Survey: From Bad to Worse – The Public’s View of the Justice System
The urgent need to address delays in the administration of justice in Cyprus was highlighted at the 4th Annual Symposium of the Procedural Law Unit of the University of Nicosia, which took place on the 14th of December.
A survey revealed that “the justice system was at its worst level in 2024” with 47% of participants stating that they were not at all satisfied, compared to only 19% who were very or somewhat satisfied (down from 21% in 2023, 25% in 2022).
The conference, titled “Judicial Delays that threaten the Rule of Law”, focused on the delays in adjudicating cases in Cypriot courts, the current operational framework and potential improvements. Discussions also included European standards of judicial independence.
During the Conference, findings from a quantitative opinion survey on the quality of civil justice in Cyprus, conducted for the third consecutive year by IMR/University of Nicosia, were presented and analysed.
The survey highlighted worsening public dissatisfaction with the justice system. In 2024, 47% of participants were not at all satisfied (up from 40% in 2023 and 32% in 2022), while only 19% expressed some level of satisfaction. Dissatisfaction with the quality of judicial decisions was also high, with 27% of participants stating they were not at all satisfied (compared to 24% in 2023 and 21% in 2022). Meanwhile, 43% were somewhat satisfied (45% in 2023 and 48% in 2022).
Through substantive discussions and key points of view, the main factors affecting the prompt administration of justice in Cyprus, and the reasons why they pose a threat to the rule of law, were thoroughly examined.
The main conclusions of the conference, drawn from the interventions of Cypriot and foreign speakers, focused on promoting a procedure for resolving civil cases below €10,000 through mandatory mediation and introducing a fast-track procedure for small claims (up to €3,000) by the Ministry of Justice and the Supreme Court. It was noted that the implementation of these procedures is expected to further reduce the volume of cases in the court system.
This trend has already begun, as the introduction of new civil procedure regulations last September led to a significant decrease in the registration of new cases – nearly 50%.
The conference was welcomed by the Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Legal Affairs, Nikos Tornaritis; the Director of the Cyprus Judicial Training School, Rea Limnatitou; Law Commissioner for the Republic of Cyprus, Louiza Zannetou; the President of the Cyprus Bar Association, Michalis Vorkas; and the Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Nicosia, Professor Achilles Emilianides.
According to the announcement, in his address, the Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Legal Affairs, Mr. Nikos Tornaritis, emphasised that the administration of justice must not only be fair but also timely. He assured attendees that Parliament supports all efforts to enhance the efficiency of the judicial system, with consistency and responsibility.
The Director of the Cyprus Judicial Training School, Rea Limnatitou, highlighted that effective judicial protection is a fundamental principle of the rule of law. She cautioned that criticism leading to the devaluation of the judiciary creates dangerous conditions for society.
The Law Commissioner of the Republic of Cyprus, Louisa Christodoulides Zannetou, stressed that “slow justice is not justice.” She explained that delays undermine the fundamental principle of the rule of law and violate citizens’ right to a fair trial, as guaranteed by the European Convention on Human Rights and the Constitution.
The President of the Cyprus Bar Association, Michalis Vorkas, reiterated the Association’s recommendations for addressing delays, particularly emphasising the role of technology, the recruitment of judges, and judicial specialisation.
Welcoming the conference, the Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Nicosia, Professor Achilles Emilianides, referred to three major challenges in the administration of justice: quality, speed, and enforcement of court decisions. He noted that while problems exist in all three areas, speed is of central importance, given the significant delays in Cyprus’ civil justice system.
The conference also featured prominent speakers, including Angelos Binis, representing the European Commission; Tigran Karapetyan, on behalf of the Council of Europe; Theano Mavromoustaki from the General Prosecutor’s Office; and over 20 other lawyers and academics from Cyprus and abroad.
Organised by Oxygen for Democracy in cooperation with the Procedural Law Unit of the University of Nicosia, the conference was held under the auspices of the Cyprus Bar Association. The event was coordinated by Dr. Nicolas Kyriakides, a member of the Faculty of Law at the University of Nicosia and a practicing lawyer.
