MOBILE CAMERAS - IT IS AT THE DISCRETION OF THE POLICE TO PUBLISH THE AREAS WHERE THEY OPERATE - Filenews 19/3 by Theodora Nikolaou
The Plenary Session of the Parliament voted into law the proposal for a law submitted by DISY MP Nikos Georgiou, with the aim of amending the Traffic Offenses (Use of Photo-Marking Devices and Other Related Issues) Law.
Initially, the proposal provided for the mandatory publication of the areas where the mobile cameras are placed by the Police, however, after objections from the competent authorities, it was decided to amend it so that the announcement and publication of the general areas is at the discretion of the Cyprus Police.
Essentially, the new regulation makes it possible for the Cyprus Police to announce and publish the general areas in which mobile photo-marking devices will operate, without indicating their operating hours, for the purpose of warning the public. Cases for which there will be a need for an urgent or extraordinary control will be excluded.
In his statement to the Plenary, the rapporteur of the proposal stated that "citizens have found that mobile photo-marking units are hidden behind kiosks, behind trees, immediately after turns, on downhill roads, in trap places where the driver has no visibility. Even worse, without the required warning signage as provided by law. This is perceived by society as an ambush."
With the possibility of publicizing the general areas and not the locations where the mobile cameras will operate, as he said, the information of the citizen and the strengthening of trust are achieved.
"Do we want a system that reduces accidents or a system that constantly produces fines?", asked Mr. Georgiou.
"Road safety is not served with hide and seek," he concluded.
The positions of the MPs
In turn, AKEL MP Costas Costa said that the law proposal is being followed in the right direction.
Pavlos Mylonas said that just last week it was voted to install beacons on the vans. He added that he considers the bill excessive and cannot vote for it.
Christos Christou reminded that when the legislation on cameras was passed, ELAM was the only party that did not support it. As he said, he does not meet the vans on the highways even late at night, but in places where there are no accidents on side streets in neighbourhoods and wondered what their role is. ELAM will support the proposal, he added.
Charalambos Theopemptou noted that the right thing is to make the right design of the road so that there are provisions for policing in terms of construction.
Irini Charalambidou stated that "we put the cameras in places to collect fines. Certainly the goal of policing the streets is not this, but the protection of the citizen. We put the beacons on the vans just last week, we increased the distance from which you are obliged to reduce the speed. I agree that there are drivers who cause accidents and kill people. Therefore, we cannot delete them all. Yes, the Police must change the places where the vans are placed. I believe in balance and I will vote against the law proposal," she concluded.
AKEL MP Christos Christofides stressed that "the emphasis must be on prevention. A driver must see the radar to prevent him from running. And not to hide the cameras. Why did the state install fixed cameras and does every citizen know where they exist? Precisely because the role must be preventive. Those changes must be made that will shift the emphasis to prevention."
Alexandra Attalidou said that the legislation is another income for the Government's coffers.
DISY MP Kyriakos Hatzigiannis stressed that we are trying to steal money from citizens in fraudulent ways.
Kostis Efstathiou explained that as it is formulated, the proposal enables the Police to warn drivers.
Chrysis Pantelidis said that exaggerations are heard. "All drivers, whether the vans are hidden or not, have no camera to fear if they respect the speed limits," he stressed.
Alekos Tryfonides in turn said that from Nicosia to Solia where he has been driving for the last 57 years, "we have 25 dead on this road. The crosses are there and they can be seen. I didn't see a single day a van where the people were killed. On the contrary, they are hidden in pine trees and behind rocks." "The goal is prevention. We don't want people's money. Both Mr. Papadouris' proposals last week and Mr. Georgiou's today's proposals are in the right direction. To be told the area, not the road, so that we can be careful. To create consciousness," he said.
The rapporteur of the proposal, taking the floor, referred to mobile applications that warn drivers about the places where speed checks are carried out, or to social media pages that post where the vans are. "Why does the Police announce when they will carry out traffic checks? What is the difference between this law proposal and the signs on the highways that indicate that speed checks are being carried out?", he asked.
The bill was passed into law with 27 votes in favour, two against (P. Mylonas, Ch. Pantelidis) and 3 abstentions (E. Charalambidou, P. Leonidou, Ch. Theopemptou).
