Law commissioner Sofia Cleopa Hadjikyriakou lamented that her office is understaffed and staffed with people from the wrong ministry as she appeared in front of the House finance committee, which was debating her office’s budget.

She said understaffing is her office’s “biggest ongoing difficulty”, adding that the office lacks “permanent and specialised staff”.

“Despite the fact that, based on the framework of its designation, the office should be supported by the legal service, its staff in fact comes mainly from the finance ministry,” she said.

She added that the opening of two positions for permanent legal officers have been approved to bolster the staff’s numbers, while also describing her office’s activities.

“This is the oldest commissioner’s office in the Republic of Cyprus, with responsibilities which include advisory work to the presidential palace and to cabinet on the modernisation of legislation, its simplification, and its harmonisation with the European acquis communautaire,” she said.

Additionally, she said, her office also “indicates to competent ministries and government services the actions required for the implementation of laws which are passed”, while at the same time monitoring compliance.

She added that her office also prepares reports sent by the Republic of Cyprus to the United Nations and to the Council of Europe’s human rights bodies, “formulating recommendations so that the state can meet its international obligations”.

Akel MP Andreas Kafkalias asked for information “on the orders which have been given to the office for new legislative work”, as well as for clarification regarding responsibilities belonging to the law commissioner’s office and the legal service, “so that overlaps can be avoided.

To this, Hadjikyriakou said that she is cooperating with the presidential palace, parliament, and the legal service, and that her goal is to “further deepen” this cooperation “so that the work produced is for the benefit of the people and a modern state”.