A heated debate in Cyprus's parliament has raised questions about how the country collects unpaid fines from traffic cameras. At the same time, officials have given a serious warning about a sharp increase in drink and drug driving. During a meeting on Tuesday, politicians challenged the Transport Ministry's practice of stopping people with unpaid fines at airports and border points. This discussion happened as the ministry asked for a large budget increase for its traffic camera systems.
The main argument is about the method used. Members of Parliament, like Aristos Damianou from the Akel party, argue that stopping people from travelling without a court order is an abuse of state power. "The state must enforce the law, but it should not act like a criminal organisation that tricks people," Damianou said. This criticism follows an earlier opinion from a legal committee that said the practice might be illegal. The system uses a special software list, called the 'Photo Radar List', to identify offenders at borders. The ministry is now asking for more money for this software in next year's budget.
Meanwhile, the country is facing a continuing road safety problem. Traffic Department Director Haris Evripidou reported four deadly accidents in just one week, all caused by drivers under the influence. Official data shows over 3,200 drink-driving incidents and 869 drug-driving offenses so far this year. Evripidou believes the real number for drug driving is likely much higher. He explained that while police do initial saliva tests, they must wait weeks for lab results, which slows down prosecutions.
The government is requesting €3.9 million to fund the automatic traffic camera system. Officials state that the private company running the cameras gets a fixed fee, not a share of the fines, to prevent unfair incentives. However, politicians remain focused on whether the enforcement method is legal.
The result of this debate is important. If parliament rules against the current system, laws may need to change, which could leave many fines unpaid. At the same time, the Traffic Department wants better testing and harsher penalties to stop impaired driving. As Cyprus plans for next year, the government must find a balance between effective law enforcement, road safety, and protecting citizens' legal rights.