Larnaca, Cyprus. The president of police union Isotita, Nikos Loizides, criticised police leadership and the state’s handling of organised crime on Tuesday after a violent confrontation near police headquarters in Larnaca.
Claims of failures and negligence
Speaking on Sigma television following Saturday’s incident, Loizides said the events exposed serious failures at the highest levels of policing. He accused the leadership of corruption and gross negligence.
Criticism of government response
Loizides said Justice Minister Costas Fitiris was “losing five nil to the underworld” and warned that “the worst is yet to come.” He argued that organised crime was operating largely unchecked while senior officials relied on statements rather than strategy.
Calls for a plan against organised crime
Referring to claims that organised crime has been mapped, Loizides asked whether there was a plan and what it was. He said, “Organised crime is working us instead of the other way round.”
Allegations of incidents not made public
Loizides suggested that many serious incidents never become public, saying the confrontation only became known because there was a video. He questioned how many similar incidents had occurred in the past 12 months without being disclosed to avoid showing weakness.
Support for frontline officers
He accused the police leadership of abandoning frontline officers and failing to take responsibility.
What steps do you think police leadership should take to address organised crime and support frontline officers?
