Nicosia’s stadium needs to enter the 21st century

2011-08-25

I was one of the 21,000 or so Apoel fans who packed the GSP stadium on Tuesday evening in what was one of the most breathtaking encounters I have witnessed.

Needless to say we all left the ground elated as a Cypriot team, and this one in particular managed to secure a place in the elite of European football for the second time in three years.

I will not dabble on the footballing side of the night as most people will by now have read about the game or watched the goals and highlights a number of times but on what I felt were stadium inadequacies.

As I settled down in my seat an hour and a half before the game I noticed something new on the giant screen across from the main stand.

Second package falls flat at the House

2011-08-25

THE government yesterday announced additional spending cuts worth €360 million and measures to fight tax evasion, with the parliament plenum convening on Friday to discuss and vote on austerity measures to shore up the economy.

Finance Minister Kikis Kazamias outlined the government measures before the House Finance Committee in a bid to win lawmakers’ support for a €750 million austerity package the opposition – currently holding the majority in parliament — has already branded as inadequate.

The minister said the government intended to cut some €200 million through better targeting social transfers and an additional €160 million through other cuts that were not specified yesterday.

Cypriots other than AKEL members have little faith in austerity package

2011-08-25

 

ONE IN two Cypriots does not think the government’s economy package will end the financial crisis, according to a poll carried out on behalf of Ant1 TV station.

The economy package consists of a total six bills focusing on tax hikes with some cuts to pay and benefits for civil servants.

One in three of those asked said they did not know what the measures consisted of.

Agreement with the measures runs highest with voters of ruling party AKEL at 82 per cent.

Voters of other parties disagreed with 78 per cent of DISY members being the most critical.

Also disagreeing with the measures were 68 per cent of former coalition party DIKO members, 52 per cent of socialist EDEK members and 47 per cent of right-wing EVROKO.

Our View: Why patience pays

2011-08-25

 

LEAGUE champions APOEL gave Cyprus something to be proud about on Tuesday night by qualifying for the group stages of the Champions League, European football’s top competition. The Cyprus champions join the elite clubs of Europe – Barcelona, Manchester United, Real Madrid, AC Milan in today’s draw after winning three qualifying ties.

APOEL overcame the champions of Albania and Slovakia, but the most difficult tie was the last, against Polish champions Wisla Krakow. Trailing 1-0 from the away leg, the Nicosia club put on a confident performance on Tuesday night, outplaying the favourites and winning 3-1.

Libyans in Cyprus celebrate end of Gaddafi regime

2011-08-25

LIBYANS who live and work in Cyprus gathered yesterday outside the Libyan Embassy in Nicosia to take down the green flag which is associated with Muammar Gaddafi’s regime and replace it with the tricolour flag of the National Transitional Council.

A group of Libyans arrived at the Embassy at Nicosia’s Eleftheria Square around noon and the Libyan Ambassador Mustafa Al Mgherby agreed to meet them.  The Libyan delegation reminded the ambassador that Cyprus was part of the European Union, and that the EU had already condemned Gaddafi’s regime.

Sarris urges deputies to pass tabled bills

2011-08-25

THE ECONOMY has reached crisis point but with political consensus for fiscal consolidation focusing on curbing public expenditure, Cyprus can recover, said former finance minister Michalis Sarris yesterday.

Writing in an opinion piece for local paper Politis, Sarris said the repeated credit rating downgrades and significant increase in the cost of government borrowing made it pretty clear that the Cyprus economy was projecting a negative image.

“We have reached a critical point,” he said, adding, “Cyprus has effectively been excluded from international markets.”

Sarris noted the main reasons for the negative outlook were the serious concerns about the size and future path of the country’s public deficit and public debt.

Supreme Court to hear case of suspended public officials

2011-08-25

 

THE SUPREME Court will hear the appeals of three public servants suspended over the Mari naval base blast in the coming weeks.

Foreign Ministry permanent secretary Nicholas Emiliou will have his appeal heard next Wednesday by the top court, said his lawyer Andreas Angelides yesterday.

An investigation was launched against four foreign ministry officials last week over “possible disciplinary offences”, relating to their alleged involvement in fabricating an internal memo concerning last month’s naval base blast. The memo referred to a meeting between the ministers of defence and foreign affairs on February 7 to discuss the munitions cargo stored at the Evangelos Florakis naval base.

Foreign Minister completes visit to Israel

2011-08-25

FOREIGN Minister, Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis, will be back in Cyprus today after a two-day visit to Israel to discuss issues of shared concern including that of energy collaboration.

Marcoullis held meetings with Israeli President Shimon Perez, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and her Israeli counterpart Avigdor Lieberman.

They discussed, among others, their countries’ energy policies in light of the recent Turkish threats over Cyprus’ offshore hydrocarbon exploration plans.

“On the part of Israel, there is complete understanding about Cyprus’ positions,” Marcoullis said yesterday.

Drilling by Noble Energy is expected to start by October in Block 12 which lies within Cyprus’ Exclusive Economic Zone.

Tussle over breast feeding on CY flight

2011-08-25

THE COMMISSIONER for the rights of the child is investigating Cyprus Airways’ breastfeeding policy after the airline reportedly tried to remove the mother of an infant from a flight to Athens on Tuesday.

According to the daily Politis, two allegedly “angry” airline attendants denied the mother’s request for a seat that would allow her privacy to breastfeed her five month old baby, insisting she remain in her allocated seat.

The indignant mother reportedly refused, then proceeded to upgrade herself to the more private business class.

In response, the captain allegedly called for her removal from the plane, which was averted after a fellow economy passenger agreed to swap seats.

Denktash to undergo surgery

2011-08-25

RAUF Denktash, the former Turkish Cypriot leader, is having surgery today to remove a haematoma in his brain, according to the Turkish Cypriot press.

Denktash is currently in intensive care after his doctors discovered the haematoma.

His son, Serdar, reportedly said that part of the haematoma is old and part of it newer.

He added that Denktash’s doctors decided he was fit enough to undergo surgery; his son reported that he is responsive.

Denktash will have surgery in GATA military hospital in Ankara, Turkey.

In the evening, Turkish Cypriots will be praying for Denktash at a mosque in Kyrenia.

Denktash had a stroke on May 24 and was transferred to GATA hospital for recovery on July 8.

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.