Law commissioner Sofia Cleopa Hadjikyriakou highlighted significant staffing shortages during her appearance before the House finance committee, which was assessing her office’s budget. She described understaffing as her office’s “biggest ongoing difficulty”, emphasising the need for more permanent and specialised personnel.
Hadjikyriakou expressed concern that her office is not adequately supported, stating, “Despite the fact that, based on the framework of its designation, the office should be supported by the legal service, its staff in fact comes mainly from the finance ministry.” This misalignment has raised questions about the effectiveness of her office in fulfilling its duties.
The commissioner noted that two positions for permanent legal officers have been approved to enhance staff capacity. She elaborated on the crucial role of her office, which is the oldest commissioner’s office in the Republic of Cyprus. Its responsibilities include providing advisory services to the presidential palace and cabinet, focusing on the modernisation, simplification, and harmonisation of legislation with European standards.
In addition to legislative work, Hadjikyriakou’s office is tasked with guiding ministries and government services on implementing new laws and ensuring compliance. This includes preparing reports for international bodies such as the United Nations and the Council of Europe, alongside making recommendations to help the state meet its international obligations.
Akel MP Andreas Kafkalias raised inquiries about new legislative orders given to the office and sought clarification on the responsibilities of both the law commissioner’s office and the legal service to avoid any potential overlaps. Responding to these questions, Hadjikyriakou assured that she is collaborating closely with the presidential palace, parliament, and the legal service. She expressed her commitment to “further deepen” this cooperation to ensure that the work produced benefits the public and contributes to a modern state.
