The Akrotiri municipal district will remain under evacuation until Friday noon, when the situation will be reassessed, the mayor of Kourion said on Tuesday following a briefing at the British Bases headquarters.
Mayor Pantelis Georgiou said he was told that what residents saw in the sky on Monday evening and Tuesday morning were “interceptions by Americans, which took place outside the EEZ of Cyprus”.
He noted that in a telephone conversation with Interior Minister Konstantinos Ioannou, he was informed that the Akrotiri municipal district will remain in a state of evacuation until Friday noon, when the situation will be reassessed and the necessary instructions will be given accordingly. Schools in the district will also remain closed, he said.
Asked how many people are staying at Agios Georgios Monastery, Georgiou replied that 18 families are staying at the monastery, whilst hotels are mainly accommodating elderly people, people with mobility difficulties and families with small children.
Asked how many people have not left Akrotiri, Georgiou replied that the number does not exceed 80 people.
Responding to a question about whether they will have another meeting at the British Bases, Georgiou said regular meetings are held, usually once a day, and therefore he expects this practice to continue.
Asked whether residents have expressed any complaints, Georgiou said most complaints concerned the fact that there was no timely information about the prevailing situation.
Regarding the installation of a warning system in municipal vehicles, Georgiou said the two vehicles have already been prepared, delivered to the municipality and are ready for use.
Regarding how the system will work, the mayor of Kourion said that from today, the British Bases will include his and the deputy mayors’ numbers in the Early Warning System used by the British Bases, and when there is any issue, the vehicles, which are kept in a municipal warehouse, will be able to be mobilised immediately and proceed to inform residents in a timely manner.
He noted finally that the municipality has had people on standby 24 hours a day for years to cover any emergencies that arise, including this purpose.
Read more: