7 May 2025 - TOM is not without responsibility
In light of the recent statements by the former Director of the Road Transport Department, Sotiris Kolettas, regarding the tragic chaos caused by the defective Takata airbags, we feel the need to reposition ourselves.
It is inconceivable that a man who served as Director of TOM for 13 years and Deputy Director for another two, would today place the blame solely on the vehicle manufacturers and local dealers. Regardless of who has the ultimate responsibility for the recall of vehicles, the state has an obligation to protect public safety.
We therefore ask the following questions:
What did TOM, under the direction of Mr. Kolettas, do to warn the public?
Were letters or official briefings ever sent to dealers? If so, when and to whom?
Were they aware of the problem and kept quiet?
When was the political leadership informed and who made decisions or, on the contrary, failed to act?
Society demands a recording of the events with full transparency:
When did the first recall notices arrive in Cyprus?
How did the competent authorities react?
What actions were taken to inform citizens, vehicle owners and mechanics?
The loss of 24-year-old Kyriakos Oksinos and 19-year-old Styliani Giorgallis are not simple numbers in a statistic. They are tragedies that weigh on us all. No one, especially those who have served for decades in positions of responsibility, can absolve themselves of responsibility by pointing a finger.
WE DEMAND FROM THE STATE:
Transparent recording of the events from the beginning to the present.
Assigning responsibilities where they belong — not only to manufacturers and dealers, but also to the institutions that were supposed to protect citizens.
Establishing procedures that are clear, for faster information and recall of dangerous products in the future.
Road safety is not optional. It is the right of every citizen and the obligation of every state authority.