Manufacturers kept recalls secret as they did not want problems publicised, a former senior official at the road transport department told the Takata airbags inquiry on Tuesday.

Sotiris Kolettas, who led the department between 2006 and 2019, said that no government department globally had the power to initiate vehicle recalls independently.

“The decision lies with the manufacturer,” he said, adding that recalls are carried out via official representatives, who then notify national authorities.

Regarding a 2017 circular that has become central to the investigation, Kolettas explained it was drafted after discussions with car importers and based on European regulations. He alleged that manufacturers “kept recalls secret” and did not want problems publicised.

When asked if the department knew about the reasons behind specific recalls, he responded, “if representatives told us the reason, we would know. If not, we wouldn’t.”

On the issue of a serious 2017 injury involving a Takata airbag, Kolettas claimed the department was unaware of the incident.

However, when the committee chair pointed out that police correspondence had been sent to the department, Kolettas replied, “possibly,” but said he did not remember.

He also argued that the 2018 regulation applied only to cars entering EU markets for the first time, a claim the committee chair openly questioned.

On compensation, he clarified that Takata and its parent manufacturers bore responsibility, including the cost of repairs. Since 2008, he said, the department provided vehicle registration data to new car distributors on a monthly basis, for a fee.

“We even asked for vehicle owners’ mobile numbers so we could help contact them during recalls,” he noted.

Kolettas described the rivalry between new and used car importers as a “war,” and referenced a University of Cyprus study on the impact of used car imports.

He stressed that manufacturers are obliged to carry out recall repairs free of charge.

Former agriculture minister and ex-senior official at the department from 2008 to 2020 Petros Xenophontos said that car manufacturers’ local agents occasionally contacted them for assistance with recall communications. When asked if he had heard the name Takata during his time there, he replied, “No.”

A further two former senior officials were also at the inquiry on Tuesday, current director general of the deputy ministry of social welfare Yiannis Nicolaides and senior official Eleni Pipi-Hadjicosta.

All four held senior positions in the department and were asked to explain any potential oversights during their time in office.

Relatives of victims linked to Takata airbag failures also attended the hearing. Present in the chamber were Maria Loui, mother of Kyriakos Oxinos, and Yiannos Giorgallis, father of Styliani, both of whom have demanded answers and accountability.