NICOSIA, Jan. 24 (Xinhua) -- After years of often heated discussion, the Cypriot parliament on Friday passed a legislation which for the first time would allow crime fighters to legally tap communications.
Demetris Syllouris, president of the 56-member House of Representatives, said over half of the lawmakers voted in favor of the government bill.
The bill states that the purpose of telecommunications surveillance was to prevent and combat terrorism and fight serious organized crime, including football games fixing and contract killings.
The bill was a long standing demand by the Police and was under consideration for several years.
Opposition parties stood steadfastly against the bill, claiming that it could be used to tap political opponents, until strict safeguards were introduced.
The legislation provides that a three-member commission appointed by the Attorney General will make requests to a court to lift the confidentiality of telecommunications data.
It will have to report each time to a parliamentary committee and the president of the state.
Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades said earlier this month that passing the legislation to allow phone surveillance would be a crucial development in solving crimes.
Evidence obtained by phone surveillance was not allowed in courts up to now.
The bill states that no individuals can own communications surveillance equipment and that only machinery owned by the state could be used for the purpose of the law. Enditem
