Summary of current events in Cyprus
The Cyprus Parliament has extended the road tax payment deadline to March 31, 2026, with retroactive effect from March 11 to allow for fee refunds. Security has been heightened across airports and critical sites due to concerns over potential lone wolf attacks, while residency permits for stranded third-country nationals have been extended until April 30. A procurement dispute over fire-fighting helicopters has halted a tender for four aircraft, with competitors challenging the choice of US Black Hawk models over Russian Kamov units. New legislation now mandates that mobile speed cameras must use flashing beacons and maintain specific distance requirements from speed limit changes. Energy infrastructure saw a milestone as Nexans successfully tested a cable for the Great Sea Interconnector at a record depth of 3,000 meters. Meanwhile, farmers in Aradippu protested the culling of livestock due to foot-and-mouth disease, and taxi drivers in Nicosia staged a rally against illegal transport competition. Additionally, Larnaca airport saw 39 flight cancellations linked to regional instability in the Middle East.