Newsroom
Larnakos Avenue was closed in both directions early Wednesday morning as police reconstructed a deadly crash that claimed the life of 20-year-old Kyriakos Antoniou earlier this week, an incident that’s ignited public fury over long-ignored warnings about illegal street racing.
The closure, from the University roundabout to the traffic lights near the Sklavenitis supermarket, began at 8 a.m. and is expected to cause significant delays in the Aglantzia area. Police say officers are on site managing traffic and diverting cars through alternate routes.
But for residents and local officials, traffic is the least of their concerns.
They say Antoniou’s death in the early hours of July 29 was a tragedy waiting to happen, one they tried repeatedly to prevent.
“Unfortunately, we were not heard,” said Deputy Mayor Andreas Konstantinou, who revealed that the Municipality had sent a detailed letter to police back in May, warning about the dangers and suggesting specific interventions. “And this ‘unfortunately’ has cost the life of Kyriakos, who was not at fault,” he added, blaming the government’s “culture of Epimetheus”, acting only after disaster strikes.
Videos shared on social media, along with repeated resident calls to police, have painted a clear picture: motorcycles and souped-up cars turning Larnakos Avenue into a nightly racetrack. The issue dates back months, if not years, according to locals.
Despite the complaints, Transport Minister Yiannis Karousos told reporters following a Road Safety Council meeting that he had “no information” about the problem. Pressed further, he said the issue would have to be “studied, evaluated and discussed.”
Police have acknowledged receiving the May 26 warning letter and say they have launched “targeted campaigns” in response. In a statement, authorities said 786 traffic violations had been recorded on Larnakos Avenue so far this year, over 90% for speeding.
But those figures have only deepened residents’ frustration.
“The numbers were there. The warnings were there. What was missing was action,” said a local business owner who asked not to be named.
As the reconstruction gets underway and the investigation continues, many in Aglantzia are left asking the same question: why did it take another young life for authorities to finally take notice?
