Parliamentary surveillance bill deferred to new legislature

On April 2, 2026, the Parliamentary Legal Affairs Committee of Cyprus decided not to bring the contentious surveillance bill to a plenary vote. The legislation, which aimed to amend the constitution to regulate wiretapping for organized crime and national security purposes, failed to secure the required 38 votes. Proposals included granting the head of the intelligence service (KYP) the power to authorize surveillance, which faced significant criticism over the lack of independent oversight. A late amendment by DISY MP Nikos Tornaritis suggested requiring court-issued warrants for all wiretaps to address these concerns, but consensus could not be reached among political parties. MP Aristos Damianou of AKEL confirmed that the bill will remain under discussion and will be deferred to the next legislative session. The delay occurs as parliament prepares to dissolve for upcoming elections. Previous proposals involving the Attorney General or intelligence officials triggered widespread objections regarding democratic safeguards.