UN probes duty-free scam

UNFICYP remained tight-lipped yesterday over an investigation launched by the UN into suspected abuses of duty-free privileges by soldiers.

Spokesman Waldemar Rokoszewski refused to comment on what he called a “pending investigation”.

The UN announced in New York on Saturday that it was investigating possible abuses by a small number of Unficyp peacekeepers.

The discrepancy was discovered during a routine check and an investigation was immediately launched, according to UN spokesman Fred Eckhard.

He said a formal report was expected to be sent to UN headquarters, and when the investigation was completed “necessary action will be taken in accordance with UN rules”.

Unficyp has a strength of around 1,400 troops and civilian police from Britain, Argentina, Ireland, Austria and others.

Sources in New York told the Reuters news agency that Unficyp chief of mission Dame Ann Hercus was aware of the potential scandal and had contacted the UN ambassadors of the nations involved.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.