Minister denies EU warnings on airports

COMMUNICATIONS and Works Minister Haris Thrasou has played down suggestions that EU airport inspectors are firing warnings at the Civil Aviation Authorities to bring security and safety regulations at the airports on the island up to scratch or face the consequences.

Speaking about reports in Phileleftheros which said the Ministry had received stern warnings from EU officials over safety issues at both the island’s airports, Thrasou told the Cyprus Mail such fears were unfounded.

“It is untrue what some of the papers are saying about us getting warnings from the EU. On the contrary, we are working very closely with the EU on the continuous upgrade of our airports and we are even in contact with them over the developments of our new airports.

“It is true that there are some matters that still have to be brought up to scratch at the airports and we are working on fixing those matters, but to say that we are getting warnings and deadlines from the EU is totally untrue. Of course, checks will be made at airports, but that is for all airports of the European Union, including Cyprus.”

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.