A driving examiner in Cyprus insulted a Pakistani candidate and refused to issue him a driving licence, saying: “Go back to your own country, I won’t give you anything.”
However, the Road Transport Department ignored the Ombudsman's appeals in this case for five years. The department's response came only after a warning that too much time had passed for a full investigation, which, according to the ombudsman, may indirectly confirm the seriousness of the charges.
The complaint was filed on September 19, 2020. According to the applicant, during the exam the instructor publicly asked where he was from - and after answering “from Pakistan”, stated that he did not approve licenses for foreigners.
Despite the correct answers in the theoretical part, the man was informed of failure and was not even allowed to practice driving. The examiner also allegedly warned that resubmitting would be pointless if the same person administered the test again. Later, when the man tried to find out the reason for the refusal, he heard:
“Leave my office and my country. Come home. You won't get anything from me."
The Ombudsman sent the first request in October 2020, then eight more reminders - the last in September 2024 - and not a single agency responded. Only after the official summons in 2025 did the department send a response, saying that the investigation was now impossible due to the statute of limitations.
In the letter, the department defends the examiner, calling him “one of the most experienced employees,” and the exam statistics allegedly do not show discrimination.
However, the ombudsman's report highlights the fault of the department itself, which systematically ignored requests. This is regarded as a violation of the law and disrespect for the ombudsman institution and citizens.
Although the allegations can no longer be proven, the fact that they were not refuted raises serious doubts about the objectivity of the examiner and the transparency of the procedure.
The Ombudsman recommended that the Ministry of Transport and the department's management introduce new mechanisms for monitoring applications and guarantee equal treatment of each candidate - regardless of his origin or nationality.
Source: in-cyprus.philenews.com
