Filenews 5 November 2025 - by Michalis Chatzivasilis
The Chief of Police is studying changes in the way roadblocks and airports are policed, in order to carry out more effective controls. Speaking during the discussion of the budget of the Ministry of Justice, Themistos Arnaoutis said that 23 hourly workers were recently hired to man the barricades so that better controls can be carried out for those entering and leaving the occupied territories. Regarding the security of the airports, he said that at the moment 70 people are employed for the security of the two airports Larnaca and Paphos and there is a suggestion that their security be placed under the Ministry of Defense. In this way, staff will be relieved of the Police and on the other hand the security of the airports will be placed under one Ministry instead of two as it is today.
Themistos Arnaoutis did not hide the problem that exists with the way the Police respond to calls from citizens. "We have a problem with the right response, which is why we asked for the hiring of a consultant for a technological upgrade. The Minister of Finance answered positively but indicated to us that services should be purchased," he said. Mr. Arnaoutis added that "criminals are armed, they have no moral barriers, they have no financial constraints, which is why we asked the Minister of Finance for approval to hire technology experts." Answering a question about the problem of corruption in the Police, the Chief of the Corps said that "for us it is important to do prevention, we cannot have police officers with wealth, we must work on prevention".
Regarding the murder of Stavros Demosthenous, the Chief of Police said that the investigations are ongoing, eight arrests have been made, more are expected and we continue. Regarding the mistake that was made and a prisoner was found in a van with undertrials, but also the location of a mobile phone in the possession of a suspect for the murder of Demosthenes, the Chief stated that administrative investigations have been ordered and everything is being investigated. Regarding the incidents outside the Presidential Palace, he said that they are being investigated by an Independent Authority, while noting that studies are being carried out for the collapse of police stations, for better coverage of the countryside.
Hartsiotis on Prisons, security systems, violence in the stadiums
Presenting the budget of the Ministry of Justice, its political supervisor, Marios Hartsiotis, referred to the upcoming reorganization of the Police, where within 2026 its call center will be upgraded at a cost of €1 million. At the same time, he stressed that cooperation with the Greek authorities is being strengthened, while regarding the fight against organized crime, he said that a lot is being done, uniformed patrols have increased and operations have intensified. Recently, he said, the presence of MMAD in Eleftherias Square was decided, while the Asset Investigation Branch was established and money and real estate were frozen in the context of investigating cases of illicit enrichment.
Regarding the Prisons, the Minister of Justice said that the construction of a new wing that will solve the problem of overcrowding is at an advanced stage, while a bill has been prepared for the electronic monitoring of undertrials. As he said, it will be one of the alternative measures to guarantee the appearance before a Court of the undertrial and it will be left to the discretion of the Court to decide. Regarding the key issue of the installation of a mobile phone deactivation system, he said that since the day before yesterday, data were given on its operating time. Finally, he mentioned that in 2026 the new camera system will be installed in all areas of the Prisons.
Another issue that is pending and for which it is criticized concerns the Juvenile Prisons. According to the legislation, the Prisons should operate at the beginning of 2026, however, this is not feasible because, as Mr. Hartsiotis explained, this issue is connected to the "Limnes" Pre-Removal Center in Mennogeia. "That is why we are asking for a change in the law to give a new extension to the operation of the child detention facility for 1/1/2027," he said.
On the issue of violence in the stadiums, the minister said that "we are in a third round of consultations in relation to the two bills that have been prepared and will be sent back to Parliament". He also said that:
>> For the accession of Cyprus to the Schengen zone we are at an advanced stage and the technical structure and specifications are towards the end.
>> Regarding the bill concerning arbitration, he described it as difficult because everyone is involved. This is in the Legal Service for legal review.
>> An advanced telephone call system is coming in 2026 that will be connected to the pan-European 112 line.
>> For the Driver Training School that the tender was cancelled after only one submitted a bid and it was found that it did not meet the conditions of the tender. Consultation was held and within a month and a half the tender should be re-announced, so that within the first 6 months of 2026 the school can operate.
It is noted that because the Minister of Justice left the Committee before all the MPs submitted questions, it was decided that it would be reconvened in the presence of Mr. Hartsiotis.
Confrontation against the backdrop of "inadequacy"
The minister was criticized personally by the MPs of AKEL, Aristos Damianou and Andreas Pasiourtidis, as a result of which a strong confrontation broke out.
In his statement, Mr. Damianou stated that we have murders in broad daylight in residential areas, guaranteed rights of expression are being violated, fires while we are ready and then what we experienced followed. "You have caused the biggest institutional crisis of all time, there should have been different handling and the Parliament is called upon to arbitrate. There is strong insecurity in the public today despite the measures taken," he said.
For his part, Mr. Pasiourtidis accused the minister of "trying since 2021 to create Juvenile Prisons, I would be ashamed to bring a bill for a new extension, I congratulate you for bringing it. For Prisons, the new system has not yet been installed and they broke it, it is a crime directorate, while the law on surveillance was passed and then not implemented."
Taking the floor, the minister said that "I ignore the two pre-election statements of the two AKEL MPs. For a juvenile detention area, this will be the current pre-removal center in Mennogia. The remodelling of the space will begin after the "Lakes" will be ready, which will be completed in the first half of '26. For legislation on phone monitoring and telecommunications data, it is at the Legal Service. To turn off phones, we proceed and we have installed a very modern system inside the Prison building. There is no damage to the system in any way, a €10 sensor was destroyed and has been replaced.
The Minister of Justice also responded to the position of Mr. Damianos, regarding the issue of the institutional crisis, due to the reform of the Legal Service. As he pointed out, "no crisis has occurred. The government's goal is immutable. It is not only a pre-election commitment, it is recommendations of the international committees."
