Press Releases

With regard to the publication in the official website of the Law Office and in the official website of the Group of States Against Corruption (GRECO) on 17.11.20 of the Second Compliance Report of Cyprus to GRECO, which concerns the Prevention of Corruption in Members of Parliament, the Judiciary and the Prosecution, the Law Office points out the following:

This is the Second Compliance Report on Cyprus in the context of the Fourth Round of Evaluation of GRECO. Cyprus has managed to implement satisfactorily seven (7) of the sixteen (16) Recommendations and not to be considered as "globally unsatisfactory" (overall unsatisfactory compliance). This is largely due to the successful implementation of all four Recommendations concerning the Prevention of Corruption in the Judiciary.  For this thematic group there is no longer any other outstanding issue since all recommendations have been met satisfactorily.

With regard to the Prevention of Corruption in the Prosecution Authorities, the Recommendation on the autonomy of law officers and prosecutors remains not implemented and will be fully satisfied with the promotion and enactment of the bill concerning the Independence of the Law Office of the Republic. The Law Office has drafted the aforementioned bill and is pending on the Executive.

With regard to the Prevention of Corruption in Members of Parliament there are still outstanding issues, one of which is the drafting of a Code of Conduct for its Members covering issues of conflict of interest, contacts with lobbyists, declaration of gifts and dedicated training. A specific reference in the Report states that progress in this area appears all the more pressing, the recent serious allegations of undue influence of third parties over some Members of Parliament.

(ML)