Delivery and installation of 80 Border Xpress Kiosks at Larnaca and Paphos airports has been completed, the transport ministry said on Friday.

It said that for the implementation of the project “Installation of Border Xpress Kiosks at Larnaca and Paphos Airports-CY/2019/ISF/SO2.NO3.1”, a grant agreement was signed in August 2019 between the European funds unit of the ministry of interior, which is the responsible authority for the internal security fund and the transport ministry, as the final beneficiary.

The budget of the project is €1.641,934 with an implementation period of 51.5 months from 14.3.2018-30.6.2022.

It is co-funded by 75 per cent by the internal security fund with the remainder covered by the Republic of Cyprus.

The total budget for the implementation of the project is €3.017.920 which includes the contribution from Hermes Airports Ltd, the ministry added.

“The aim of the project is to contribute towards a high level of security in the European Union, with the parallel facilitation of legal movements, through an unvarying and high-level control at the external borders,” it said.

The Border Xpress Kiosks allow passport controls for all incoming and outgoing passengers coming from the European Union, Great Britain, and the European Economic Area.

Apart from the increasing the security at Cyprus’ external borders, these passport controls which use all available databases also contribute towards the reduction of waiting time for incoming and outgoing passengers, especially in periods of high airport traffic, it added.