The members of the Justice and Home Affairs Council of the European Union, held in Brussels on 3 and 4 March, expressed solidarity with the Ukrainian people. Minister of Justice and Public Order, Stefi Drakou, who participated on behalf of Cyprus, expressed Nicosia's support for joint solidarity measures in the judicial sector.
According to a statement, during the Council's proceedings, the 27 ministers had a teleconference with the Ukrainian Minister of Justice, Denys Maliuska, who briefed his counterparts on the situation in his country so far. The European Ministers expressed their support for the Ukrainian people and stressed that the Union remains united on Ukraine's side, providing all possible forms of assistance, he added.
Afterwards, the Ministers exchanged views on the proposal, submitted on an ad hoc basis by the French Presidency, to adopt joint solidarity measures in the judicial field through the suspension of the application of judicial cooperation agreements between Member States and Russia.
The debate showed a broad consensus among Justice Ministers on the imposition of these measures, with a view to putting pressure on the Russian Government, while the possibility of extending the measures to the field of civil and commercial law was also examined.
In her intervention, the Minister of Justice and Public Order, Stefi Dakou, expressed Cyprus' support for this proposal, as well as for the Presidency's approach of applying this practice on a case-by-case basis, so that Member States exercise the necessary control to ensure that this measure does not work to the advantage of criminals who try to use it to escape the consequences of the law.
In parallel with the issues related to the crisis in Ukraine, the issue of the political governance of the Schengen area was put on the Council's table, with Ministers continuing the discussions initiated at the informal Council held in early February in France.
The Minister of Justice supported the proposal to create a Schengen Council at the highest political level and in this context supported the establishment of a European Schengen Coordinator, who would be able to make recommendations to the political authorities.
He also expressed Cyprus' support for the proposal to create a solidarity platform, which in times of crisis can address issues such as the instrumentalisation of migrants, a phenomenon that also affects Cyprus.
The 27 ministers also exchanged views on the establishment of a European status for lawyers, which would strengthen the independent practice of the profession and contribute to the preservation and promotion of the rule of law, while in the same context, they discussed the challenges faced by lawyers and whether there are examples of behaviour in member states that cause concern or hinder lawyers from exercising their role in defending the rule of law.
The Minister of Justice of Cyprus stressed the essential role of lawyers in maintaining and protecting the rule of law, fundamental rights and the independence of the judiciary, both at European and national level.
Referring to the institutional framework of Cyprus, she explained that lawyers are by law an independent body which is not subject to the control of the state, but instead has its own procedures for the registration of lawyers and the exercise of their profession.
In the margins of the Council, the Minister of Justice had a bilateral meeting with her Irish counterpart Helen McEntree, with whom she discussed issues of mutual interest.
During their meeting they discussed issues relating to incidents of gender-based violence and in particular measures to prevent and suppress the phenomenon of femicide following the adoption of relevant legislation by both countries.
Further, they exchanged views on best practices and operational tools to combat child sexual abuse on the internet and cooperation with providers to limit the dissemination of child pornography.
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