Report Highlights Legal Gap for Guide Dogs in Cyprus

A report by the Commissioner for Administration and Human Rights Protection, Maria Stylianou Lottides, identifies a legal gap regarding the right of people with disabilities (PWD) to be accompanied by guide dogs in public and private spaces, as well as on public transportation.

The report was prompted by publications concerning the inadequate regulation of the issue. Letters were sent to various bodies, including the Deputy Ministry of Tourism and the Pancyprian Organisation of the Blind (P.O.T.).

The Deputy Ministry of Tourism stated that there are no provisions for the entry of guide dogs into hospitality and catering establishments. The Ministry of Transport states that guide dogs are allowed on buses, while the Health Service sets conditions for entry into restaurants and cafes.

The P.O.T. emphasizes the need for special legislation regulating the mobility of the blind and access to workplaces, educational institutions, and recreational areas.

A session of the Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights found that there is no legislation on the issue, nor a guide dog training center in Cyprus.

The report concludes that legislative protection of the right is fundamental to the social inclusion of PWD and calls for immediate action.