The president of the Cyprus Bar Association has stated that the country’s justice system misleads the European Commission regarding case resolution times. During a recent session of the House Institutions Committee, Michalis Vorkas made a striking claim that cases in Cypriot courts can take up to 17 years to resolve, a stark contrast to the European Commission’s reports suggesting a much shorter average of 1.5 years.
Concerns Raised in Parliamentary Session
Vorkas addressed the committee on Wednesday, providing a critical assessment of the judicial system while discussing the European Commission’s 2025 Rule of Law Report for Cyprus. His comments ignited a heated debate surrounding the effectiveness of justice administration in the country and raised serious questions about the accuracy of data submitted to EU monitoring bodies.
Lengthy Court Processes
During his address, Vorkas posed a challenging question to the assembly: “How can there be trust when a case in court needs 17 years to finish?” He elaborated on the issues, stating, “How can you have trust when you cannot enter buildings in Nicosia because they will collapse? How can you have trust when there are no secretaries to type court decisions and it takes four to five months to receive the judgement?” His remarks highlight the significant concerns regarding the trustworthiness of the system.
Discrepancies in Judicial Statistics
Vorkas further challenged the statistics released by the European Commission, which indicated that civil cases were completed in an average of 361 days in 2022 and 605 days in 2023. “I do not know who gave them this data. We are misleading the European Commission, with all due respect,” he remarked, questioning the integrity of the figures.
Systemic Issues Affecting Justice
The bar association president, who has practised law for over three decades, attributed the lengthy court processes to a range of systemic issues. These include inadequate court facilities, staff shortages leading to delays in judgements, and unresolved legislation on judgment enforcement dating back to 2018.
Official Defence of Judicial Statistics
Phaedra Gregoriou, a representative from the Justice Ministry, responded to Vorkas’s claims by explaining that the statistics provided to the European Commission are sourced from judicial services via the European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice (CEPEJ). She clarified, “The Justice Ministry does not keep statistical data at all. Statistics are provided by the judicial service which has the cases, but courts send them to CEPEJ and the Rule of Law report draws from there.” This assertion indicates a reliance on data that might not fully reflect the reality of the Cypriot judicial system.
Political Support for Reform
MP Andreas Pasiourtidis expressed support for Vorkas’s assessment, stating, “Nothing is tried in two years. Someone gave incorrect data to calculate the average. These days are very far from reality.” His comments lend further credibility to the call for reform within the judicial system and highlight the urgent need for accurate data reporting.
Access to Evidence and Fair Proceedings
Vorkas also addressed the inequality in accessing evidence, particularly for citizens pursuing legal action against the state. He pointed out that individuals often face obstacles in accessing evidence already held by the Law Office, labelling such practices as “wrong”. He emphasised the need for equal access to ensure fair proceedings for all parties involved.
Future of the Justice System in Cyprus
The discussions within the committee underscore the pressing need for reform in the Cypriot justice system. As Vorkas and other officials continue to advocate for change, the spotlight remains on the discrepancies between reported statistics and the lived realities of those navigating the judicial system.
The ongoing dialogue may pave the way for improvements, but it is clear that significant challenges lie ahead. The call for transparency, accountability, and efficiency within the justice system will require concerted efforts from all stakeholders involved.
