Following the submission of new traffic regulations to Parliament, Transport Minister Alexis Vafeades told “Politis” newspaper that after these regulations are passed, he would consult with municipalities to designate urban zones where only hybrid and electric vehicles would be permitted, with petrol and diesel vehicles allowed only during specific hours and days.
He stated this would begin as a pilot scheme in 2025.
The announcement promptly sparked criticism, with Achilles Emilianides (among many others) questioning: “How many people can afford to buy electric cars just to access the city centre, especially in a country with completely inadequate and ineffective public transport? Are we trying to further destroy city centre businesses and create a two-tier society of haves and have-nots?”
As a legal expert, he also raised constitutional concerns: “I’m unsure how these measures passed legal scrutiny, but I must remind everyone of the fundamental principle (established by one of the Supreme Court’s landmark decisions) that restrictions on freedom of movement are unconstitutional when there’s no adequate and effective public transport system in place. Such restrictions effectively discriminate between the wealthy and others, violating the principle of equal treatment by making it financially impossible for the average citizen to comply.”
Over the next two days, despite audio evidence to the contrary, the minister attempted to deny ever making such statements.
This isn’t the first time this particular minister has contradicted himself.
In September 2023, he reassured the public that the €300 traffic light violation fine would be reduced, stating in an interview with “Reporter”: “We understand that beyond deterring violations, the fine’s impact on people is exhausting and intimidating. €300 takes a huge portion of an average family’s monthly income. Our aim isn’t to deprive people but to encourage compliance and safer driving habits. We can achieve this with a different penalty system.”
However, a few months later, he announced that the €300 fine would remain unchanged.
Regarding the increase in road fatalities (despite the hefty fines), he claimed that “from the 1990s until now, there’s been a significant overall reduction, albeit with fluctuations, as fate plays strange games with many people’s destinies.”
The Park & Ride scheme was meant to expand both to other cities and with additional routes in Nicosia. However, we’ve run out of drivers.