MPs have called for faster delivery of justice, action on court backlogs andgreater investment in judicial support staff and infrastructure during a parliamentary discussion of the European Commission’s 2026 Rule of Law report.
The House Ethics Committee examined concerns including delays in hearing cases, the failure of the Commercial Court to begin operating, unenforced court judgments and shortages of stenographers and other support staff.
Delays and court backlogs
Opening the discussion, committee chairman and Democratic Rally (DISY) MP DemetrisDemetriou said the President of the Supreme Court and the President of the Supreme Constitutional Court had been invited to attend but had declined, citing issues related to the separation of powers.
The two court presidents had, however, indicated that they were available to respond to MPs’ questions in writing, he said.
Demetriou asked the Justice Ministry whether there was a clear commitment and target to reduce the time required to hear cases and to ensure court judgments were effectively implemented.
DISY MP Nikoleta Constantinou also raised concerns over delays in the administration of justice.
AKEL MP Panikos Xiourouppas asked about outstanding court judgments and the status of legislation submitted in 2025 aimed at strengthening the enforcement of courtdecisions.
Another AKEL MP, Konstantinos Constantinou, asked whether there was an intention to prioritise citizens’ immediate access to the courts and what plans were in place tostrengthen first-instance justice.
DIKO MP Zacharias Koulias stressed the importance of properly resourcing institutions, saying: “It is very important to build an institution and give it the appropriate tools.”
ALMA MP Odysseas Michaelides raised the issue of performance indicators for the judicial service.
Fellow ALMA MP Eirini Charalambidou described the absence of the two senior judges as “unacceptable”, asking how the branches of government could contribute tostrengthening the rule of law if they refused even this form of dialogue.
Direct Democracy MP Diana Constantinidou referred to what she described as low levels of public confidence in the independence and administration of justice, as reflected in the 2026 report.
She asked what specific measures the government would take to reverse the trend and whether there was an action plan, including a timetable, for addressing pending cases.
Technology and alternative dispute resolution
George Panteli, Director General of the Ministry of Justice and Public Order, said improving the judicial service was a priority.
He said the ministry was working closely with the Supreme Court to improve the speedof justice and that targets were being set to reduce the time required to hear cases.
Among the measures being considered to accelerate proceedings were greater use of technology, mediation and arbitration, Panteli said.
He expressed hope that it would come also confirmed that legislation on theenforcement of court judgments had been submitted in 2025 and was currently beingexamined by the relevant parliamentary committee.
He expressed hope that it would come into force soon.
On the Commercial Court, Panteli acknowledged that staffing remained a difficulty, describing it as “a challenge that must be addressed”.
The shortage of support staff in the courts was also discussed. Panteli said theauthorities were examining the use of digital audio recording and artificial intelligence as potential solutions.
Digital justice system being expanded
Kyriaki Pantziarou, representing the Deputy Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy, said the i-Justice electronic system was being gradually expanded to additionalcourts in phases.
Digital audio recording was currently being studied, she said, with a view to launching atender in 2027.
The development of digital systems is part of wider efforts to modernise court procedures and reduce the administrative burden on judicial staff.
Lawyers highlight lack of courtrooms and stenographers
Nicosia Bar Association president Stephanos Skordis said there had undoubtedly been progress, but argued that “a great deal remains to be done”.
He highlighted problems with both court infrastructure and staffing.
“We have judges who do not have a courtroom and have to cross the road to go to acourtroom to hear a case,” he said.
“We have judges who do not have a stenographer on a daily basis and have to sharethem. We have hearings that are adjourned because there is no stenographer.”
Skordis also pointed to the delayed operation of the Commercial Court and the legislation on enforcement of judgments, saying both issues needed “an additionalpush”.
“We have reached the point where it can take a year for a judgment to be written up and given to an ordinary citizen,” he said, arguing that resolving such day-to-day problems would address many of the wider difficulties facing the system.
Nikolas Kyriakides, chairman of the Cyprus Bar Association’s Reform Committee, said there was a need for clearer planning around the type of justice system Cyprus wanted to develop.
He also called for the creation of a judicial school, as well as performance indicators and clear timetables.
Kyriakides clarified that Cyprus currently does not operate a judicial school, althoughtraining seminars are held.
Committee chairman seeks dialogue with courts
Speaking after the meeting, Demetriou said the committee had examined in detail the problems facing the justice system, including delays, the non-operation of the Commercial Court and shortages of judicial support staff, particularly stenographers.
Regarding the absence of the two presidents of the highest courts, he said they would receive the committee’s questions in writing.
However, he added that the committee’s aim was to reach a point where the two court presidents could appear before MPs for “democratic, constructive dialogue”.
AKEL warns progress cannot excuse outstanding problems
AKEL MP Konstantinos Constantinou said progress could not be used as an excuse for unresolved problems.
“Progress cannot be an excuse for what remains pending and, unfortunately, there is a great deal,” he said.
He placed particular emphasis on first-instance justice and citizens’ ability to access the courts without undue delay.
Constantinou also linked lengthy proceedings to a decline in the number of new cases, suggesting that some citizens may be choosing not to pursue legal action because theydo not believe they will receive justice within a reasonable timeframe.
“One of the findings of this report is the reduction in new cases. And why is this happening? For an obvious reason. The citizen does not have confidence or believesthat, because of the lengthy procedures for administering justice, they will not get justice — and what do they choose to do? Not to go to court,” he said.
He called for specific action plans, timetables and measurable targets.
“The rule of law is not judged only by announcements,” he said. “It is judged mainly bywhether the citizen can actually find justice, whether institutions operate independently and whether anyone is above scrutiny.”
ELAM calls for measurable action
ELAM MP Marios Pelekanos said the priority should be to identify weaknesses and set out specific measures and timetables with measurable results.
He identified reform of the legal service and the justice system among the areas requiring improvement and said ELAM had submitted specific proposals.
ALMA MP Charalambidou returned to the issue of dialogue between the branches of government, stressing that respecting the separation of powers did not preventcooperation.
“There is absolute respect for the separation of powers,” she said, adding that dialogue “is not interference by one branch in another; it is cooperation”.
She also reiterated the need for a judicial school, arguing that the current training system consisted of seminars rather than a formal educational programme involving attendance and examinations for prospective judges.
She said the issue should be examined by the judiciary, stressing that mistakes in the justice system ultimately “are paid for by Cypriot citizens”.
