Dispute over military deserter status for 24-year-old Cyprus citizen

The political party Active Citizens – Movement of United Cypriot Hunters has appealed to Minister of Defense Vassilis Palmas regarding 24-year-old Loizos Fotiou, who has been declared a deserter by the Republic of Cyprus. Fotiou, born and raised in South Africa, moved to Cyprus in 2016 to play for the APOEL football academy but returned to South Africa in 2022 following a career-ending injury. The movement argues that Fotiou currently manages the family business in South Africa, which is their sole source of income, and claims he never received a personal draft notice because it was sent to an outdated address. Due to the deserter status, Fotiou is reportedly unable to visit his mother, who recently moved to the village of Steni in Paphos due to serious health issues. The party is requesting a two-year deferment of his military service to allow him to visit his family. While the movement highlights these procedural errors, reports indicate that the Ministry of Defense holds a different interpretation of his legal obligations. The matter has been brought to the attention of the Attorney General, the National Guard, and the Commissioner for Administration.