The recent publication of the EU Justice Scoreboard 2026 has once again confronted Cyprus with its own failings. It underlines an uncomfortable, longstanding reality: the judicial system remains one of the most sluggish in Europe. Despite moves made to modernise justice, the numbers are unforgiving, and point to an urgent need for immediate, deep intervention from those in decision-making positions.
Stagnation in numbers
The findings for 2026 offer little comfort. On several key indicators, the situation is getting worse. In civil and commercial disputes specifically, the estimated time to reach a verdict rose from around 520 days in 2023 to nearly 580 days in 2024. That places Cyprus in the second-worst position in the EU. The picture is even more dramatic in administrative proceedings, where resolution time has almost doubled, reaching 800 days.
It’s true that the courts record satisfactory clearance rates. But the sheer volume of accumulated backlog makes this progress a drop in the ocean. For citizens and businesses, the practical result is constant waiting.
Economic strangulation and trapped capital
Beyond the fundamental issue of the rule of law, slow justice is an open wound for the economy itself. When civil and commercial cases get bogged down in the courts, the business ecosystem suffocates. Significant capital gets trapped in endless legal proceedings, and market liquidity is constrained. The ability to settle financial matters in a timely way is paralysed as a result.
In a modern European economy, the swift enforcement of agreements and immediate handling of breach-of-obligation cases are essential for businesses to survive. The system’s inability to resolve commercial disputes quickly also acts as a deterrent to attracting foreign direct investment. What serious investor is willing to put capital into a country where, when a dispute arises, the state machinery cannot provide effective, timely legal protection? It’s a question that weighs heavily on those tasked with persuading foreign investors to engage with Cyprus.
Where the responsibility lies
The problem in Cyprus stopped being about diagnosis long ago, having been over-analysed by numerous institutions and individuals both inside and outside the country. The problem, or rather its persistence, has more to do with a longstanding reluctance to make substantive interventions. The 2026 report, like those before it, is a damning indictment of state neglect. Cyprus remains firmly in last place for public spending on courts as a share of GDP, while the number of judges per 100,000 residents continues to fall significantly short of advanced European jurisdictions.
The judiciary itself bears its own significant share of responsibility. The internal management of backlogs, the need for modernisation from within, strict adherence to timelines, and the genuine adoption of digital tools (e-justice) are matters for the judiciary itself to address.
Both the executive and legislative branches must place emphasis on a problem afflicting the whole country, and provide solutions so that the speed of justice can be improved without compromising on quality.