Filenews 3 January 2023
With a bottomless well, the fine warrants issued by the Courts, since despite the huge efforts of the Police to execute them, however, news is constantly coming that these remain unpaid.
In 2022, another 36,728 warrants were received by the Police for the amount of almost €27 million. These warrants were issued by 9 December by all Courts of Cyprus and concerned the total amount of €26,992,445. If we subtract those executed to date, there are currently 26,889 warrants pending for execution in the amount of €21,356,000. As can be seen from this data, no matter how much effort is made, the black hole with the warrants will remain and perpetuate, which is why changes in the procedures are necessary. The members of the Police Warrant Collection Units are working with excessive zeal, however, it seems impossible to execute everything and the state is left exposed.
The problem is focused both on the procedures and on the fact that sophisticates find ways not to receive their out-of-court settlement, thus avoiding its payment. The problem was exacerbated by the economic crisis and the pandemic, where many saw their incomes fall and thus were unable to pay their debts. There is, of course, the settlement of payment by instalments through the Attorney General, however, some prefer the solution of avoiding payment through various tricks. The Auditor General has already in his reports suggested some solutions, especially of coordination of the computerized system of the Courts with the Police so as not to make mistakes, but efforts are still being made. Also, with the imposition of a fine by the Courts, it could have been immediately payable up to an amount greater than what currently exists. At the same time, with the imposition of a fine, the details of the person convicted should be requested so that they are up to date.
Most of the pending extrajudicial documents concern fines from traffic violations and debts to Social Insurance. The situation has improved since the last report of the Auditor General, with the Minister of Justice appointing a special police officer, senior police officer Andreas Angelides, who supervises all actions taken to execute more warrants. Indicative of the new changes made is that since 25/10/2021 when an officer was appointed in charge of the efforts to execute the warrants, a little more than €11 millions have entered the funds, almost one million more than in the previous period.
The actions taken now are targeted and concern warrants of citizens who are not registered unemployed, are not bankrupt and the authorities know that they can pay the amounts due but find ways not to do so. This has also been shown by the fact that police officers carry out checks at the barricades and bookmakers where they find even recipients of public assistance going to the occupied territories for the casinos or playing bets in the bookies, but do not pay their fines.
In Nicosia, most of the money was collected from warrants, while in Limassol most of it was executed. According to data obtained by "F", from 25/10/2021 until 6/12/2022 (a period when procedures changed and targeted campaigns are being made) 74,573 warrants were executed and €11,598,045 was collected. Specifically, in Nicosia, 19,061 warrants were executed, bringing €3,678,170 to state coffers. In Limassol, 29,316 warrants were executed for the amount of €3,406,076, in Larnaca 11,100 warrants were executed for the amount of €1,908,384, in Paphos another 10,444 warrants were executed and €1,658,828 was collected. In Famagusta, another 3,918 warrants were executed with the identification of the debtors and the amount of €811,879 was collected. Finally, in the province of Morphou, 734 warrants were executed and the amount of €134,708 was collected.
For the same period a year ago, i.e. from 25/10/2020 until 6/12/2021 when no special measures were applied, 66,383 warrants were executed and €10,252,064 was collected with most of them being executed in the districts of Nicosia, Limassol, Larnaca and Paphos.
Targeted campaigns work
However, the fact that almost 27,000 warrants are currently pending for execution makes it difficult for the Police to identify those affected and collect the amounts due, since some pretending not to have the money are trying to postpone their payment. There are also cases where families are really struggling financially, for which the Police give time credit and with the ease of instalments to start paying off.
However, there are cases of civil servants, police officers, etc. who, while having income, avoid paying their debts, which the Police are now chasing until they do so.
A characteristic of how positive the targeted campaigns conducted by the Police are is the following: Within a week, it was possible to execute 1,770 warrants and collect an amount of €285,679.
Also, only one day, on December 6, after a campaign at barricades and checking those passing through the occupied areas, or in bookies, cafes and clubs, 506 persons were identified who owed fines imposed on them by the Courts and the amount of € 130,319 was collected. As we have been told, it is not possible for someone to owe fines convicted of a misconduct and not pay it and at the same time go to the casinos of the occupied territories and indulge in gambling.
