The Supreme Constitutional Court constantly reminds the state that power has limits and the majority that it is bound by the Constitution, said the President of the Court, Antonis Liatsos.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the New Judicial Year, organised by the Supreme Constitutional Court in Nicosia, Liatsos stressed that democracy has rules which “we must all accept, even when they do not favour us”.
Referring to the case law of the Supreme Court, particularly in the context of its constitutional jurisdiction, Liatsos said that it reflects Cyprus’s turbulent history and the decisive contribution of the Court to the constitutional support of the Republic of Cyprus when it was at risk of collapse.
Protect consitutional order
The President of the Supreme Constitutional Court praised the longstanding contribution of all the judges of the institution, noting that they helped shape the law and safeguard citizens’ constitutional freedoms.
He recalled that since July 2023 the unified Supreme Court has operated as both the Supreme Constitutional Court and the Supreme Court. He added that in 2025, through the 21st amendment to the Constitution, the establishment of an Administrative Court of Appeal was provided for, along with the administrative subordination of that court and the other administrative courts to the Supreme Constitutional Court.
According to Liatsos, the creation of a separate Constitutional Court was deemed necessary to safeguard, promote and secure the rule of law. Its mission is to protect the constitutional order through the correct interpretation of the Constitution on critical social and political issues, operating as an institutional counterweight, a guarantor of rights and fundamental freedoms, and a guardian of the state’s proper functioning.
“The Supreme Constitutional Court does not govern and does not legislate. (...) It is called upon to serve the constitutional order, judging not what is politically popular but what is constitutionally permissible, constantly reminding the state that power has limits and the majority that it is bound by the Constitution, and that democracy has rules which we must all accept even when they do not favour us,” he said.
Liatsos said the Court is called upon to respond to the weight of constitutional justice at a time when trust in institutions is being tested and respect for the Constitution cannot be taken for granted.
He also said that during the three years since its re-establishment, the Supreme Constitutional Court had exercised its jurisdiction without significant operational problems, completing its work and issuing critical decisions at multiple levels and within short timeframes.
At the same time, he stressed that there is full awareness of the institutional responsibility and daily challenges, as well as of the fact that judicial reform is an ongoing process involving the assessment of changes, the identification of weaknesses or omissions, legislative interventions and state support. He expressed confidence that the state would continue to provide the necessary resources so that the judiciary could fulfil its judicial duty and constitutional mission effectively and transparently.
Reform is key
Addressing the judges of the Administrative Court of Appeal, the Administrative Court and the Administrative Court of International Protection, he assured them that the Supreme Constitutional Court recognises their work and will support every effort serving the common goal. He also thanked the Registrar’s Authority, the Court’s staff and the Judicial School for organising the event and for their daily contribution to the Court’s operation.
In an address on behalf of the President of the House of Representatives, the Chair of the Parliamentary Legal Affairs, Justice and Public Order Committee and DISY MP, Fotini Tsiridou, said that reform of the judicial system was at a crucial point, particularly following the major change at the highest level of justice.
Tsiridou said that every institution, within its constitutional powers, must assess the changes of recent years and identify the next steps needed to address the challenges and complete the reform.
She stressed that reforms are not completed by simply passing legislation, but acquire real substance when they are felt in citizens’ daily lives. As she said, behind every court case there is a person who turns to justice and expects their dispute to be resolved with quality, speed and impartiality.
“At a time of significant change, when democratic institutions are being challenged, while deliberate misinformation and populism are flourishing, an effective and independent judiciary is perhaps democracy’s strongest response,” she said.
She stressed that responsibility does not concern only the judicial branch, but all institutions, since the quality of justice is a measure of the quality of democracy and is linked to the protection of fundamental rights, the rule of law and citizens’ trust.
The Chair of the Legal Affairs Committee also noted that the separation of powers does not mean that institutions should operate in isolation and competition. Instead, each branch must exercise its powers with respect for the others and, where required by the public interest, through substantive institutional dialogue.
“The House of Representatives wants and prioritises this dialogue. We are called upon every day to enact rules of law, which are then interpreted by the courts. Therefore, the quality of justice is ultimately inextricably linked to the quality of legislation,” she said.
Upholding the law under pressure
Among the challenges concerning the state and the legislature as a whole, Tsiridou cited delays, more effective case management, the use of technology, adequate staffing and the creation of the necessary infrastructure. She added that the legislature must respond quickly to developments without sacrificing legal certainty, while the judiciary must apply and interpret the law in an environment changing at unprecedented speed.
She also said that well-founded criticism of the judiciary, the House and every other institution is legitimate in a democratic society, unlike disparagement, particularly when expressed through anonymous posts serving ulterior purposes. The standing of justice, she noted, is confirmed daily when institutions operate with consistency, transparency and dedication to their mission.
Concluding, she expressed the readiness of the House, within its constitutionally guaranteed powers and with respect for the separation of powers, to support every effort to modernise and improve the institutional and legislative framework of Cyprus’s judicial system.
“Obedience to the law does not restrict freedom, but is a prerequisite for it, and safeguarding this principle lies at the core of the mission you, the officers of justice, carry out every day,” she concluded.
Source: CNA
