A total of 293 police officers are now tasked with guarding politicians, foreign diplomats and state officials in Cyprus.
And all this when the Force is short of staff with 600 pending vacancies and hiring procedures being as slow as can be, Philenews reported on Friday.
Specifically, 20 police officers are exclusively tasked with guarding the leaders of the island’s political parties. These offices are included in the total of 77 who guard political and state officials.
The police officers who guard political figures are paid by the state, except for four guarding head of ruling Disy party Averof Neophytou and who are paid by him, personally.
As for the Presidential Guard, 111 members are currently under employment and this includes the police officers accompanying President Anastasiades as well as those charged with guarding the Presidential Palace. That is, watchtowers, entrances and exits.
For the guarding of foreign ambassadors and embassies, a total of 105 police officers are tasked with it.
