Giorgos Kyriakou, President of the Association of Licensed Contractors, appeared on Sigma’s Protoselido programme and discussed the long-overdue amendment to the law on electrical installations. The legislation has been pending since 2017.
Current law and its issues
Under existing rules, a licensed person who prepared the study must supervise all electrical installations.
Kyriakou claimed economic interests block the changes to the current law.
Minister’s promises unfulfilled
He mentioned the Minister assured him the issue would go to public consultation within two months. However, this remains pending for a year and a half.
EAC delays frustrate users
Until now, checks fall under the Electricity Authority of Cyprus (EAC). The EAC often delays inspections by at least one month. This prevents citizens from choosing their own inspector to avoid delays and control costs for the initial check.
Typical EAC delays last three to four months.
How to ensure safety?
Kyriakou proposed issuing a certificate of suitability by private inspectors, even from the EAC. The EAC would handle the first inspection of electrical installations (e.g., automatics).
He suggested strict penalties for improper checks: €5,000 for the first offence, €10,000 for the second, and licence revocation thereafter.
Ongoing disputes
Kyriakou criticised the ongoing disagreement between the EAC and the Electrical and Mechanical Services (EMS) over charges, monopoly issues, and the House’s failure to take action on the matter.
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