THE Turkish Cypriot leadership last night hailed yesterday’s European Court of Human Rights’ (ECHR) decision to recognise the north’s Immovable Property Commission (IPC) as a victory, “not only for Turkish Cypriots, but for all Cypriots” who were dispossessed of their properties during Turkey’s invasion of the north in 1974.

“This is a great day for all of Cyprus as it shows a way forward for resolving the property issue,” Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat’s spokesman Hasan Ercakica told the Cyprus Mail last night.

THE GOVERNMENT’S plan to restructure local authorities is welcome news, even though it will be a long and difficult undertaking. Interior Minister Neoclis Sylikiotis has said the process, currently in the dialogue stage, will take 10 years to complete – an understandable timeframe given the complexity of the task.

ILLEGAL AND errant parkers are the target of a new, satirical media campaign, which shot its first scenes in Nicosia yesterday. The short film includes a segment featuring the awarding of a mock prize to the ‘Citizen of the Year’ who parked the most times on pavements and in disabled parking spaces.

The initiative comes from the Paraplegics’ Association in Cyprus, who came up with the ideas for the project. According to Demetris Lambrianides, the President of the Association, the aim is to ensure pavements are for all of Cyprus’ pedestrians – not just paraplegics.

“This is a very serious problem because the Cypriot has learned to park on pavements and not walk even two minutes. He wants his comforts,” said Lina Hamali, the script and copywriter for the piece.

THE CENTRAL committee of the Cyprus Cultural Foundation yesterday fought back at what it described as the “orchestrated attack” against the creation of a cultural centre in Nicosia.

“Cancelling the project is not only not substantiated by any kind of logic but it will clearly be a blow to the economy, culture and the image of a European Cyprus,” read a statement issued by the foundation.

Plans to construct the €85 million cultural centre have been criticised in the media, suggesting it is not the right time – amid the economic downturn – to spent millions on such a project.

A BRITISH expat has launched a campaign to raise £1 million for charity by losing 30lbs (13kg) in three months.

Mark Elliot, 43, from Akrotiri, left his job as an oil and gas executive last week to fulfil his “Big Fat Ambition” to lose weight and raise money for two charities, Help for Heroes and the Wounded Warrior Project.

“I handed in my notice last Wednesday, and by the weekend we had the site up and running. It received 445 visitors yesterday from people as far away as America.”

Campaigning in the UK and the US simultaneously, the website has received just under £270 and $1,000 in donations so far. However if he is to raise £1 million, he will need to enlist some bigger donors – and his sights are set on the big oil and gas companies.

THE ATTORNEY-general has given police the green light to prosecute two people in connection with the death of a reservist during a military exercise in September last year in the Famagusta district.

“The case file was submitted to the attorney-general and on his instruction two individuals will be charged with causing death through a reckless and dangerous act,” police spokesman Michalis Katsounotos said.

Father of two Iacovos Hadjispyrou, 43, was killed after the army truck he was travelling in left the road on a bend and overturned in a field.

Five other people were injured in the accident.

THE EUROPEAN Commission has allocated up to €100,000 in additional support to replace and renew equipment for the Dr Burhan Nalbantoglu hospital in north Nicosia which was damaged by last week’s severe floods.

This money comes from the existing local infrastructure scheme funded by the €259 million EU Aid Programme for the Turkish Cypriot community. The project will be managed by UNDP on behalf of the EU. The project aims to restore the range of medical treatment and services to be provided by the hospital.

The hospital is already benefiting from €700,000 of EU support for equipment and building renovation for the safe handling and treatment of hospital waste.

THE GOVERNMENT has prepared an explanatory leaflet in magazine format on the nature of a bizonal, bicommunal federation. The leaflet will be circulated in the Sunday edition of the island’s Greek-language papers.

Entitled ‘Cyprus and Federation’, the leaflet aims to explain in a simple manner what a bizonal, bicommunal federation is, the question of political equality and the difference between a federation and a confederation.

Government spokesman Stefanos Stefanou said these are topics regarding the defining limits of which talks have been ongoing for 30 years now. The leaflet explains the principles on the basis of which a solution is being sought.