A TOTAL of 33 polling stations will be set up in 25 towns in different countries for Cypriot nationals to vote in the June 6 European Parliament elections.
Speaking at a press conference yesterday, the Interior Ministry’s Permanent Secretary Lazaros Savvides said that of the 33 polling stations, 20 will operate in Greece, 5 in the United Kingdom and the rest in various other countries.
Polling stations will be set up in Athens (five), Thessalonika (three), Patra, Komotini, Larissa, Volos, Heraklion, Rethymno, Serres, Rhodes, Mytilene, Ioannina, Kalamata, Kozani, London (three), Manchester, Birmingham, Berlin, Brussels, Moscow, Prague, Budapest, Sofia, Doha and Dubai.
Savvides said that there was a possibility for one more polling station to operate in Italy where a total of 52 applications were submitted from various towns of the country.
The official urged voters who had declared by April 2, 2009, that they would vote abroad for the European elections on June 6 2009, in a town without any polling station, to communicate with the Elections Commission of the Ministry of Interior by April 30 in order to declare their new option, following the announcement of the 25 towns where polling stations will be set up.
He clarified that if these voters do not respond by April 30, 2009, then they will remain registered in the electoral roll of Cyprus and either they will not vote or they will have to come to Cyprus to exercise their voting right.
Savvides said that “by April 2, 10,072 applications have been submitted to vote in polling stations which will operate abroad”.
Around 9,500 persons are expected to vote abroad, he added.
Those wishing to vote abroad and in towns with polling stations, must contact the Elections Service at the following numbers: 0035722867614, 0035722867639 or 0035722867613. Alternative, send email to: [email protected].
Polling stations will open at 6am until 8pm, with an hour break at noon. The counting of crosses of preference to candidates, according to initial estimates, is expected to begin as soon as polling stations close on June 6.
According to official data, some 525,000 people are on the electoral list, 10,000 of whom are overseas, 1,300 are Turkish Cypriot voters, 5,000 nationals of other EU countries and 7,400 are new voters.
Cyprus is represented at the European Parliament by six deputies.
Cypriots will be able to vote in the upcoming European Parliament elections with their European identity cards, while non-Cypriot EU citizens can also use their passports at polling stations.
