Parliamentary elections held under reinforced police protection

Parliamentary elections in the Republic of Cyprus took place without serious incidents or breaches of public order. According to Cypriot authorities, heightened security was maintained across the island, and the election campaign itself concluded in a calm atmosphere.

About 2,000 police officers were deployed to secure the elections. They provided protection for 1,204 polling stations and also patrolled the areas where party headquarters and other voting-related facilities were located.

According to the police, a special operational coordination center was set up in Nicosia, which began work early on election day. Additional operational centers also functioned in other cities.

A police spokesperson said that motorized patrols and officers on the ground monitored the situation throughout the day to ensure that «elections were held in conditions of order, normality and safety».

Despite the absence of serious incidents, ensuring election security required significant expenses. According to preliminary estimates, the police operation cost the state budget around 850,000 euros. This amount included overtime payments for police officers as well as transport costs.

The amount of fixed payments to officers depended on their rank and pay category. For example, inspectorate staff received about 735 euros, police officers received between 336 and 562 euros, and senior officers were compensated in accordance with a separate government decision.

Against the backdrop of high political activity and growing tension between parties, the authorities of the Republic of Cyprus sought to avoid any incidents that could affect the voting process or trigger public discontent.