Improving the legal and institutional framework for fighting corruption

The reform, with funding of EUR 4.51 million from the RRF, consists of:

1. legislation to protect whistle-blowers, to enhance transparency in public decision-making processes and to prevent conflict of interest
2. establishment and operation of an independent authority against corruption, which shall coordinate the efforts of all bodies engaged in the fight against and prevention of corruption and shall supervise the timely implementation of actions by the different competent services
3. anti-corruption public awareness and trainings and 
4. reinforcement of the Internal Audit Units in all the Ministries and the Internal Audit Service.

The law on Transparency in Decision-Making and Related Matters entered into force on 4/3/22.

The legislation to protect whistle-blowers reporting fraud and corruption from internal sanctions entered into force on the 4th of February 2022.

The Law for the establishment and operation of the Independent Authority Against Corruption (IAAC) entered into force on March 4, 2022. The Commissioner and four Members of the IAAC were appointed by the President of the Republic on July 8, 2022. The IAAC is currently in operation with a total number of 14 people employed, including the 4 Members of the Authority and the Commissioner for Transparency. Furthermore, the IAAC has proceeded with the appointment of inspection officers for the investigation of cases that are currently underway. The mission of the Authority is "the undertaking of the necessary initiatives and actions for ensuring the coherence and effectiveness of the actions of the services of the public sector, the wider public sector and the private sector in matters of prevention and combating of acts of corruption, as well as for ensuring, in the best and most efficient manner, the implementation, progress, management and assessment of the National Strategy against Corruption from time to time". 

More information can be found at the following links: 

• https://www.iaac.org.cy/iaac/iaac.nsf/legislation00_el/legislation00_el?opendocument