A lack of transparency has been observed in the procedures for granting firearms licenses to individuals in Cyprus. The issue, raised by the Audit Service and discussed publicly yesterday, reveals a history of leniency when it comes to issuing such licenses.
According to evidence obtained by Phileleftheros, even in cases where the Cyprus Police Security Committee decided not to approve requests from individuals to carry weapons, there were instances of political pressure and interventions.
A notable case from a few years ago highlights the issue. A person with a questionable background had raised concerns within the Police and the Cyprus Intelligence Service (KYP).
His application to carry a weapon was initially rejected by the police. However, following a ministerial intervention, he was eventually granted a license to carry a firearm in full compliance with the law.
When the Police Committee examined the request, participating officers had expressed concerns about granting a weapon to the individual. A member of KYP had reported that the applicant was allegedly involved in illegal currency trafficking.
Another officer from the Anti-Narcotics Service (YKAN) had stated that the applicant was under surveillance. In the same session, a police officer had disclosed that the individual in question had two convictions from a District Court for illegal possession of items, with monetary penalties imposed.
Nonetheless, a government minister had sent a letter to the Cyprus Police Security Committee, urging them to reconsider the rejected application. He sought explanations from the committee on how to “prevent potential risks that either the applicant himself or his employee might pose.”
At the same time, he called upon the committee members to review the application.
Ultimately, the applicant was deemed suitable. According to reliable sources, he had been carrying a firearm until recently, having acquired a government-issued pistol and a double-digit number of cartridges.
However, this is not the only case that raises valid questions. Representatives of the police intelligence department and a KYP officer had expressed negative opinions about another individual. Nevertheless, the latter was found to be carrying a weapon legally.
In this specific case, the applicant had invited a well-known businessman’s employee to his office, offering him €50,000 to testify against his employer. He encouraged the employee to testify that his employer extorted money from another businessman, paying him several thousand euros per month for protection
KYP had reported the same individual applying for the firearm license, connecting him with criminal activities. In circumstances that remain unexplained, the application was approved.
During the summer, the Audit Service requested information about firearms licenses from the Chief of Police. As part of their compliance review for the years 2015-2023, financial audit for 2022, and investigation into complaints, an Audit Service officer visited the relevant divisions of the Police.
It was discovered that 44 pistols and a corresponding number of rounds of ammunition were missing, with no recorded disposition.
Subsequently, a letter was sent by the Audit Service to the Chief of Police on July 24, 2023, to provide further details as part of the audit. The head of the police force declined, citing data protection and security issues, based on advice from the Law Office of the Republic.
The issue was raised again by the Audit Service in the House of Representatives last Friday following a parliamentary inquiry.
Audit Service spokesperson, Marios Petridis, made remarks stated in television yesterday, “We will not judge the decision of the police if it is justified and substantiated. We want to see if there was indeed an evaluation of the applications for firearm licenses.”
