ALITHIA: “Rehabilitation Centre opposite school” The authorities are considering plans to open a Drugs Rehabilitation Centre opposite a private school that provides primary and secondary education. One house in the area has already been expropriated for this purpose and work on the new centre has begun. The matter came up during a House Refugee Committee meeting when the Committee Chairman asked Interior Ministry officials whether land opposite the Grammar School was available for refugees. The chairman revealed that the authorities had other plans for the area.
HARAVGHI: “15 new kindergartens created” The Council of Ministers approved the creation of another 15 kindergartens on Wednesday as part of their policy on introducing pre-school education to our education system. The 15 kindergartens will supplement 40 others approved two months ago. Education Minister, Pefkios Georgiades, said the decision would allow for the smooth introduction of the pre-school policy, which involves the compulsory, free education of pre-school children for one year.
SIMERINI: “Tough legal battle” The case of the Church versus its debtors looks set to become a tough legal battle between the parties involved. This became evident during the beginning of the civil case between the Archbishop’s former driver Josef Aristodimou and the Church on Wednesday. The Archbishopric, through the Holy Synod, is suing Aristodemou for debts to the Church calculated at over £1 million. Aristodemou’s lawyer asked the court on Wednesday to lift the freeze on his client’s assets and throw out the case against him on technical grounds.
POLITIS: “They put a mentally retarded person in prison” Where else would they put a mentally retarded person in the Central Prisons? This could never happen in the Europe of progress to which we will soon join. But in the Cyprus of 2003, on the eve of the Radiomarathon no less, a man with special needs is experiencing his own torment in a cell, waiting for his trial. The man claims he was pressed to make a confession while his adoptive parents are asking for help from the Attorney-general’s office.
PHILELEFTHEROS: “Some will be stripped of their uniform” The Council of Ministers appointed a criminal investigator to look into possible crimes committed during the police examinations for new appointments in the force during 2001. After a proposal by Justice Minister, Doros Theodorou, the cabinet appointed lawyer Savvas Mamantopoulos as criminal investigator. He will investigate the possible involvement of high-ranking officers in the case of leaked examination papers. The minister, speaking after a cabinet meeting, said officers who entered the force wrongly could be stripped of their uniform.
MACHI: “Solution or resignation Zampelas” The Institute of Neurology and Genetics is on the road to dissolution and only the resignation of the Chairman of the Board, Michalakis Zampelas, could prevent this from happening. This is the view of the science personnel at the Institute, who talk of irreparable damage in their relationship with the management. The Scientific Council refused even to meet with Zampelas on Wednesday to iron out the problems faced by the Institute.
