Current Events

Strikes always have a devastating effect wherever they take place, and Cyprus and its aviation system is no exception.

In what is being considered as a major hiccup for Cyprus’ aviation industry, around eight flights going to and coming from Cyprus will be rescheduled courtesy a strike in Greece. Said strike was enforced by Greek air traffic controllers on Monday for three hours – from 12 noon till 3pm.

According to Adamos Aspris, an airport operator for Hermes, the flights which have been affected from the three-hour-strike include four arrivals from Athens, Heraklion and Thessaloniki, and four departures to Athens and Heraklion.

The airport operator further added that the flights have been rescheduled and will take off or land on the same day, albeit at different times. He also said that further information about flight schedule changes can be obtained from travel agents and airlines.

In a bid to improve upon bilateral relations between Cyprus and Australia, the island country’s High Commissioner in Australia, Martha Mavrommati, visited the Greek Centre on Lonsdale Street in Melbourne on Wednesday, the 3rd of January. Marina Theodorou, a representative of the Cypriot Community of Apostolos Andreas, accompanied her on the trip.

As a part of her visit to the Greek center, the High Commissioner also met with the top officials of the Greek Community of Melbourne and Victoria (GCMV), which included Bill Papastergiadis (the president), Theo Markos (the Vice President), Kostas Markos (the General Secretary) and Dimitris Bosinakis – an esteemed board member.

Mavrommati discussed several pertinent issues with the GCMV leaders, which included (but were not limited to) the progress of the Cypriot reunification issue and the pending elections for the next president in Cyprus, which will be held on the 28^th of January and have a second round that will probably be held on the 4th of February.

The meeting consisted of the GCMV’s board member in conjunction with the president offering a detailed account of the activities of the organization. They further affirmed that the Greek Centre will always remain open and would love to host events that have been organized by the Cypriot Community Associations and the High Commission.

The traffic police chief of Cyprus Spyros Spyrou has announced that the narcotest will become active from January 25 this year.

Speaking at a press conference, the law enforcement officer announced that this measure is being taken to reduce the high number of accidents and deaths on the road. He also showed a demonstration of the test, and said that the police have already been trained to carry the tests out and that the device has been distributed to every city.

The device will give a negative result if the one being tested is not under influence, and positive if it finds traces of cocaine, opioids, amphetamines, methamphetamines or cannabis.

Should the device give a positive result, the officer at the scene will take a saliva sample and send the same to the state laboratory. The state laboratory will then take at most 15 days to find out the drug the driver was under the influence of, after which the case will go to court.

Drivers caught up in such cases face punishment according to their crime, from up to €3,500 in fines, up to a three-years of imprisonment and/or losing their driving licenses till 3 years at most.

Those who refuse to give the saliva tests after they have been tested positive will also be subjected to the same fines.

According to Chief Spyrou, these tests have been introduced to prevent accidents from happening, and not to punish the people without reason. That being said, punishment will be inevitable for those driving while under the influence.

Legislation for the Narcotest first began in March 2016.

In what is being considered a rather surprising news, both for Cypriots and for people across Europe, people from the island country are prone to taking sick leaves than others.

According to a study conducted by Eurostat, Cyprus had the most number of paid sick leaves across the EU in 2015.

The figures say that Cypriots received a total of 8.5 per cent of all total social benefits spent on paid sick leave, which is more than twice of that of the average in the European Union.

While these developments are not new, they are worrisome for employers as well as the economy at large.

Second on Eurostat’s list were the Netherlands and Germany, both of which paid a total social benefit of 6.1 per cent for paid sick leave. Lowest on the list was Greece at 0.7 per cent, followed by Italy, Portugal and Romania at 1.2, 1.4 and 1.6 per cent, respectively.

According to a news release from the municipality in Paphos, five urban regeneration projects in the city that have been in planning will finally be inaugurated by President Nicos Anastasiades.

A spokesman for the President revealed that the island nation’s leader will be visiting Paphos on Sunday to preside over the celebrations which will be held at Kennedy Square. He added that these projects, which have been meticulously planned and thoroughly well-kept, have already changed Paphos and will give its image a much-needed makeover that will change the lives of people for decades to come.

The projects include a number of tasks, from improving sections of Evagoras Pallikaridis Avenue and Andreas Tselelepou and Zenonos Kitionos Streets, remodeling sites in Mouttallos,  and upgrading the Governor’s Square and its nearby buildings, to upgrading Kennedy Square and the traditional center.

The upcoming inauguration event will have greetings from Phedonas Phe-donos (the mayor of Paphos), a speech by the director of European and investment funds of European programmes, a short film portraying the upcoming projects, a musical programme presented by the Paphos music school and the Philharmonic orchestra of the municipality of Paphos, and of course, a speech by the Cypriot president.

The spokesman further added that the President would be taking a tour of the works before the event which is set of be an open reception. President Anastasiades will be revealing a commemorative plaque as well.

In addition to the municipality’s issuance, the news of the inauguration ceremony was also announced by Phedonos on social media using his famous slogan: “Paphos is changing and celebrating!”

According to Nicos Christodoulides, a spokesman for the government of Cyprus, the island nation is hopeful of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to Greece yielding positive results for the never-ending process of the island’s reunification.

Briefing reporters after a meeting that was presided over by Cyprus’ President Nicos Anastasiades and US State Department Deputy Assistant Secretary Jonathan Cohen, Christodoulides revealed that the two were supposed to meet Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci later that day. He added that the meeting went exceedingly well and discussed much about security, defense, bilateral relations, energy, and of course, the Cyprus issue.

The spokesman also said that this meeting has put a lot of attention on the upcoming meeting between Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and Erdogan – specifically on the discussion security and Cyprus reunification-related issues.

Speaking more on the Cyprus problem, Christodoulides said there was no fresh news from the US in this regard. The only hope here is for the upcoming meeting between the Greek prime minister and the Turkish president to yield results that are tangible and beneficial for the situation. In fact, as of now, this meeting is the only priority, especially considering the constantly-failing round of constant negotiations.

Notably, the most recent round of reunification talks, which took place at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana between June 28 and July 6 disintegrated due to disagreements on guarantees security and guarantees, with either side blaming the other for the collapse.

Cyprus has seen its fair share of refugee arrivals. And from the looks of it, the island country will also be impacted by the migrant crisis.

In a shocking new reveal, a group of 38 refugees (reportedly Syrians) were found to have unexpectedly arrived on the island country’s northwestern shores on Tuesday – being the 7th such group to have arrived by sea in 2017.

According to the police, the small boat, which was seen approaching the island a few kilometers off the coast carried 33 men, 1 woman and 4 children. The police sent a patrol once the boat carrying the refugees reached 2 nautical miles off the shore. The former then directed the man at the wheel to follow them.

According to some sources, the man, who was probably petrified ignored the directions of the police and did his best to evade them. It was then that that the commander of the local marine police made his message clear by firing two warning shots.

According to the police’s statement, however, said the boat was towed and brought to a small port at the fishing and agricultural community of Kato Pyrgos with very little hassle. The statement made no mention of any warning shots being fired.

The refugees, who were reported to have been at sea for 2 days, were offered food and water by the local authorities and the Social Services department. Then were then transferred to a refugee reception center near Nicosia for due processing.

With the arrival of these refugees, their number in the island country has raised to almost 700 this year. Most of these are Syrians, who arrived on the island after having sailed from Turkey.

In what is being considered an eye-opening news for institutions and the common public alike, a study has found out that e-payment is yet to catch on in Cyprus as people prefer to make their transactions in cash.

According to a study conducted by the European Central Bank (ECB), Cypriots are likely to pay for their services or goods in cash as compared to their counterparts in other countries in the Eurozone. In fact, the island country ranks just below Malta, whose citizens have been identified as most likely to make their transactions in cash.

The study, which was conducted throughout the first half of 2016 among more than 65,000 people found that bloc itself more prone to using cash to pay bills, though the extent of this varies greatly across the states. Malta ranks first in this regard, with over 92% of transactions being made in coins or notes. Close behind are Greece and Cyprus at 88 percent. The lowest rate of cash transactions was found to be done in the Netherlands at only 45%.

The study revealed that the Maltese made an average of 1.6 cash transactions during the survey period, as opposed to 0.1 per day cashless and traceable transaction. It was also found that while 15% used cash to pay their rent, more than 60% used it to pay their medical bills, and just above 20% percent said used cash to pay for their electricity and water bills.

The tendency to use cash (or not) also varied significantly by gender and age. While men were found to carry an average of 12 euros (i.e. 14.27 USD) more than women, older people had an average of 43 euros more cash than their younger counterparts.

2017 has been a year of improving foreign relations for Cyprus, and judging by the latest developments, this will only serve to make all-round improvements for the island country.

Making a move to further educational cooperation between Cyprus and Oman, the former country recently hosted a meeting where strategies and plans in this regard were discussed. Presided over by the House President of Cyprus Demetris Syllouris and Higher Education Minister of Oman Rawiyah bint Saud Al Busaidiyah on Wednesday morning, the meeting concluded with several plans to increase educational relations, including (but not limited to) special study programmes and student and academic exchange schemes. A Memorandum of Understanding was also signed between the two countries.

Demetris Syllouris, who is currently in Oman on an official, added that they have plans to introduce a student exchange plan similar to Erasmus, which will help the educational sector of both countries. He also said that students from Oman who would attend Cyprus universities will have the added advantage of obtaining a European degree.

Syllouris, who seemed to be in high spirits also explained that Brexit might inspire universities in the UK to cooperate with their Cypriot counterparts. He cited Bristol university’s latest developments as a prime example in this regard, explaining that similar kind of cooperation from countries like Oman (and others in the Middle East) and also from European universities will help the island country become a bridge of cooperation between the two otherwise alienated regions (as far as education is concerned).

Oman’s higher education minister Rawiyah bint Saud Al Busaidiyah affirmed the good words of her Cypriot counterpart, expressing both hers and the country’s openness to such partnerships, and adding Memorandum of Understanding in these areas would be signed in the near future.

Cyprus’ education sector is completing one milestone after the other, and the Open University’s recent celebrations have only served to affirm this.

In what is being considered a grand celebration in Cypriot’s higher education sector, the Open University of Cyprus (OUC) celebrated its 10th graduation ceremony on November 17. The auspicious ceremony, which was held to honor students graduating in the academic year 2016-2017, had over 1120 graduates from over 26 different undergraduate as well as postgraduate programmes. An additional twelve graduates received their doctorate – the highest-ranking academic title.

The event, which was held at the Tassos Papadopoulos Eleftheria stadium in Nicosia was presided over by President Nicos Anastasiades and key officials of the Cypriot government. President Anastasiades extended his heartiest congratulations to the new graduates on working hard and achieving their diplomas which are recognized in Cyprus and elsewhere over the world.

President Anastasiades also spoke very highly of the OUC, hailing the institution as Cyprus’ sole higher education institution which completely functions on distance education, and has been successful in its endeavor to bring forth new perspectives on university studies and lifelong learning. In its 10 years of successful operation, the OUC has made a considerable contribution in improving and develop a wide range of skills which are required after having obtained a – or even a higher degree. The President added a positive note on the development of the university itself, emphasizing on how the institution has made a name for itself and gained a place among internationally recognized higher education institutions by keeping its dynamism alive and making diverse partnerships with universities, research houses, associations, and other institutions, both in Europe and in other parts of the world.

The President’s good words were reaffirmed by Costas Christos, chairman of the OUC administrative committee, who expressed his deep satisfaction with the state offering practical and continuous efforts that have helped the OUC to expand its multi-level social, educational, and research work. He further added that in addition to making an important milestone for the OUC, the date also marked 15 since the founding of the institution.

In a welcoming piece of news that will serve to strengthen the bilateral relations between Cyprus and Lebanon and increase the quality of maritime security in the east Mediterranean, the Defense Ministry of the island country has announced that it will help Lebanon build a search-and-rescue center which will respond to emergencies occurring in and around the Mediterranean Sea coastline.

The statement from the Defense Ministry added that officials from Cyprus will offer their Lebanese counterparts the financial and technical training and know-how required to build and maintain the rescue center. The rescue center itself will serve to encourage cooperation between the two countries in matters of maritime security in the east Mediterranean.

This announcement was made after a meeting that was held between Cypriot Defense Minister Christoforos Fokaides and Lebanese Defense Minister Yaacoub Sarraf in the Cyprus’ capital city of Nicosia. The two ministers have further agreed to hold a three-way meeting with their Greek counterpart Panos Kammenos, which is due to be held in the first quarter of 2018.

Cyprus currently supplies the armed forces of Lebanon with small arms and ammunition.

In what is being considered a welcoming news for the real estate industry in Cyprus, property purchases in the island country has risen by leaps and bounds, and going by the latest figures, shows very little signs of slowing down.

Figures from the Dept. of Lands & Surveys, property sales in the island country as of November 2017 has increased by an impressive 39 per cent since November 2016 – an impressive feat given the blows taken by the economy and real estate industries in the past years. This rise comes after an 18% increase in the month of October, an 8% increase in September, and a 27% increase in August.

In the month of November itself, 906 contracts were signed (for the purpose of selling land as well as commercial and residential and properties) and deposited at Land Registry offices all over Cyprus, as opposed to only 651 that were deposited in November 2016.

All districts in the country saw a rise in sales. In terms of percentage, Famagusta saw the biggest rise in sales (174%), followed by the country’s capital Nicosia (98%). Sales in Larnaca, Limassol and Paphos rose by 32%, 29% and 16% respectively.

Meanwhile, the number of property sale contracts deposited at Land Registry offices were 7,197, rising by 21% since November 2016.

Recent government schemes and measures have played a major role in the rise of property transactions. Specifically, the abolition of Immovable Property Tax and reduction in Property Transfer Fees have given property sales a much-needed boost. The country has also seen a rise of property being sold to Non-EU citizens who are looking for citizenship or residency and are using two different government schemes to their advantage.

The bitcoin revolution is taking the world by storm – and Cyprus is certainly no exception to this rule.

Hello Group, a Fintech company based in the island country announced the launch of the country’s first ever Bitcoin ATM in Limassol. Installed with the sole aim of helping people make their bitcoin transactions in a way that is most safe and secure, the ATM will be directly in contact with the top cryptocurrency exchange agencies to provide the highest rates available.

Set to be installed under Hello Group’s Limassol office in the Pitta & More café-restaurant, the ATM will allow customers to directly download bitcoin wallets by making a QR scan with their smartphone. To buy bitcoins using the machine, the buyer will simply need to scan their own wallet’s QR code.

The company made further statements to supplement its announcement, saying that the introduction of a Bitcoin ATM in the island country will spread awareness about the rapidly-growing bitcoin industry and give the relatively new blockchain and cryptocurrency currency industry a much-welcome boost.

Coincidentally, this news comes at around the same time as the announcement of rise of Bitcoin’s value to more than $10,000. Needless to say, the announcement of news such as this will serve to affirm the strength of what is indeed the most valuable cryptocurrency in the world.

The ATM will be located at Pitta & More — 56 Griva Digeni, Limassol, Cyprus

Cyprus Airways has spent the larger part of this year in strengthening its system, and recent developments show that it is not slowing down anytime soon.

In what is being considered a very good news for both the aviation and travel industries, Cyprus Airways has announced its plans to increase the frequency of flights on Larnaca-Saint Petersburg route for the upcoming summer 2018. Cyprus Airways Chief Commercial Officer Natalia Popova elaborated that they plan to increase the number of weekly flights from the current two to at least seven. She added that this improvement will include other perks, all aimed at offering our passengers more flexibility and capacity in their travel arrangements.

Not only will this change strengthen Cyprus Airways, it will also strengthen the ties by Russia and Cyprus and give a boost to the tourism and aviation industries.

Currently Cyprus Airways flights are available in two fare categories, namely Basic and Flex. Each of these have their specific features and variations, and include add-on features and services like changes, seat selection, baggage allowance and the like.

Single direction ticket prices from Cyprus to Saint Petersburg start from EUR 110 (w/ tax & charges). Flights can be booked via a travel agent, Cyprus Airways Call Center (National toll free 8000 8111 or international on +357 24000053) or directly through www.cyprusairways.com.

Those who wish to see the entire schedule of all the destinations of Cyprus Airways can visit the company’s website at www.cyprusairways.com.

In what is being considered a very divisive statement that will give a new turn to the Cypriot political scene, a senior Turkish Cypriot official has said that Cyrpus reunification talks should only resume only if there is any intention to address the political needs and status of the Turkish Cypriots.

According to Ozdil Nami, chief negotiator of the Turkish Cypriots, the Turkish Cypriots also have their rights, which should be duly addressed by the Greek Cypriots. Furthermore, the former group should get the assurance that their political status would be spelled out even if the talks broke down.

Speaking to Reuters in an interview earlier last week, Nami, who was “speaking for the Turkish Cypriot side” insisted that regardless of what the new process would turn out to be, it should be something that brings stability and transparency to the political status and rights of the Turkish Cypriots. Specifically, the talks should specifically spell out what the political status would be if the Greek Cypriots decide to go back on anything they have – or will – promise. Pressed further on whether he meant Turkish Cypriots should be given some kind of permanent recognition that would protect them should the new initiative sink due to the Greek Cypriots backing out, he said: “Exactly”.

This comes in response to the collapse of talks to unite Cyprus in July, which effectively ended what was considered the most promising round of negotiations. A deal that would have the island reunited and brought under the rule of a two-zone federal system simply collapsed into a two-sided “blame game,” with each pointing fingers at the other.

Nami echoed the voice of the Turkish Cypriots, saying that the lack of unity has led to an atmosphere of political ambiguity, and it is high time that this should end. He added that the need of the hour is to change the status quo in a way that is mutually agreed upon.

A former naval officer who has allegedly been linked to the Gülen network and accused of leading the failed coup attempt in Turkey last year has finally left Greek Cyprus after having sought political asylum on the island country, according to an official source.

Kadir Karaman, Former Naval Captain along with his Kazakhstani-origin wife Nina Pozhidaeva, who arrived on the Larnaca marina from the southern province of Mersin on October 1 in their luxury yacht named “Sanchez,” had previously requested asylum on the basis of the fact that they were being persecuted in their home country of Turkey. The couple, who had been staying on the yacht under police surveillance ever since, have now left the island.

The Greek Cypriot government, which attempted to handle the matter in a hush manner, failed to do so when Karaman’s identity was revealed after having an alleged public phone conversation with one of the most sought-after “secret imams,” while working as a part of İzmir-based operation into the Gülen network.

This led to the issuance of a detention warrant, followed by the Police conducting raids in his residence. By that time, however, Karaman had already left the Mersin port with his wife aboard the 10.5 meter luxury yacht. Arriving at Larnaca around a day later, Karaman and his wife requested to gain political asylum on the island, explaining to the Greek Cypriot police that the authorities wanted to falsely detain him over links to the Gülen network.

Karaman’s case is being considered as the first time ever when a Turkish Armed Forces member has requested asylum in Greek Cyprus.

In what is being considered alarming news as regards availability of natural resources in Cyprus, water reserves in reservoirs in the country have been found to stand at 14.6% of its total capacity, plummeting down further from last year’s 20%.

The finding sparked several discussions at the House agriculture committee, with the chairman Akel MP Andreas Kakalias concluding that such a situation has arisen primarily due to the fact that the water management system of the island country is riddled with problems. He also added that the island country currently lacks a holistic approach which will properly solve the issue.

In response to the situation, the House agriculture committee raised the issue of implementing a uniform pricing policy for water charges, emphasizing that special tariffs should be there in place to cater to livestock and farming needs, which do not exist at the current moment. With livestock areas being billed the way households are, farmers are facing immense difficulties in coping with high charges. Kakalias responded to the issue by having the agriculture committee request relevant ministries to take a look at the issue and subsequently formulate a farm-specific tariff.

Another issue that was addressed at the committee was that of the Limassol water board’s debts. Kakalias assured the people that he will have the relevant authorities look into the matter and solve the problem as soon as possible.

In what is being considered great news for innovation in Cyprus, a team from Cyprus is now going to compete in the European Cyber Security Challenge (ECSC).

One of Europe’s biggest competitions, the ECSC, which is organized and hosted by the Spanish National Cybersecurity Institute INCIBE, has the support of the European Union Agency for Network and Information Security (ENISA), will take place between 31 October to 3 November in Malaga, Spain.

The much-awaited event, which will bring together the best and the brightest young cyber-security experts from Europe, is set to feature over 150 participants from across 15 countries who will participate in a variety of challenges including (but not limited to) tasks such as gaining access to a protected system, deciphering encrypted documents and finding out security vulnerabilities in web applications.

According to Professor Dr. Udo Helmbrecht, Executive Director of ENISA, this exercise is important both for the participants and for the countries to which they will take back the international experience they will gain by taking part. He further added in the three years in which ENISA supported the event, he has seen a positive growth in terms of number of participants as well as the number of participating countries.

This year’s edition of the ECSC will include participants from the United Kingdom, the Czech Republic, Romania, Italy, Switzerland, Austria,  Estonia, Denmark, Greece, Germany, Liechtenstein, Ireland, Norway, Spain, and of course, Cyprus.

Aside the titular main hacking contest, the ECSC will be hosting a job fair and certain specialized conferences. The fair will feature industry-leading organizations who will discuss career opportunities with participants.

According to President Nicos Anastasiades of Cyprus, the idea of any European state lagging behind other European states terms of human rights and fundamental freedoms is nothing short of appalling, and that Cyprus should make sure that it can never fall into this dreaded situation.

Speaking at the national memorial service of 1955-1959 EOKA heroes of Neo Chorio Pafos community, the Cypriot President stressed upon the importance of fundamental freedoms and human rights, saying that it is unacceptable for military intervention to stay in the country forever, given its adverse effects on the sense of security of Greek Cypriots. He even added that the country can never accept to serve the interests of another third country or become a protectorate.

While the President does understand certain compromises need to be made to return the island to the peaceful state it was in once, he also conveyed the fact that he knows the extent of said compromises, and can never allow the State to accept anything that tramples upon the rights of the Greek Cypriots and make them feel small and ignored in front of their Turkish counterparts.

Emphasizing on the need for a peaceful and stable country, especially for the upcoming generations, President Anastasiades stated that peace can only prevail when basic human rights are accepted, and when there are conditions that will inculcate good conscience. He concluded his speech by saying that the need of the hour is to create a European state that is stable, durable, does not discriminate on any grounds whatsoever and protect its citizens against any and all forms and manifestations of injustice.

Cyprus has notably been a divided country since 1974, when the Turks invaded and took over the island country’s northern third. It has since been a constant strife and series of negotiations, with the latest round of UN-sponsored negotiations having ended inconclusively in July 2017 in Crans-Montana, Switzerland.

In what is being considered ground-breaking move by a country that is not known for passing statements on the international stage, Cyprus recently announced how appalled it was to have seen the violent attacks against security forces in Egypt.

More specifically, The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the small island country stated in a public statement how it “strongly condemns” the ruthlessly violent terrorist attack made on security forces on the 20 October 2017 in Al-Wahat, Egypt.

Speaking at a press release, the Ministry added that both the Government and the people of Cyprus took this matter to heart and needless to say, extend their sincerest condolences – both to the Egyptian Government and to the families, friends and relatives of the unfortunate victims of the incident. It also wished a sound and speedy recovery to those who survived but were injured.”

The Ministry also pledged that it would do all it can to help the both Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt and the people of Egypt in fighting against terrorism. Extending both its support and its solidarity to them, the Cyrpiot Ministry reaffirmed its own commitment and determination to pursue every emthod that would help in curbing terrorism, “in all of its forms and manifestations.”