Cyprus Mail 16 June 2020 -by George Psyllides
A Protaras club that made headlines two weeks ago after blatantly flouting coronavirus protective measures will be reopening Tuesday after a court lifted an injunction suspending its operation on June 9.
Police sought an injunction after it transpired that the operators of Nava did not have the required permits.
That was after the owner was booked five times for violating provisions of the quarantine law during the bank holiday weekend of June 6 to 8.
On Tuesday, the operator of the club presented the court with the necessary permits issued by the tourism ministry and the Paralimni municipality in the week following the court order.
The court lifted the injunction, but the owner will be facing charges over the quarantine violations in 10 days.
The issue emerged after videos published on social media showed the beach venue packed with people who partied without even applying basic protective measures.
Police said the bar was warned five times but the owner “continued to repeatedly display blatant negligence and disobedience to the decrees surrounding quarantine law.”
Videos of people partying at the bar circulated on Sunday, June 7, prompting the ire of both justice and health ministers.
Although the pictures were believed to be from Saturday, and despite the condemnation, the bar did nothing to adhere to the coronavirus measures and went on to operate the same way on Sunday.
The issue spilled into the political field with the opposition suggesting the owner was let off because he was connected.
Justice Minister Giorgos Savvides denied the claims, arguing that authorities could not file a criminal case of the kind during the weekend or bank holidays.
