The trance legend, Armin Van Buuren, was scheduled to play at the old Larnaca airport in Cyprus tomorrow July 21st. However, due to some unforeseen security issues raised by the police, Van Buuren has had to cancel the event.
The airport space was rented to Moonlightshow Productions team by Hermes Airports, only to be told that the event was not cleared with the police. “The security issues were raised by the police, not Hermes,” Adamos Aspris, spokesman for Hermes Airports claims. Aspris seems to be placing the blame on Moonlightshow Productions for not getting in contact with the police before the show. However, Helen Katsamba, the managing director of the organizing company, said, “When we decided to rent the airport we had a number of meetings with Hermes to discuss safety and security issues over the last two and half months. Our man responsible for these concerns is a very professional Englishman and Hermes expressed their satisfaction with these arrangements. I can’t believe Hermes did not contact the police.” It seems that each party involved is saying the other was responsible for contacting the police.
But, it does seem strange that Katsamba hadn’t heard anything official from Hermes regarding security issues. Rather, she heard the news of the event getting canceled through a friend who was working at the airport. 
The police spokesman for Cyprus police, Andreas Angelides, voiced his concerns on the matter after finding out about the event through ads and the internet. He said, “A meeting was held with Civil Aviation where police expressed security concerns with the concert being held at the airport. The final decision to not allow the concert to go ahead was made by them.”
Ultimately, it seems as though there was poor communication between Hermes, Moonlightshow Productions, and the Cyprus police, resulting in the cancelation of tomorrow’s show, even though it is still up on Armin’s site. The production team is offering free return transfers to Ayia Napa’s Community Football Stadium from Nicosia, Larnaca, Paphos and Limassol. Participants who wish to use the service should contact Marios Kapnos on 9944 2155 or the organisers on 7777 2939 or 7777 7040.
Source: Cyprus Mail
Photo: Robert Harpin
