Politis

EDDA: Appointment of Cypriot Judge – The Apprenticeship of Magicians Continues

Published January 4, 2026, 12:17
EDDA: Appointment of Cypriot Judge – The Apprenticeship of Magicians Continues

The article focuses on the ongoing, but controversial, process of selecting a Cypriot judge to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). The process is characterized by a lack of publicity and allegations of political interference and opacity. Two lists of candidates have been submitted, but both have been rejected or have caused reactions. The first process failed due to the poor performance of one of the candidates in the interview. The second process, although passed by the Strasbourg Committee, was accompanied by strong protests and allegations of interference from the executive branch, opacity, and violation of the Council of Europe's criteria. Judge Elena Efraim withdrew her candidacy, denouncing political expediency. The author emphasizes that the complaints do not seem to have caused particular concern in Strasbourg, as the chairwoman of the selection committee, Petra Bayr, failed to mention them in her briefing. In addition, the letters of protest sent by lawyer Christos Clerides remained unanswered. The process appears to be continuing without taking into account concerns about opacity and political interference.