Filenews 18 October 2022 - by Michalis Hatzivasilis
They clarified all the new positions of Judges that will be needed to implement the reform of the Judiciary. These are unprecedented numbers of judges who will need to be recruited for judicial reform to be implemented from the beginning of 2023.
In total, 40 new Judges will be needed for all levels of the Courts, with the result that the procedures for their filling have already begun. According to the plans, the new Judges and the infrastructure should be ready so that the implementation of the major reform will begin on January 1, 2023.
Last week, the Transitional Advisory Council met for the purpose of advising the President of the Republic on the suitability of candidate Judges or lawyers in the process of appointing members of the Supreme Constitutional Court or the Supreme Court, as the case may be. The Transitional Advisory Council accepts submission of interest for the appointment of three Judges of the Supreme Constitutional Court and two Judges of the Supreme Court. As mentioned, interested parties can express their interest by letter to the President of the Supreme Court, President of the Transitional Advisory Council, until October 27, 2022.
As the Council points out, no one shall be appointed as a Judge of the Supreme Constitutional Court or as a Judge of the Supreme Court unless he is a lawyer qualified for that purpose with at least twelve years' professional and moral competence. It is understood that the appointment of a Judge of the Supreme Constitutional Court takes into account the broad knowledge of the person concerned in matters of constitutional and administrative law and/or European Union law and/or human rights law or proven experience in handling such cases. The appointment of a Supreme Court Judge shall take into account the candidate's broad knowledge of civil or criminal law and/or European Union and/or human rights law or proven experience in handling such cases.
Recently, the transitional Supreme Council of the Judiciary has announced 16 new positions in the Court of Appeal, five positions in the newly created Commercial Court, two positions of Judges in the Admiralty Court, 11 positions of District Judges, one position in the Family Court, three positions of Judges in the Supreme Constitutional Court and two positions in the Supreme Court. The last five positions are necessary to divide the Supreme Court into the Supreme Constitutional Court and the Supreme Court, as provided for by the new legislation passed by the Parliament as part of the reform of the Judiciary. With these positions, Cyprus changes its category per 100,000 inhabitants, however, it does not reach the EU average.
