The Group of States against Corruption of the Council of Europe (GRECO) called upon Cyprus to make concerted efforts to prevent corruption within its executive branch in a report released Monday.
According to GRECO’s findings, Cyprus’ legislation exhibits several strengths; however, its effectiveness is compromised by institutional shortcomings. As an illustrative example the report cites to is the proliferation of state committees lacking real authority. GRECO asserts that Cyprus is in need of a robust accountability system, which could mitigate the influence of corruption-inducing factors within the government, such as this.
The issue of conflicts of interest has posed a significant challenge for Cyprus in recent years. Because of this, GRECO advised that Cyprus establish a transparent and open asset disclosure system, along with reinforcing the corresponding oversight mechanisms. As GRECO emphasized, transparency regarding public officials is a cornerstone of success.
GRECO researchers also scrutinized the Cyprus police force, which has faced corruption allegations, despite stringent formal anti-corruption laws. They recommended commencing reform efforts at the highest levels of the executive branch, emphasizing increased transparency in areas such as high-level personnel selection and promotions. In the report, GRECO gave particular attention to appointments or promotions to police chief or deputy chief positions, which researchers suggest should trigger enhanced vetting procedures. Researchers also noted the underrepresentation of women in executive positions, especially within the police force, and highlighted the challenges faced by women in advancing their careers within Cyprus.
The report also delved into the interaction between citizens and executive authorities. At present, complaints against police officers’ actions have proven ineffective, highlighting a deficiency in accountability in their handling. Punishments for police misconduct also remain unclear, owing to a lack of government transparency in their actions. Emphasizing the importance of discipline within police departments, GRECO underscores its preventive measure to eliminate misconduct by authorities.
In 2021, the US released a human rights report on Cyprus. In it, the US echoed some of issues GRECO did in their Monday report. Included among the “significant human rights issues included credible reports of…serious acts of government corruption; and crimes involving violence or threats of violence targeting members of national and ethnic minority groups.” Similar to GRECO, at the time, the US recommended that the Cyprus government take active steps to root out and correct instances of corruption.
In an effort to correct this, Cyprus recently enacted whistleblower protection legislation. The legislation is expected to enable police officers to safely express their personal opinions on various government events.
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