Presentation:
Ms. Andia Mavromati, Member of the Board of Directors, ISPD
Opening remarks:
Dr. Christoforos Fokaides, President of ISPD , former Minister of Defence
Prof. Stephani Lolle Siailou, Professor of European Law and Reform, Dean of the School of Law, UCLan Cyprus
Mr. Dimitris Kallenos, President of the Larnaca Bar Association
Mr. Christos Karas, President of the Famagusta Bar Association
Mr. Andreas Vyra, Mayor of Larnaca
Ms. Annita Demetriou, President of the House of Representatives and President of DISY
Speakers:
Dr. Andreas Marcou, Associate Professor of Legal Theory, Deputy Dean of the School of Law, UCLan Cyprus
Mr. Iosif Frangos, Lawyer, Head of the Justice and Public Order Portfolio, DISY Government Work Monitoring Council
Dr. Costas Paraskeva, Associate Professor of Public Law and Human Rights Law, Head of the Department of Law, University of Cyprus
Dr. Nevi Agapiou, Lecturer in International Commercial Law and Dispute Resolution, UCLan Cyprus
Prof. Nikitas Hadjimichail, Professor of Private Law, Comparative Law and Legal History, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Management, University of Cyprus, Member of the Scientific Council of ISPD
Coordination:
Ms. Eleni Meleagrou, Lawyer, Researcher
Agenda:
The 1960 Constitution was structured on the basis of an institutional balance logic, according to which one community would function as a counterweight to the other. Despite the inherent weaknesses of this model, the fact remains that after the withdrawal of the Turkish Cypriots from state institutions, the Republic of Cyprus was left to function without the necessary institutional mechanisms of control and balance (checks and balances).
The symposium organized by the Institute of Studies for Politics and Democracy (ISPD), in collaboration with UCLan Cyprus University, will focus on discussing the weaknesses of the existing constitutional framework and the need for institutional reforms, at a time when it is essential to rebuild citizens’ trust in democratic institutions and the rule of law.
At the center of the agenda will be the following issues:
• The role and powers of the Attorney General and the Deputy Attorney General.
• The independence and accountability of the Auditor General.
• The excessive powers of the President of the Republic.
The event aims to contribute meaningfully to the public dialogue, especially in light of the ongoing discussion in the House of Representatives. It is noted that the IMPD was among the first bodies to publicly submit proposals on a series of related issues, such as the system for selecting independent authorities by the President of the Republic, the unchecked powers of the Attorney General, the terms of office of various independent officials, and the excessive powers of the President of the Republic.
