Elections for the position of Alassa community leader will be repeated on March 30, following legal challenges that led to the nullification of Savvas Savva’s election last year, the interior ministry and its election service announced on Thursday.

Candidacies for the position can be submitted on March 20.

Last month, the Supreme Court dismissed an appeal against a lower court ruling that had nullified Savva’s election.

On October 9, the lower court had ruled in favour of Savva’s rival, Emilios Tofallis, who argued that Savva was not a permanent resident of the community.

Following the decision, on October 13, residents protested by blocking the Limassol-Platres road near Alassa.

Head of the election service Menelaos Vasiliou said that on Thursday, the interior ministry received an opinion from the attorney-general’s office confirming that the elections must be repeated.

The decision will be published in Friday’s official gazette, followed by a notice from Limassol’s returning officer on March 14.

Sources indicate that residents who had supported Savva’s candidacy plan to put forward their own candidate in the upcoming election.