What the Leader tells Offsite
The decision of the Chief of Police Stelios Papatheodorou to issue a decree banning the movement of motorcycles over 125cc on specific days of August brought a great reaction to motorcycle owners. Today at 13:00 a delegation of motorcycles will be at the Police Headquarters and will be face to face with the Chief. At the meeting, the motorcyclists will ask for explanations for the decision.
"Racist" decree
The President of the Cyprus Motorcycle Federation, Zannetos Koumassi, speaking to Offsite regarding the meeting, described the decree as "unconstitutional and racist". As he said, "thousands of motorcyclists are affected. In case the decree is not revoked, we are determined to take measures ".
On Monday, the motorcyclists issued a sharp statement expressing their strong dissatisfaction and opposition to the decree issued on August 12 by the Chief of Police "which deprives motorcyclists of free movement on certain roads and times." August (today) with the Chief of Police will end the "absurd decree" of August 18.
They add that "otherwise the Cyprus Motorcycle Federation, with the support of the legal owners of motorcycles and other organized groups, intends to take a series of drastic measures."
At the same time, they express the position that "this action by the Police as well as the reaction of the competent Minister of Justice and Public Order unfortunately confirms the lack of knowledge and the absence of any strategy regarding the promotion and cultivation of the right climate of cooperation and mutual respect between all road users, which is the main pillar for improving road safety in general ".
Leader: "We saw what is happening abroad"
Speaking to Offsite, Police Chief Stelios Papatheodorou stated that "I am waiting for the motorcyclists in my office and I hope that we will find a common formula. The decree was also based on a study we did on other countries such as Germany, Austria and Belgium. In addition, the decree issued for the articulated vehicles and agricultural tractors worked in the wider effort of the Police, to alleviate the heavy traffic on the interurban roads during the return of the excursionists to the cities ".
What applies
The decree prohibits the circulation of all two-wheeled, three-wheeled and four-wheeled motorcycles, with a displacement of more than 125 cc. on roads, days and hours, listed below:
Nicosia: On 16, 23 and 30 August, 2020, between the hours 00:01 - 05:00, on Griva Digeni Avenue, from the point of intersection with Archangelou Avenue and Agios Prokopios Avenue, to the intersection with Themistokli Dervi Street and in Prodromou Avenue, from its junction with Erythrou Stavrou Street, to the intersection with Griva Digeni Avenue.
Limassol: On 14, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23, 28, 29 and 30 August, 2020, between the hours 19:00 - 04:00 of the next day, on the coastal road of Limassol and specifically on Spyrou Araouzou streets, October 28, Promachon Eleftherias, Georgiou AD and Amathus.
Paphos: On 14, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23, 28, 29 and 30 August, 2020, between the hours 20:00 - 04:00 of the next day, on Poseidonos Avenue, in Paphos.
Free Area of Famagusta: On 14 15, 16, 21, 22, 23, 28, 29 and 30 August, 2020, between the hours 20:00 - 04:00 of the next day, on Protaras Street (Protaras Hotel Road, Paralimni Municipality) and Nissi Avenue and Archbishop Makarios III, in Ayia Napa.
It should be noted that professional food distributors are excluded from the prohibition provisions of the decree.
Source: Offsite