The new Parliament has been facing a demanding legislative agenda since September. Significant bills and legislative proposals submitted after the May elections are already on the table, while at the same time the new Parliament must address a series of important pending issues carried over from the previous session.

Among the new agenda items, the following stand out: judicial reform, strengthening the Independent Anti-Corruption Authority, changes to the financial system, the promotion of renewable energy sources, new immigration legislation, as well as proposals with an immediate social impact, such as protecting tenants from excessive rent hikes.

At the same time, the new Parliament is called upon to revisit issues that remained unresolved during the previous legislative session. Among them are the separation of powers of the Attorney General, the reform of the correctional system, university hospitals, legislation on the employment of nurses from third countries, real estate purchases by foreigners, the Loss of Use Fund, and a series of long-standing social and institutional issues.

The new bills that have been introduced

Among the new proposals, the package of bills on judicial reform—submitted on June 17—stands out first and foremost.

The proposed provisions address a number of key aspects of the functioning of the judiciary, including the powers of the Chief Registrar, the operation of the Supreme Constitutional Court and the Supreme Court, the Lawyers’ Act, the Civil Service, and the Interpretation Act. The package also includes an amendment to the legislation governing the Commissioner for Administration, so that courts falling under the jurisdiction of the two Supreme Courts are excluded from his or her jurisdiction.

Proposals to strengthen the Independent Anti-Corruption Authority are also of significant importance. ALMA – Citizens for Cyprus submitted two bills aimed at strengthening the Authority’s powers, including, among other things, enabling it to authorize a criminal investigator to probe potential criminal acts of corruption, rather than being limited to submitting a relevant report to the Attorney General.

On June 25, DISY also submitted a proposal to strengthen the Authority’s institutional and operational framework. The proposals are currently before the House of Representatives and are expected to be examined as part of a broader debate on the Authority’s powers and effectiveness.

Legislative activity is also underway in the financial sector. On July 9, the Ministry of Finance submitted a series of bills concerning the supervision and operation of credit institutions, macroprudential supervision, the capital adequacy of investment firms, as well as investment services and regulated markets.

On the same date, bills were also submitted concerning the civil service, with provisions regarding positions exempt from cross-departmental promotion and the evaluation of candidates for promotion and appointment.

Energy policy has also been added to the agenda for the new session, as a bill was introduced to promote the use of renewable energy sources, with the aim of harmonizing Cypriot legislation with the European acquis.

A bill to extend the term of the Deputy Minister to the President for European Affairs until December 31, 2026, is also pending, after the Plenary rejected on July 9 the request for urgent consideration of the bill.

Issues with Social Implications 

Beyond major institutional and economic reforms, the new Parliament is considering proposals with a direct social impact.

Among these, the proposal by ALMA – Citizens for Cyprus to protect tenants of primary residences from excessive rent increases stands out. The proposal provides for a specific and proportional framework of protection, without extending the existing statutory rental regime and without affecting existing leases during their term.

Also before Parliament is a proposal by Andreas Konstantinou and Michalis Kounounis of DISY for faster naturalization of athletes who represent or have represented Cyprus in European orcompetitions. The proposal calls for priority consideration of such applications and completion of the process within three months.

In the area of taxation, DISY’s Fotini Tsiridou submitted a proposal to shorten the deadlines for the Tax Commissioner to review tax appeals and to require the submission of a report to the Tax Council in the event of ainitial appeal.

A proposal by ELAM, moreover, concerns capital gains taxation and, more specifically, the correction of distortions concerning the deadline for completing the construction of a building in the context of a property exchange, including cases of consideration.

On immigration, on July 14, the Minister of the Interior submitted a bill to amend the legislation on Aliens and Immigration, with the aim of harmonizing Cypriot legislation with the European framework for the return of third-country nationals residing illegally in Member States.

On the same day, the Committee on Internal Affairs submitted a proposal to amend the legislation on Road and Building Regulations, with the aim of more effectively addressing risks to public safety and health posed by hazardous buildings, particularly in the historic centers of major municipalities.

Finally, a proposal by Fotini Tsiridou to create a National Library System, with the aim of establishing a unified framework for the organization, operation, and development of libraries in the Republic.

What the New Parliament Has Inherited

However, beyond the bills introduced after the elections, the new Parliament must also address a significant legacy from the previous legislative session.

These are issues that either were not completed before the dissolution of the previous Parliament or remained unresolved due to political, institutional, or technical disagreements.

Among these are the reform of the Legal Service and the separation of the powers of the Attorney General, with the large package of 38 bills constituting one of the most significant institutional pending issues handed down to the new Parliament.

Equally important is the reform of the correctional system, for which the previous Parliament was awaiting revised drafts from the Executive Branch.

In the area of health, the new Parliament has taken over a number of important legislative files. Among these is the bill on Nursing and Midwifery, which addresses the possibility of employing nurses from third countries and the Greek language proficiency requirements, as well as the framework for university clinics and university hospitals, where significant disagreements remained, particularly regarding the participation of private hospitals.

Also pending is the amendment of the legislation governing the OKYPY to provide for patient representation on the Board of Directors, while the same Health Ministry dossier includes older pending issues regarding biomedical laboratories, biobanks, blood donation, the recognition of the profession of nutritionist, and other professional and health-related regulations.

Another significant pending issue is the Loss of Use Fund, which concerns the property of displaced persons. The previous Parliament was unable to bridge the differences regarding how to support property owners suffering loss of use, with the government favoring the use of the existing framework of the Central Agency for the Equitable Distribution of Burdens.

On domestic issues, the new Parliament has also inherited the unresolved issue of real estate purchases by foreigners, as well as the reform of the framework governing jointly owned buildings, an issue that has remained unresolved for years.

In social policy, proposals regarding the child allowance, single-parent families, the Early Childhood Education Program (EEE), and unemployment benefits remain significant, while major reforms, such as pension reform and the reform of the collective bargaining framework, have not yet been submitted in the form of comprehensive bills.

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Source: CNA