POLITIS: “Police and potatoes”. Police were the protagonists in Thursday’s protests by potato farmers and according to the paper proved, once again, to be incapable of dealing with the widespread mobilisation of people. Potato producers found themselves enclosed by an iron-ring of police, making conflict unavoidable as batons were wielded, and their spirits battered. Police are now blaming the potato farmers and vice-versa for the clashes.
SIMERINI: “Landslip in polls”. The results of a new poll are a slap in the face to the ruling authority, showing for the first time a huge drop in the percentage of public opinion that is satisfied with the government. The share of public opinion that has a positive view on the government is limited to 46 per cent, compared to last April’s 64.9 per cent. The poll sent warning signals down the corridors of the Presidential Palace as the President’s men arranged an emergency meeting on Thursday to discuss the results.
ALITHIA: “Dirty war inside Cyprus Airways”. Half the board of directors of Cyprus Airways is attempting to reach agreement with the five unions over the contentious issues in the action plan through the Labour Ministry while the other half seems to be undermining the efforts of all involved. Head of the national airline, Constandinos Loizides, and members of the board received a hit below the belt after a letter was made public, outlining the possible future scenarios that might be adopted by the company.
MACHI: “Young lover pleads for clemency”. A 13-year-old school pupil from the Nicosia district claims he had a six-month affair with his 32-year-old teacher. The young ‘Don Juan’ came clean about his secret affair to the paper, confessing that the two had a spat recently after she found another. Obviously hurt by the split with his teacher, the pupil maintained that although she had betrayed him, he would not report the case to the police to save her from imprisonment.
HARAVGHI: “Chaotic protests”. The demonstrations of the potato farmers ended in arrests, clashes and incidents on Thursday both in the Larnaca and Nicosia districts. In Paphos, the mood was somewhat different as protests ended peacefully.
PHILELEFTHEROS: “Problems with internal control”. A total of 91 per cent of the money spent on personnel in the Health Ministry in 2003 went to the Medical Services Department and concerned overtime pay for doctors and nurses. According to the Auditor General’s report, Health Ministry staff took a total of £8.6m in 2003 of which, £7.8m went on overtime pay.
