Cyprus Beat

In today’s episode, United Nations Under Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, Rosemary DiCarlo, is in Cyprus for meetings with Cypriot leaders.  Elsewhere, the digital platform e-kalathi (e-basket) will operate on Monday for a 10-day pilot phase with real prices for 478 essential products to begin with, the energy ministry said on Sunday. Also, a 15-year-old was arrested at L...

In today’s episode, Finance Minister Makis Keravnos announced that the first compensation payments for depositors and bondholders affected by the 2013 bank bail-in will be issued by June.  Elsewhere, UN Under-Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo will visit Cyprus on February 10 for separate meetings with the island’s leaders, President Nikos Christodoulides confirmed. Also, Cypriot scientists are en...

In today’s episode, the recall of vehicles fitted with deadly Takata airbags is proving a nightmare for Transport Minister Alexis Vafeades, and not least because the grieving father of a young man killed in one airbag-linked accident is an old classmate of the minister. Elsewhere, Toyota’s dealership in Cyprus is set to make a whopping €4.8 million by charging “administrative costs” for free airba...

In today’s episode, more than 1,500 cancer-related deaths and 4,000 new cases of the disease are reported in Cyprus every year, associations linked to the disease said on Tuesday, World Cancer Day.  Elsewhere, the threats made to President Nikos Christodoulides over social media may have originated from somewhere in the north, reports said on Tuesday. Also, officials on Tuesday sought to provide a...

In today’s episode, the transport ministry issued two decrees on Monday regulating the recall of over 80,000 automobiles, with the priority being a total of 276 vehicles which are set to be immobilised immediately. Meanwhile, two men were on Monday handed  prison sentences of 45,376 and a half years each in Turkey for operating a ponzi scheme  which funnelled part of its earnings through northern...

In today’s episode, Transport Minister Alexis Vafeades confirmed that decrees for the recall of vehicles fitted with faulty Takata airbags will be issued on Monday. The airbags, which can explode in high heat or humidity, have been linked to fatalities, including two recent deaths in Cyprus. Elsewhere, President Christodoulides presented his vision for Cyprus, but reactions were divided. Governmen...

In today’s episode, a modern, digital Cyprus, which will be a model of transparency and accountability, socially sensitive and proud of its role in the region, is President Nikos Christodoulides’ vision for the year ahead presented on Wednesday. Elsewhere, Cyprus is rapidly running out of the antipsychotic drug Seroquel with the higher dosages especially being in short supply since early October....

In today’s episode, Russian billionaire and former Chelsea Football Club owner Roman Abramovich avoided paying tax on his fleet of yachts through a scheme based in Cyprus. Meanwhile, the government insisted Paphos airport is safe after Israeli airlines suspended their operations in and out of it. Elsewhere, Turkish Cypriot chief negotiator Gunes Onar confirmed to the Cyprus Mail that a meeting ove...

In today’s episode, large sums of money and luxury cars were confiscated as part of a European clampdown on organised crime linked to money laundering in Cyprus. Meanwhile, the construction of a new crematorium in Paphos may not be complete until next year. Elsewhere, the north's 'finance minister' defended his 'ministry's' use of stolen vehicles for official purposes. All...

In today’s episode, a demonstration was held in Nicosia’s central Eleftheria square over the train crash which killed 57 people between the Greek villages of Tempi and Evangelismos on the mainline between Athens and Thessaloniki. Elsewhere, a ceremony was heled in Limassol on Saturday to commemorate the 51st anniversary of the death of George Grivas, the leader of Eoka between 1955 and 1959 and th...

In today’s episode, five football clubs offered to pay a third of the tax debt they owe immediately. Meanwhile, the government is "on the right track" to be able to solve problems faced by Cyprus' "trapped buyers", interior ministry permanent secretary Elikkos Elia said. All this and more in the Cyprus Beat briefing brought to you by the Cyprus Mail.

In today’s episode, the north’s energy supply may be in peril after a boat carrying fuel oil to power its power stations was seized by the Turkish authorities as part of a large-scale investigation into a corruption scandal. Elsewhere, the government insisted that it retain sole discretion in setting price caps for bottled water at designated points of sale, under a bill being discussed in parliam...

In today’s episode, the potential loss of 1.3 million cubic metres of water from the Mavrokolympos dam near Paphos remains a real threat following a leak detected, the Agriculture Minister Maria Panayiotou minister said on Monday. The European Commission has welcomed discussions between President Nikos Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar regarding the potential opening of new cr...

In today’s episode, Cyprus issued a Navtex on Sunday in relation to the start of drilling at the ‘Electra’ field, in bloc 5 of the Cypriot exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Elsewhere, President Nikos Christodoulides will have a meeting with Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar, and the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in Cyprus, Colin Stewart on Monday at the latter's residence in...

In today’s episode, the United States’ decision to allow the Republic of Cyprus to purchase military hardware directly is “a development of historic importance”, President Nikos Christodoulides said. Meanwhile, United Nations under-secretary-general for peacebuilding Rosemary DiCarlo will meet Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar on February 10, Tatar’s office announced. Elsewhere, lawyers represent...

In today’s episode, Cyprus has been authorised to buy military hardware directly from the United States government. Meanwhile, President Nikos Christodoulides hailed the ceasefire agreement struck between the State of Israel and insurgent group Hamas in Gaza Elsewhere, Turkish Cypriot opposition party CTP leader Tufan Erhurman leads the way in the first poll of the year to ask Turkish Cypriots who...

In today’s episode, Labour Minister Yiannis Panayiotou has condemned the recent 5 per cent price increase announced by concrete manufacturers, describing it as unprecedented, unjustified, and driven by profiteering motives.  Meanwhile, shamishi was named as the “worst-rated” Cypriot food by users of popular gastronomic tourism website Taste Atlas. Also, Poland’s ambassador in Nicosia Marek Szczepa...

In today’s episode, Justice Minister Marios Hartsiotis rejected accusations of a police cover-up in the death of a 24-year-old Pakistani national, calling the claims by political parties premature and unsubstantiated.  Elsewhere, a Nicosia football club will be facing trial this week over the non-payment of €2.3 million in social insurance contributions, it emerged on Monday. All this and more in...

In today’s episode, an independent investigator has been appointed over the death of a 24-year-old Pakistani national, who was shot at by police, it was decided on Sunday. Elsewhere, the situation in public hospitals is manageable, Health Minister Michalis Damianos said on Sunday, amid hospital bed shortages resulting from a spike in the number of patients seeking treatment due to infections. All...

In today’s episode, hundreds of demonstrators on Thursday afternoon booed Israeli president Isaac Herzog and shouted “killer go home” as he departed the presidential palace in Nicosia after a meeting there with President Nikos Christodoulides. Elsewhere, expecting the Greek Cypriots to recognise the north as an independent country is “futile”, former Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci said on T...

In today’s episode, four police officers are to be suspended following the escape and subsequent capture of the Romanian who escaped while in custody at hospital. Elsewhere, President Nikos Christodoulides said Cyprus’ trilateral cooperation with Egypt and Greece has as one of its main objectives “the promotion of peace and stability in the region”. All this and more in today’s Daily News Briefing...

In today’s episode, the Greek state-owned asset management company Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund (HRDAF) was on Tuesday awarded control of the Larnaca port.  Elsewhere, a donkey found to have been shot multiple times by a hunter is in a “critical condition” after being taken in for treatment by the Tashkent nature park in the Kyrenia district village of Vouno, its director Kemal Basat s...

In today’s episode, President Nikos Christodoulides reaffirmed his commitment to resuming talks on the Cyprus issue and expressed readiness to meet Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar. Speaking during Epiphany celebrations at Ayia Napa, he revealed preparations for an expanded Cyprus conference, potentially in March, though UN confirmation is pending. Elsewhere, Transport Minister Alexis Vafeadis h...

In today’s episode, January will be a "very busy period" with regard to the Cyprus problem, Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar said. Meanwhile, Paphos' "Vrysouthkia Kelpetri" winter swimmers' club took its first dip in the sea of the year on New Year's Day. All this and more in the Cyprus Beat briefing brought to you by the Cyprus Mail.

In today’s episode, while Jimmy Carter’s election as president of the United States in 1976 may have been a close-run contest, it was greeted with almost unanimous elation in Cyprus. Elsewhere, the United States may offer financial assistance to the Republic of Cyprus to upgrade the Andreas Papandreou air base in Paphos, President Nikos Christodoulides said on Monday. All this and more in today’s...