**Former House Speakers to Lose Police Protection Starting October 5**
The Ministry of Justice in Cyprus has announced that five former politicians and officials will have their police protection withdrawn effective October 5. This decision impacts three former presidents of the House of Representatives: Yiannakis Omirou, Demetris Syllouris, and Marios Garoyian, each of whom currently has two police officers assigned to them. Additionally, the widows of two former presidents, Elsi Christofias and Androulla Vassiliou, will also lose their police guards.
The ministry stated that the decision to withdraw protection is based on a recent risk assessment conducted by the police, which concluded that there are no longer valid reasons to maintain permanent guarding for these individuals. The assessment process is part of a broader overhaul of police protection arrangements initiated in June, following the parliamentary elections held in May.
In a related development, Androulla Vassiliou has already returned her assigned driver to police headquarters, indicating a transition in the security arrangements for former officials. The justice ministry emphasized that the decision to remove police protection is strictly based on the risk assessment and is not influenced by the individuals' status or institutional background.
While the former House presidents will lose their police protection, former President Nicos Anastasiades will see some changes to his security arrangements starting in January. Currently, Anastasiades has approximately 12 police officers assigned to him. The static guard at his residence in Limassol will be replaced with CCTV cameras, although his escort of six police officers will remain in place, and his residence will continue to be monitored by an additional six officers.
The recent changes in police protection protocols stem from a legal opinion which clarified that the responsibility for assessing security risks lies with the police rather than the government. This shift means that the cabinet will no longer have a role in deciding who receives police guards. Instead, risk assessments will be conducted every six months, or more frequently if necessary, to determine the security needs of individuals.
The justice ministry noted that a practice had developed since the 1970s where the cabinet approved protection for political figures and state officials, despite the absence of a specific legal framework for such procedures. Under the new system, the police security committee will evaluate the risks faced by each individual and make recommendations directly to the justice minister, eliminating the need for cabinet approval.
As part of this reassessment, all current police guards and protection measures are being reviewed and will be adjusted according to the assessed level of risk. If the need for guarding is not substantiated, it will be terminated or modified as appropriate.
Currently, other officials receiving police protection include House President Annita Demetriou, who has ten officers assigned, Akel Secretary-General Stefanos Stefanou with four, and Diko leader Nikolas Papadopoulos with three. Additionally, Elam leader Christos Christou and Archbishop Georgios each have two officers assigned to them.
The changes in police protection come in the wake of an audit office report published in 2023, which highlighted that the allocation of protection arrangements appeared to align more closely with the electoral strength of political parties rather than with the individual security needs of the officials involved. This has prompted the ongoing reassessment of security measures to ensure they are appropriate and justified based on current risks.
The justice ministry's decision marks a significant shift in how police protection is managed for former political figures in Cyprus, aiming for a more systematic and risk-based approach to security.