New energy minister assumes her duties

The new Energy, Commerce, and Industry Minister, Natasa Pilides assumed her duties on Friday, promising to work hard to continue the ministry’s successful course, she said at a ceremony taking on her duties from Yiorkos Lakkotrypis.

Pilides, who was the deputy minister for shipping for the past two and a half years, said the portfolio she was assuming had many challenges including, hydrocarbons, trade, and industry.

“However, I hope that with the right planning, collective effort and hard work, our ministry will become even more established as the first and main point of contact for energy, trade and industry, giving Cypriot businesses the resources they need to face future challenges successfully,” she said.

Pilides also praised Lakkotrypis for his work and for the “important legacy” he was leaving behind.

On his part, Lakkotrypis thanked the staff who stood by his side in difficult times, and for the successes they celebrated together. He also thanked President Nicos Anastasiades, who entrusted him with this key post for almost seven and a half years.

Addressing Pilides, he was well aware that he was handing over the crucial portfolio of the ministry to very experienced and capable hands.

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.