in-cyprus 2 October 2025
Cyprus has made significant progress in implementing anti-corruption and transparency reforms, with compliance levels surpassing other European countries, Deputy Minister to the President Irene Piki said on Thursday during a discussion at the Cyprus Forum 2025 in Nicosia.
Speaking with Nicolas Kyriakides, Executive President of the Cyprus Forum, Piki highlighted that Cyprus had completed or made substantial progress on 85% of recommendations by the Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption (GRECO). “Other countries average around 55-60% at this stage, which means our compliance rate is considerably higher,” she said.
Key steps include the introduction of a code of conduct for ministers, the appointment of a recognised former judge as ethics adviser to the cabinet, the launch of a national e-consultation platform for public feedback on legislation, and the strengthening of the Anti-Corruption Authority.
Piki also referred to a Justice Ministry initiative to subsidise ISO anti-bribery certification for public authorities and municipalities. She said 90 applications had already been submitted, including by departments such as Customs, Taxation and Land Registry. “These are areas often associated with suspicions of corruption. Ensuring these systems are in place is a very important step for transparency,” she noted.
The deputy minister stressed that the Anti-Corruption Authority had received a 70% budget increase in 2024 and was moving towards greater operational independence, including the ability to recruit its own staff once pending legislation is approved. “It is a new institution, but it has already earned the trust of citizens,” she said.
On lobbying regulations, Piki said ministers had been briefed through seminars and provided with a practical guide. “We believe we have achieved a high level of transparency in decision-making,” she added.
Turning to institutional reforms, Piki pointed to government-backed bills under discussion in parliament that aim to modernise the Law Office and the Audit Office. She said the reforms would separate the role of legal adviser to the state from that of public prosecutor — a change long recommended in rule of law reports.
“The separation is essential because recent cases have raised questions over who decides whether a case goes to court. A clearer process of checks will now be in place,” she explained.
Piki said the bills also introduce single non-renewable terms for the Attorney General, the Deputy Attorney General and top audit officials, in order to avoid the perception of dependence on the executive through reappointments. “When an official knows they cannot be reappointed, their work is free of such considerations,” she said.
The Audit Office, she added, would also gain financial autonomy, moving away from reliance on the central government for its budget. The reform includes the creation of a multi-member audit council so that responsibility does not rest solely on the Auditor General.
She further noted that the Central Bank of Cyprus was preparing a reform package to update its governance and oversight structures, with draft legislation already in the works.
“Cyprus must modernise and move forward. The state must be more transparent, accountable and effective,” Piki said.
During the Q&A session, participants questioned the balance of powers between the Anti-Corruption Authority, the Attorney General and the President, while others raised issues on how citizen input through the new online consultation tools is taken into account. Piki said all public feedback is documented, assessed and accompanied by explanations on whether it was adopted.
Kyriakides thanked Piki for her third consecutive participation at the Cyprus Forum, noting that dialogue between institutions and civil society remained vital for strengthening democracy and the rule of law.
