NGO calls on government service to protect consumers

The Cyprus Consumers Association on Monday called on the state consumer protection service do the job it was set up to do, citing a new law that favours businesses instead of consumers.

The association said that the consumer protection service tabled a bill in parliament which was passed into law, giving its director authority to suspend any measures against those found to violate consumer interests, just with a written statement by the violator that they will not do it in the future.

The law also grants the director of the consumer protection service authority to issue fines to the tune of millions but without any control mechanism for such decisions, even in cases he or she imposes lenient penalties.

The association also said that the consumer protection service, under the energy, trade and commerce ministry, of “unjustifiably delaying the completion of the investigation of serious and other written complaints of the association.”

The investigations of complaints ought to be completed within two to three months the latest, the group said, but on some occasions, cases are pending for 18 months.

It called on the service “to assume its responsibilities and to realise that its role and purpose of existence is the effective protection of the financial interests of consumers and not of any other groups or interests”.