ALITHIA: “Bell helicopters remain grounded”. Three military Bell helicopters grounded after one crashed in July 2002, killing National Guard Chief of Staff Evangelos Florakis and four other officers, are still stuck at the Andreas Papandreou air base in Paphos, the paper reports. Reports said the reason the helicopters were grounded was that the cause of the crash was still to be determined and that they be sent abroad for repairs, but no steps have been taken to send them abroad in over 19 months.
HARAVGHI: “Secret document investigation completed”. The results of an investigation into the dumping of military documents are expected to be made public today, the paper reports. Military experts that have examined the documents have said they were “not of military importance”. Communications Minister Kikis Kazamias said he was furious with the way the documents were discarded and that those responsible would be dealt with after the investigation was concluded.
SIMERINI: “Annan won’t change his views on plan.” UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has replied to Cyprus President Tassos Papadopoulos’ call to resume mediation on the Cyprus issue, saying he would do so when both sides showed the necessary political will to hold talks on the basis of his plan to reunify the island in time for EU accession on May 1, the Athens News Agency reported yesterday. Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash, who had previously said the Annan plan was “dead,” has said that, “the Annan plan is still on the table”.
MACHI: “200 doctors without a licence”. Around 200 doctors have refused to pay £100 to renew their annual practising licence, the paper reports. The Medical Association is expected to meet tomorrow to examine a demand by the doctors to scrap the licence fees. But speaking to Machi, Association chairman Antonis Vassiliou said that if the fees were scrapped the Association would “go back 15 years.”
POLITIS: “Cyprus drowns in the rain”. The rainfall in the last two days has caused serious problems on the island with roads, basements and schools flooded, the paper reports. Limassol was again the worst hit district with Zakaki flooded. Mayor Demitris Kontides warned the situation could affect other areas in the district. Students in Paphos schools were forced to collect water leaking from the ceiling with buckets in order to be able to continue their classes.
PHILELEFTHEROS: “22-year-old remanded for attempted murder”. A 22-year old taxi driver was remanded in custody for eight days on Monday after he admitted he had tried to strangle his 18-year-old girlfriend, the paper reported. According to Phileleftheros, the 22-year-old attempted to make up with his girlfriend and when she refused to kiss him he throttled her until she passed out. He then revived her and left, only to be arrested shortly after.
