A devastating Auditor General report has exposed how Cyprus remains completely unprotected against drone threats seven years after the first attempt to buy counter-drone systems.
Two major tenders (2018 and 2021) for protecting airports, power stations and sensitive sites collapsed in spectacular failure, costing taxpayers €580,000 with zero operational systems delivered.
What went wrong – the key failures
- No fixed deadlines or milestones in the 2021 tender (Δ.Ο. 29/2021) → endless extensions
- Long-term maintenance costs completely omitted from bids
- Winning bidder’s “experience” accepted on self-declaration alone – no independent verification, even when he refused to name the EU country for “confidentiality”
- Technical specs contradicted manufacturer’s official data – ignored during evaluation
- Portable detectors failed to spot drones flying just 20 metres overhead in 2023 tests
- Original manufacturer went bankrupt in September 2023 – Police only discovered this later
- Contractor demanded full system replacement; Central Committee approved it based on verbal assurances, no new technical documents
- Final acceptance tests cancelled after repeated failures
The financial fallout
In April 2025 the contract was terminated. Police seized:
- €497,056 advance payment guarantee
- €82,842 performance guarantee
No further money was paid because nothing workable was ever delivered.
Seven years on – still zero protection
Despite the disaster, four months after termination the Police simply told the Auditor they had “appointed a committee for further handling”. No new tender, no timeline, no protection.
The Auditor General demanded radical reform: binding deadlines, verified experience, full technical checks, maintenance costs included, and decisions based only on documented evidence – never verbal promises no longer acceptable.
Also read: Nurses promotion row erupts over “superior’s recommendation”
For more videos and updates, check our YouTube channel.
