Bill seeks ban on foreign election campaign billboards in Cyprus
Direct Democracy MP Yiannis Laouris has submitted a bill to ban outdoor advertising linked to election campaigns in other countries.
Larnaca, Cyprus. Direct Democracy MP Yiannis Laouris submitted a bill to parliament on Friday seeking to ban outdoor billboards and other advertisements used to campaign for foreign elections. The proposal follows controversy over roadside billboards promoting Israeli prime ministerial candidate Gadi Eisenkot.
Proposed amendment
The bill will be referred to the House interior committee for discussion, which will decide whether to send it to the plenary.
It seeks to amend the advertisements control law to prohibit outdoor advertising connected to campaigns for elections taking place in other countries.
Laouris said the amendment was needed to limit “the uncontrolled use of outdoor advertising space for political campaigning and the promotion of candidates taking part, or intending to take part, in foreign elections.”
Billboard controversy
The proposal follows controversy that began in late July, when billboards promoting Eisenkot, founder of Israel’s Yashar party and former chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces, appeared along highways.
One sign near Larnaca airport read: “Israelis, have a good time. You deserve it,” while a second, placed on the route back to the airport, urged travellers to “Come back and win!”
Eisenkot’s campaign headquarters confirmed that the billboards were deliberately placed to reach the large number of Israeli holidaymakers visiting Cyprus ahead of Israel’s prime ministerial election on October 27.
The signs prompted widespread criticism on social media and calls from Direct Democracy leader Fidias Panayiotou for an outright ban on third countries running election campaigns in Cyprus.
Existing regulations
When the billboards appeared, no legal provision prevented a foreign political party from purchasing advertising space in Cyprus outside a local election period. Commercial billboards were instead governed by general advertising regulations.
The interior ministry told the Cyprus Mail in July that billboard content fell outside its remit, stating that it had “no legal framework under its competence to regulate advertising for elections or advertising in general,” and referred the matter to the advertising regulation organisation, Caro.
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