By a Staff Reporter
THE Cabinet yesterday decided to slash the number of people using Larnaca airport’s VIP lounge, and to set up a second lounge whose users would have to pay a fee.
The current list had been the subject of heavy criticism in the past as it included – apart from the president and his family, the Archbishop, ministers and diplomats – a long list of senior government officials, House deputies, party leaders, former presidents and House presidents, senior judges and former senior judges and many more.
In addition, there was an approved list of company directors entitled to VIP treatment when on state business and an obscure category of special personalities, which covered anyone the Cabinet wanted to place on the VIP list.
To make things worse, local VIPs routinely caused problems by demanding and getting similar preferential treatment for family members.
Yesterday, Government Spokesman Kypros Chrysostomides said the Cabinet had decided to split the authority for the VIP lounge between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Communications.
“The Foreign Ministry will be responsible for the President of the Republic, his family, the Archbishop, the House president, the Supreme Court President, heads of diplomatic delegations, and the Communications Ministry for all the rest,” Chrysostomides said.
He did not say who or how many people would now be eligible for the VIP lounge.
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