Philenews

Critical Infrastructure of the Republic Left Unprotected from Drones – Control Committee Demands Explanations

Published January 15, 2026, 07:20
Critical Infrastructure of the Republic Left Unprotected from Drones – Control Committee Demands Explanations

Critical infrastructure in Cyprus remained unprotected from drones for seven years (2018-2025) due to failed tenders for the procurement of protection systems. The tenders failed because the selected company could not even detect the drones. The case is being examined by the Parliamentary Control Committee. Countries with developed drone detection and neutralization technology, such as the USA, Israel, and Canada, were excluded from the tenders. The contracting authority, the Police, did not request clear assurance regarding the country of origin of the systems. Tests showed that the selected system could not detect drones, resulting in the cancellation of the contract. The implementation of the project has an indefinite timeline. The lack of monitoring of the contract implementation exacerbates the problem. Furthermore, the tender did not provide for support and maintenance services for the systems. The situation endangers the security of critical infrastructure and requires immediate action to procure effective protection systems.