The required parliamentary majority has been secured for the release of €595,000 to purchase a new armoured limousine for the President of the Republic. DISY, DIKO and ELAM supported the proposal, while ALMA opposed it.
AKEL and Direct Democracy reserved their positions until 5pm. Their decisions cannot alter the outcome, as the required majority has already been secured.
Existing vehicles
During a closed meeting of the House Finance Committee, officials said the armoured limousine purchased in 2010 for €291,000 plus VAT would be withdrawn from service.
The limousine currently used by President Nikos Christodoulides was purchased in 2019 for €258,000 plus VAT. It will remain in service as a reserve vehicle after the new limousine is delivered.
Closed procurement process
The new vehicle will be purchased through a closed procurement process. Selected vehicle dealerships in Cyprus capable of supplying an armoured vehicle will be invited to submit bids.
The same procedure was followed for the purchase of previous presidential limousines.
Representatives of the Transport Ministry’s Electrical and Mechanical Services Department cited the age of the existing limousine and its mileage as reasons for the purchase. The vehicle has travelled more than 200,000 kilometres since 2019.
