Minister: Cyprus shelter inspections should have been conducted years ago

Minister of Interior Konstantinos Ioannou stated that the inspection of civil defense shelters in Cyprus should have been carried out many years ago.

According to him, inspections were previously conducted only selectively, as civil defense services faced staffing shortages.

Authorities now plan to regularly inspect shelters every six months. The search for new premises that can be used as shelters—such as underground parking lots, basements of churches, hotels, and commercial facilities—is also ongoing.

The Minister also emphasized the need to pass the law on the establishment of a National Civil Protection Mechanism as quickly as possible to coordinate the actions of all services during emergencies.