New consumer protection body launched

A NEW non-governmental organisation aimed at protecting consumers in every aspect of their lives was launched yesterday.

The Cyprus Union of Consumers and Quality of Life is an independent, non-political, non-profit organisation, based on similar organisations in the European Union, its chairman, Lucas Aristodemou, said.

Its main goals, as outlined in its charter, are: “To offer an organised structure to all Cypriot consumers, without discrimination according to sex, race, language, ethnicity, religion, political beliefs etc, for the legal protection, aid, protection and promotion of their right to a comfortable and healthy life, in a healthy and sustainable developing environment, as well as all the other rights and interests that exist under Cyprus law, the acquis communautaire, International Law and their internationally recognised and registered special rights as part of the International Consumers’ Movement.”

Aristodemou said the new union was in no way competing with the existing Consumers’ Association. He said they had already asked to co-operate with them and that the two organisations were likely to overlap since they both had consumers’ best interests at heart.

The union plans to conduct investigations into all matters related to consumers and their rights and finances, including health matters, insurance, security and general quality of life.

“It could involve violations from doctors, lawyers, food, medication or clothes. Basically, anything that affects or comes into contact with consumers in their day-to-day life,” Aristodemou told the Cyprus Mail.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.