In Cyprus, criminal liability has been introduced for damaging road signs

The Parliament of the Republic of Cyprus has passed a law according to which damaging, defacing, or making any other alterations to a road sign is considered a criminal offense. The punishment entails either imprisonment for up to six months, or a fine of up to 1700 euros, or both simultaneously.

The adopted amendments to the Road Traffic Safety Law prohibit writing, engraving, or drawing on road signs using any means, such as aerosol paint, as well as destroying, removing, or damaging such signs.

The bill, introduced by MP from the Disy party, Nikos Georgiou, was unanimously passed.

It is noted that the state spends between 200,000 to 300,000 euros annually on restoring or repairing road signs.

The Department of Motor Transport is currently replacing damaged road signs with new ones covered with special foil, which allows erasing vandals' inscriptions with a sponge.

Changes to the signs not only mislead drivers regarding the current speed limit but also provide incorrect information about directions. Additionally, many signs require complete replacement as their colors have faded, making them illegible.

• Due to this situation, Cyprus appears unfavorably to tourists, - believe the deputies.