THE GOVERNMENT has decided to offer Russian scientists $80,000 a head in an effort to attract them to Cyprus to work in technological incubators, high-technology specialised units focusing on innovative research and development.
Commerce Minister Nicos Rolandis said this week he would be signing a first ever technological incubator deal with the Russian Federation following a high-tech co-operation deal established between Cyprus and the Russian federation during his recent visit to Moscow.
“We are moving into high tech in Cyprus,” Rolandis said yesterday. “By this summer the island will be ready to host five technological incubators. This means we shall have 50 to 60 places for scientists working on innovative highly technological discoveries and inventions.”
During his Moscow visit, Rolandis and Russian Deputy Commerce Minister Michael Kirpichnikov discussed ways to attract Russian scientists to take part in these specialised units.
“We are trying to get agreements with various universities, institutions, governments and technocrats so we can create a flow of scientists into Cyprus,” Rolandis told the Sunday Mail, adding that the Cabinet had decided to make the scientists “quite a generous offer” of $80,000 per head.
The Minister cited ‘Silicon Valley’ in California 50 years ago and Israel ten years ago as examples of similar scientific incubators.
“Russian scientists will come here and move into incubators and then into the technology and industry sectors,” he said, adding that 860 Cypriots working for multinationals and governments abroad were already trying to persuade the US to join the scheme.
Cyprus has consistently ranked among the lowest GDP contributors to research and development.
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.
