A new report shows big money problems at Cyprus's Ministry of Transport. The country's Audit Office did a study. It found weak money controls and mistakes in accounting. These problems have lasted for years. This makes the government unsure about its money and open to big claims.
The audit looked at the ministry's work in 2022-2023. It also checked old agreements for bus services from 2010. These contracts are worth many millions of euros. They control bus services in different parts of the country. However, the audit showed that the ministry has not watched these contracts well for over ten years.
Because of these problems, there is a court case. Five bus companies want more than €59 million. This is about disagreements from the 2010-2020 contracts. Also, companies with newer contracts (2020-2022) did not send financial reports on time. When they did send them, the ministry did not always give fines. This made it harder to check their work.
Inside the ministry, money controls were very weak. One person did many important jobs. This person calculated payments, checked them, and approved them. This is a big mistake. It can lead to errors and maybe crime. Also, because records are not good, the state does not know how much money it owes.
Drivers are also affected. The vehicle registration system made a mistake. It charged drivers too much for late renewals. The penalty was 10% of the yearly fee. This happened even for short delays. The total amount overcharged is not known. Therefore, the ministry needs to make changes quickly. It must improve checks and money controls to protect public money.