Newsroom
It’s not every day you see a convoy of driving school vehicles pulling up to government buildings in protest, but that’s exactly what happened on Friday as frustrated driving school instructors took their complaints to the Ministry of Transport. Horns honked and tempers flared, but thankfully no one needed a parallel parking refresher during the demonstration.
Starting from the GSP Stadium and cruising to the Ministry of Transport, Communications, and Works, the instructors staged a protest over what they call a bureaucratic roadblock in the driver’s license examination process. They claim test dates are delayed by months, sometimes up to nine, and that exam slots are being handed out in a way that makes as much sense as trying to drive a roundabout blindfolded.
Their message was loud and clear: the current system is stuck in reverse, and they want it fixed.
At the final stop of their mini road trip protest, the instructors handed over a memorandum demanding more staff at Road Transport offices, particularly in Limassol and Paphos, where they say the shortage is most severe. They also want to see the current system for scheduling exams tossed out like a failed driving test.
And if that wasn’t enough, they’re also calling for a change in management. According to the instructors, the official currently overseeing the driving school sector is not only uncooperative but is allegedly steering decisions in the wrong direction—"absurd" was the word used by Kokos Protopapas, President of the Limassol Driving School Owners Association.
Speaking to CNA, Protopapas didn’t mince his words. He accused the ministry of "complete indifference" and said the chaos is so bad that some learner drivers are resorting to driving illegally just to get by.
"Imagine waiting nine months just to take the test—and if you fail, you’re back at the end of the line for another nine months," he said. "We’re beyond frustrated. This system is pushing us to despair."
The memorandum urges the ministry to lift what the instructors describe as an “unjust and failed” policy that allows the rescheduling or even cancellation of exam dates without warning. They say this measure has only added to the confusion and delays.
And for those still waiting for their test date? It might be faster to walk.
