LESS than ten per cent of the €51 million collected from electricity bills, ostensibly to fund Renewable Energy Sources (RES) has been paid out in incentives for that purpose, it emerged yesterday.

The revelation at the House European Affairs Committee comes less than a week after the House heard that dozens of businesses had complained of being turned down for RES incentives even though they had fulfilled the criteria.

For years consumers have been paying a levy on their bills to fund RES projects – around €2.50 on  an average €150 bill. This is in addition to the new charge on consumers to pay the millions in fines that Cyprus is being charged by the EU for failing to meets its carbon-cutting targets.

A SURVEY carried out amongst nearly 200 Cypriot high school students, revealed that 61 per cent felt that migrants negatively affect Cyprus society, citing reasons such as “they take our jobs” and “their physical appearance”.

The findings were many presented at a special session of the Children’s Parliament at the House on Saturday, which was organised in cooperation with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The topic of discussion was: ‘The child refugees-the child migrants; the Cypriot reality’.

“This years’ topic is at the epicentre of the European Unions’ political agenda. It is a subject that concerns Cyprus very much, our state and our society” said President of the House of Representative Marios Garoyian.

U.N. SPECIAL Adviser Alexander Downer has again been caught in the crosshairs of Cypriot politicians, after revealing a private conversation during which he told AKEL leader Andros Kyprianou that the United Nations was running out of patience and, come November, it would start pointing fingers for lack of progress in peace talks.

The Australian diplomat told Kyprianou that, unless significant progress were made by November this year, the UN Secretary-General would put the blame on whomever he thought was responsible.

Following the disclosure, Kyprianou acknowledged such a conversation took place, but censured Downer for telling only part of the story.

The finance ministry will take over management of public debt from its central bank from August 1, opting against creation of an independent agency, Finance Minister Charilaos Stavrakis said yesterday.

Stavrakis said the decision to revoke management powers from the central bank was an “institutional” issue but failed to be more specific. There are only five countries within the 27 member EU where debt management still rests with the central bank, he said.

Management would be assumed by a division in the finance ministry separate from its budget and fiscal control units.

THE SOLAR Car Challenge, the first of its kind in Cyprus, took place over the weekend at the Daytona Race Track in Nicosia.

Organised by the Cyprus Institute, a non-profit science and technology research and educational institution, in collaboration with the Research Promotion Foundation, the event aimed at encouraging interest in the study of electric vehicle technology as well as increasing public awareness of ‘clean’ transport and solar energy.

Participating teams has to design, build and race solar-powered vehicles.

LAWMAKERS yesterday voiced their annoyance with the government, which they say has made a habit out of submitting crucial bills just before parliament is about to close for summer recess.

They were referring to three bills submitted last week – to increase corporate tax, immovable property tax, and the bill for the new measures to boost the economy – for which the government wants speedy approval.

The Chairman of the House Finance Committee, DIKO’s Nicolas Papadopoulos, wondered how such important bills could be passed into law just three plenary sessions before the summer recess in mid July.

PARLIAMENT yesterday received a bill that could offer the Cabinet the discretional ability to write off penalties imposed on VAT debts.

According to the Chairman of the House Finance Committee, DIKO’s Nicolas Papadopoulos, it is estimated that the net amount owed in VAT is currently €30 million. However, based on current legislation, the fines and interests imposed have increased this amount to €157 million.

“Such disproportionate penalties have a negative effect, as it doesn’t serve the cause that contributions to the Social Security Fund should be based on one’s financial abilities,” said Papadopoulos. “These penalties can’t be catastrophic to Cypriots’ financial survival.”

He said the bill was viewed positively by his Committee.

THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL has ordered the police to initiate a probe into possible money laundering after allegations that a CyTA (Cyprus Telecommunications Authority) board member sold pre-paid phone cards for cash.

The allegations concern a CyTA board member suspected of selling So-easy SIM cards and making cash payments worth €300,000 to CyTA for the pre-paid phone cards instead of making those payments through bank transfers.

The person in question has already resigned his post as executive chairman of a subsidiary of CyTA, a company by the name of Emporion Plaza Ltd. He also sits on the CyTA board of directors.