I just keep missing the Pope. I was in London for most of his visit to Cyprus. And now he has gone to the UK, just as I came back to Cyprus. This is not a problem as I have no desire to see Pope Benedict and would have nothing much to say to him if I ever met him. His advisor, Cardinal Walter Kasper, who dropped out of the visit at the last minute, is another matter.
AN INCREASE in taxation of Cypriot companies and banks as well as hikes on tobacco and alcohol, could be included in a package of measures to plug a €150 million hole to keep the budget deficit for 2011 within the limits set by the European Union, the finance minister said yesterday.
“The probable measures include a possible increase in tax on Cypriot companies, some form of taxation on banks, a review of tariffs on real estate …(and) possible tax on tobacco and
alcohol,” said Minister Charilaos Stavrakis.
He also said a minimum 5.0 per cent VAT on foodstuffs and pharmaceuticals was on the way under EU regulations.
ARE PEOPLE in Cyprus living in fear and insecurity as DISY deputy Ionas Nicolaou claimed, after seeing the latest crime figures? Are we afraid to walk the streets at night or to park the car in an underground car park in a city centre? Has Cyprus stopped being a safe place to bring up children?
The answer to all the above questions is a big no. Our physical well-being when walking the street is threatened much more by reckless drivers who ignore traffic laws than by muggers, rapists, child abusers and murderers. In fact Cyprus remains a pretty safe place to live and it is difficult to believe that there are many ordinary people living in fear and insecurity, as Nicolaou suggests citing the latest stats.
IN WHAT appears to be a major embarrassment, the government yesterday conceded there was a mistake in the calculation of Church tax arrears, an issue which had been the focus of a bitter public spat not so long ago.
The admission came from Finance Minister Charilaos Stavrakis himself, who said the official data of the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) indicating that the Church owed €169 million — €138 million in immovable property tax and €30 million in capital gains tax, including interest – “seem to a large extent not to correspond to reality.”
Auditor-general Chrystalla Yiorkadji audited the IRD figures and found out that some sums were not representative of the actual properties involved.
A 43-YEAR-OLD man from Limassol, suspected of abduction, assault and rape, repeatedly attempted to harm himself during a remand hearing at the Limassol court yesterday.
The man was due to be remanded on suspicion of kidnapping a 33-year-old Russian tourist.
The case only came to light when the woman – who also suffers from health issues – managed to send a text message to her mother in Russia, asking for urgent help. According to the CyBC on Wednesday night, the 33-year-old Russian had been held captive for at least four days, during which time she was repeatedly beaten and raped.
SBA POLICE in Dhekelia are investigating two cases of suspected malicious damage to private property that are believed to be linked to a dispute over the construction of a solid-waste storage plant near the village of Ormidhia.
The first involves a fire that broke out in the olive orchard of the Ormidhia mukhtar [community leader] on Wednesday night but reported to police yesterday.
Deputy police chief Andreas Pitsillides from the SBA Police in Dhekelia said that a passer-by noticed a fire in a plot belonging to the mukhtar shortly before 8pm on Wednesday night. The man notified the mukhtar’s brother and together they put out the flames before they spread.
Reports said a suspicious car had been spotted in the vicinity shortly before the fire broke out.
TRANSPORT workers in Paphos yesterday threatened a two-hour strike today unless ministers take their complaints seriously.
Paphos transport organisation (OSYPA) spokesman Yiorgos Nicolaou said ‘dynamic action’ would be taken if the management of the company refuse to rethink their approach to workers problems.
At a general meeting, the problems being faced by bus drivers and other staff members of OSYPA were discussed.
It emerged that the main problem was that it was refusing to hire staff that were union members.
THE NASHI, or Japanese pear, was officially launched in Cyprus yesterday by Agriculture Minister, Demetris Eliades
Speaking at a news conference, Eliades said the Nashi, which is being grown in Kyperounda, promoted good health and is considered one of the most nutritious fruits in the world.
The pear was first researched as a viable fruit for Cyprus in the 1990s.
The plan to bring this specific foreign fruit to Cyprus was not completely out of the blue. “One of the main reasons we chose the fruit is because it’s healthy,” said Solomos Argirou, a producer of the pear in Kyperounda.
MPS yesterday called for measures to help residents who live near the island’s two airports, who are facing a daily and nightly struggle to deal with the noise pollution.
Members of House Environment Committee called for restrictions on the number of flights allowed into and out of the airports, as well as grants from the state and from airport operator Hermes, to help residents soundproof their homes.
Committee Chairman, AKEL’s Andreas Fakontis, said a study by Hermes had shown that there were 13 homes near Larnaca airport most affected by the noise, which exceeds the legal limit of 60 decibels. However, it is not yet clear if these homes were built before or after the airport was constructed.
PARLIAMENT yesterday received a harmonising bill that aims to offer better protection to consumers who take out personal loans.
The Unfair Contract Terms Directive, which should have already been transposed into national law, introduces the notion of “good faith”, which hopes to bring better protection to consumers when drawing up bank loans.
This includes regulating additional charges imposed after a loan contract is signed, and enforcing strict advertising regulations to ensure misleading information is avoided.
The law, which must be put into effect as part of Cyprus’ EU obligations, covers loans of over €200 and under €5,000, as well as overdrafts and credit cards. There is little margin for alterations, and parts of the Directive’s provisions are binding.
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.
