The Council of Europe’s anti-corruption group (GRECO) said Monday that Cyprus needs to enhance accountability among top officials in executive power and law enforcement in order to address the pervasive public perception of widespread corruption.
GRECO has released a report highlighting that while Cypriot laws may appear robust on paper, they are compromised by institutional shortcomings, including the presence of numerous anti-corruption bodies lacking coordination, resources, and authority.
According to GRECO, Cyprus must establish a more robust system of government accountability to curb influence-peddling and mitigate the risk of politicians prioritising the interests of powerful corporations and the affluent. GRECO noted that efforts to combat the relationship between government and private interests have been “narrow in scope” and emphasized the necessity for increased transparency regarding politicians’ assets and improved public access to information.
The group commended Cyprus for passing new laws last year, which led to the establishment of the Anti-Corruption Authority, designed to protect whistleblowers, regulate lobbying activities, and allocate additional resources to internal auditing units within public institutions. Nonetheless, GRECO underscored the absence of a comprehensive system to identify major corruption risks among high-ranking decision-makers and the need for integrity background checks prior to their appointment.
While the Charter of Ethics that appointees must sign and swear on is a step in the right direction, GRECO stressed that it may not be sufficient to ensure severe consequences for those who breach their oath.
Additionally, the group recommended more targeted guidance for political appointees on how to interact with lobbyists and other stakeholders.
Cyprus faces a substantial erosion of public trust in its government, with 94% of Cypriots, according to a European opinion survey last year, believing that corruption is rampant in the country—almost 30% higher than the European Union average.
Recent years have seen this distrust exacerbated by a now-defunct citizenship-for-investment program that generated substantial revenue by granting passports to wealthy investors who invested at least 2 million euros ($2.1 million) each in the Cypriot economy. The programme was terminated in 2020 amid allegations of collusion between politicians, land developers, and lawyers in bending eligibility rules.
Furthermore, trust in the police in Cyprus is lower compared to most other EU member states. GRECO pointed out the absence of a system to assess the integrity of police force members and advocated for enhanced vetting procedures, from recruitment throughout their careers. The group also called for greater transparency in decisions related to officer promotions and transfers, as well as increased efforts to boost the representation of women in all police ranks.
Speaking at the 4th Cyprus Forum last week, President Christodoulides acknowledged the declining public trust in government and its institutions. He pledged a series of initiatives aimed at restoring confidence, including the establishment of an internal auditing body for the executive branch, the creation of a coordination and support secretariat to oversee ministry activities, and the implementation of a binding code of ethics.
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