At Thursday’s session of the House Transport Committee, attended by Transport Minister Alexis Vafeades, officials reported that 76% of vehicle recalls for defective Takata airbags have been completed since February. Roughly 19,000 vehicles remain outstanding, with the deadline of 3 October approaching. The Ministry is considering an extension.
The Minister thanked car owners and distributors for their cooperation, urging the public to act swiftly:
“It is for your own safety. The faster we complete this, the better,” he said, calling on citizens who have not yet responded to immediately contact their distributors or the Department of Road Transport.
According to data presented, two companies charged car owners for recall work, collecting nearly €4 million in total. Vafeades reiterated that the Ministry is opposed to such charges, but noted the issue falls outside its direct authority.
Committee members highlighted the recalls still pending: Toyota (5,500), Mazda (4,100), Honda (3,300), Nissan (2,000), and BMW (1,500). They stressed that replacement parts are available for 17,000 vehicles and that delays are due more to public response and some companies’ practices than supply shortages.
Lawmakers from all parties expressed concern over citizens being charged €150–190 per recall by two firms, describing the practice as profiteering at the expense of public safety. Green MP Stavros Papadouris called it “shameful”, adding that at a time when at least two deaths and one serious injury in Cyprus have been linked to defective airbags, all companies should show goodwill.
The Ministry is expected to announce within days whether the recall deadline will be extended.
