A heated budget hearing in Cyprus’ House Finance Committee has exposed government plans to install software at Larnaca and Paphos airports that would automatically flag travellers with unpaid traffic or court fines and empower police to stop them from leaving the country. The Transport Ministry had tucked the project—costed inside a €229.9 million supplementary budget—under road-safety spending, but opposition MPs unearthed the line-item on 2 December, sparking an inter-ministerial spat.
Finance-ministry officials insisted the money merely covers routine payments to the island’s speed-camera contractor, yet the Electromechanical Services Department contradicted that claim, confirming that an airport module is “fully legal” but “not implemented at this stage.” Civil-liberties groups immediately warned that a de-facto exit ban violates EU free-movement rules unless backed by a court order.
![Proposed airport ‘exit-ban’ software triggers privacy row in Nicosia]()
Airlines, travel-management companies and relocation providers fear chaotic gate-side interventions, missed flights and compensation claims under EU261. Mobility managers are being advised to build outstanding-fine checks into pre-trip compliance programmes and remind employees—especially those using rental cars—of the importance of settling violations before departure.
Parliament has demanded full disclosure of the contractor agreement and may vote later this month to freeze funding until privacy guarantees are in place. Whatever the outcome, the episode highlights a broader trend: transport-safety technologies are increasingly morphing into border-control tools with direct consequences for business travellers and expatriates.
Finance-ministry officials insisted the money merely covers routine payments to the island’s speed-camera contractor, yet the Electromechanical Services Department contradicted that claim, confirming that an airport module is “fully legal” but “not implemented at this stage.” Civil-liberties groups immediately warned that a de-facto exit ban violates EU free-movement rules unless backed by a court order.
Airlines, travel-management companies and relocation providers fear chaotic gate-side interventions, missed flights and compensation claims under EU261. Mobility managers are being advised to build outstanding-fine checks into pre-trip compliance programmes and remind employees—especially those using rental cars—of the importance of settling violations before departure.
Parliament has demanded full disclosure of the contractor agreement and may vote later this month to freeze funding until privacy guarantees are in place. Whatever the outcome, the episode highlights a broader trend: transport-safety technologies are increasingly morphing into border-control tools with direct consequences for business travellers and expatriates.
