Filenews 22 March 2022 - by Michalis Hadjivasilis
The Police are taking legal action against citizens who attack the employees of a private company that operates the photo-labelling system, or threaten via the internet.
Recently, citizens stoned a vehicle with the camera operator who was conducting speed checks in Limassol, while in another case a citizen threw oranges in a similar vehicle in Nicosia. Also, as the assistant head of the Traffic Department at the Police Headquarters, Haris Evripidou, told "F", those who break the law and attack the camera operators on the streets will face justice. He said that many are also making threats via the internet against the camera operators and after investigations, a case against them is being identified and investigated and will be referred to the Court. Mr. Evripidou advised citizens to comply with the speed limit, adding that with stone throws they will not gain anything. For fixed cameras, no attempts at damage have been reported.
As far as the complaints are concerned, the traffic police officer said that the number of drivers reported daily has been reduced from the 1,300 that were originally, now they have been reduced to 300. Most are reported for exceeding the speed limit. From the 1st of the year until today, more than 40,000 drivers have been reported (some of them two and three times) and that in the last few days the first 1,500 out-of-court cases have been sent to the offenders. In fact, some people have begun to pay them, according to Mr. Evripidou, noting that this shows that the system has begun to function normally.
At the same time, the Traffic Police officer noted that the Police immediately approves any cases sent by the managing company and that any delay observed in the handling of complaints will be resolved with the recent recruitment of personnel. On the next phase, it will all depend on how things go with the first phase, since there are still thousands of complaints pending for consideration, approval and sending the notice to the offenders.
Meanwhile, the crooks didn't even let the issue with the cameras pass and found a way to fish for victims. Citizens, according to complaints, began receiving messages in their email informing them that they were reported by the photo-labelling system and urging them to pay the fine. This is fraud, Mr. Evripidou said, stressing that drivers will never receive an e-mail stating that they have been reported by the cameras. Only by registered mail will they be notified of this, and they will be able to establish the legality by seeing the photograph of their vehicle during the offence with a code.
