The Supreme Constitutional Court declares the law on traffic light timers unconstitutional

The Supreme Constitutional Court of the Republic today unanimously ruled unconstitutional the law passed by the House of Representatives on March 13, 2025. The legislation mandated the installation of countdown timers on traffic lights combined with surveillance cameras recording traffic violations.

The judges concluded that the law violates Article 82 of the Constitution as it entails increased state expenditures not provided for in the current budget. The court ruling emphasized that implementing the initiative would require significant financial investment, including reprogramming traffic lights, purchasing new equipment, and, in some cases, even relocating traffic light infrastructure. All these measures, according to the court, create new budgetary obligations that lack prior approval from the executive branch.

The court also sided with President of the Republic Nikos Christodoulides, whose position was represented by lawyer M. Antoniou. During the proceedings, the presidential side argued that the law contradicts key provisions of the Constitution, citing both legal and technical grounds. Specifically, the president noted that the installation of timers would interfere with the implementation of a new intelligent traffic management system set to be deployed at 125 intersections nationwide. Research conducted by the Department of Public Works showed that countdown timers are incompatible with the adaptive system that automatically responds to traffic flow.

Moreover, the president highlighted potential road safety risks. According to him, predetermined intervals displayed on the timers could disorient drivers and cause confusion if the signal phase changes due to the operation of the intelligent system. This, in turn, could lead to an increase in traffic accidents at intersections.

The House of Representatives, for its part, disagreed with the president’s position. Its interests in court were represented by lawyer A. Emilianides. The parliamentary side insisted on its right to pass laws without restrictions, claiming that the House has sovereignty in legislative matters and may enact amendments even if their constitutionality is in doubt.

Following the law’s rejection, the president came under pressure from the House of Representatives, which effectively issued him an ultimatum. Lawmakers stated that if the countdown system is not implemented within six months, the operation of red-light violation cameras would be suspended. This raised additional concerns for the president, as suspending fines would breach the terms of the existing contract with the company implementing the violation photo-capture project. Thus, the repeal of the law has not only legal and technical consequences but also potential financial and legal risks for the state.