Guidelines issued for candidates visiting government services

In view of the coming elections the cabinet has announced a series of measures regulating visits by presidential candidates and their entourages to government organisations.

According to an official announcement, when a candidate or his representative or a party leader supporting the candidacy officially requests a visit to a specific government service including the provincial office of a government service, alone or with entourage, they must be welcomed and accompanied by the head of the service or another senior official.

The above also applies for visits by a candidate’s central staff or a party’s central committee.

Secondly, visits by individual party officials supporting a given candidacy are not allowed.

Thirdly, the above arrangements do not apply for the National Guard, police, or the central prisons as pre-election visitations are also not allowed.

Clarifying the above point, the cabinet’s secretariat told Cyprus Mail that it is a standard measure applied in every presidential race. Moreover, a circular informing of the above arrangements will soon be issued, they added.

The cabinet’s announcement further notes that the above arrangements will also apply to all school units under the ministry of education.

In addition, the cabinet has decided to approve financial assistance of up to €50,000 to agricultural producers mainly in the areas of Akaki and Famagusta district whose crops were damaged because of extreme weather conditions.

Lastly, the cabinet approved a proposal regarding the use of the State Fair space. Accordingly, the possibility of relocating government services is being examined, while in collaboration with the deputy ministry of culture, the possibility of hosting a multipurpose cultural space is also being examined.