New CBA President Vorkas dedicated to safeguarding Cyprus’ good name

"Our concern is not only the upgrading of the profession, but, at the same time, through modernisation and justice reform, we hope to serve the country’s society and economy," emphasises the newly elected president of the Cyprus Bar Association (CBA,) Michalis Vorkas.

Speaking to InBusinessNews on the occasion of his election to the presidency of the CBA, Vorkas expressed his satisfaction on the large participation of Cyprus’ legal world in the 18 October election process, which - as he indicated - amounted to approximately 70% of the Association’s members.

"The lawyers exercised their democratic right in a serious manner and nominated the new Council for the next three years. My own candidacy was chosen by my colleagues, while there was complete success for my own combination, with the election of all candidates to the Council," he noted.

Pointing out that without lawyers it is not possible for a democratic society or justice to function, the new president of the Cyprus Bar Association spoke of common interests, pointing out in this regard that society should also support the legal world and the legal world should serve the interests of society.

"With enthusiasm and collegiality", he explained, "the new Council of the Cyprus Bar Association will cooperate with all the powers of the state and the institutions, so that we can move forward".

Attracting new cases

Among the priorities of the new Council, according to Vorkas, will be cooperation with the Supreme Court, in order to find the best ways to get us out, as he characteristically pointed out, from the impasse of court case delays and backlogs.

Stating in this regard that soon there will be new appointments of judges in the provincial courts, the president of the CBA also expressed the belief that soon the commercial court and the maritime court will also function.

"Cyprus must upgrade its justice system," he said. And through the creation and operation of the courts that I have already mentioned, I believe that this will be achieved, attracting new cases to Cyprus, which unfortunately do not exist today under the prevailing conditions or for which Cyprus is not an option."

Among the priorities that the president of the Cyprus Bar Association also defined while speaking to InBusinessNews, is finding a way - through the appropriate legislation - to make the execution of court cases more effective. And this, as he pointed out, so that the citizen, appealing to justice, knows that his effort will have a substantial result.

Supervisory issues

With regard to the supervisory issues connected to money laundering matters, as Vorkas explained, the Cyprus Bar Association will work constructively, in the interest of the state of Cyprus, and for Cyprus’ good name abroad, through procedures which it will examine and apply.

"And collectively as lawyers, we will act so that the Cypriot state stops facing the problems it has faced in the past," he pointed out.

“I want to note on this,” he continued, “that any reprehensible action by lawyers will be prosecuted. However, with regard to what has happened in recent years, that is to say that all lawyers are being put in the same basket, this is not something I agree with. On the contrary, the lawyers of Cyprus serve the law, they are law-abiding and the few exceptions should not abolish the rule."

A reliable investment destination

Concluding, Michalis Vorkas characterised as very important the fact that the Cyprus Bar Association can, as he said, institutionally form the core and leading role, in cooperation with all the employer organisations that represent the business world, towards collectively finding ways, for the state can enact the right legislation, the right tax reform, etc., “in order for Cyprus to come to the fore again through what I mentioned above, so that in cooperation with foreign bodies, we can attract new investments in Cyprus, good businessmen, without distortions, and always with the right controls in place that will make us a reliable investment destination.”

(Source: InBusinessNews)