The Government has prioritised the implementation of the Public Early Warning System, and in this context, all project timelines are being adhered to without delay, Minister of Interior Mr. Constantinos Ioannou emphasised today in statements following the Cabinet meeting.
Commenting on today’s media reports alleging delays in the system’s implementation due to the Legal Service, Mr. Ioannou refuted the claims. He reiterated that the project was initially announced in 2022 but was cancelled by the Tenders Review Authority in May 2024 following appeals.
Subsequently, the Minister explained, the Ministry contacted the Legal Service to assess whether the matter could be classified as one of national security and defence — which would allow for a different and faster procurement procedure. The Legal Service responded promptly, stating that there was insufficient justification to categorise the project under security and defence, as the first tender had already been launched under the open procedure.
Mr. Ioannou added that the Ministry of Interior, together with the Civil Defence Force, brought in an expert to advise on amending the tender documents in order to minimise, as far as possible, the risk of further appeals.
The project, the Minister continued, was re-tendered in December 2024, and since then, all deadlines are being strictly followed. The deadline for lodging appeals is 3 August, and if no appeals are submitted, the contract will be awarded by September.
He concluded by stressing that since the new tender process began in December 2024, “we have met every deadline without a single day of delay, and we are at a point where, if no appeal is made, the contract will be awarded in September.”
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