in-cyprus 13 December 2024 - by Angelos Nicolaou
Parliament is set to discuss new legislation next Monday that would grant the transport minister enhanced powers to manage vehicle recalls, particularly concerning defective Takata airbags that pose serious safety risks.
The proposed law, scheduled to take effect on 31 January 2025, would enable the minister to issue decrees determining recall procedures, set corrective measure timeframes, and suspend vehicle roadworthiness certificates in cases of non-compliance.
The Transport Committee has effectively shifted responsibility for thousands of affected vehicle owners to the government. The minister will need to address the safety concerns of drivers and passengers in vehicles with potentially lethal airbags whilst also finding solutions for their mobility needs, particularly for those without alternative transport.
Transport Committee Chairman Marinos Mousiouttas said the public awaits decisions on this matter, whilst Alexis Vafeades told Phileleftheros newspaper that public safety must take precedence, stating: “Better for citizens to be inconvenienced than to mourn more lives.”
The situation in Cyprus is particularly acute for used vehicles, many of which have not been subject to airbag recalls in previous years, leaving owners and passengers at risk from potentially explosive airbags that could propel metal fragments.
The parliamentary session witnessed heated debate, with 35 MPs voting to postpone the decision until Monday, whilst seven opposed the delay. The postponement came after an emergency Transport Committee meeting, which occurred just before the planned parliamentary vote.
The presence of the mother of Kyriacos Oxinos, who lost his life due to a defective Takata airbag, added poignancy to the parliamentary session. She attended dressed in black mourning clothes.
Under the proposed legislation, the transport minister would issue the first decree on 3 February 2025. The original draft included a three-month compliance period for recalls, but this provision has been removed, leaving the timeframe to be determined by ministerial decree.
The Road Transport Department’s director, George Louca, explained that without modifications, the law would have resulted in thousands of vehicles being immobilised when it takes effect, as vehicles with airbags deemed to pose serious injury or death risks would automatically have their roadworthiness certificates suspended.
