The need to immediately reinforce the courts with clerical and support staff, so that judges can focus on their judicial duties and the administration of justice can be expedited, was highlighted on Monday by the Presidents of the Supreme Court, Katerina Stamatio, and the President of the Supreme Constitutional Court, Antonis Liatsos, during the discussion of the Judicial Service’s 2027 budget before the Parliamentary Committee on Finance.
The President of the Supreme Court, Katerina Stamatio, noted that district courts are facing shortages of staff, logistical infrastructure, and facilities, noting that in some cases judges are forced to take the minutes of hearings themselves due to the absence of clerical staff. As he said, this results in them spending time on tasks not directly related to the adjudication of cases.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
For his part, the President of the Supreme Constitutional Court, Antonis Liatsos, pointed out that addressing these delays requires, among other things, the appointment of new judges, as well as providing the necessary support for their work. “When a judge has no assistant, it is like a doctor entering an operating room without any assistance,” he said, adding that the Judicial Service cannot proceed with the necessary changes without the state’s assistance.
As for the Judicial Service’s budget for 2027, it amounts to €64,185,289, compared to €60,802,818 in 2026, representing an increase of approximately 5.6%. Of the total amount, €43,704,605—or 68.09%—is allocated to judges’ and staff salaries, while €15,791,074 is allocated for operating and other expenses, including stenography services, security checks, and court security.
An amount of €3,926,000 is earmarked for legal aid, interpreter fees, and witness compensation, while development expenditures total €763,610. This includes an allocation of €400,000 to cover part of the cost of constructing the new Nicosia District Court.
In presenting the priorities of the Judicial Service, Ms. Stamatio noted that judicial reform had become necessary due to delays in the adjudication of cases and that its implementation is currently underway. According to her, approximately 75% of the backlogged cases included in the Action Plan of the Recovery and Resilience Plan have been processed.
At the same time, she noted that 12 District Judge positions and two Appellate Judge positions have been advertised, with the recruitment processes expected to be completed by the end of 2026. However, as he said, there continue to be difficulties in finding suitable candidates for judicial positions.
At the same time, he referred to the operation of the Naval Court, which, he said, began on October 5, 2026, despite problems with housing and infrastructure, and added that a decision had been made to appoint two additional judges to the Family Court. She added that there will be one full-time judge in Famagusta, two in Paphos, and three in Limassol. Regarding the Juvenile Court, Ms. Stamatiou noted that the procedure for probation officers is currently with the Administration and Personnel Department for approval.
On behalf of the Members of Parliament, the Committee Chair and DIKO MP, Christiana Erotokritou, stated that the administration of justice is “the foremost institution of the state.” At the same time, she expressed concern that the decline in the number of cases filed before the district courts is, as she put it, “dramatic.”
“This tragically small number of cases reflects, in my view, society’s reluctance to turn to the justice system to seek justice.”
At the same time, he proposed holding hearings in the afternoons to address the backlog of cases, while also referring to the “Demosthenes” program, which exists in Greece in the form of speech-to-text technology—a tool that, in her view, would enhance the work of court reporters.
DISY Member of Parliament Fotini Tsiridou asked what the House of Representatives could do to contribute to judicial reform, while she raised the possibility of specialization among judges. She also asked the Presidents of the Courts what the next steps are regarding the backlog of cases.
DISY Parliamentary Spokesperson Dimitris Dimitriou asked whether there is a strategic plan regarding the time it takes to adjudicate cases, while also asking what is needed to reduce that time. At the same time, DISY MP Savia Orfanidou noted that it is “regrettable” that certain practical issues prevent citizens from accessing justice.
AKEL MP Andreas Pasiourtides also expressed his concern regarding the limited access to justice, noting that “many of our fellow citizens would rather give up their rights than wait so many years for their case to be heard.” At the same time, he asked when the iJustice system would be fully operational, and raised the question of whether artificial intelligence could assist judges with administrative support during hearings.
ELAM MP Marios Pelekanos noted that the progress made in the judicial service so far is “very significant,” and, addressing the Presidents of the Courts, he asked whether there were any plans to expedite proceedings before the Administrative Court of International Protection, where, as noted, there are 6,500 pending appeals. Furthermore, ELAM MP Linos Hatzigeorgiou asked what improvements would result from the upgrade of the iJustice system.
ALMA MP Irini Charalambidou asked whether the judicial service had resolved the issue of oversight of the Attorney General’s unchecked authority, and, regarding the backlog of cases, she asked how old they are and when this backlog will be completely eliminated.
Alma MP Michalis Paraskevas raised the issue of video recording court proceedings, noting that this would enable the courts to adjudicate cases much more quickly.
For her part, Diana Konstantinidou, Member of Parliament for Direct Democracy, raised the issue of conducting court proceedings remotely, while also referring to improving citizens’ access to justice, particularly for vulnerable groups and people with disabilities.
In response, regarding the specialization of judges, the President of the Supreme Court noted that Cyprus’s size does not allow for complete specialization in all areas, as some courts are small and cannot assign separate judges to each category of cases.
Furthermore, Ms. Stamatio noted that the large number and diverse nature of cases make it difficult to formulate a unified plan to reduce trial times. As she explained, the approach to addressing delays varies by court, while in civil cases, efforts are being made to expedite proceedings through new civil procedure institutions.
Regarding the iJustice system, Ms. Stamatio noted that the first phase went live in June 2026, while the second phase is expected to go live around May 2027. However, the system is expected to be fully operational by 2030.
At the same time, as he mentioned, in collaboration with the Deputy Ministry of Research and Innovation, the introduction of speech-to-text technology to facilitate the recording and transcription of court proceedings. He added that the Judicial Service has already approached the Deputy Ministry to explore ways to transcribe proceedings immediately, while in Nicosia there are a total of seven court reporters serving 26 judges and three Criminal Courts.
She added that a joint guide on the use of artificial intelligence has been issued by the Supreme Court and the Supreme Constitutional Court, while strengthening the Judges’ Academy with additional staff is also a necessity, as the lifelong education and training of judges is a priority.
Ms. Stamatio also noted that the Ministry of Justice is already examining the issue of small claims courts and that a meeting on the matter is scheduled for later this week. Regarding afternoon trials, she noted that the issue had been raised in the past, with objections coming mainly from lawyers. As for remote trials, he stated that the Judicial Service supports their implementation, but that the necessary infrastructure is required, which is currently being discussed with the Deputy Ministry of Research and Innovation.
Responding to a question from Ms. Erotokritou regarding the decline in the number of cases, Mr. Liatsos noted that this is not necessarily due to the time taken to adjudicate cases, but also to the nature of the cases filed during different periods. As he explained, in the past there were many banking cases, which have now decreased.
Moreover, the pressure on the administrative courts remains significant. Mr. Liatsos noted that the Administrative Court handles approximately 900 cases per judge, deeming it necessary to appoint at least two additional judges.
As he noted, the transfer of cases concerning detention and deportation orders for asylum seekers to the Administrative Court of International Protection is under consideration. He added that a suitable building is being sought to house the court, while the reduction in new arrivals has not eliminated the backlog of cases. He also referred to the large number of similar cases involving Syrian asylum seekers, which are undergoing a more comprehensive review.
The two Presidents also expressed support for the use of technological tools and the video recording of proceedings, noting that the necessary infrastructure and funding are required.
Source: CNA
