There will be no further investigation into the protest staged by hunters in March which blocked the motorway linking Nicosia and Limassol, police chief Themistos Arnaoutis said on Wednesday.

He told the House legal committee that a criminal investigation into the protest and “everything which took place” on the day had been completed and forwarded to the legal service, and that instructions were issued by Attorney-general George Savvides not to investigate further.

Additionally, he said, “no disciplinary offence” was found in investigations into the conduct of officials on the day.

Justice Minister Marios Hartsiotis told the committee that the best way to prevent such phenomena in the future is to create “an institutionalised regime for events and parades”, so that it will be clear who is responsible in the event that matters get out of hand.

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At present, he said, there is no such system, and therefore, “no one can be held accountable”.

He added that his ministry has sent a bill to create an “institutionalisation of procedures” regarding the organisation of events and large gatherings to the committee, and that in light of the hunters’ protest, he would now like to see that bill “moved forward”.

Akel MP Aristos Damianou then asked Hartsiotis what he did on the day of the protest, with Hartsiotis replying that he does not, “under any circumstances, interfere with the police’s operational plans”.

“I was informed by the police that they were taking all the necessary actions,” he added.

The protest was staged on the motorway near the Larnaca district village of Skarinou, with around 5,000 people said to be in attendance. Traffic was diverted off the motorway as hunters blocked all four lanes of the road and set up barbecues.

At the time, committee chairman and Disy MP Nicos Tornaritis described the protesters’ actions as “antisocial and unacceptable behaviour”, while also criticising the fact that the police did not ensure that any part of the road remained open.

Hunters had, among other things, demanded more areas to train hunting dogs, protection from “activists who disrupt activities”, restrictions on the “uncontrolled” licencing of solar farms in the countryside, and stricter penalties for poaching.

A week earlier, they had closed key roundabouts on Cyprus’ road network.

The protesting party at the time released a statement which said that “a failed management programme is being followed, which has led to the impoverishment of the game”.

They were joined by fishermen, who called for an area of sea near the Larnaca district villages of Mari and Zygi to be allocated for fishing.