AKEL MP alleges police privacy breach involving traffic fines

AKEL member of parliament Andreas Pasiourtidis has publicly accused the Cyprus Police of committing a criminal offense following a serious privacy breach. The incident involved a woman representing a local association who visited a police station to collect clean criminal record certificates for 15 members of the organization’s board of directors, acting under formal power of attorney. According to Pasiourtidis, the police erroneously handed over sensitive, outstanding traffic fine notifications belonging to several board members to the woman alongside the requested documents.

Pasiourtidis characterized this action as a clear violation of personal data protection legislation. The MP stated that he has initiated contact with the head of the police traffic department, who has committed to investigating the matter. Beyond this specific incident, the legislator is also advocating for a bill that would invalidate traffic fines that remain unserved beyond a 180-day period. He criticized current interpretations of the law, noting that the police claim they are not strictly obligated to serve fines within that timeframe due to legal advice received from the Attorney General’s Office. The MP intends to press for further action regarding this procedural failure.