Cyprus's parliament held a heated meeting this week. Politicians questioned how the government collects unpaid fines from traffic cameras. At the same time, officials warned about a serious increase in dangerous driving.
The main argument is about enforcement methods. Currently, police can stop people with unpaid fines at airports and border crossings. Some members of parliament say this is wrong without a judge's order. One MP, Aristos Damianou, said the state must follow the law but should not act like a "mafia." This practice uses a special software list to find offenders. The Transport Ministry is now asking for more money in next year's budget to fund this system.
During the same meeting, the Traffic Department shared worrying road safety news. The director reported four deadly accidents in just one week, caused by drivers using alcohol or drugs. Official numbers for 2025 show over 3,200 alcohol-related incidents and nearly 900 drug-related ones. The director said the real number for drugs is probably higher because they cannot do enough tests. Getting lab results takes many weeks, which slows down the legal process.
The government wants €3.9 million for its traffic camera systems. They say the company operating the cameras gets a fixed fee, not money per fine. However, politicians are focused on whether stopping people at borders is legal.
Cyprus now faces two big problems. It must find a fair way to collect fines while also stopping the rise in impaired driving, which causes tragic deaths. The parliament's decision could change how fines are collected and may lead to new laws.