Cyprus Beat

In today’s episode, President Nikos Christodoulides marked the 65th anniversary of Cyprus’ independence on Wednesday with a speech highlighting resilience, reform and renewed hopes for peace.  Elsewhere, Cyprus on Wednesday officially launched its competitive electricity market, a reform Energy Minister George Papanastasiou said will eventually lower costs. Also, the United Nations will formally s...

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In today’s episode, social welfare services staff are holding a 24‑hour strike on Monday over a dispute on disability programme coordination.  Elsewhere, a traffic collision at around 12.30pm on Sunday in Linopetra, Limassol, left a man dead. Also, a 32-year-old man died early on Sunday after falling from the second floor of a building in Zakaki, Limassol. All this and more in today’s Daily News B...

In today’s episode, attorney-general George Savvides announced that he will not prosecute former auditor-general Odysseas Michaelides for contempt of court, despite finding “sufficient evidence” to do so. Elsewhere, the government is considering its options after the European Commission ordered Cyprus to repay €67.2 million in grants for the Vasiliko liquefied natural gas terminal, Energy Minister...

The Cyprus Beat briefing brought to you by the Cyprus Mail.

The Cyprus Beat briefing brought to you by the Cyprus Mail.

In today’s episode, local governments do not need “external instructions” to function, Larnaca mayor Andreas Vyras said, responding to a circular sent by the interior ministry to every municipality and village demanding the removal of any anti-Israel graffiti. Elsewhere, MPs voiced astonishment at the red tape and procedural rigmarole in the civil service hampering the sharing of information regar...

The Cyprus Beat briefing brought to you by the Cyprus Mail.

Your daily briefing brought to you by the Cyprus Mail news team.

In today’s episode, auditor-general Andreas Papaconstantinou accused Justice Minister Marios Hartsiotis of attempting to introduce “big brother” into the audit office through the government’s planned reforms to the body. Meanwhile, Turkish Cypriot Nicosia mayor Mehmet Harmanci told United Nations envoy Maria Angela Holguin that the idea of a two-state solution to the Cyprus problem is an “illusion...

In today’s episode, talks between Cyprus trade unions and Labour Minister Yiannis Panayiotou ended without agreement on the future of the Automatic Cost of Living Allowance (CoLA). Elsewhere, Five Greek Cypriots remain detained by Turkish-controlled authorities after trying to visit their properties in northern Cyprus, Foreign Minister Konstantinos Kompos confirmed on Tuesday. Also, a fire which b...

The Cyprus Beat briefing brought to you by the Cyprus Mail.

In today’s episode, President Nikos Christodoulides held a telephone call with Israeli President Isaac Herzog and said after the call that he had “stressed the importance to deescalate tensions”. Meanwhile, there will be no problems with the Paphos district’s water supply next year, “regardless of the weather conditions”, the agriculture ministry’s undersecretary Andreas Gregoriou said. Also, Turk...

The Cyprus Beat briefing brought to you by the Cyprus Mail.

In today’s episode, Cyprus faces disruption on Thursday as a three-hour strike hits airports, schools, and public services over the Cost-of-Living Allowance (CoLA).  Also, Cyprus will spend a €1.1 billion EU loan from the SAFE programme over five years to strengthen defence and support local defence industries, Defence Minister Vassilis Palmas announced. Elsewhere, three of five Greek Cypriots arr...

In today’s episode, Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis said there are “manifest interests” working to ensure that the Great Sea Interconnector will never be constructed. Meanwhile, Gerapetritis also denied that his father-in-law is the subject of the European public prosecutor’s office (EPPO) investigation into the Great Sea Interconnector project, which was announced last week. Also, Cyp...

In today’s episode, despite yet another meeting earlier on Monday failing to yield any breakthrough on the contentious Cost‑of‑Living Allowance (CoLA), trade unions -SEK, PEO, PASYDY, and DEOK - confirmed that they would proceed with the general strike planned for Thursday, September 11. Elsewhere, Finance Minister Makis Keravnos said Monday that the final cost of the Great Sea Interconnector rema...

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In today’s episode, the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) has launched an investigation into the Great Sea Interconnector, the planned electricity link between Cyprus, Greece and Israel.  The government has intensified efforts to strip citizenships granted under Cyprus’ now-defunct investment scheme, with seven investors and 19 relatives losing their passports this week. Also, Cyprus face...

The Cyprus Beat briefing brought to you by the Cyprus Mail.

In today’s episode, Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis warned of “consequences” for any “third country” which seeks to obstruct the construction of the Great Sea Interconnector, which, if complete, will link the energy grids of Greece, Cyprus, and Israel. Elsewhere, just 13 per cent of Cypriots favour the idea of Turkey joining the European Union, according to data published by the EU’s E...

In today’s episode, Larnaca’s district government is suing a metal recycling factory where an explosion injured three people for operating without a licence since 2014.  Elsewhere, UN envoy Maria Angela Holguin’s planned Cyprus visit was postponed due to an “unforeseen issue” and will be rescheduled. Also, trade unions called a general strike for September 11 after talks failed to secure the full...

The Cyprus Beat briefing brought to you by the Cyprus Mail.

In today’s episode, Finance Minister Makis Keravnos warned he could abandon his tax reform plans entirely if parliament amends them excessively.  Elsewhere, Cyprus confirmed it has received the report from the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) on the Limassol mountain wildfire that killed two people. Also, Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar on Wednesday demanded advance...

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