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It is with great pleasure that I attend with you today the award ceremony of the 10 conscript soldiers of the 2022 ESSO who systematically used the Free Movement Scheme during the period between 1 September 2022 and 31 May 2023.
I would like to thank CNP Insurance for hosting the event and especially the Group's First Executive Director Mr. Andreas Stylianou, as well as all the staff of the company for their cooperation, but also for the kind sponsorship of the 10 electronic tablets, with which we will award our National Guardsmen.
The Free Transportation Scheme was a pioneering measure years ago, which was piloted, evaluated, implemented and has now become an institution that provides National Guardsmen and contracted soldiers with free transportation during their arrival and departure from the camps.
By using this measure, we are helping to reduce the inconvenience to families, mitigating the family budget, but also to protect the environment, which aims to reduce emissions of pollutants, which are the first cause of pollution.
Above all, however, it is a safer way to travel and removes stress, both from the National Guardsmen themselves and from their parents, since from the moment they board the bus, they are considered to have already reported to their camp.
This avoids the risk of driving at times of increased traffic on the roads under time pressure, as part of the effort to achieve timely arrival at the camp, thus significantly reducing the chances of being involved in or causing a traffic accident.
We should, of course, bear in mind that if we do not take actions that instil in everyone a high level of road awareness and reinforce the benefit that can be derived from the correct use of the Highway Code, no matter how many initiatives we take, we will not achieve the desired result. That is the reduction of road accidents and loss of human lives on the tarmac.
For this reason, as the Ministry of Defence we seek to inculcate road awareness in our personnel and especially in our National Guardsmen, who will be tomorrow's productive class of society.
In this context, we hold, on an annual basis, in cooperation with approved non-governmental organizations and with the contribution of the Cyprus Police, informative lectures on road safety in all National Guard and ELDYK camps.
Unfortunately in Cyprus, despite a significant reduction in fatal road collisions, the numbers still remain high.
Road accidents are a modern scourge and it is truly sad that every year, dozens of people, mainly young people, lose their lives or are seriously injured due to a moment of carelessness and recklessness.
Our aim is to continue our efforts to inform and raise public awareness and to adopt additional measures that will help to reduce road accidents as much as possible.
I extend my warmest congratulations to all those who contribute to our joint effort.
I also congratulate, in particular, you, the National Guardsmen whom we are awarding today, because with the confidence you have shown in the Free Movement of Arms Scheme, in addition to being an example to others, you are contributing to the effort we are making to inform and raise awareness among your colleagues.
Thank you.
(AF/EXP)
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