GRECO Report: Progress in Combating Corruption in Cyprus

Significant progress in combating corruption in the central government and police of Cyprus was acknowledged in the GRECO compliance report, presented to the Parliamentary Committee on Institutions. The head of the GRECO delegation in Cyprus, Alexia Kalispera, emphasized that Cyprus has made significant progress, with six out of 22 recommendations fully implemented.

The evaluation report included 22 recommendations, 13 for the central government and 9 for the police. According to Ms. Kalispera, Cyprus has shown "respect and seriousness" towards GRECO's recommendations. Christodoulos Charalambous, representing the Presidency, stated that Cyprus's rate of full and partial compliance is 85%, compared to the average of 55% for other countries.

He cited the drafting of a code of ethics for members of the Government, the appointment of an Ethics Advisor, and the adoption of awareness programs. Nikolas Anastasiou, from the Ministry of Justice, noted that two of the nine recommendations for the Police have been fully implemented, while six are partially implemented. Assistant Chief of Police, Marios Agiotis, stated that the process for implementing the recommendation regarding disciplinary regulations is underway.

Despite the progress, independent MP Alexandra Attalides pointed out that the three recommendations that were not implemented at all concern "critical deficiencies in the system of accountability and control of power."