Nicosia: The election of Alexia Kalispera, Senior Counsel of the Republic, to a prestigious position on the Bureau of the Group of States Members of the Council of Europe against Corruption (GRECO) marks a significant achievement for Cyprus on the international stage, the Office of the Attorney General announced. Kalispera’s election to one of the seven positions on the Bureau underscores Cyprus’s growing influence in global anti-corruption efforts.
According to Cyprus News Agency, Kalispera secured her seat on the Bureau by receiving 30 affirmative votes from the 46 GRECO member states that participated in the secret ballot. The election took place during the 98th GRECO Plenary Session in Strasbourg, held from November 18 to 22, 2024. This achievement holds particular significance as it is the first time Cyprus has been elected to this crucial body of the Council of Europe, which is tasked with aiding member states in combating corruption through robust evaluation processes. Kalispera’s nomination received
backing from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, further bolstering her candidacy.
Currently, GRECO comprises 48 member states, following the withdrawal of Russia and Latvia. The newly elected GRECO Board of Directors includes David Meyer as President (United Kingdom), Antonio Delicado as Vice-President (Portugal), and members Lise Chipault (France), Panagiota Vatikalou (Greece), Sorin Tanase (Romania), Olivier Gonin (Switzerland), alongside Alexia Kalispera from Cyprus. The new Board will begin its term on January 1, 2025, and will oversee the Sixth GRECO Evaluation Round until its conclusion.
Kalispera has been an active participant in GRECO’s initiatives since 2015, serving as the head of the Cypriot delegation. Her extensive experience includes roles as an Evaluator in the Fifth GRECO Evaluation Round, focusing on the prevention of corruption in central governments and law enforcement bodies for countries such as Latvia, Ireland, and Liechtenstein. Additionally, she has been an Evaluator for the Ad Hoc Rep
ort of Greece and a Rapporteur for several countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom, in various GRECO evaluation rounds.