Ambulance services should be left to those who know the daily difficulties in real cases and not imaginary numbers, the association of private ambulances said on Monday and called for an end to the monopoly the state health services organisation (Okypy) holds over the services.

Chairman of the association Parthenis Christou called on the health ministry “to promote an urgent bill establishing the occupation of rescuers in Cyprus and to create a national ambulance authority, which would include the private companies it has paralysed for months now in the name of Gesy.”

“Okypy must stop offering paid ambulance services and all ambulances registered at the hospitals which will have joined Gesy by the time the bill is voted and implemented should be immediately included,” Christou said.

He added that the monopoly set by the health insurance organisation (OAY) in a memorandum it signed with Okypy creates conditions of unfair competition, which has also been pointed out by the Competition Commission, “to which we will appeal”.