The authorities of the Republic of Cyprus, as part of their preparations for the implementation of the European Entry/Exit System and the replacement of all passport control equipment, have placed an order for 40 state-of-the-art ABC Gates, which are expected to be delivered by the end of this year and put into operation in the passenger terminals of the two airports, as soon as possible, according to a response to a parliamentary question by Minister of Justice and Public Order Costas Fytiris.
The question was specifically submitted by DISY MP Giorgos Pamboridis regarding the effectiveness of the screening system currently in place at the two airports and the fact that passengers, after using theautomated system are also referred to a police officer for screening.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
In his response, dated August 11, the Minister explains that with Cyprus’s accession to the Schengen Area and the lifting of internal border controls, the operation of the so-called Interactive Kiosks (IK) will cease. He explains that they were chosen based on a comparison of the technological solutions available at the time and, primarily, because of their speed and much smaller size, and consequently the space constraints in passenger terminals, they were preferred over Automated Border Control (ABC) Gates. “There is no connection to the fact that Cyprus has not yet fully implemented the Schengen acquis,” he explains.
He adds that the self-service kiosks are self-service systems used to collect and process passenger data, such as passport scanning, taking a photograph, and conducting various additional checks. However, “after the process at the BCS is completed, the intervention of a passport control officer is still required to verify the traveler’s identity, to inspect the travel document, and to make the final decision regarding entry or exit. “In contrast, ABC Gates are fully automated border control systems that also utilize biometric technologies,” he explains.
He also notes that their use is considered particularly effective in cases of reduced staffing, as it helps improve service for travelers and enables more efficient management of available human resources.
The Minister notes that in 2025, among the passport checks conducted through the DP, 65.60% involved the PG (Passenger Granted) reference code, which corresponds to a non-positive result.
In addition, 13.00% of cases involved the reference code Ml (Minor), which provides important information to passport control officers and helps save time, in order to confirm that the minor is traveling accompanied by their parents or guardians for the purpose of preventing parental abductions and other related serious crimes.
The remaining 21.40% involved cases that required further verification due to positive indicators, as part of automated checks against national and European databases, security checks, as well as additional checks in accordance with established procedures applied by passport control officers prior to the final decision.
In response to another question from the DISY Member of Parliament, the Minister stated that the staff of the Permanent Corps (PC) of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) serving at airports has been seconded at the request of the Republic pursuant to EU Regulation 2019/1896 and is serving under the command of the Aliens and Immigration Service of the Cyprus Police.
He explains that the MS border guards conduct checks at the post designated by the officer on duty, as do the rest of the staff of the Aliens andM, including the verification of printed receipts issued by the Immigration Offices. It also adds that, pursuant to the Regulation, Frontex member states have executive powers; however, upon their secondment, they are placed under the command of national authorities. Specifically, they perform the duties of immigration officers, including passport control, verification of the authenticity of travel documents, and the conduct of secondary checks under the direction of the Duty Officer at the Passport Control Center, who bears ultimate responsibility for border control.
In response to another question, he explains that the possibility of implementing an electronic scanning system for receipts issued by the Interactive Kiosks has been explored, with the integration of a QR code (QR code) on them, via electronic gates (e-Gates) located after the Interactive Kiosks, a measure that was not approved, however, as it would slow down the overall processing time for passport control.
“With the upcoming installation of Automated Border Control Gates (ABC Gates), the use of these gates, as well as the categories of travelers they will serve, will be reviewed by the relevant ministries involved, in order to determine the optimal framework for their use, until the abolition of internal border controls, at which point they will be withdrawn,” the report states.
Source: CNA
