written input, p. 8; Cypriot Government (2026c).    

24   Figures 40-47, 2026 EU Justice Scoreboard. 
25   These  include the  introduction of digital audio recording in court proceedings to replace stenography and 

the e-justice case management system. 2025 Rule of Law Report, Cyprus, p. 6.   

5 

 
 
 
 
technology,  including  remote  hearings  and  digital  recordings  of  court  proceedings,  as  a 
means to enhance efficiency and reduce delays26.  

Efforts to strengthen the alternative dispute resolution framework continue. A draft law 
prepared in 2024 to modernise arbitration is still under legal review by the Law Office and is 
expected  to  be  submitted  to  Parliament  in  September  202627.  The  draft  laws  promoting 
mediation  in  civil  disputes  equally  remain  pending  before  Parliament28  and  have  prompted 
extensive  stakeholder  discussions,  particularly  on  the  threshold  for  compulsory  mediation, 
with  the  Bar  Association  favouring  a  reduction  of  the  proposed  EUR  5  000  limit,  while 
business  representatives  remain  unconvinced29.  Despite  these  differences,  there  is  broad 
support among stakeholders for promoting alternative dispute resolution.  

Challenges  regarding  judicial  recruitments  and  infrastructure  persist.  Previously 
reported  difficulties  in  recruiting  judges  and  support  staff  persist.  While  efforts  have  been 
made to address longstanding vacancies, filling judicial positions remains a complex task30. 
According  to  judges,  there  are  difficulties  to  attract  suitably  qualified  lawyers  to  join  the 
judiciary,  and,  as  a  result,  vacant  positions  are  often  left  open  for  a  long  period  until 
appropriate  applicants  are  found.  According  to  the  Bar  Association,  the  absence  of 
specialisation makes it harder to find qualified lawyers for judicial positions. The recruitment 
of  qualified  support  staff,  such  as  assistants  and  administrative  personnel,  also  presents 
difficulties31.  The  request  of  the  Law  Office  for  additional  legal  and  support  staff  given  its 
increased  workload,  its  planned  reform  and  the  growing  complexity  of  cases,  has  been 
approved  by  the  Ministry  of  Finance,  while  plans  for  the  new  building  in  Nicosia  are  also 
progressing32. Plans for new court buildings in Nicosia, where facilities currently do not fully 
meet modern operational needs, have not yet materialised33.   

Efficiency 

The clearance of backlog cases is progressing, while the duration of judicial proceedings 
remains a serious concern. Disposition times for litigious civil and commercial cases in first 
and second instance courts continue to rank among the highest in the EU, averaging 682 and 
1 426 days, respectively, in 2024. For administrative cases, at first instance, disposition times 
doubled  from  380  days  in  2023  to  788  days  in  2024,  while  at  second  instance,  they  fell 
sharply to a more manageable 489 days in 2024 (down from 5,429 days in 2023). In 2024, the 
clearance  rate  for  civil  and  commercial  cases  at  first  instance  courts  reached  154%,  the 
highest  in  the  EU,  while  for  administrative  cases  it  dropped  to  78%  (110%  in  2023)34. 

26   Oxygen (2026), input, p. 9. 
27   Cypriot Government (2026 and 2026c), written input, p. 15. 
28   2025 Rule of Law Report, Cyprus, p. 5. 
29   Country visit Cyprus, CBA, Business associations and Ministry of Justice and Public Order.  
30   2025 Rule of Law Report, Cyprus, p. 6. For 15 vacancies for first instance judges, only four were recruited. 
For the Admiralty Court, two judges were needed but only one suitable candidate was identified, thus the 
position  had  to  be  advertised  again  and  a  new  selection  procedure  was  launched.  Country  visit,  Cyprus, 
Supreme Constitutional and Supreme Courts.  

31   EAJ (2026), written input, p. 24. 
32   Cypriot Government (2026), annex, p. 8 and (2026c). The Law Office has been allocated 33 additional legal 

posts and 30 posts for legal secretaries.  

33   This mainly concerns the first instance courts in Nicosia, the Court of Appeal and the Court of International 
Protection,  Country  visit,  Supreme  Constitutional  and  Supreme  Courts,  Association  of  judges  and  CBA. 
See also, 2023 and 2025 Rule of Law Reports, Cyprus, pp. 8-9 and 6 respectively. 

34   Figures 5, 6, 7, 8, 10 and 11, 2026 EU Justice Scoreboard. 

6 

 
 
 
Addressing backlog cases remains a key priority for the judiciary35. Although reductions have 
been  achieved,  a  substantial  number  of  backlog  cases  persist,  particularly  before  the 
Administrative Court of First Instance36. There has been a marked decrease in new incoming 
cases, which all justice stakeholders attribute—at least in part—to the prolonged duration of 
proceedings, acting as a deterrent for individuals and businesses considering litigation37. For 
judges, the reduction in caseloads is an opportunity to further tackle the backlog.  

New  procedural  rules  aim  to  enhance  efficiency.  In  January  2026,  new  procedural  rules, 
establishing clear time limits for issuing judgments in administrative cases, came into force38. 
To ensure compliance, unjustified or persistent  delays in  meeting these deadlines  may now 
trigger  disciplinary  proceedings.  These  measures  build  on  earlier  reforms,  notably  the  new 
Rules on Civil Procedure, in force since September 202339. Judges report that in civil cases 
the new rules have improved case management, by reducing unnecessary adjournments40. A 
bill  allowing  direct  appeals  against  court  warrants  and  replacing  prerogative  review  by  the 
Supreme Court – aimed to accelerate proceedings and alleviate the Supreme Court’s caseload 
-  remains  pending  before  Parliament.  While  backed  by  the  Supreme  Court,  the  Cyprus  Bar 
Association  has  raised  objections,  arguing  that  replacing  the  current  limited  prerogative 
review  by  the  Supreme  Court  with  a  full  appeal  mechanism  could  delay  investigations  and 
increase procedural complexity41.  

The  prolonged  delay  in  making  the  Commercial  Court  operational  continues  to  raise 
serious concerns among the business community. Although the legislation establishing the 
Court was adopted in 202242, key implementation steps remain outstanding, most notably the 
recruitment of judges43. This delay undermines the core objective of the reform, namely the 
faster  resolution  of  commercial  disputes44.  Business  representatives  warn  that  delayed 
adjudication  renders  claims  obsolete,  increases  companies’  operational  costs,  and  erodes 
overall confidence in the judicial system45. 

The  establishment  of  an  Independent  Court  Service,  that  seeks  to  streamline  court 
administration and alleviate the burden on the judiciary, faces persistent delays. A study 
concluded in January 2023 outlined recommendations for the service’s structure, procedures, 
three  years46.  However, 
and  staffing  needs,  with 
implementation  expected  within 
implementation  remains  pending,  and  no  concrete  timeline  has  been  established.  A  second 
report,  prepared  in  July  2024  and  agreed  in  October  2025  by  the  Supreme  Constitutional 
Court,  the  Supreme  Court,  the  Ministry  of  Finance  and  the  Ministry  of  Justice  and  Public 
Order, sets out another proposal for restructuring the Judicial Service. The proposed reform 

35   EAJ (2026), written input, p. 38. 
36  Country visit Cyprus, Supreme Constitutional Court, Supreme Court, Association of judges. 
37   Country visit Cyprus, Supreme Constitutional Court, Supreme Court, Association of judges, CBA.  
38   Final judgments in administrative cases are to be delivered within six months and interim decisions within 
two months, subject to reasoned extensions and monitoring. Supreme Constitutional Court (2025c). Judicial 
Service (2026), written input, p. 8. 

39   2022, 2023 Rule of Law Reports, Cyprus, pp. 6-7 and 11 respectively. 
40   Country visit Cyprus, Association of judges; EAJ (2026), written input, p. 37.  
41   Cypriot government (2026), written input, p. 14. Parliament (2026), pp. 3-4. 
42   2023 Rule of Law Report, Cyprus, pp. 11-12.  
43   A new procedure for the appointment of the two Admiralty Court judges is currently under way, after the 
previous procedure did not result in the appointment of any judges. Country visit Cyprus, Supreme Court; 
Cypriot Government (2026c).  

44   European Semester 2026, Cyprus, pp. 11 and 64. 
45   Country visit Cyprus, Business associations.  
46   2025 Rule of Law Report, Cyprus, p. 6. 

7 

 
 
 
centres on a clear separation between judicial and administrative functions, with the aim of 
relieving judges of non-judicial duties that currently hinder their core work. A key element of 
the proposal involves redefining the role of court registrars47. This could lead to faster case 
processing  and  a  court  administration  entrusted  to  specialised  non-judicial  personnel. 
However, neither the final model nor the precise mode of implementation have been decided 
to date. The Bar Association continues to identify the establishment of an Independent Court 
Service  as  a  priority  for  the  proper  functioning  of  the  courts,  underscoring  the  urgency  of 
moving to concrete action48.  

Efforts to remove legal obstacles in enforcing court judgments have not advanced. The 
bill  on  enforcement  of  judgments  remains  pending  before  Parliament49.  Delays  and 
difficulties  in  enforcing  final  judgments  are  an  additional  challenge  for  the  efficiency  of 
justice50.  The  Bar  association  referred  to  previously  reported  difficulties  to  emphasise  that, 
even  after  enduring  lengthy  and  costly  litigation,  successful  litigants  frequently  encounter 
obstacles  to  enforce  judgments51.  A  proposal  by  the  Government  to  regulate  the 
administration’s  failure  to  comply  with  judgments  by  administrative  courts  has  not 
progressed yet52. According to a survey, 35% of judges do not agree with the statement that 
judgments going against the interests of the Government are usually executed53. 

II. 

ANTI-CORRUPTION FRAMEWORK  

The  perception  among  experts,  citizens  and  business  executives  is  that  the  level  of 
corruption  in  the  public  sector  remains  relatively  high.  In  the  2025  Corruption 
Perceptions Index by Transparency International, Cyprus scores 55/100 and ranks 17th in the 
European Union and 49th globally54. This perception has been relatively stable over the past 
five years55. The 2026 Special Eurobarometer on Corruption shows that 95% of respondents 
consider corruption widespread in their country (EU average 71%) and 67% of respondents 
feel  personally  affected  by  corruption  in  their  daily  lives  (EU  average  30%).  As  regards 
businesses, 98% of companies consider that corruption is widespread (EU average 65%) and 
46%  consider  that  corruption  is  a  problem  when  doing  business  (EU  average  37%). 
Furthermore, 19% of respondents find that there are enough successful prosecutions to deter 
people  from  corrupt  practices  (EU  average  38%),  while  14%  of  companies  believe  that 

47   Registrars would be fully exempted from administrative  duties and instead specialise in  case preparation, 

handling procedural matters like filing and scheduling to streamline case management. 

48   Judicial Service (2026), written input, p. 6. 
49   Cypriot Government (2026), written input, p. 17. See also, 2025 Rule of Law Report, Cyprus, p. 7. 
50   European Semester 2026, Cyprus, pp. 11 and 64. 
51   For  lawyers,  difficulties  arise  from  a  combination  of  legislative  restrictions,  including  limited  access  to 
debtors’ bank accounts, constraints on the seizure of movable property, and complex procedures for the sale 
of immovable property, CBA (2026), written input, p. 5. 2025 Rule of Law Report, Cyprus, p. 8. 

52   Cypriot Government (2026), written input, p. 25. Whereas the Constitution provides that the Administrative 
Court,  the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Constitutional Court are empowered to impose sanctions on 
any  person  not  complying  with  a  judgment,  this  power  remains  unregulated  in  law.  Figure  49,  2025  EU 
Justice Scoreboard. 2025 Rule of Law Reports, Cyprus, p. 8. 

53   ENCJ (2025), Survey, Figure 7. 
54   The level of perceived corruption is categorised as follows: low (above 79); relatively low (between 79-60), 

relatively high (between 59-50), high (below 50). 

55   In 2021 the score was 53, while in 2025, the score is 55. 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. 

8 

 
 
 
people  and  businesses  caught  for  bribing  a  senior  official  are  appropriately  punished  (EU 
average 31%)56.  

Significant  progress  was  made  on  the  recommendation  to  strengthen  the  Independent 
Authority  against  Corruption  (IAAC)  through  new  legislation  on  recruitments57.  The 
IAAC’s staff continued to increase over the past year from 18 to 2258, while the complaints 
received  and  the  number  of  tasks  related  to  the  lobbying  register  and  the  Anti-Corruption 
Action  Plan  are  rising59.  In  October  2025,  the  Parliament  adopted  a  law60  that  enables 
permanent  staff  appointed  under  public  service  laws  to  be  assigned  to  IAAC.  The  law  also 
affords  the  IAAC  greater  involvement  in  the  process  of  appointment  of  its  own  permanent 
staff. Specifically, it has the authority to  evaluate candidates and recommend a shortlist  for 
final selection by the Civil Service Commission. Further administrative steps are required so 
that  the  IAAC  can  recruit  permanent  staff61.  Once  completed,  this  reform  is  expected  to 
reinforce  the  IAAC’s  stability  and  operational  independence.  Furthermore,  in  March  2026, 
Parliament enacted two laws under which the  IAAC is  now required to  formally notify the 
Tax Commissioner whenever it identifies the involvement of a public official or civil servant 
in  a  suspected  corruption  offence62.  Civil  society  acknowledges  that  the  new  legislation 
adopted in October 2025 resolved prior concerns regarding IAAC’s institutional stability63. In 
June 2026, after concluding its investigation on a high-level investigation, involving political 
persons and public officials64, the IAAC issued a statement regarding selective elements of its 
findings, which has fuelled calls to strengthen the IAAC’s mandate and effectiveness65. Civil 
society  highlights  that  the  IAAC’s  effectiveness  and  independence  remain  constrained  as  it 
lacks prosecution powers66 and must refer cases to the Attorney General, whose decisions not 
to  prosecute or to  discontinue  proceedings are not subject  to  review under the current  legal 
framework67.  Following  the  statement  by  the  IAAC,  three  law  proposals  were  tabled  to 
further reform the Authority and strengthen its investigative powers68. In view of the adopted 

56   Data from Special Eurobarometer 573 (2026) and Flash Eurobarometer 582 (2026). 
57   The  2025  Rule  of  Law  Report  recommended  to  Cyprus  to  “Advance  with  the  legislative  reforms  to 
strengthen  the  Independent  Authority  against  Corruption  and  continue  efforts  to  ensure  it  has  the  human 
and  technical  resources  to  effectively  perform  its  tasks”.  Significant  progress  was  previously  assessed  on 
this recommendation in 2025 and some progress in 2024. 

58   Cypriot Government and IAAC (2026), written inputs, pp. 6 and 1-2. This number includes the 4 Members 
of the Authority and the Commissioner for Transparency. The seventeen (17) members of the staff include 
an economic affairs officer, six legal officers, three administrative officers, five secretarial officers and two 
ushers. For 2026, the IAAC has a budget of 1.99€ million, IAAC (2026a), written input p. 1. 

59   Cypriot  Government  and  IAAC  (2026),  written  inputs,  pp.20  and  8.  Up  to  2025,  the  total  number  of 
complaints  received  reached  584.  To  date,  321  complaints  have  been  thoroughly  examined  and 
subsequently closed or terminated. Country visit Cyprus, IAAC. 

60   Law 196(I)/2025. 
61  Cypriot  Government  and  IAAC  (2026),  written  inputs,  pp.8,  and  4-5  respectively.  Country  visit  Cyprus, 
IAAC.  The  organisational  chart  is  approved.  Once  the  Schemes  of  Service  are  finalised  and  ratified  by 
Parliament, the IAAC could launch recruitment under the new legal framework.  

62   Law 65(Ι)/2026 and Law 66(Ι)/2026. 
63   Oxygen for democracy (2026), written input, p.40. See also above, Pillar I. 
64   The entire report has been transmitted to the Attorney General and tax authorities, press release, IAAC, 16 

June 2026 and press release, Law Office, 17 June 2026. 

65    Cyprus Mail (2026) and Politis (2026) 
66   Two  bills  tabled  by  MPs  proposing  to  grant  the  IAAC  powers  to  initiate  private  criminal  prosecutions 

(2022) and transforming it into a public law entity (2025) are pending and have not been discussed. 

67   Oxygen for democracy (2026), written input, pp.21-22 and 40. See also above, Pillar I.  
68  

the two legal proposals are complementary and provide that the Authority would be able to choose between 
two institutional avenues: to draw up a report and submit it, together with the information in its possession, 
to the Attorney General of the Republic, in accordance with the existing procedure; or to appoint a criminal 
investigator, so that the criminal investigation may begin immediately. Under the third proposal, the IAAC 
9 

 
 
 
legislation,  there  has  therefore  been  significant  progress  on  the  implementation  of  the 
recommendations made in previous reports.  

The  Independent  Authority  against  Corruption  (IAAC)  is  progressing  on  the 
implementation of the Anti-Corruption Action Plan. As part of its Action Plan, a project 
to develop sectoral anti-corruption strategies is in its initial stage69. The Action Plan includes 
a  national  funding  program  which  is  aiding  public  and  private  entities  to  create  effective 
Anti-Bribery  Management  Systems70.  In  addition,  the  IAAC  continued  to  implement  its 
Awareness,  Education and Prevention  Strategy71. This  included the IAAC’s participation  in 
specialised  training  programs  on  the  newly  revised  Guide  of  Conduct  and  Ethics  of  Civil 
Servants72.In order to enhance transparency and data security and reinforce public trust, the 
IAAC  is  planning  to  launch  an  electronic  platform  to  digitalise  the  submission  and 
management  of  corruption  complaints73.  Civil  society  advocates  for  more  comprehensive 
public reporting on progress in the implementation of the Anti-Corruption Action Plan using 
concrete indicators74.  

Efforts continue to investigate high-level corruption, with further new convictions. The 
Anti-Corruption  Taskforce,  that  operates  under  the  Attorney  General’s  remit,  continued  to 
supervise the investigation and prosecution of corruption offences, including high-level cases. 
In 2025, four persons were convicted for corruption related offences in separate cases75. The 
Police investigated 13 corruption cases, including high-level corruption cases76. Up to 2025, 
the  IAAC  completed  15  major  investigation  reports  of  which  six  were  transmitted  to  the 
Attorney  General  for  further  investigation  and  other  competent  authorities  for  further 
action77. The IAAC is currently dealing with six ongoing corruption investigations conducted 
by  appointed  independent  inspection  officers78.  During  2025,  the  Police  initiated  six  sport 

would  also  have  the  additional  possibility  to  proceed  with  the  appointment  of  independent  criminal 
investigators. These would be appointed from a list drawn up by the Cyprus Bar Association and approved 
by the Attorney General. 

69   Cypriot Government and IAAC (2026), written inputs, pp.21 and 11; and IAAC (2026a), written input, p.3. 
Approximately 300 officers from the public sector have been designated to serve as the primary focal points 
with  the  IAAC.  In  addition,  the  IAAC  has  established  a  centralised  electronic  registry  to  streamline 
communication, coordination and the future implementation of sectoral strategies. 

70   Cypriot Government (2026), annex, p. 19. The programme addresses foreign bribery risks, including third-
party  due  diligence,  internal  controls,  whistleblowing  mechanisms,  and  risk  assessments  for  cross-border 
activities. 

71   Civil  society  highlighted  that  the  strategy  should  be  more  detailed  with  specific  objectives  which  can  be 
evaluated and measurable and based on research, with more available funds, Foundation Fimonoi (2026), 
written input, p. 2. 

72   Cypriot Government and IAAC (2026), written inputs, pp.21 and 10.  
73   Cypriot Government (2026), written input, p. 22. 
74   Oxygen for democracy (2026), written input, pp. 22-23. 
75   Cypriot Government (2026), annex, pp.20-21. These include two cases that were initiated in 2022, one case 

that was initiated in 2021 and one case that was initiated in 2020. 

76   Three  of  these  investigations  were  initially  handled  by  the  IAAC.  Cypriot  Government  (2026),  annex, 
pp.20-21. Last year, there were five convictions and 13 investigations, 2025 Rule of Law Report, Cyprus, p. 
9.  According  to  two  press  releases  of  the  Law  Office  of  12  and  13  January  2026,  there  are  ongoing 
investigations in relation to a video posted on the social media platform “X” on 8 January 2026. The Police 
is examining both the issue of hybrid activity against the Republic of Cyprus and the content of the video in 
terms of possible criminal offences. 

77    Cypriot Government (2026c). The data concern the period going from the establishment of the IAAC up to 

2025. 

78   Cypriot Government and IAAC (2026), written inputs, pp.20 and 8. Last year, the IAAC transmitted to the 
Attorney General one major suspected investigation and was dealing with  eight corruption investigations, 
2025 Rule of Law Report, Cyprus, p. 9. 

10 

 
 
 
corruption-related  cases79.  The  four  cases  for  corruption  linked  to  the  now  abolished 
Citizenship  Investor  Programme  (CIP)80  are  still  ongoing81.  The  European  Public 
Prosecutor’s  Office  (EPPO)  investigated  one  corruption  case  in  202582.  Civil  society 
considers that policymaking in the area of corruption enforcement is not sufficiently informed 
by  transparent  and  systematic  statistical  data83.  The  Police  Internal  Affairs  Service  (PIAS) 
continued  to  actively  investigate  allegations  of  police  misconduct.  In  2025,  it  examined  23 
reports  of  possible  police  involvement  in  acts  of  corruption  (compared  to  22  in  2024).  Of 
these, three cases have led to criminal prosecution and are pending before the court, while 7 
cases are pending investigation84.  

New  police  structures  relevant  for  the  fight  against  corruption  are  being  created  and 
there are calls for specific trainings for judges and prosecutors. In December 2025, the 
establishment of the Directorate for Combating Organised Crime (DCOC) was announced85, 
which is expected to play an important role in the fight against corruption86. The staff of the 
Financial Crime Sub-Directorate of the Cyprus Police increased by two members over 2025 
and four members who were seconded are expected to return to the service at the end of June 
202687.  Civil  society  has  voiced  its  concerns  about  delays  in  investigative  and  court 
proceedings, as well as a perceived lack of timely and dissuasive outcomes in the handling of 
high-level cases, and advocates for greater specialisation and resources88. Stakeholders have 
called for more targeted training for judges and prosecutors in the field of corruption89. 

New legislation on asset declarations for elected and appointed officials started to apply 
and, as regards post-employment, a new law has enhanced restrictions while initiatives 
are underway to expand the categories of persons subject to oversight. For the President, 
ministers  and  parliamentarians,  the  application  of  the  new  legislative  framework90  will  be 
assessed for the first time following the parliamentary elections of May 2026, once the newly 
elected  Members  of  the  House  of  Representatives  have  assumed  office91.  For  appointed 

79   Two cases were brought before the Court. One case is under investigation and three cases were forwarded 

to the Attorneys General for instructions. Cypriot Government (2026), annex, pp. 20-21. 

80   In December 2025,  the  Civil Registry (Amendment) (No 2) Law  of 2025 entered into force revoking the 
legal  basis  of  the  investor citizenship  scheme  while  providing  for  the  continued  application  of  relevant 
monitoring  and  control  provisions  in  relation  to  applications  that  had  been submitted under  the 
investor citizenship scheme up to 30 October 2020. As the legal basis of the investor citizenship scheme has 
been revoked, the Commission closed its infringement procedure regarding the Cypriot investor citizenship 
scheme on 11 March 2026.  
 Including a criminal case in relation to two former Ministers. Cypriot Government (2026), annex, pp. 20-
21.  

81  

82   EPPO (2026), Annual Report 2025, p. 19.  
83  Oxygen  for  democracy  (2026),  written  input,  p.31.  Certain  parts  of  the  public  sector  do  not  publish  an 
annual report, including the Ministry of Justice & Public Order or the Law Office, CRoLEV (2026), annex, 
p. 4. 

84  Cypriot Government (2026), written input, p. 23.  
85   Philenews (2025). 
86   Cypriot Government (2026a), p. 4.  
87   The Financial Crime Sub-Directorate of the Cyprus Police currently comprises 32 members (27 specialised 
investigators  and  5 forensic  accountants),  of  whom  4  are  seconded until  June  2026.  Cypriot  Government 
(2026), written input, p. 23 and Cypriot Government (2026c). 
88   Oxygen for Democracy (2026), written input pp. 7 and 31-32.  
89   Country visit Cyprus, Association of judges. 
90   Law of 2024 (N. 112(I)/2024). See 2025 Rule of Law Report, Cyprus, p. 11. 
91   Cypriot Government (2026), written input, p. 24. 

11 

 
 
 
officials  (including  politically  exposed  persons)92,  approximately  150  have  completed  the 
process  of  electronically  submitting  asset  declarations  through  the  digital  platform.  In 
addition, approximately 30 officials or politically exposed persons have submitted statements 
liabilities,  which  are  publicly  disclosed93.  GRECO 
of  assets  and 
identified  some 
shortcomings  in  the  new  legislation  as  regards  regular  reporting  and  sanctions  for  non-
submission or late submission94. The Minister of Justice and Public Order has requested the 
assistance of the Law Commissioner for preparing a bill to address these shortcomings95. As 
regards post-employment, in June 2024, the Presidency instructed the Law Commissioner to 
prepare  a  bill,  under  which  the  categories  of  persons  subject  to  oversight  will  be  further 
expanded,  as  recommended  by  GRECO96.  In  March  2026,  the  bill  underwent  public 
consultation and in May 2026, it was submitted to the Legal Service of the Republic for legal 
vetting.  Moreover,  in  April  2026,  a  law  to  enhance  restrictions  on  former  state  officials, 
judges and certain public sector employees after they leave office was adopted97. Previously, 
they had to obtain authorisation before taking private sector employments within two years of 
their departure. The new law expands this restriction to include roles as company advisers or 
secretaries. In addition, former officials are now required to declare any acquisition of shares 
within two years of their departure. 

The monitoring of the law on lobbying is being strengthened. In 2025, the registrations of 
lobbyists  continued  to  increase.  The  IAAC  has  continued  to  carry  out  intensive  training, 
guidance  and  awareness  raising  activities  on  the  implementation  of  the  law  and  aims  to 
continue  these  efforts  in  202698.  An  audit  of  biannual  reports  that  lobbyists  are  required  to 
submit99 revealed minor discrepancies between the real-time filings made by the officials and 
the six months summaries submitted by the lobbyist100. The IAAC concluded that the errors 
detected stemmed largely from a lack of familiarity with the new reporting requirements and 
decided  to  not  impose  penalties  or  sanctions101.  Instead,  it  sent  a  formal  request  for 
corrections and clarifications. The lobbyists and business stakeholders welcome the rules on 
lobbying  and  the  work  carried  out  by  the  IAAC102.  At  the  same  time,  lobbyists  and  civil 
society representatives have raised concerns on the uneven application of the lobbying law103. 

92   Law 137(I) of 2024 covers certain officials and certain politically exposed persons, including the Attorney 
General, Auditor General, Chief of Police and their Deputies. 2025 Rule of Law Report, Cyprus, p. 11. 
93   Cypriot Government (2026b), written input, pp.1-2. Since the entry into force of the new Law, no sanctions 

have been imposed. 

94   GRECO (2025), paras 56-66 and 67-75. The Minister of Justice and Public Order requested the assistance 
of the Law Commissioner in preparing a bill to address these shortcomings. Cypriot Government (2026c). 

95   Cypriot Government (2026c), written input. 
96   Cypriot  Government  (2026a),  written  input,  p.1.  GRECO  (2025),  paras  52-55  and  Cypriot  Government 

(2026c). 

97   Law 108(I) of 2026. The law came into force in April 2026. 
98   The  IAAC  is  responsible  for  implementing  and  enforcing  the  lobbying  law  and  maintaining  the  publicly 
available lobbying register. Lobbyists include both individuals and entities such as trade unions, NGOs and 
political  party  organisations.  2025  Rule  of  Law  Report,  Cyprus,  p.  12.  Cypriot  Government  and  IAAC 
(2026), written inputs, pp.19-20 and 6-8.  

99   While  officials  are  required  to  submit  a  co-signed  report  to  the  IAAC  after  every  contact  with  lobbyists 
within  two  months,  lobbyists  are  required  to  submit  a  report  biannually  consolidating  and  detailing  their 
contacts  with  officials,  Art.  13,  17,  22,  and  24  of  Law  20(I)/2022  and  Circular  No.  005  of  28  February 
2025. 

100   The third audit concerned the period March 2025-Sept 2025, IAAC (2026) and (2026a), pp. 7 and 1. 
101  Sanctions can be imposed on both lobbyists and public officials for failure to comply with their obligations. 
Such sanctions can include a maximum imprisonment of six months and a maximum financial penalty of 
EUR 5 000. Art. 22 and 24 of Law 20(I)/2022 and Circular No. 005 of 28 February 2025. 
102   LPAP (2026), written input, p. 1 and country visit, Cyprus, Chamber of Commerce and OEB. 
103   LPAP and Foundation Fimonoi (2026), written inputs, pp. 1-2 and p. 2, respectively.  

12 

 
 
 
The digitalisation of the lobbying registry, which is scheduled for 2027, should enhance the 
transparency  on  lobbying  while  reducing  the  administrative  burden  for  the  IAAC104.  In 
March 2026, the Parliament amended the lobbying law to exempt organisations representing 
persons  with  disabilities,  patients  and  chronically 
individuals  from  registration 
requirements105.   

ill 

Integrity  rules  were  strengthened  and  a  comprehensive  strategy  for  the  integrity  of 
persons entrusted with top executive functions is in preparation. The IAAC is planning to 
launch  an  independent  study  that  will  focus  on  the  risk  areas  and  measures  to  ensure  the 
integrity of Persons with Top Executive Functions and their Commissioned Private Technical 
Advisers106.  Upon  its  completion,  the  study  will  be  discussed  with  the  relevant  authorities 
who will decide on the follow up107. During 2025, there were intensive training efforts on the 
new Guide of Conduct and Ethics for Civil Servants, adopted in March 2025108. In May 2026, 
Guidelines  were  issued  for  the  better  Implementation  of  the  Code  of  Conduct  for  the 
Advisors of the Government Members109. The Cyprus Police Academy continued to deliver 
its  educational  activities  on  integrity  and  corruption  that  are  incorporated  into  its  annual 
academic programme110. 

Awareness raising efforts on whistleblowing continued. Relevant information guides were 
distributed  to  trade  unions  to  ensure  employees  were  fully  informed  about  their  rights, 
including  the  protection  available  to  whistleblowers.  Additionally,  targeted  seminars  are 
organised  —  both  through  private  training  providers  and  associations  —  to  further  raise 
awareness.  As  in  the  previous  year,  the  Police  received  80  complaints  through  its  external 
reporting website in 2025. Of these, 79 reports were assessed as falling outside the scope of 
the whistleblower protection legislation, while one report is currently being examined111. 

Plans to revise the law on political party financing aim to address previously identified 
shortcomings.  In  its  latest  reports,  which  assessed  compliance  by  the  seven  Parliamentary 
political  parties  with  the  Law  on  Political  Parties,  the  Audit  Office  identified  several 
shortcomings,  including  the  acceptance  of  contributions  above  legal  limits  and  mismatches 
between the amounts recorded in the special contribution registers and those declared in the 
annual financial statements112. It also highlighted that the legislation does not specify whether 
and  under  what  conditions  associations,  foundations,  cooperatives  or  trusts  may  make 
contributions to political parties. To address the shortcomings and other gaps identified by the 

104   Cypriot Government and IAAC (2026) written inputs pp.7, and 3-4 respectively. 
105   Law N.42(I)2026. 
106   Cypriot  Government  (2026),  written  input  and  (2026a)  written  input,  pp.21,  and  pp.8-9;  IAAC  (2026), 
written input, p.11. This initiative responds to GRECO recommendations in the 5th Evaluation round. The 
IAAC has prepared the tender specifications. 

107   IAAC (2026), written input, p.11 and country visit Cyprus, IAAC. It will also define audit measures and a 
compliance methodology. For the study, the following persons are considered as PTEFs and CPTAs “The 
President,  Ministers  and  State  Secretaries,  Secretary  of  the  Council  of  Ministers,  Commissioners, 
Government and Assistant Representatives,  Director of the President’s Office, Director of the President’s 
Press  Office,  Advisors  to  the  President  and  CPTAs  hired  at  the  discretion  of  the  central  government  to 
provide advice”. Action 6 of the IAAC Anti-Corruption Plan. 

108   See 2025, Rule of Law Report, Cyprus, p. 12. 
109   Cypriot Government (2026c). 
110   Cypriot Government (2026a), written input, p. 5. 
111  Cypriot Government (2026), annex and (2026a) written input, pp. 16 and 2 respectively. 
112   Audit  Office  (2025),  Consolidated  Report  of  17  October  2025  of  Compliance  Audit  Findings  of 
Parliamentary  Political  parties  for  the  years  2016  to  2021.  The  Financial  Statements  of  the  parties  are 
audited on the basis of the Political Parties Law, by independent private auditors. 

13 

 
 
 
Audit  Office,  the  Registrar  of  Political  Parties  intends  to  initiate  procedures  for  a 
comprehensive amendment of the Political Parties Law after the parliamentary elections113. In 
addition,  according  to  a  legal  opinion  issued  by  the  Attorney  General’s  office  in  January 
2026, there have been some difficulties and uncertainties surrounding the procedures for the 
recovery  or  redistribution  of  certain  state  funds  allocated  in  2018  and  2021  to  political 
parties114.  

Measures  continue  to  be  deployed  to  tackle  risks  in  public  procurement.  Businesses’ 
attitudes towards corruption in the EU show that 29% of companies in Cyprus (EU average 
30%)  think  that  corruption  has  prevented  them  from  winning  a  public  tender  or  a  public 
procurement  contract  in  practice  in  the  last  three  years115.  43%  of  companies  perceive  the 
level of independence of the public procurement review body (Tender Review Authority) as 
very or fairly good (47% in 2025)116. The Single Market and Competitiveness Scoreboard on 
access  to  public  procurement  in  Cyprus  reports  26%  of  single  bids  for  2025  (EU  average 
27%).  Corruption  perception  affects  the  attraction  of  Foreign  Direct  Investments  (FDI)  and 
the attractiveness of the country as a business hub, especially for SMEs. The Police and civil 
society  continue  to  highlight  public  procurement  as  particularly  prone  to  corruption117.  The 
Government  pursues  its  efforts  to  improve  traceability,  accountability  and  transparency,  in 
particular  with  the  digitalisation  of  procurement.  The  Public  Procurement  Directorate  is 
carrying out a comprehensive reform aimed at the professionalisation of public procurement 
and 45 procurement officers have completed  an  extensive training programme118. A new e-
procurement platform became operational in February 2026. The system provides end-to-end 
visibility  and  supports  audit  authorities  in  their  work,  while  significantly  strengthening 
transparency and accountability119. The IAAC intends to review the National Code of Ethics 
for Public Procurement120. In 2025, the Treasury of the Republic of Cyprus did not identify 
cases of conflicts of interest121. 

113   Audit office (2026), written input. A legislative proposal from 2022, seeking to amend the law on financing 
political parties by restricting certain contributions from both legal and natural persons, is still pending in 
Parliament. 

114   Cyprus Mail (2026). 
115   Flash  Eurobarometer  582  on  Businesses’  attitudes  towards  corruption  in  the  EU  (2026).  This  is  1 

percentage point below the EU average.  

116   The  Tenders  Review  Authority  examines  appeals  against  acts  or  decisions  by  the  contracting  authorities 
(i.e.,  the  State,  local  authorities,  public  law  bodies  or  associations  of  such  authorities  or  public 
organizations) that violate any provision of the law before or after signing a contract of supplies, services or 
projects. Figure 59, 2026 EU Justice Scoreboard. 

117   Country visit Cyprus,  Police. Foundation Fimonoi and  Oxygen for democracy (2026), written inputs, p. 4 

and 28, respectively.  

118   Cypriot Government (2026), annex, p. 18. 
119   Among its enhanced functionalities, the system will provide stakeholders with comprehensive information 
covering  the  full  lifecycle  of  public  procurement  procedures  —  from  project  initiation  to  contract 
completion and final acceptance. 

120   IAAC  Anti-Corruption  Plan,  Action  8.  The  National  Code  of  Ethics  for  Public  Procurement  sets  out  the 
principles  and  values  to  be  observed  by  officials  and  holders  of  public  offices  participating  in  public 
procurement procedures in the public or wider public sector. The relevant Code was published in November 
2009 and is currently in force. The IAAC will verify whether it includes relevant principles as set out in the 
relevant  Laws  (such  as  transparency,  accountability,  impartiality,  objectivity,  confidentiality  and  in 
particular non-conflict of interest) with guidance and examples. 

121   Three  cases  of  potential  (but  not  actual)  conflicts  of  interest  were  identified  and  recommendations  were 
made to the relevant Contracting Authorities to help them strengthen their conflict-of-interest management 
frameworks, Cypriot Government (2026a), written input, pp. 7-8. 

14 

 
 
 
III.  MEDIA PLURALISM AND MEDIA FREEDOM  

Measures are being taken to ensure the adequacy of the resources of the regulator for 
audiovisual  media  services,  renamed  the  Radio,  Television  and  Digital  Services 
Authority (RTDSA). There are plans to increase the regulator’s number of permanent staff 
in response to its new competences, and a state grant of EUR 200 000 has been included in 
the  regulator’s  2026  annual  budget  to  cover  initial  staffing  and  technical  resource  needs122. 
The  2026  Media  Pluralism  Monitor  maintains  its  medium-low  risk  analysis  for  the 
independence of the media regulator123. 

Reforms to improve the legal framework relating to transparency of media ownership 
are  at  an  advanced  stage.  The  previous  Report  noted  that  digital  and  print  media  remain 
unregulated  as  regards  transparency  of  media  ownership124,  and  stakeholders  report  that 
comprehensive  ownership  information  of  audiovisual  media  services  is  also  not  made 
accessible  to  the  public125.  Stakeholders  also  raise  concerns  about  high  levels  of  media 
ownership  by  family  members  of  political  actors  and  individuals  with  business  interests  in 
other sectors, which could undermine the editorial independence of the media126. In view of 
these factors, the Media Pluralism Monitor continues to rank this area as very-high risk127. In 
January 2026, the Government submitted to Parliament a draft law with a view to alignment 
with  the  European  Media  Freedom  Act  (‘the  draft  law  for  the  implementation  of  the 
EMFA’128).  Under  this  draft  law,  the  RTDSA  will  be  mandated  to  develop  and  maintain  a 
database  containing  comprehensive  information  on  media  ownership,  including  beneficial 
owners129.  It  will  also  be  empowered  to  approve  market  concentrations  involving  media 
service providers130.   

Work  to  adopt  legislation  to  ensure  fair  and  transparent  distribution  of  advertising 
expenditure  by  the  state  and  state-owned  companies  continues131.  Currently  there  is  no 
specific legislation regulating state advertising across the board. Stakeholders report that this 
state  of  affairs  undermines  the  public’s  trust  in  the  independence  of  private  media132. 
Furthermore, some stakeholders have raised concerns about non-transparent funding directly 
from  the  Presidency  and  Ministries133.  The  draft  law  for  the  implementation  of  the  EMFA, 
which is pending before Parliament, addresses the allocation of funds to media companies for 
promotional campaigns, which falls under the responsibility of the  Government’s Press and 

122   Country visit Cyprus, RTDSA; Cypriot Government (2026), written input, p. 10. RTDSA was designated 

Digital Services Coordinator in February 2024.  

123   2026 Media Pluralism Monitor report on Cyprus, p. 20. 
124  Country visit Cyprus, civil society; 2025 Rule of Law Report, Cyprus, p. 14. 
125   CIReN (2026a). 
126   CIReN  (2026b);  Country  visit  Cyprus,  UCJ,  IMME,  Media  Ethics  Committee,  CIReN.  According  to  a 
survey  conducted  by  the  Cyprus  Journalists'  Union,  69%  of  citizens  believe  that  the  electorate  is  being 
manipulated, of which 86% attribute responsibility mainly to political parties, 82% to the Government and 
74% to media owners. Cyprus Journalists' Union (2025b), pp. 26-27. 

127   2026 Media Pluralism Monitor report on Cyprus, p. 24. 
128   The draft law remains pending in Parliament.. Country visit Cyprus, RTDSA. 
129   Cypriot Government (2026), annex, p. 23. 
130   Cypriot Government (2026), annex, p. 23. 
131   The  2025  Rule  of  Law  Report  recommended  Cyprus  to  adopt  legislation  to  ensure  fair  and  transparent 
distribution  of  advertising  expenditure  by  the  state  and  state-owned  companies.  Limited  progress  was 
previously assessed on this recommendation in 2025 and no progress in 2024. 

132   Country visit Cyprus, UCJ, IMME, Media Ethics Committee, CIReN, civil society; 2026 Media Pluralism 

Monitor report on Cyprus, p. 36. 
133   Country visit Cyprus, civil society. 

15 

 
 
 
Information Office (PIO). The draft also stipulates that funds will be allocated according to 
the procedures, guidelines, and criteria published on the PIO’s official website, they will be 
distributed  to  a  wide  variety  of  media  outlets,  and  the  media  regulator  (RTDSA)  will  be 
empowered  to  monitor  and  report  on  expenditures134.  The  Media  Pluralism  Monitor  has 
increased  its  risk  level  for  this  area  to  medium-high  risk135.  Given  the  ongoing  work  on 
legislative  reforms,  there  has  been  some  progress  on  the  recommendations  made  in  the 
previous years. 

Legislative  work  to  strengthen  the  rules  and  mechanisms  to  enhance  the  independent 
governance of public service media is ongoing136. The authorities have confirmed that the 
draft  law  for  the  implementation  of  the  EMFA  will  put  in  place  safeguards  for  the 
appointment and dismissal procedures of the management and board members of the Cyprus 
Broadcasting Corporation (CyBC)137. Once this law has been adopted, work on amendments 
to the Law on the Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation will continue with a view to modernise 
and align the legal framework governing the CyBC138. The CyBC has confirmed that this law 
will  ensure  a  clear  separation  of  the  roles  of  the  Board  of  Directors  and  the  General 
Management  and  remove  provisions  concerning  the  mandatory  presentation  of  political 
parties  and  figures139.  In  the  meantime,  stakeholders  raise  concerns  about  political 
interference  in  the  CyBC,  whose  governing  board  is  elected  by  the  Council  of  Ministers 
following  a  public  call  of  interest  and  after  having  notified  the  House  of  Parliament  of  the 
suggested  board  members140.  In  view  of  these  concerns,  the  Media  Pluralism  Monitor 
continues  to  rank  this  area  as  medium-high  risk141.  Given  the  ongoing  work  on  legislative 
reforms, there has been some progress on the recommendations made in the previous reports. 

The  Office  of  the  Information  Commissioner  continues  to  raise  awareness  on  the  law 
regulating public access to information, while further measures are needed to improve 
it.  The  Office  of  the  Information  Commissioner,  which  operates  with  limited  resources, 
continues  its  awareness  raising  efforts  with  a  campaign  planned  for  the  first  quarter  of 
2026142. An independent study commissioned by the Government identified gaps in the scope 
of  the  law  on  public  access  to  information143,  including  the  definition  of  the  term  public 
authority  and  the  lack  of  independent  review  of  the  Commissioner’s  decisions144.  The 
Commissioner considers that the legal framework applies clearly to any ministry, department, 

134   Cypriot Government (2026), written input, pp. 9-10. 
135 2026 Media Pluralism Monitor report on Cyprus, p. 36. 
136   The 2025 Rule of Law Report recommended Cyprus to strengthen the rules and mechanisms to enhance the 
independent governance of public service media taking into account European standards on public service 
media.  Limited  progress  was  previously  assessed  on  this  recommendation  in  2025  and  some  progress  in 
2024 and 2023. 

137   Country visit Cyprus, Ministry of Interior. 
138  Country visit Cyprus, Ministry of Interior; CyBC (2026), written input. 
139   CyBC (2026), written input. 
140  Country visit Cyprus, civil society; 2026 Media Pluralism Monitor report on Cyprus, p. 37. 
141   2026 Media Pluralism Monitor report on Cyprus, p. 37. 
142   Country visit Cyprus,  Office of the Information Commissioner. The Information Commissioner, who also 
serves as the Data Protection Commissioner, is only supported by one staff member. See also, 2025 Rule of 
Law Report, Cyprus, p. 15. 

143   Law 184 (I)/2017 on the Right of Access to Public Sector Information. 
144  Prof.  Stéphanie  Laulhé  Shaelou  and  Dr.  Klearchos  Kyriakides  (2024),  pp.  62-67.  GRECO  had 
recommended that (i) access to information be subject to an independent and thorough analysis, (…); and 
(ii)  in  light  of  the  findings  of  this  analysis,  additional  measures  be  taken  to  improve  public  access  to 
information and a culture of openness within the public authorities, where necessary. GRECO (2023), para 
263(vi). 

16 

 
 
 
office, service, or authority of the public sector, including the Presidency, the National Guard, 
and  the  Police,  while  her  decisions  are  ultimately  subject  to  judicial  review  by  the 
Administrative Court145. The Government is now considering further measures, as also urged 
by GRECO146, including the amendment of Law 184(I)/2017 and the organisation of training 
seminars  for  public  officials147.  Stakeholders  note  that  inconsistencies  remain  in  the 
application of the Law and that there is a need for standardised training for public officials on 
access to information and more effective enforcement of compliance148. In view of this, the 
Media Pluralism Monitor maintains its risk analysis for this area as medium-high149.  

The overall situation as regards the safety of  journalists remains stable, however they 
continue to experience precarious working conditions. Parliament adopted an anti-SLAPP 
law  in  March  2026,  which  entered  into  force  in  May  2026150.  This  law  applies  to  both 
domestic  and  cross-border  cases  and  requires  the  plaintiffs  to  prove  the  legal  basis  of  their 
claim.  Stakeholders  have  reported  SLAPP  cases  against  journalists,  with  lengthy  legal 
proceedings  and  backlogs  in  court  cases  being  regarded  as  eroding  trust  in  how  the  justice 
system  can  handle  SLAPP  and  as  encouraging  self-censorship151.  The  Council  of  Europe 
Safety  of  Journalists  Platform  recorded  one  new  alert  for  an  attack  on  physical  safety  and 
integrity since the publication of the 2025 Rule of Law  Report  152. In the same period,  two 
new alerts were registered by the Media Freedom Rapid Response Mechanism, consisting of 
denied access to information and physical assault153. Stakeholders report that high workload, 
low salaries, and a lack of resources continue to negatively impact the working conditions of 
journalists and the quality of journalism154. According to a survey conducted by the UCJ in 
July-August 2025, journalists consider understaffing and sustainability of media SMEs as the 
most  serious  problems  facing  the  profession.  In  the  same  survey,  69%  of  journalists  stated 
that they have been pressured about the content of their work at least a few times155. In view 
of  these  factors,  the  Media  Pluralism  Monitor  has  increased  its  risk  level  for  this  area  to 
medium-low156. 

IV.  OTHER INSTITUTIONAL ISSUES RELATED TO CHECKS AND BALANCES 

Substantial steps have been taken to enhance public participation in decision-making. In 
April  2026,  Parliament  adopted  the  Citizens’  Legislative  Initiative,  empowering  citizens  to 
propose  policies 
in 
through  a  formal  mechanism  for  direct  public 
policymaking157. A systematic approach to electronic consultations is now in place, supported 

involvement 

145   Country visit Cyprus, Office of the Information Commissioner. 
146   GRECO (2025), paras 39-43. 
147  The Minister of Justice and Public Order requested the assistance of the Law Commissioner in preparing a 

bill to address issues relating to Law 184(I)/2017. Cypriot Government (2026c). 

148   Country visit Cyprus, UCJ, IMME, Media Ethics Committee, CIReN. 
149  2026 Media Pluralism Monitor report on Cyprus, p. 17. 
150   The  Protection  of  Persons  Taking  Public  Participation  Actions  from  Manifestly  Unfounded  Lawsuits  or 

Abusive Judicial Proceedings Law of 2026. 

151   Country visit Cyprus, UCJ, IMME, Media Ethics Committee, CIReN. 
152   Council of Europe, Platform to promote the protection of journalism and safety of journalists (2026). The 

state has not replied to the alert. 

153   European Centre for  Press and Media Freedom, Media Freedom Rapid  Response  – Cyprus. One of these 

alerts overlaps with the alert published on the Council of Europe Safety of Journalists Platform. 

154   Country visit Cyprus, UCJ, IMME, Media Ethics Committee, CIReN. 
155  Union of Cyprus Journalists (2025a), pp. 11 and 25. 
156  2026 Media Pluralism Monitor report on Cyprus, p. 18. 
157   Citizens  need  to  gather  at  least  5,000  signatures.  The  submission  of  proposals  and  the  collection  of 
signatures will take place through an electronic platform, with oversight by an interministerial committee. 

17 

 
 
 
by training for officials and media campaigns to raise awareness158. Usage data demonstrates 
a  steady  increase  in  platform  use159.  However,  the  authorities’  responses  to  consultation 
comments are not published in a systematic and timely manner160, which is perceived by civil 
society  as  a  lack  of  transparency  and  acknowledgement  of  their  input161.  The  bill  to  make 
public  consultation  compulsory  by  law  remains  pending  in  Parliament162.  Parliament 
modified its rules of procedure to allow the live-streaming of committee sessions, subject to 
certain  conditions  and  the  nature  of  the  matter  under  discussion,  fulfilling  a  long-standing 
request  from  civil  society  and  ensuring  greater  transparency  in  parliamentary  work163. 
Initiatives  by  civil  society,  such  as  Nomosplatform,  provide  structured  and  accessible 
information on parliamentary activity164.  

Businesses  continue  to  see  challenges  in  the  quality  of  law-making  and  the  need  to 
streamline  legislation.  In  Cyprus,  OECD  indicators  on  regulatory  governance  and  policy 
remain below the EU average165. There is no systematic use of ex post evaluation of primary 
and  subordinate  legislation  to  verify  if  rules  achieve  their  objectives  in  practice.  While  the 
Law Commissioner carries out simplification and revision of legislation, this is done on an ad 
hoc  basis166.  Civil  society  considers  that  the  Law  Commissioner  could  assume  a  more 
prominent role in this area, including by carrying out ex post evaluations in a more systematic 
manner167.  Strengthening  ex  post  evaluation  would  help  reduce  unnecessary  administrative 
burden  and  facilitate  regulatory  simplification,  which  remains  an  important  demand  from 
businesses.  In  Cyprus,  35%  of  the  surveyed  companies  perceive  the  frequent  changes  in 
legislation or concerns about the quality of the law-making process as a reason for the lack of 
confidence in investment protection (32% in 2025)168. The establishment of a platform which 
aims to digitalise legislative procedures and provide public access to consolidated versions of 
legislation  is  set  to  be  completed  by  the  end  of  2026,  enhancing  transparency  and 
accessibility169. 

Less than half of companies surveyed in Cyprus express confidence in the effectiveness 
of investment protection. 35% of companies are very or fairly confident that investments are 
protected  by  law  and  courts,  a  figure  which  has  significantly  increased  in  comparison  with 
2025 (27%). The main reasons among companies for their lack of confidence are difficulty in 
obtaining fair compensation to protect property (55%) and concerns about quality, efficiency 

158   Cypriot Government (2026), written input, pp. 24-25. See also, GRECO (2025), para 46. 
159   Consultations rose from 112 in 2024 to 249 in 2025; the number of participating services increased from 77 
to  101,  stakeholder  comments  from  792  to  2.341,  and  registered  external  users  from 472  to  1.122.  High-
profile topics, such as tax reform, have seen a notable increase in public feedback. 

160   European Semester 2026,  Cyprus, pp. 60-61. In accordance with the Consultation Guide  and the relevant 
Ministerial  Decision,  responses  to  consultation  comments  must  be  published  through  the  e-consultation 
platform within two weeks after the end of the consultation period, Cypriot Government (2026c). 

161   Country visit, Cyprus, Civil Society.  
162   2025 Rule of Law Report, Cyprus, p. 16. 
163   Regulation 42 (4) of Parliamentary Regulations; Country visit, Cyprus, Civil society. 
164   NomosPlatform  is  an  independent,  non-profit  legislative  observatory  which  enables  citizens  to  directly 
track Cypriot parliamentary proceedings in real time. Oxygen for democracy (2026), written input, p. 6. 
165   Remaining key gaps include risk assessment and early consideration of how policymakers will measure the 
progress of a regulation post-implementation. OECD (2025), Better Regulation across the European Union 
2025, p. 138. See also, 2023 Rule of Law Report, Cyprus, p. 21. 

166  European Semester 2026, Cyprus, pp. 60-61.  
167   Country visit, Cyprus, Civil society.  
168   Figure 53, 2026 EU Justice Scoreboard. 
169   Initially  included  in  the  National  Recovery  and  Resilience  Plan,  it  is  now  financed  with  national  funds. 

Cypriot Government (2026), pp. 25-26. 2025 Rule of Law Report, Cyprus, p. 17.   

18 

 
 
 
or independence of justice (49%)170. As regards authorities relevant for economic operators, 
46% of companies perceive the level of independence of the national competition authority, 
the Commission for the Protection of Competition, as very or fairly good, a figure which has 
slightly  decreased  in  comparison  to  2025  (49%)171.  The  Supreme  Constitutional  Court  has 
jurisdiction  in  several  business-related  cases,  including  in  cases  related  to  public 
procurement, public contracts and economic regulation. A number of judicial mechanisms to 
improve  efficiency  are  available  in  these  cases,  including  the  possibility  to  apply  interim 
measures, joint examination of similar cases and the consolidation of multiple appeals172. 

There has been significant progress on the recommendation to introduce safeguards in 
the  appointment  procedure  to  enhance  the  independence  of  the  Auditor  General  and 
the Deputy Auditor General173. In November 2025, Parliament approved important changes 
to  the  Audit  Office,  including  a  constitutional  amendment.  The  reform  introduces  a  fixed, 
non-renewable  eight-year  term  for  the  Auditor  General  and  his/her  Deputy  and  imposes 
stricter  qualification  criteria  for  their  appointment174.  However,  the  appointment  procedure 
itself  remains  solely  under  the  President  of  the  Republic,  with  no  involvement  from  other 
bodies  even  in  an  advisory  capacity175.  The  Audit  Office  also  gained  financial  autonomy 
through a more direct relationship with Parliament, fulfilling a long-standing demand of the 
Office176. The proposed bill aiming to establish a three-member audit council, appointed by 
the President to oversee or advise on the Auditor General’s work177, remained pending before 
the  Parliamentary  Committee  on  Legal  Affairs,  Justice  and  Public  Order,  following  strong 
opposition  from  many  political  parties  and  the  Auditor  General,  who  argued  that  such  a 
council  could  compromise  the  Office’s  independence  and  potentially  control  or  delay  the 
release  of  audit  reports178.  The  reform  in  its  final  form  has  been  welcomed  by  the  Audit 
Office  and  by  civil  society  as  a  positive  step  towards  strengthening  the  Office’s 
independence179.  There  has  thus  been  significant  progress  on  the  implementation  of  the 
recommendation made in the previous year.  

The  Audit  Office  is  seeking  ways  to  improve  access  to  information  necessary  for  the 
performance  of  its  task.  The  Audit  Office  has  made  progress  in  overcoming  previously 
reported  challenges  regarding  access  to  information180,  mainly  as  a  result  of  enhanced 

170   Figures 52 and 53, 2026 EU Justice Scoreboard.  
171   Figure 60, 2026 EU Justice Scoreboard. 
172   Figures 66 and 67, 2026 EU Justice Scoreboard. The data presented reflects exclusively the mechanisms in 
place at the level of the highest administrative jurisdictions; the same or other mechanisms may be in place 
at lower instance administrative courts. 

173   The  2025  Rule  of  Law  Report  recommended  to  Cyprus  to  ensure  that  the  ongoing  reform  of  the  Audit 
Office  introduces  safeguards  in  the  appointment  procedure  to  enhance  the  independence  of  the  Auditor 
General and the Deputy Auditor General. 

174   Law  186(I)  2025.  Professional  qualifications,  including  professional  expertise  in  auditing,  economics, 

accounting, or a closely related field and high standards of moral integrity, independence, and impartiality. 

175   2025 Rule of Law Report, Cyprus, p. 18; Figure 63, 2025 EU Justice Scoreboard. 
176   The Audit Office’s annual budget will now be submitted directly to Parliament for approval, separate from 

the state budget, though the expenditure ceiling will still be set by the Ministry of Finance. 

177   The  Government initially proposed  to transform the Audit Office  into a  collegiate  body, but the proposal 
was  revised  following  the  legal  opinion  expressed  by  the  Law  Office  as  to  its  non-compliance  with 
constitutional provisions. The Auditor General  is not against the transition to a  collegial model, provided 
this would be in line with the Constitution and international practices. Cypriot Government (2026), written 
input, pp. 11-12. 

178   Nomosplatform (2025). 
179   Country visit, Cyprus, Audit Office and Civil Society.  
180   See, 2024 and 2025 Rule of Law Reports, Cyprus, pp. 13-14 and 18 respectively.  

19 

 
 
 
cooperation with the Law Office. Nevertheless, challenges remain, particularly where public 
bodies  delay,  only  partially  disclose,  or  entirely  refuse  to  disclose  information,  sometimes 
questioning the Audit Office’s audit mandate181. To address audit gaps, the Auditor General 
considers that future legislation establishing new public bodies or services should explicitly 
include  provisions  defining  and  safeguarding  the  Audit  Office’s  powers  to  obtain  the 
necessary  information182.  In  the  case  of  the  Central  Bank  of  Cyprus,  the  Audit  Office 
submitted proposals to the draft bill amending the Law on the functions of the Central Bank 
of  Cyprus.  The  suggested  amendments  explicitly  clarify  the  audit  rights  of  the  Audit 
Office183. 

On 1 January 2026, Cyprus had 14 leading judgments of the European Court of Human 
Rights  pending  implementation,  an  increase  of  6  compared  to  the previous  year184.  At 
that  time,  Cyprus’  rate  of  leading  judgments  from  the  past  10  years  that  had  been 
implemented  was  at  46%  (compared  to  58%  in  2025;  54%  remained  pending),  and  the 
average time that the judgments had been pending implementation was 2 years and 6 months 
(compared  to  3  years  and  6  months  in  2025)185.  The  oldest  leading  judgment,  pending 
implementation for 7 years, concerns the degrading treatment of the applicant due to the poor 
conditions of his detention at Nicosia Central Prisons186. As regards the respect of payment 
deadlines,  on  31  December  2025  there  were  4  cases  in  total  awaiting  confirmation  of 
payments  (compared  to  2  in  2024)187.  On  17  June  2026,  the  number  of  leading  judgments 
pending implementation had increased to 15188.  

Reforms  to  improve  the  framework  for  Civil  Society  Organisations  (CSOs)  are 
advancing.  Civic  space  in  Cyprus  continues  to  be  rated  as  ‘narrowed’  by  Civicus189.  The 
revision  of  the  Law  on  Associations  and  Foundations,  which  aims  to  reduce  administrative 
burden  and  improve  the  guidance  for  its  application  is  underway,  incorporating  feedback 
from prior consultations of civil society190. The updated draft legislation will undergo further 
discussions with CSOs and public consultation before finalisation191. Meanwhile, authorities 
are promoting awareness of the electronic CSO registry (NGO platform), and district offices 
are  making  efforts  to  streamline  administrative  procedures.  These  developments  have  been 
well received, though certain CSOs still opt for the company legal form, citing bureaucratic 
hurdles192. In October 2025, the Supreme Constitutional Court overturned the deregistration 
of  a  CSO  dating  from  2020,  affirming  that  the  state  must  respect  and  protect  the  role  of 
CSOs,  particularly  those  advocating  for  vulnerable  groups193.  A  2025  law  on  public 
assemblies  was  criticised  for  imposing  restrictive  notification  procedures  and  organiser 
liability, limiting the right to freedom of assembly, and was substantially amended in March 

181   See also, 2026 EU Justice Scoreboard, Figures 63 and 64. 
182   Country visit, Audit Office. 
183  Cypriot Government (2026c). 
184   For an explanation of the supervision process, see the website of the Council of Europe.   
185   All figures calculated by the European Implementation Network (EIN) and based on the  number of cases 
that are considered pending at the annual cut-off date of 1 January 2026. EIN (2026), written input, p. 3. 

186   Judgment of the ECtHR, 21318/12, Danilczuk v. Cyprus, pending implementation since 2018.  
187   Council of Europe (2026), p. 162.   
188   Data according to the online database of the Council of Europe (HUDOC). 
189   The score is 75/100. Rating by Civicus are on a five-category scale defined as: open, narrowed, obstructed, 

repressed and closed. 

190   See also, 2025 Rule of Law Report, Cyprus, p. 19. 
191   Cypriot Government (2026), written input, p. 26.  
192   Country visit, Civil Society; FRA (2026), written input, pp. 3-4.  
193   Supreme  Constitutional  Court  (2025a);  KISA  (2025);  2023  Rule  of  Law  Report,  Cyprus,  p.  23;  FRA 

(2026), written input, p. 11. 

20 

 
 
 
2026194. The revised legislation clarifies that organisers are protected from being held liable 
for the conduct of the participants, protects spontaneous assemblies, and limits police powers 
to  dissolve  demonstrations  to  a  measure  of  last  resort;  a  shift  widely  welcomed  by 
stakeholders195.  The  Ombudsperson  launched  a  public  awareness  campaign  against  hate 
speech and disinformation, in collaboration with the Advisory Committee on Human Rights 
and other civil society representatives196. 

Parliament’s regular stakeholder discussions foster public debate on the rule of law. In 
September 2025, the House Standing Committee on Institutions, Merit and the Commissioner 
for Administration (Ombudsman) of the Parliament held its annual debate on the findings of 
the  Rule  of  Law  Report,  which  is  by  now  an  established  practice.  The  debate  brought 
together  institutional  actors,  legal  professionals  and  representatives  of  civil  society  and 
attracted significant  media attention. Stakeholders broadly  welcome the  event  as  a valuable 
contribution  to  raising  public  awareness  of  rule  of  law  issues  and  as  a  starting  point  for 
constructive and inclusive dialogue197.  

194   Law  151(I)/2025 was widely criticised as undermining constitutional rights and enabling disproportionate 
police powers. In September 2025, OSCE expressed concerns and made recommendations; OSCE (2025); 
FRA (2026), written input, pp. 5-6. 

195   Law 16(Ι)/2026. Country visit Cyprus, Civil society; Oxygen for democracy (2026), written input, p. 36. 
196  The Ombudsperson (Commissioner for Administration and the Protection of Human Rights) is the national 
human rights institution, accredited with ‘A’ status by the UN Global Alliance of National Human Rights 
Institutions. The campaign aimed to raise awareness about journalistic safety and the protection of freedom 
of  expression  and  to  support  a  safe  and  independent  environment  for  journalists  and  the  media, 
strengthening public access to reliable information. Cypriot Government (2026), annex, pp. 23-24. 

197   Cypriot  Government  (2026),  annex,  pp.  33-34;  Country  visit  Cyprus,  Civil  society,  Law  Office,  CBA; 

Oxygen for democracy (2026), written input, p. 52.  

21 

 
 
 
Annex I: List of sources in alphabetical order* 

* The list of contributions received in the context of the consultation for the 2026 Rule of Law Report 
can 
https://commission.europa.eu/publications/2026-rule-law-report-targeted-
stakeholder-consultation_en. 

found 

be 

at 

Audit  Office 
https://www.gov.cy/media/sites/12/2025/11/  

(2025a),  Special  Report  on 

the 

Independent  Social  Support  Agency 

Audit  Office  (2025b),  Consolidated  Report  of  17  October  2025  of  Compliance  Audit  Findings  of 
Parliamentary 
2021. 
https://www.gov.cy/media/sites/12/2025/11 

Political 

parties 

years 

2016 

the 

for 

to 

Audit Office (2026), Written input for the 2026 Rule of Law Report in the context of the country visit 
to Cyprus. 

Centre  for  Media  Pluralism  and  Media  Freedom  (2026),  Media  Pluralism  Monitor  2026,  Country 
report for Cyprus, Media Pluralism Monitor – Centre for Media Pluralism and Media Freedom. 

CIReN  (2026a),  Cyprus  lacks  transparency  in  media  ownership,  14  January  2026,  Cyprus  lacks 
transparency in media ownership - CIReN. 

CIReN  (2026b),  Republic  of  Cyprus  Media  Ownership  2024,  7  January  2026,  Republic  of  Cyprus 
Media Ownership 2024 - CIReN. 

Civicus (2026), Monitor tracking civic space – Cyprus, https://monitor.civicus.org/country/cyprus/. 

Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe (CCBE) (2026), Input for the 2026 Rule of Law Report. 

Council  of  Europe:  Committee  of  Ministers  (2000),  Recommendation  CM/Rec(2000)19  of  the 
Committee  of  Ministers  of  the  Council  of  Europe  on  the  role  of  public  prosecution  in  the  criminal 
justice system. https://search.coe.int/cm?i=09000016804be55a. 

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. 
https://search.coe.int/cm?i=09000016805afb78. 

Council  of  Europe,  Platform  to  promote  the  protection  of  journalism  and  safety  of  journalists  – 
Cyprus, Alerts | Safety of journalists platform. 

Council  of  Europe:  Venice  Commission  (2007),  Report  on  Judicial  Appointments  (CDL-
AD(2007)028). https://www.coe.int/en/web/venice-commission/-/cdl-ad-2007-028-e. 

Council  of  Europe:  Venice  Commission  (2010),  Report  on  European  Standards  as  regards  the 
independence  of  the  judicial  system:  Part  II-  the  prosecution  service  (CDL-AD(2010)040). 
https://www.venice.coe.int/webforms/documents/CDL-AD(2010)040.aspx. 

Council  of  Europe:  Venice  Commission  (2018),  Opinion  on  Constitutional  arrangements  and 
separation  of  powers  and  the  independence  of  the  judiciary  and  law  enforcement  (CDL- 
AD(2018)028-e). https://www.venice.coe.int/webforms/documents/?pdf=CDL-AD(2018)028-e. 

Cypriot Government (2026), Input from Cyprus for the 2026 Rule of Law Report. 

Cypriot Government (2026), Annex to the input from Cyprus for the 2026 Rule of Law Report. 

Cypriot Government (2026a), Additional written contribution for the 2026 Rule of Law Report. 

Cypriot Government (2026b), Additional written contribution for the 2026 Rule of Law Report. 

Cypriot Government (2026c), Additional comments to the 2026 Rule of Law Report. 

Cyprus Bar Association (2026a), Written input for the 2026 Rule of Law Report in the context of the 
country visit to Cyprus. 

Cyprus Bar Association (2026b), Statement of 9 February 2026. 

22 

 
 
Cyprus Mail (2026), €7 million state grant released to parties ahead of May-elections, https://cyprus-
mail.com/2026/01/31/e7-million-state-grant-released-to-parties-ahead-of-may-elections. 

Cyprus  Mail  (2026),  Govt  scrambles  to  find  Mafia  State  investigation  team,  https://cyprus-
mail.com/2026/06/26/govt-scrambles-to-find-mafia-state-investigation-team 

European Association of Judges (2026), Input for the 2026 Rule of Law Report. 

European  Centre  for  Press  and  Media  Freedom,  Media  Freedom  Rapid  Response  –  Cyprus,  Press 
Freedom Violations Monitoring. 

European Commission (2023), 2023 Rule of Law Report, Country Chapter on the rule of law situation 
in Cyprus. 

European Commission (2024), 2024 Rule of Law report, Country Chapter on the rule of law situation 
in Cyprus. 

European Commission (2025), 2025 Rule of Law Report, Country Chapter on the rule of law situation 
in Cyprus. 

European Commission (2025), EU Justice Scoreboard. 

European Commission (2026), Flash Eurobarometer 582 on businesses’ attitudes towards corruption 
in the EU.  

European Commission (2026), Special Eurobarometer 573 on citizens’ attitudes towards corruption in 
the EU. 

European  Commission  (2026),  2026  Country  Report  –  Cyprus,  Accompanying  the  document 
Recommendation for a Council Recommendation on the economic, social, employment, structural and 
budgetary policies of Cyprus. 

European Commission (2026), EU Justice Scoreboard. 

EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (2026), Input for the 2026 Rule of Law Report, Cyprus.  

European Implementation Network (2026), Input for the 2026 Rule of Law Report. 

European Network of Councils for the Judiciary (2025), Survey among judges on the Independence of 
https://pgwrk-websitemedia.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/production/pwk-web-
the 
encj2017-p/Report%20ENCJ%20Survey%20on%20Independence-compressed_0.pdf. 

Judiciary, 

European 
Prosecutor’s 
https://www.eppo.europa.eu/assets/annual-report-2025/index.html. 

(2026), 

Public 

Office 

Annual 

Report 

2025, 

GRECO  (2023),  Fifth  Evaluation  Round,  Preventing  corruption  and  promoting  integrity  in  central 
governments (top executive functions) and law enforcement agencies – Evaluation Report on Cyprus. 

GRECO  (2025),  Fifth  Evaluation  Round,  Preventing  corruption  and  promoting  integrity  in  central 
governments (top executive functions) and law enforcement agencies – Compliance Report on Cyprus. 
https://rm.coe.int/grecorc5-2025-13-final-eng-compliance-report-pub/4880287112 

Independent 
https://www.iaac.org.cy/iaac/iaac.nsf/. 

Authority 

against 

Corruption 

(2025), 

Anti-Corruption 

Plan, 

Independent  Authority  against  Corruption  (2026),  Contribution  from  the  Independent  Authority 
Against Corruption (IAAC) . 

Independent  Authority  against  Corruption  (2026a),  Additional  contribution  from  the  Independent 
Authority Against Corruption (IAAC) . 

Independent  Authority  against  Corruption  (IAAC),  press  release 
https://www.iaac.org.cy/iaac/iaac.nsf/All/F3C9733F708AB3A4C2258E18002EF6CB?OpenDocumen
t 

,  IAAC,  16  June  2026,  

23 

 
 
Judicial Service (2026), Input for the 2026 Rule of Law Report.  

KISA (2025), press release of 27 October 2025. 

Law Office (2026), Press releases of 12 and 13 January 2026, https://www.law.gov.cy/law/law.nsf.   

Law 
https://www.law.gov.cy/law/law.nsf/all/9E2913D6C549BE73C2258E19003313DF?opendocument  

(2026), 

release 

Office 

Press 

June 

17 

of 

2026, 

Nomosplatform  (2025),  Disagreement  between  Ministry  of  Justice  and  Auditor  General  over  the 
Audit Council. 

(2025), 

OECD 
Union 
https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/better-regulation-practices-across-the-european-union-
2025_6f007516-en/full-report.html. 

Regulation 

European 

across 

Better 

the 

2025, 

OSCE (2025), ODIHR Urgent Opinion on the Law 151(I) of 2025 on Public Gatherings and Parades 
of the Republic of Cyprus. https://odihr.osce.org/odihr/elections/cyprus/597818. 

Oxygen for Democracy (2026), Input for the 2026 Rule of Law Report. 

Parliament (2026), Report of the Parliamentary Committee on Legal Affairs, Justice and Public Order 
on the Bill entitled “The Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Law of 2025”, 24 March 2026. 

Philenews  (2025),  Cyprus 
cyprus.philenews.com/local/cyprus-launches-its-own-fbi-to-fight-organised-crime/. 

its  own  ‘FBI’ 

fight  organised  crime.  https://in-

launches 

to 

Politis  (2026),  MPs  Propose  New  Powers  for  Anti-Corruption  Authority  to  Launch  Criminal 
,https://en.politis.com.cy/news/politics/1015246/mps-propose-new-powers-for-anti-
Investigations 
corruption-authority-to-launch-criminal-investigationsProf.  Stéphanie  Laulhé  Shaelou  and  Dr. 
Klearchos  Kyriakides  (2024),  An  independent  study  evaluating  the  framework  regulating  access  to 
information  in  the  Government  and  law  enforcement  agencies  of  the  Republic  of  Cyprus  with  a 
particular focus on Law 184(I)2017. 

Supreme Constitutional Council (2026), Decision 2/2025. 

Supreme Constitutional Court (2025a), Judgment of 27 October 2025, case 80/21. 

Supreme Constitutional Court (2025b), Judicial practice 13 of 5 November 2025.  

Supreme Constitutional Court (2025c), Procedural Regulation on the Timely Delivery of Decisions by 
the Administrative Courts. UN Human Rights Regional Office for Europe (OHCHR) (2026), Input for 
the 2026 Rule of Law Report. 

Union of Cyprus Journalists (2025a), Analysis of journalism research results for the Cyprus Union of 
Journalists July – August 2025. 

Union  of  Cyprus  Journalists  (2025b),  Analysis  of  public  opinion  survey  results  on  the  topic  of 
information for the Cyprus Union of Journalists July – August 2025. 

24 

 
 
Annex II: Country visit to Cyprus 

The Commission services held meetings in Nicosia in January 2026 with: 

Independent Authority against Corruption (IAAC) 
Institute for Mass Media (IMME) 

•  Association of Judges 
•  Association of Lobbyists and Public Affairs Professionals (LPAP) 
•  Audit Office 
•  Centre for the Rule of Law and European Values (CroLev) 
•  Civil Society Advocates 
•  Commissioner for Administration and the Protection of Human Rights 
•  Commissioner for Citizens 
•  Commissioner for Information 
•  Committee of Media Ethics 
•  Cyprus Bar Association 
•  Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry 
•  Cyprus Employers & Industrialists Federation (OEB) 
•  Cyprus Investigative Reporting Network (CIReN) 
•  Department of Judicial Reform, Supreme Court 
•  Fimonoi Foundation 
• 
• 
•  Ministry of Finance 
•  Ministry of Foreign Affairs 
•  Ministry of Interior 
•  Ministry of Justice and Public Order 
•  NGO Support Centre 
•  Office of the Attorney General 
•  OPEK 
•  Oxygen for Democracy 
•  Police  
•  Press and Information Office 
•  Radio-Television Authority 
•  Special Adviser on Ethics 
•  Supreme Constitutional Court 
•  Supreme Court 
•  Treasury of the Republic of Cyprus 
•  Union of Cyprus Journalists (ESK) 

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

•  Civil Liberties Union for Europe 
•  Civil Society Europe 
•  End FGM EU 
•  European Civic Forum 
•  European Partnership for Democracy 

25 

 
 
 
•  Human Rights Watch 
• 
ILGA-Europe 
• 
International Federation for Human Rights 
•  Philea - Philanthropy Europe Association 
•  Transparency International EU  

26