Parliamentary committee debates legislative amendments on surveillance regulations

The House Legal Affairs Committee is holding an emergency session today at 8:30 a.m. to finalize a bill on communication surveillance ahead of the 11:00 a.m. plenary session. Discussions center on balancing state security needs with independent judicial oversight. Initial proposals suggested allowing the head of the intelligence service (KYP) to authorize surveillance for 72 hours, but these faced widespread opposition due to concerns over executive influence. Consequently, DISY MP Nicos Tornaritis proposed an amendment requiring court approval for wiretapping, moving away from the initial, controversial framework. A third proposal, modeled on the AADIPA structure and EU court rulings, seeks to establish an independent administrative authority to handle surveillance authorizations without KYP involvement. The legislative process is constrained by the upcoming dissolution of the House for parliamentary elections. The committee must reconcile these varying proposals to secure the 38 votes required for constitutional amendment. As of now, the final legal text remains undecided.