Fines in force

FINES of up to six times the gross monthly minimum wage for people who break Covid-19 measures have come into force.

The fines took affect after the Communicable Diseases Bill, which was passed by Parliament last week, was approved by President Mustafa Akıncı and finally published in the OfficialGazette on Monday.

As reported by CyprusToday last week, anyone who contravenes the new law can be fined up to six times the minimum monthly wage – 22,920TL based on the current gross minimum salary of 3,820TL – or even sent to prison, while not wearing a face mask or failing to observe social distancing incurs a fine of 382 TL, which is equivalent to a tenth of the monthly minimum wage.

Other provisions of the new legislation include:

Fines of up to five times the monthly minimum wage and/or a maximum prison term of one year for not complying with self-isolation or quarantine rules;

Fines equal to the monthly minimum wage and having premises closed for owners of workplaces who violate social distancing and other hygiene requirements;

Fines of up to six times the monthly minimum wage and/or a prison sentence of up to one year for those failing to obey a closure instruction; and

Fines of up to six times the monthly minimum wage and/or a year in prison for offenders who fail to pay fines within 30 days.

Speaking to CyprusToday this week, People’s Party MP Jale Rogers confirmed that the draft Bill had passed into law, despite some MPs expressing their concern during a parliamentary debate last week that the fines were too high.