A 30-YEAR-OLD man was yesterday sentenced to 12 years imprisonment in Limassol after he was found guilty of possession of a kilo of cocaine and almost six kilos of cannabis with intent to sell.
Anastasis Antoniou was arrested in March 2006 following a drug squad sting operation.
Taking into account the man’s own drug habit and record, as well as his guilty plea, the court said the severity of charge left it no option but to sentence him harshly.
The court added that based on the alarming number of drugs cases it too had a role to play in stamping out the phenomenon.
DIKO candidates
FOUR DIKO members yesterday submitted their candidacy for the position of vice president following Nicos Cleanthous’ resignation.
Sophoclis Fittis, Vassilis Palmas, George Colocassides, and Antigone Papadopoulou each hope to secure a majority vote during the party’s January 20 central committee elections.
There are currently 178 members on the central committee.
Council loans
THE HOUSE Finance Committee yesterday adopted a government demand that concerns the consolidation of loans of municipalities in the region of £255 million. The sum concerns 240 loans that were made by 23 municipalities. The repayment will be made over 30 years and there will be a five year grace period, the committee agreed. Finance Ministry permanent secretary Christos Patsalides said that by consolidating the loans the state would benefit annually by £2.5 million.
Committee president Antigone Papadopoulou said the bill would likely be adopted by the plenum on Thursday.
Pensions worry
THE HOUSE Finance Committee yesterday addressed the issue of semi-government organisations’ increasing struggle to support their pension funds.
During yesterday’s meeting deputies specifically addressed the problems faced by the Cyprus Telecommunication Authority (CyTA), which its chairman said the authority was trying to find ways to deal with.
DISY said the sum of £27.7 million had to be paid into the fund for 2005 which had a surplus of £5 million. Meanwhile committee chairman Antigone Papadopoulou referred to the concern of an aging population and how pension funds placed a burden on businesses which needed to be rectified.
Sales start early
SMALL shopkeepers union POVEK yesterday called on Commerce Minister Antonis Michaelides to intervene and allow sales to start earlier than the January 15 official starting period after numerous shops had gone ahead regardless.
According to POVEK, the fact that other shops had flouted the regulations and started sales not only confused consumers, but were also unfair competition to those shops that adhered to the law.
The minister said he would confer with the Attorney-general on the matter before taking a decision.
