Filenews 11 June 2024
A war of announcements has broken out between the CFA on the one hand and the Police and the Ministry of Justice on the other, following the decision to lift the measure prohibiting the movement of fans, in view of the new championship.
After the Police and the Ministry of Justice openly expressed today their disagreement with the CFA's decision and warns that "the situation will be evaluated and they will take their own actions".
Police and the ministry believe that the ban on the movement of fans has worked, despite the incidents that have occurred, and should be extended this year. The Federation recently decided to lift the ban on the new league and based on the announcement the away team will be able to transfer fans depending on the stadium.
Yesterday, the Ministry of Justice announced that as a measure, the ban on the movement of fans of visiting teams had had a positive effect on preventing serious incidents, as they had occurred before this measure was implemented and which led to its imposition, without of course ignoring the fact that even after its implementation there were again several phenomena of delinquency.
The CFA has every right, as the organizing authority of the championship, to make this decision. We, for our part, have an obligation to ensure the preservation of the physical integrity of fans, the protection of all kinds of property of third parties and generally the safe conduct of matches in the context of order and security.
The Ministry of Justice and Public Order and the Police will evaluate and take into account this decision of the CFA, in relation to any risks it may pose, and will take their own actions, always in strict compliance with the applicable legislation, with the sole aim of ensuring the safety of genuine fans and citizens of the Republic of Cyprus in general. concludes the MoD. Justice.
The Police had first reacted to the announcement of the CFA for the lifting of the ban on the movement of fans, according to which, the new year marks the return of fans of the visiting teams, ie granting to the away team 10% of the tickets of the total capacity of the stadium.
As stated by the spokesman of the Force, Christos Andreou, for the time being, the Police remain in favour of not moving fans. As he stated, there was a meeting with the CFA at the Police Headquarters on May 8 and the Police's firm position was raised, that what we support and want to continue is what has been done so far.
That is, in favour of continuing the measure of banning the movement of fans of any away team. That was our position. The announcement of the CFA was made public, without informing us of this intention, while we have also given our positions to them, why this measure must continue. I repeat, our position is the same. Now what comes next, we'll see."
Asked why the Police still have this position, Mr. Andreou said that it is a measure that worked and there were no tragedies after its implementation. Despite the fact that an exemption had been granted for a specific match, we saw fans misbehave. That is why we continue to support this position.
Philenews reports that the intention of the Police, and by extension of the Ministry of Justice, is to let things flow and if incidents are observed then they will raise the issue with the CFA. If no decision is made, then there is the power to refuse match policing.
It is noted that the CFA and the Ministry of Justice had disagreed last January when Minister Marios Hartsiotis had requested that all matches be held behind closed doors, following the incidents at the Alphamega stadium, with the Federation rejecting the request.
