The data submitted to the European Commission on the speed of justice in Cyprus, included in the 2025 Rule of Law report, do not reflect reality. According to MPs and the president of the Cyprus Bar Association, Michalis Vorkas, the figures present an overly positive picture, while the actual situation is far worse. Speaking before the House Institutions Committee earlier this week, Mr Vorkas openly questioned the reliability of the data, accusing authorities of misleading the Commission.
AKEL MP and lawyer Andreas Pasiourtidis also dismissed the figures as inaccurate, stressing that in practice court cases in Cyprus can take up to ten years or more, depending on their complexity. Nicosia MP Alexandra Attalidou likewise expressed doubts, saying the report paints an unrealistically flattering picture of the justice system’s efficiency.
Demetriou to send letter
When pressed on who had provided the figures to Brussels, the head of the Justice Ministry’s justice division, Phaedra Grigoriou, referred MPs to the Supreme Court.
House Institutions Committee chair and DISY MP, Demetris Demetriou, told Politis that he intends to send a letter to Supreme Court President Katerina Stamatiou, requesting her presence at a future committee session to discuss the justice system and submit official data on case handling times.
What the report says
The 2025 Rule of Law report, published on 8 July, acknowledges that case duration and backlogs continue to raise serious concerns, particularly in civil and commercial cases, despite some improvements. The Commission notes:
- First-instance civil and commercial cases dropped from 947 days in 2021 and 761 days in 2022 to 605 in 2023, but remain among the highest in the EU.
- First-instance administrative cases fell from 844 days in 2021 and 461 in 2022 to 380 in 2023, a significant improvement.
- However, second-instance administrative cases skyrocketed to 5,429 days in 2023, more than double the 2,310 days recorded in 2022 and the highest in the EU by far.
The report attributes the delays partly to the restructuring of courts and the creation of a Court of Appeal in July 2023, which caused bottlenecks in processing appeals. On a more positive note, the 2023 disposal rate for civil, commercial and administrative cases rose to 118%, the highest in the EU.
Bar association speaks out
Mr Vorkas reiterated his criticism in comments to Politis, saying: “Someone has misinformed the European Commission about the pace of justice in Cyprus. I read in the report that a civil case in 2022 took 761 days and in 2023, 605 days. I don’t know who gave them these figures. We are misleading the Commission.”
Mr Pasiourtidis was equally blunt: “Nothing is tried within two years. Someone gave wrong numbers to produce an average.”
Delays persist
Despite the hiring of judges, the creation of new courts and measures announced by the Supreme Court, delays remain widespread.
For instance, the criminal case against a senior Audit Office official, filed in October 2019, has yet to begin. Although set for hearing in May this year, it was postponed to September 2025 as older cases took precedence. Similarly, the trial of former Commissioner for Volunteering Yiannis Yiannakis, accused of forging his degree, has been ongoing since July 2022. Both remain suspended from duty but continue to draw salaries—over €4,000 gross per month in one case, and nearly €2,000 in the other.
In March, the House Legal Affairs Committee examined the reform of higher-level courts. AKEL MP Aristos Damianou noted: “According to the statistics, we are last in Europe for justice spending and first for delays. That says it all.”
Accountability of judges
The debate has also turned to the responsibility of judges themselves. While impartiality and accuracy cannot be sacrificed for speed, critics point to judges who routinely take longer than a reasonable time to issue decisions. In Greece, the Supreme Court imposes fines on judges for delays and even offers a bonus for speedy case handling. In Cyprus, questions remain over whether the Supreme Court has taken similar measures.
A call for openness
Observers argue the judiciary cannot continue to operate as a “closed club of privileges” and must embrace accountability. Suggestions include regular public briefings by top courts and annual reports to increase transparency.
In Greece, the Supreme Court has a press office headed by a judge, while Cyprus’ Legal Service recently appointed a prosecutor as spokesperson. Critics now ask: why not the Supreme Court as well?