The Vice President of the Cyprus Bar Association, Nikolas Tsartellis, spoke on Mesimeri kai Kati about the legality of fines issued through traffic cameras and the relevant website.
He stated, “In my opinion, several issues arise, both legal and ethical. Legally, the only clear issue is that of expiration if 12 months have passed since the offence for which the fine was issued.”
Tsartellis explained that even if someone refuses to pay, “Under criminal procedure, in cases where the offence is punishable by imprisonment of up to 12 months, if 12 months pass without prosecution, the offence is considered expired.”
However, Deputy Police Chief B and Assistant Director of the Traffic Department, Haris Evripidou, clarified that camera fines do not expire. He explained that the penalties stipulated by law for offences recorded by traffic cameras exceed 12 months in severity, and the monetary fines are higher. Therefore, these fines do not fall under Article 88.
Tsartellis also addressed the ethical side of the issue, stating, “We constantly hear that citizens avoid collecting their fines, which is why the state is looking for alternative ways to enforce payments. Unfortunately, all citizens are lumped together, with the assumption that those who haven’t paid are deliberately avoiding the Post Office to collect the fines. I disagree with this approach. What happens when notifications are sent to the wrong address?”
He added that the law provides the state with the option to serve fines in person or alternatively send them by post.
Also read: Payment process and deadlines for traffic camera fines
