During his visit to the Paphos Police Headquarters today, the Minister of Justice and Public Order stated that the rise in criminality and violent incidents has become a pressing issue for us in the past few days.
Regarding fan violence, Minister Marios Hartsiotis emphasized that the statements made by the President of the Republic himself about the dimensions of the problem speak for themselves.
The state, he emphasized, will await decisions from the Cyprus Football Association (CFA) on the matter, and subsequently, there will be corresponding processing and decisions.
Addressing the issue of the understaffing of the police force in Paphos, the responsible minister stressed that this problem is nationwide and not exclusive to Paphos.
However, by 2024, he highlighted, the state will be able to better staff Police Directorates, including the Paphos Directorate.
In 2024, he said, at least 500 individuals, whether specialized police officers, contract staff, or graduates of the Police Academy, will be incorporated into various police directorates, he clarified.
The Minister of Justice and Public Order also mentioned the meeting he had on Thursday in his office with the Mayor of Paphos, where they discussed the surge in criminal activities in the city over the past few months.
As he stated, Mr. Phaedonos provided information, names, and details during this meeting, which, according to him, are related to the crimes that occurred in Paphos during this period.
This information has been handed over to the Police Chief, he reported, who will thoroughly examine it as part of his duties.
The Justice Minister concluded by stating that the police serve the country and its citizens to the best of their ability, without this meaning that further corrective actions cannot proceed.
