The Cyprus police association expressed on Thursday its full support for the police leadership’s decision to charge municipalities and other organisers for the cost of policing events, a move which has sparked considerable debate. This support follows recent concerns raised by local authorities, particularly after Limassol municipality received a €43,000 invoice from the police for securing this year’s carnival parade.

It is the first time in the history of the long-standing event that police have requested payment for their services, leading to a wave of criticism and concern over the financial burden this might place on municipalities. The union of municipalities has called on the chief of police, Themistos Arnaoutis, to reconsider the decision, arguing that such charges could set a dangerous precedent for future public events.

The issue came to light when a representative from the union of municipalities informed the House legal affairs committee of the situation. The representative confirmed that Limassol had received the invoice, triggering further scrutiny. Deputy police chief Yiannakis Georgiou clarified that the decision stemmed from financial constraints, particularly limited overtime funds available for police officers working at events.

However, the union of municipalities has rejected this explanation, stating that local authorities should not be responsible for the police’s budgetary limitations. They argued that this charge undermines the right to assembly and could discourage future public gatherings.

Municipalities are seeking clarification on whether this policy will extend to other events, with concerns over the impact on community celebrations and cultural activities.

The Cyprus police association, in a statement, highlighted that the police force’s annual budget for event security is often insufficient. The association explained that the practice of charging event organisers directly for policing could alleviate the ongoing issue of delayed payments for overtime worked by police officers.

“More than once, this fund has run out before the end of the year, causing significant delays in the payment of our colleagues’ overtime wages, which has led to considerable discomfort,” the statement read.

The association expects the new regulation to improve the timely payment of overtime and better serve the public interest. In its statement, it stressed that cooperation between institutions, rather than division, should be the focus of any debate. 

“The sterile criticism that the police receive is not constructive,” the association concluded. 

“The pursuit of all institutions should be cooperation between them, not the division of society.”