Cyprus MPs and unions raise concerns over illegal employment practices linked to human trafficking
Complaints about the use of temporary employment agencies for hiring workers in Cyprus have been linked to slave trade and human trafficking, according to Giorgos Koukoumas, chairman of the House labour committee and Disy MP. The practice, occurring especially in construction and tourism sectors, is considered illegal and harmful, undermining labour rights and creating a two-tier workforce.
Trade unions have reported cases where workers are transported by employers to worksites and subjected to degrading conditions for minimal pay. Labour authorities have acknowledged these cases and are expected to provide information on any sanctions or criminal proceedings. Legislators also noted delays in passing bills to hold main contractors accountable, leaving legal loopholes.
Disy MP Andreas Constantinou called for clear regulations to prevent such abuses, describing the phenomenon as a form of modern slave trade. Labour Minister Marinos Mousiouttas emphasized ongoing investigations, rejecting claims that Cyprus is a slave market. The hoteliers’ association denied allegations of illegal employment within its sector, stating licensed agencies operate under the law.
CYPRadar is a state-of-the-art, AI-powered Cyprus news aggregator that automatically crawls, filters, and translates local updates in real time. By continuously scanning a wide range of trusted Cypriot media outlets, blogs, and official RSS feeds, the platform identifies original stories and uses advanced language models to filter out duplicate coverage. The service then generates concise, objective summaries, ensuring that readers get a quick and clear understanding of every significant event without information overload.
The primary mission of CYPRadar is to provide comprehensive, multi-language coverage of Cyprus news to keep both residents and international visitors well-informed. The platform covers key events across all major cities and districts, including Nicosia, Limassol, Larnaca, Paphos, and Famagusta. By offering all updates simultaneously in five languages — English, Russian, Greek, Ukrainian, and Turkish — CYPRadar bridges communication gaps and ensures that everyone has equal access to critical local information, from policy changes to community events.
Follow police reports, crime statistics, and justice updates in Cyprus. Read about local law enforcement operations, safety measures, judicial court cases, road safety controls, and community policing initiatives.