Nicosia, Cyprus. The Supreme Constitutional Court is set to decide whether exceptional naturalisations under the Cyprus investment programme constitute acts of government and are therefore not subject to judicial review.
Referral accepted following attorney-general request
The attorney-general’s request to refer the Republic’s appeal to the Supreme Constitutional Court was accepted after the Republic’s preliminary objection in Cyprus investment programme appeals was dismissed.
Scope of the appeals
The Law Office said applicants had appealed decisions including the rejection of applications for exceptional naturalisation, the refusal or failure to receive naturalisation applications, the withdrawal of naturalisations by the interior ministry, and the termination of the investment programme.
Administrative court agrees Supreme Constitutional Court has authority
Pending trial, the attorney-general submitted a written request to the administrative appeals court for the appeal to be referred to the Supreme Constitutional Court, with the aim of saving time and reaching a final solution at the highest level of constitutional law. The administrative court agreed that the Supreme Constitutional Court was the authority to rule on the issue.
How could the Supreme Constitutional Court’s decision affect ongoing and future appeals linked to the Cyprus investment programme?