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Teresa Anjinho elected as new European Ombudsman

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Teresa Anjinho has been elected European Ombudsman by the European Parliament with 344 votes in favour. Ms Anjinho will take office on 27 February 2025. Ms Anjinho is a member of the supervisory committee of the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) and a former Deputy Ombudsman of Portugal. She was also previously a Secretary of State for Justice and a Member of Parliament in Portugal. For more details, see  here . Welcoming the vote in the European Parliament, outgoing Ombudsman Emily O’Reilly, said: “I warmly congratulate Ms Anjinho on being elected European Ombudsman. This Office is key to ensuring the EU administration remains transparent and accountable to citizens and I wish her every success in the role. I also commend the hard work of the other candidates who participated in the election and wish them all the best.” Emily O’Reilly will remain European Ombudsman until the swearing-in ceremony for the new Ombudsman at the European Court of Justice on 27 February. ...
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Buying Property in Cyprus: Why Due Diligence is the Buyer's Legal Shield

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By Giorgos Kazoleas, Lawyer in Cyprus For most people, purchasing property in Cyprus is the most significant investment of their lifetime. However, behind an attractive photo in an online listing or a "bargain" price, hidden legal traps can easily turn a dream investment into a financial nightmare. Property Due Diligence is far more than a mere formality. It is a rigorous, essential investigation that ensures the property you are buying is legally "sound," free of encumbrances, and in full compliance with urban planning regulations. What Does a Comprehensive Legal Check Include? Before any contracts are signed or any funds are transferred to the Seller, the following elements must be subjected to a thorough legal audit: Ownership Status: Is the seller the actual and sole registered owner? Do they hold the full share of the property being sold? Encumbrances and Charges: Are there any active mortgages, "memos" (court judgments), or other regional bur...
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ECtHR Judgement against Greece: Disclosure of the identities and medical data of prostitutes diagnosed with HIV was a breach of their right to private life

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The case of O.G. and Others v. Greece (applications nos. 71555/12 and 48256/13) concerned the publication, by decision of the domestic authorities, of medical data concerning prostitutes who had been diagnosed as HIV-positive, and media coverage of them. It also concerned the circumstances in which they were required to undergo a blood test.  In Chamber 's judgment(23.1.2024) in this case the European Court of Human Rights held, unanimously, that there had been two violations:  -A violation of Article 8 (right to respect for private life) of the European Convention on Human Rights, with regard to two applicants, on account of the blood tests they had been required to undertake.  The Court considered that the blood samples imposed on two applicants had amounted to an interference with their private life and noted that this had not been in accordance with the law within the meaning of Article 8 of the Convention, given that the provisions of domestic law in issue ought to h...
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Swiss franc loans and borrowers’ rights in the light of 4 important judgments of the European Court of Justice

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By George Kazoleas, Lawyer LL.M. The EU Court of Justice has issued important decisions in recent years on the issue of bank foreign currency loans, essentially in Swiss francs, which has created significant case law useful for defending the interests of borrowers who have been “trapped” by credit institutions in contracts with abusive currency risk clauses resulting in undue overchargings. In summing up this case-law, the European Court of Justice has reached the following main conclusions: 1.The loan agreement must set out in a transparent manner the exact functioning of the foreign currency conversion mechanism and the exchange rate clause so that the consumer can assess the financial consequences of this mechanism. 2.The borrower must be clearly informed by the bank that, by concluding a loan agreement in a foreign currency, he / she is exposed to a certain foreign exchange risk that he / she may find it difficult to cope with in the event of a devaluation of the currency a...
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Landmark Murder Conviction for Illegal Street Racing in Germany

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Following a fatal illegal street race in Ludwigsburg in March 2025, the Stuttgart District Court (LG Stuttgart) has issued a landmark ruling. The primary defendant was sentenced to life imprisonment for murder, while his brother received 13 years for attempted murder. The race resulted in the deaths of two innocent young women when their vehicle was rammed at speeds exceeding 130 km/h in a 50 km/h zone. Intent vs. Negligence The core of the legal debate centered on the definition of intent. The defense argued for "negligent homicide," claiming the defendants never intended to kill anyone. The court applied the principle of eventual intent (dolus eventualis). It ruled that by racing at extreme speeds in a residential area, the defendants recognized the life-threatening danger and "accepted" the possibility of a fatal outcome in pursuit of the thrill of the race. The ruling utilizes Section 315d of the German Criminal Code (StGB), known as the "Raserparag...
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Employee monitoring: French Data Protection Authority fined Amazon France Logistique €32 million

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On 27 December 2023, the French Data Protection Authority (CNIL) fined Amazon France Logistique €32 million for setting up an excessively intrusive system for monitoring employee activity and performance. The company was also fined for video surveillance without information nor sufficient security. Amazon France Logistique   manages the Amazon group's large warehouses in France, where it receives and stores items and then prepares parcels for delivery to customers. As part of its activities, each warehouse employee is given a scanner to document the performance of certain tasks assigned to them in real time (storage or removal of an item from the shelves, putting away or packing, etc.). Each scan carried out by employees results in recording of data, which is stored and used to calculate indicators providing information on the quality, productivity and periods of inactivity of each employee. Following press articles about practices of the company in its warehouses, the CNIL c...
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The Accused's Right to the Last Word in Cyprus Criminal Proceedings: A Critical Analysis

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 Written by George Kazoleas, Lawyer The right of the accused to speak last (the "Last Word Right") within criminal proceedings is a fundamental manifestation of the presumption of innocence and is enshrined in the criminal procedure systems of the vast majority of legal orders worldwide. The utility of this procedural rule is evident: it aims to achieve equality of arms by balancing the positions of the two parties – the prosecutor/complainant and the accused – before the court's final verdict. In Cypriot criminal procedure, a recent amendment sought to improve an anachronistic procedural provision that critically undermined the accused's right to defence. The Prior Legal Framework Before the amendment introduced by Law 130 of 2023, Article 74(2) of the Criminal Procedure Law stipulated the following: "In every trial, the prosecutor and the accused or their respective lawyers may introduce their case by explaining it in general terms, and at the end of th...
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