Paphos People

SEMI-state telecommunications provider CyTA is being denied access to the new Paphos airport unless it agrees to share its revenues with the strategic investor, officials said yesterday.

The issue came to the fore yesterday, when daily Politis reported that the police wanted their communications network at Paphos airport to be handled by CyTA and not by private companies, due to the sensitivity of the information going through.

Politis suggested that the opening of the airport in nine days’ time could be delayed because of the issue.

But the strategic investor, Hermes Airports, insists: “the airport will open as scheduled.”

Spokesman Adamos Aspris told the Cyprus Mail that the investor was working with all parties involved to resolve the matter.

CyTA said an arrangement has been made for the police and customs to be linked through the network at the old Paphos airport.

But while the police communications issue seems to have been resolved, at least for the time being, CyTA says it is being denied access to the airport.

The company’s Executive Director Fotis Savvides said Hermes Airports had asked CyTA to enter a revenue sharing agreement before it is allowed access to the airport.

It is understood that the agreement concerns only services rendered to clients at the airport.

“Such a model does not exist anywhere in Cyprus,” Savvides told the Mail.

Savvides said the company was willing to foot the cost for installing its equipment and rent to provide service to its customers at the airport.

The company stressed that under the current legislation, all providers have the right to install the infrastructure aimed at providing uninterrupted electronic communications.

In a written statement, CyTA added it would continue its efforts to resolve the matter, but would not hesitate to use all legal means to provide service to its clients as soon as possible.