The Municipality of Paphos is requesting increased police presence and the installation of closed-circuit surveillance cameras from the police, as stated by Mayor Angelos Onisiforos after further damage was reported at Mouttalou Square, where unknown individuals spray-painted graffiti and damaged part of the Christmas decorations.
In a statement on Tuesday, Mr. Onisiforos expressed his deep concern over what he described as recurring delinquent behavior in the area, wondering how far the situation might escalate.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
As he noted, while the Municipality of Paphos is making efforts to maintain, upgrade, and aesthetically improve the area, incidents of vandalism in public spaces continue to be reported.
According to him, this incident is not an isolated one, as, he noted, the municipality constantly receives complaints from residents of Mouttalos regarding motorcycles racing, noise disturbances, damage to public infrastructure, and incidents of trash cans being set on fire. He also referred to residents’ complaints that they contact the police about such incidents but, as they claim, in many cases do not receive the expected response.
Mr. Onisiforou emphasized that this is an issue that should be taken very seriously by the authorities, calling for a greater police presence in the area, effective inspections, and an immediate response to residents’ complaints.
At the same time, he made it clear that the municipality cannot take the place of the police. As he noted, City Hall, the City Council, and municipal staff have specific responsibilities and cannot act as police officers.
As one of the measures that could help address these incidents, the mayor of Paphos proposed installing cameras in Mouttalou Square, as well as in other areas of the region where problems have repeatedly occurred.
As he clarified, such a move must always be carried out in accordance with the provisions of current legislation.
He also expressed concern about the financial burden placed on residents, noting that the Municipality is repeatedly called upon to spend money to repair damage caused by such behavior.
Mr. Onisiforou called for better coordination among the relevant agencies and concrete actions to address the problem and restore residents’ sense of security.
*Source: CNA
