Parliamentary shift regarding proposed legislation on state phone tapping

The Cypriot Parliament is reconsidering a constitutional amendment regarding the interception of private communications. Initially, the bill proposed granting the Director of the Cyprus Intelligence Service (KYP) the authority to initiate surveillance in emergency cases without a prior judicial warrant. However, due to insufficient support for the required 38 votes and internal dissent within the Democratic Rally (DISY) party, the approach has changed. DISY MP Nicos Tornaritis has submitted an amendment that removes the provision allowing extrajudicial surveillance. If passed, all surveillance activities by the Intelligence Service and Police will require a court order, regardless of whether they pertain to public safety or organized crime. The parliamentary Legal Committee has scheduled an emergency meeting for Thursday to discuss this amendment. If consensus is reached, the updated bill will proceed to a plenary vote on the same day. This modification aligns with the initial positions held by AKEL and other political factions.