Filenews 30 July 2025 - by Michalis Hatzivasilis
Cypriot judges consider the judiciary to be independent since it does not accept interventions, however, the biggest challenge it faces is the non-implementation of the decisions by the government.
This is the result of research by the European Network of Councils for the Judiciary (ENCJ), which is a non-profit organisation representing the judicial councils of EU Member States and similar independent institutions.
Its main objective is to ensure the independence of the judiciary and the effective administration of justice.
According to the Supreme Court, in this context, the ENCJ conducts an investigation every two years based on the views of the judges themselves.
In the survey, the judges evaluate, among other things:
- Their personal independence
- The independence of other judges at national level
- Any external pressures
- The relationship between the judiciary and the other powers
- Whether court decisions are implemented in practice
- The role of the media.
The 2025 survey involved 19,136 judges from 32 jurisdictions in 30 countries.
Overall, the results show a positive picture, with problems in terms of implementation of decisions and political pressure in some countries.
Cyprus is among the top 10 countries, recording very high scores in the perception of the personal independence of judges, but also in the overall perception of the independence of the judiciary at national level.
At the same time, there are few reports of corruption or media influence.
Despite the high degree of independence of judges since it exceeds 9, the implementation of decisions by the government remains at a low level.
The ENCJ's research is of exceptional importance as it highlights "from the inside" the real operating conditions of the justice system, with its positives and challenges.
Overall, Cyprus is characterized by a high level of judicial independence, with very low rates of references to corruption or external pressures, the Supreme Court notes.
