The possibility of introducing legislative measures to inform the public and potentially immobilize vehicles equipped with defective Takata airbags is now under review by the Parliamentary Committee on Commerce. Maria Loui, the grieving mother of 24-year-old Kyriakos Oxinos, who lost his life due to the malfunctioning of such an airbag, emphasized the urgent need for action, calling these vehicles a "death trap."

During the committee session, it was revealed that, aside from the fatality of Kyriakos in January 2023, the defective airbags are linked to the death of 19-year-old Styliani Georgalli and another incident involving a young man who sustained severe injuries and has undergone multiple surgeries. The Road Transport Department (RTD) has identified 12,000 European vehicles with these airbags, but concerns are rising that the number could increase to 25,000-30,000 if vehicles imported from Japan and Singapore are included.

Speaking before the committee and to the media, Maria Loui recounted how she discovered the issue following her son's death.  

“I lost a child, a swimmer, an educated young man with dreams, and overnight, he was returned to me in a box. When it was proven that Kyriakos had no injuries but had a destroyed face, I learned about Takata and the RAPEX system. Am I supposed to know about RAPEX? Who protects me as a citizen?” she questioned.  

Loui expressed her frustration over the lack of action, describing the situation as a ticking time bomb. She stressed that public awareness is crucial, pointing out that Styliani Georgalli might still be alive had measures been implemented earlier.  

“I hope we don't mourn more victims before action is taken because these explosions can happen suddenly, even due to weather conditions,” she warned, adding, “If we continue to ignore this, it will be criminal.”

Former Minister of Agriculture and RTD Director Petros Xenophontos, an expert in road safety, called for the immobilization of affected vehicles. He stated that the RTD could notify vehicle owners through its SMS alert system.  

"From the moment a person is informed until the airbag is replaced, the vehicle should be immobilized, with costs covered by the importer," he said, emphasizing that the importers are registered with the customs department. This applies to both European vehicles and those from third countries.  

“These vehicles must be immobilized,” Xenophontos stressed, likening the airbags to "a weapon that can shoot you."

RTD Director Giorgos Louka mentioned that the department issued a public notice last Thursday and is coordinating with the Cyprus Electricity Authority (CEA) to include a notification about recalls in electricity bills.

Committee Chair Kyriakos Hadjiyiannis criticized the government’s inaction, describing it as a "spectator" to the crisis. “There are tens of thousands of ticking bombs on our roads,” he said, urging the committee to legislate a solution before Christmas.

MPs stressed that replacing defective airbags should be the importers’ responsibility, condemning reports from previous sessions that dealerships charge customers between €75 and €160 for vehicle inspections.

DISY MP Nikos Sykas referred to the situation as a "ticking time bomb" and highlighted the tragic cases of Kyriakos, Styliani, and the severely injured young man. He assured that DISY and other parties would submit legislative proposals to address the systemic failures.

AKEL MP Kostas Costa remarked that "enough is enough," demanding immediate action to resolve the issue. “A year after discussing this in October, we see that the state has done nothing to inform the public or set up a platform to provide information,” he said.

Meanwhile, DIKO MP Michalis Giakoumis condemned the continued circulation of vehicles with dangerous components in a rule-of-law state. “The safety of citizens is non-negotiable and cannot rely solely on registered letters or restrictions during MOT inspections,” he concluded.