Erdogan demands Merkel apology

2011-01-15

TURKISH Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday called on German Chancellor Angela Merkel to apologise for blaming the Turkish side for an impasse in the Cyprus talks

Merkel’s Tuesday visit to Cyprus raised eyebrows in Ankara and in the north after she praised President Demetris Christofias’ efforts for a solution, and criticised Turkey for not doing enough.

Speaking at the presidential palace in Nicosia, Merkel said Turkey needed to show more willingness to resolve the dispute, while noting that Christofias’ readiness to compromise had not been reciprocated by the other side.

Turkey’s response was immediate. Leaving diplomatic niceties by the wayside, the Turkish leadership accused Merkel of bias and lack of historical knowledge on Cyprus.

Our View: Right to curb populist guff

2011-01-15

THE reason given by the ministers of interior and labour for refusing to attend a House Watchdog Committee meeting, which was to discuss the benefits paid to asylum seekers and political refugees, was perfectly understandable.

As interior minister Neoclis Sylikiotis pointed out at a news conference, he had already attended a meeting of another House committee which had discussed this issue and saw no reason for going over the same things again.

Housemaid stabs Lyssarides’ assistant, screaming: I hate Cyprus

2011-01-15

THERE was panic at the offices of  honorary EDEK president Vassos Lyssarides yesterday as his Filipino housemaid grabbed a knife and stabbed Lyssarides’ personal assistant, a woman aged 71, six times in the neck and shoulder.

According to a police spokesman the maid entered Lyssarides office with a knife and screamed: “I will kill you then I will kill myself, I hate Cyprus.” The maid managed to stab the personal assistant six times. Five of the stab wounds were shallow, while one in the shoulder was deep. Another staff member and a passerby managed to tackle the maid before she could inflict more serious injuries.  The 71-year-old personal assistant is not currently in any danger but is being treated at a private clinic.

Draft dodgers bill by end of the month

2011-01-15

THE BILL on draft dodging will go before parliament for a vote by the end of this month, said Defence Minister Costas Papacostas yesterday.

Speaking during a visit at Larnaca training camp for new recruits, Papacostas said the latest wave of new recruits this month went well, with more answering the call for military service than expected.

Papacostas was accompanied by the National Guard (NG) chief Lieutenant General Petros Tsalikides.

“Everything is going well. We expected less and got more. The exemptions and deferments were also very few. This is very encouraging,” said Papacostas.

How the young view sharing an island

2011-01-15

THE AGE-OLD subject of the Cyprus problem is being approached in a novel way through a documentary by a young Cypriot film-maker, who’s calling on all politically conscious youth to take part in the independent film production to “share their views on Cyprus”.

“The documentary is about the process of reconciliation seen through the youth [of Cyprus],” said 27-year-old Danae Stylianou.

During the hour long feature film, a group of Turkish and Greek Cypriots embark on a four-day journey of discovery where they will visit places of “historical, religious and cultural significance” to both communities.

Call for resignation over LNG

2011-01-15

THE MAIN opposition party yesterday called for the resignation of the trade and industry minister over allegations of dubious procedures in the negotiations for the supply of natural gas.

DISY deputy chairman Averof Neofytou has accused the Electricity Authority (EAC) general manager Stelios Stylianou of trying to destroy a file, which listed a lower target price – set before the negotiations started with three short-listed companies – than the one the sides arrived at in the end.

The price has been set by the EAC, which has a stake in DEFA, the public company handling the natural gas deal. The file in question was kept by DEFA.

VAT on alcohol goes down but who’s likely to actually reduce their prices

2011-01-15

RESTAURANT owners expressed their satisfaction yesterday on the reduction of VAT on alcoholic beverages from 15 per cent to eight per cent, hoping that the measures would be put into practise islandwide and maybe giving businesses a boost.

According to the Ministry of Finance, only places that serve food will be able to serve alcoholic drinks at the reduced prices, regardless of whether someone orders food or not. Pubs, clubs and other places of entertainment that do not serve food are subject to the standard VAT rate of 15 per cent. Takeaway food with an alcoholic drink is not included in the reduced rate.

With the recent reduction, drinks that would cost €20 previously would now be €18.60, seven per cent cheaper.

Missing child turns up safe and sound after massive search

2011-01-15

AN EIGHT-YEAR-OLD boy vanished from his house in Ayios Dhometios yesterday causing the Police, the United Nations and the Turkish-Cypriot ‘authorities’ to launch an extensive search, thankfully he was found three hours later playing in a nearby park.

A widespread search was launched by authorities yesterday after the boy was reported missing at 3pm. As the day started turning into night the authorities feared the worst and the search was extended into the dead zone under the supervision of the UN. The child however was found unharmed in a nearby park by some other children who became aware of the search.

DISY ‘spinning’ Moody’s report

2011-01-15

THE government yesterday accused main opposition party DISY of twisting a report by Moody’s rating agency to make gains in the upcoming parliamentary election.

On Thursday, Moody’s put the Cyprus economy on notice of review for a possible downgrade, saying the 2011 budget had failed to address structural issues that could undermine the government’s fiscal strength in the medium to long term.

The ratings agency put the island’s Aa3 government bond ratings on review, also citing the island’s deteriorating fiscal standing and banks’ high exposure to Greece.

Bicycle routes still a long way off

2011-01-15

CYCLISTS may finally be able to get around the centre of the capital without having to mount pavements or inconvenience drivers, as plans for bicycle routes have been drawn up by the ministry of communication and works.

According to an official at the ministry, the aim of the project is to join the main universities with bicycle routes through the city centre. The universities included would be: the University of Cyprus and its campus, the European University, the University of Nicosia and Frederick University.

The project would involve taking a lane from some of the main roads such as Kallipoleos and Stasinou, that would normally be for drivers, and turning them into a lane for cyclists.

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.