Cyprus Mail 26 February 2025 - by Charalambos Stylianou
For the first time, Cyprus police have issued an invoice on Wednesday for the cost of policing the Limassol carnival parade, a move that has raised concerns among local authorities.
A representative of the union of municipalities revealed before the House legal affairs committee on Wednesday that police sent an invoice for €45,000 to cover security expenses for Sunday’s parade in Limassol. This was confirmed by deputy police chief Yiannakis Georgiou, who was present at the committee meeting.
When questioned by committee chairman Nikos Tornaritis, Georgiou explained that the decision was made due to limited funds available for police overtime. He did not clarify whether similar charges would apply to other public events in the future.
The representative of the union of municipalities stressed that this was the first time police had requested payment for carnival security. The unexpected bill has raised questions about who should bear the cost of public event policing.
The discussion took place as MPs reviewed a government bill regulating public gatherings and parades. The committee also examined a separate legislative proposal to criminalise the use of face coverings during demonstrations. Officials indicated that if the government’s bill passes soon, including provisions addressing this issue, the separate proposal may be withdrawn.
The debate over security costs is expected to continue, with municipalities seeking clarity on whether police charges will become standard practice for major public events.
Update - Filenews
The Police explain why they charge the cost of policing for carnival and why they do not charge for policing demonstrations.
According to an announcement on the occasion of the public debate regarding the payment of compensation to the members of the Police, who work for the policing of various events, the following are highlighted:
The Chief of Police, as an auditing officer for the financial matters of the Police, including the payment of compensation for the overtime of members on the basis of suggestions/recommendations of the Minister of Finance and the Auditor General of the Republic, weights the data for each event separately, with the ultimate goal of financial collection, which is required in the context of good administration and respecting the fact that the cost of policing is ultimately borne by the taxpayer.
In this context, for evaluation purposes, the separation of events into festive / artistic and events / protest demonstrations is made, where for the former a lease is requested from the organizers, while for the policing of events / protest demonstrations that directly affect the public order and safety of citizens, the corresponding amount is paid from the Police Budget, which has an obligation to protect citizens from possible adverse reactions.
