Authorities address technical issues following emergency alert system test

The Cypriot Ministry of Interior conducted a nationwide test of an emergency mass-alert SMS system on Wednesday at 19:00. The test revealed significant delays and inconsistency in message delivery across different mobile network providers, with many users receiving messages late or not at all. Government spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbiotis acknowledged the technical shortcomings, noting that this was the first time such a large-scale broadcast had been attempted for over one million mobile users. The Deputy Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy is currently collaborating with telecommunications providers to refine the process and reduce delivery times. Civil Defense Commander Maria Papa stated that efforts are underway to strengthen the system, noting that while the current level of readiness is good, there are known weaknesses. While some sources mentioned an expected completion date for the broader mass-alert system in early June, other official sources cited a timeline extending to June 2026 for the full implementation of the early warning system. Officials emphasized that these tests are necessary to resolve infrastructure challenges while maintaining existing public safety measures.