CYPRUS: Notoriously slow justice system will get fast-track overhaul

Cyprus justice is heading for a total overhaul with a number of bills tabled to parliament aimed at reorganising the creaking court system.

Presenting the bills before the House Justice Committee, Justice Minister George Savvides said the bills aimed at reforming the justice system, speeding up processes of the notoriously slow legal system, which he described as a serious national problem.

"This is a huge effort that already begun a long time ago to improve the speed of the courts because we believe that this is the root of all problems faced by of our Justice," the minister said.

He called on the political parties to their bit and approve the bills so as to solve the issue and offer the quality of justice that a European country deserves, reminding that Cyprus has ranked low in all reports regarding justice.

Some of the changes include splitting the supreme court into a supreme constitutional court and an appellate court to handle tertiary appeals.

The bills also define the criteria for recruiting, evaluating and promoting judges, and a school for judges.

The reform includes creating a commercial court and a small claims court.

Committee chair DISY MP Giorgos Georgiou said they will give priority to the bills.

AKEL MP Aristos Damianou said that Justice reform is a collective demand and a social need.

AKEL, as he said, will contribute to the efforts in a creative and responsible manner.

However, he expressed “dissatisfaction with the fact that beyond a general briefing on the initial thoughts of the Justice Ministry, no effective dialogue with political forces on this important institutional reform has taken place”.

Cyprus ranks among the slowest countries in the world in terms of delivering swift justice according to a series of reports carried out by international institutions.

While the EU average required to complete a case is eight months, Cyprus needs more than 2,500 days.