Filenews 1 December 2021 - by Michalis Hadjivasilis
A special protection plan for Pope Francis is being put in place from dawn tomorrow with the recruitment of over 500 police officers every day. The authorities are at the highest level of readiness, since the Pontiff is considered to be a personality with a high degree of threat.
The day before yesterday, but also yesterday in meetings, the Police are examining all its action plans and as the Assistant Chief of Operations Dimitris Demetriou told "F", there is a constant review of the plans and added that the security measures will be at the highest level of readiness. Asked about the police officers who will be deployed for the gigantic operation to protect Pope Francis and the Vatican delegation that will accompany him, he said that people were called from the Police Directorates of Nicosia, Larnaca, Limassol and Famagusta and many departments of the Police Headquarters.
A prominent role will be played by the Special Counter-Terrorism Ulamos of the MMAD as well as the intelligence services of both the Police and the BPH. Regarding the measures to be taken, Mr. Demetriou said that whichever road the Pope passes through will be automatically closed to the public. According to him, for safety reasons, the name of the roads that will be closed will not be announced, but a general announcement will be issued, so that the public complies with the instructions of the police officers. Indicative of the situation that will prevail, is that up to the Larnaka - Nicosia highway will be closed while the procession with the Pope will be coming from the airport to Nicosia.
According to the police plan, on the first day of the Pontiff's arrival in Cyprus on Thursday, December 2nd, 567 police officers will be deployed, on Friday, December 3, 460 uniformed personnel will be recruited and on Saturday, the day of his departure from Cyprus, 550. Due to the Pope's movements, Nicosia will resemble a police-dominated city where roads will be closed and opened, while the area around Pafos Gate will be under constant confinement for 48 hours.
Yesterday, the special vehicles with which the primate of the Catholic Church and his escort will be transported arrived in Cyprus, while it was not considered appropriate to transport the special glass car with which he moves, because the large gathering of the faithful will take place at the GSP stadium, where he will celebrate the Divine Liturgy from a platform.
To cover the visit, 211 journalists from Cyprus, the Vatican and other countries or agencies operating in the region have been accredited. Also, believers from neighbouring countries will come to receive the blessing of the Pontiff.
