Sigma Live

Cyprus: Constitutional Review Bill for Surveillance to be Put to Vote

Published March 13, 2026, 17:09
Cyprus: Constitutional Review Bill for Surveillance to be Put to Vote

The Parliamentary Committee on Legal Affairs decided to forward the bill for constitutional review regarding surveillance to the Plenary Session on Thursday, despite strong opposition from AKEL. The bill concerns amendments to the legislation governing the role of the CIPA and the possibility of lifting confidentiality for monitoring communications, aiming to combat terrorism and organized crime. During the session, the Committee President, the Minister of Justice, and the Attorney General stressed the need for the immediate passage of the bills. The revision of Article 17 of the Constitution, which requires 38 positive votes, is considered crucial for the advancement of the bills. AKEL expressed its opposition to granting the Attorney General the authority to approve the lifting of confidentiality, while DIKO proposed the creation of an independent body for this purpose. AKEL also requested full compliance with the Parliament's procedure for examining the bills, despite their urgent nature. The Attorney General emphasized that Cyprus is possibly the only country in the EU that does not have the tools to combat organized crime and protect state security, while the European Public Prosecutor's Office informed about offenses falling under its control and the need for mutual information.