Filenews 19 March 2023
A bill making the Legal Service independent and its officers are equated with judges, was approved by the last Council of Ministers under the Presidency of Nikos Anastasiades and which was sent by the Minister of Finance to the Parliament for discussion and approval.
The purpose of the bill is the independence of the Legal Service, which derives from the Constitution itself and, in particular, the provisions of Article 112.2 of the Constitution. Also, this bill, as stated in the decision of the Council of Ministers recently published in the Official Gazette of the Republic, achieves the autonomy of the Legal Service and the officers who staff it from the Public Service and equates, as far as possible, the legal officers with the judicial officers, in order to further strengthen the guarantee of the real impartiality of these officers towards the Administration and in accordance with the recommendations of the Committee of Member States against Corruption - GRECO of the Council of Europe, as well as with the proclaimed guidelines of the Consultative Council of European Judges and the Advisory Council and European Prosecutors - CCJE and CCPE - of the Council of Europe. At the same time, the post of Director General of the Legal Service is established, who, among other things, will perform the duties of a controlling officer, within the meaning of the Fiscal Responsibility and Financial Framework Laws.
Furthermore, the bill, in the context of the autonomy of the Legal Service, regulates legislation and issues related to the structure, organization and operation of the Legal Service, both in terms of legal officers and the other officers who staff it. In this way, the functional independence of the Legal Service is strengthened, the public interest and the consolidation of the Rule of Law are further served, and, among other things, the more effective administration of justice is achieved.
The decision for the independence of the Legal Service was taken on the previous Attorney General Costas Clerides, who promoted both the changes that needed to be made in structures and in the equalization of salaries of some lawyers of the Republic with judges. Upon his departure, the current Attorney General George Savvidis promoted the bill that was reviewed from the beginning and has now been sent to the Parliament in order to achieve the changes.
At the same time, the construction of a new building of the Legal Service in a space in front of the existing building is promoted.
