The Parliamentary Committee for the Monitoring of Public Expenditure Development and Control Plans met today, Thursday, March 24, 2022, in the presence of the Auditor General, the Chief Clerk of the Supreme Court and a representative of the Auditor General, for an ex officio consideration of the Auditor General's Annual Report for the year 2020 [AUDIT OF THE JUDICIAL SERVICE - SPECIAL REPORT 10.1.2022 (FY/01/2022)] (File No. 23.04.039.002-2022, 05.14.007.001), in which the views of the representatives of all stakeholders were submitted.
The Auditor General briefed the Committee on the purpose and findings of the compliance and financial audit conducted by his office on the Judicial Service. In particular, he referred to the weaknesses of the Judicial Service in terms of its compliance with the provisions of relevant laws and regulations, the delays in the implementation of various projects related to the security of the courts and the failure to issue decisions on time, despite the increase in the number of judges' posts between 2016 and 2022.
The Auditor General then referred to the issue of the charging of negative interest, amounting to €2,421,615, by the Central Bank of Cyprus (CBC) to the Republic of Cyprus in two cases of civil litigation between legal entities, in which a court order was issued to deposit a security in an account in the name of the Registrar until the conclusion of the judicial proceedings and/or the issuance of a subsequent order of the Court. In particular, he pointed out that, although the money was not of the Republic, the CBI imposed the said negative interest rate in 2019. He added that this issue has finally been settled, following the intervention of the Audit Office, without any charge to the State, since this amount was deducted from the amount of the relevant guarantee upon its return.
With regard to the issue of the non-application of the memorandum cuts regarding the reduction of salaries and the freezing of increments and allowances on the salaries of judges hired after the enactment of the relevant legislation [LAW 168(I) OF 2012 AND LAW 31(I) OF 2013], the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court, reported that the Supreme Judicial Council decided to adopt in the appointments of judges from 1 September 2021 the inclusion of the relevant provisions of the legislation, as provided for in the relevant opinion of the Legal Service of the Republic dated 28 September 2016, in the letters of acceptance of appointment of judges. With regard to the projects to strengthen the security of the courts, he said that the metal detection systems and X-ray diagnostic equipment already installed had not yet been utilised due to the pending recruitment of suitable personnel to take over their operation. He also added that to this end, a tender is underway whereby the Judicial Service will be staffed with personnel from a private security and guarding company within 2022. Regarding the safekeeping of documents, he said that rooms have been set up in the courts for their safekeeping and the relevant regulations are being observed. Furthermore, he noted that the issue of upgrading the building infrastructure of the courts is a long-standing one, especially with regard to the Nicosia District Court. In particular, he said that the Judicial Service prepared a study of its building needs, which was subsequently submitted to the competent bodies and since then the relevant decision has been pending.
The Committee requested further information on the issue of the payment of compensation by the Republic of Cyprus, following its conviction by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in a case of delay in the hearing of an appeal to the Supreme Court. Finally, taking this into account, he noted the need for both the digitisation of the Judicial Service's archives and its reform and modernisation with a view to the speedy administration of justice.
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Secretariat of the Parliamentary Committee for Monitoring Public Expenditure Development and Control Plans
Email: parliamentary-committees@parliament.cy
(IK/SX)
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