Greco examines corruption prevention in Cyprus local government

A delegation from the Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption (Greco) met Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou on Tuesday as part of a four-day visit to Cyprus to assess corruption prevention and integrity measures in local government. The visit, taking place from October 13 to 16, forms part of Greco’s sixth evaluation round, which focuses on transparency, accountability and corruption prevention at local and regional government level. According to the interior ministry, the assessment will examine the effectiveness of measures and mechanisms introduced by Cyprus to strengthen integrity and accountability in local administration. The Nicosia municipality and the Larnaca district local government organisation have been selected by the Republic of Cyprus for evaluation. The assessment will focus on two main areas: the institutional and legislative framework, including any shortcomings or weaknesses, and the measures in place to prevent corruption and promote integrity in local government. These include codes of conduct, conflicts of interest and their management, restrictions on certain activities, asset declarations, transparency and access to information, as well as public participation in decision-making. The evaluation will also examine oversight and auditing mechanisms, accountability, the reporting of corruption, whistleblower protection and the enforcement of rules, sanctions and disciplinary measures. Following the visit and completion of the evaluation process, Greco will prepare a report outlining its findings and recommendations to the Republic of Cyprus. The recommendations will aim to strengthen institutional safeguards and improve corruption prevention practices in public administration and local government. The interior ministry said Cyprus’ participation in the evaluation reflected the government’s commitment to strengthening transparency, institutional credibility and accountability, as well as improving mechanisms that safeguard integrity in public life.