News

INTERIM MEASURES ADOPTED BY THE GOVERNMENT OF CYPRUS ON MARCH 21 and 23 TO CONTAIN THE SPREAD OF COVID-19

Ban on unnecessary movement from 06.00 PM of March 24

As per the address of the President of the Republic of Cyprus dated 23.03.2020, ONLY the following reasons shall be valid for movement of the public until 13.04.2020:

• Transfer to and from the workplace
• Transfer for the purposes of supplies of basic necessities if delivery is not possible, only to exempted retailers.
• Transfer to doctor or pharmacy
• Visit to a bank if electronic transactions are not possible
• Transit to aid fellow citizens who cannot look after themselves or in need of protection, or who are in isolation or quarantine
• Ceremonies (attended by maximum 10 persons and only first and second degree relatives), such as funerals, weddings and christenings
• Transit for physical exercise or for the needs of a pet limited to areas close to one’s residence (up to 2 persons)

All persons in transit must ALWAYS must carry identification and additional proof as to the purpose of their movement.

Mandatory closures

In addition to the businesses in the private sector already mandated to suspend their operations (see our previous news piece with regard to measures adopted on 15.03.2020) the following spaces shall also be closed as of 06.00 PM of March 24:

• Parks.
• Playgrounds.
• Open-air sport spaces.
• Public gathering areas, among others, squares, dams, excursion sites, beaches, marinas.
• All retailers (with certain exceptions- decree to be communicated on 24.03.2020)

Prohibitions

• Open markets, bazaars and itinerant sales
• Work on construction sites (except construction works relating to public utility projects and subject to the relevant permission from the Minister of Transport, Communications and Works)
• Visit to all places of religious worship,
• The custom of “Lighting a bonfire”

In case of any breach with regard to the measures, in addition to any other criminal liability to offenders, an out-of-court fine of EUR 150 will be imposed.

Travel Restrictions

Effective from Saturday 21.03.2020 at 03.00 all flights to Larnaka and Pafos airports coming from the following countries are prohibited (except for cargo):

Bahrein, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Egypt, Estonia, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Jordan, Latvia, Lebanon, Lithuania, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom, and Greece.

Exempted are persons who:

Such persons must have a certification from the local diplomatic missions of the Republic of Cyprus, issued upon provision of evidence substantiating the reasons mentioned, and shall remain in a 14-day mandatory quarantine at a location designated by the state (or self-confined in order to continue their treatment) upon their return.

Flights with no passengers to the Republic of Cyprus, are allowed, in order to transport persons wishing to depart from Cyprus.

The crossing between the government-controlled and occupied areas of the Republic is allowed only for:

• Cypriot citizens (Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots)
• Legal residents of the territory governed by the Republic of Cyprus. EU citizens should present travel documents to certify their legal entry into the Republic and a utility bill to prove their legal residency status. Third country nationals should present travel documents to certify legal entry and their residency permit.
• Country nationals who are in designated diplomatic service or mission, under bilateral or international treaties, should present diplomatic ID, or, for those who are not holders of a diplomatic ID, a non-diplomatic card or a certification from the competent authority of the reasons of their presence in the Republic of Cyprus.

Court proceedings

Please note that the measures regarding court operation as per our previous news piece, remain valid.

Courts are to remain open for urgent cases only. All other proceedings have been postponed until 30.04.2020.

More information is available by the national Press and Information Office (PIO) here.