THE ISLAND bore witness to celebrations and ululations yesterday marking the bipolar centres of power in Cyprus on the occasion of the 29th anniversary of the illegal unilateral declaration of independence (UDI) by the Turkish Cypriots. 

On November 15, 1983, nine years after the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, the Turkish Cypriots led by Rauf Denktash and the Turkish government unilaterally declared a secessionist entity in the north called the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). 

The latter was almost immediately declared void by UN Security Council resolutions 541 (1983) and 550 (1984). To this day, Turkey remains the only country to recognise the breakaway regime. It also maintains effective control over the north, bankrolling its public sector, facilitating Turkish private sector investment in key sectors, as well as the migration of mostly Anatolian settlers to the island, controlling security through its army and police, and playing puppet master on internal governance through its diplomatic representative, Halil Ibrahim Akca, referred to by some in the Turkish Cypriot media as “the governor”. 

Turkey celebrated the UDI by flying Turkish war planes over the skies of the occupied areas, holding a military parade in north Nicosia and sending Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Besir Atalay and Deputy Chief of the Turkish General Staff General Hulusi Akar to participate in the events. 

According to popular daily Kibris, the Turkish navy also sent its frigate TCG Gokceada and submarine TCG Canakkale to Kyrenia.

Another Turkish Cypriot daily, Gunes, yesterday quoted Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu that if the mentality of the Greek Cypriots changes after the presidential elections in February 2013, the Cyprus negotiations could reach a result, “otherwise everybody will continue their own way”, he added.  

Meanwhile, south of the buffer zone, parties, organisations and presidential candidates lined up to condemn the declaration of the secessionist entity.  

Parliament unanimously condemned the UDI, recalling the relevant UN Security Resolutions considering it void and without international legitimacy.   

Hundreds of pupils and students across the government-controlled areas took the day off school or university to protest against the establishment of the ‘TRNC’. 

Groups of pupils and students gathered in Limassol and Nicosia to mark the UDI anniversary. Depending on their political allegiance, they either carried only flags of the Cyprus Republic or Greece or both. 

Students protested in three different sections of the buffer zone in the capital: at the checkpoints of Ledra Palace, Ledra Street, and Ayios Kassianos. 

Near the Ledra Palace hotel, where there was a strong police and UN presence, protesting Greek Cypriot youth began throwing stones at the occupied areas on the Marcos Drakou roundabout. The rapid reaction unit (MMAD) intervened immediately to prevent any further trouble. 

Two youths were taken to the nearby Paphos Gate police station where they were charged and released for swearing at a police officer and carrying a knife. 

At Ledra Street, police intervened to cool tempers and prevent school children from storming north after one man reportedly standing north of the buffer zone gave them the finger and invited them over. 

During yesterday morning’s protests, some students wore the black T-shirts of far right group ELAM, carrying Greek flags and shouting “Cyprus is Greek”.

Other groups carried Cyprus Republic flags, and shouted slogans saying: “Cyprus belongs to its people” and “Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots- Common struggle- Common homeland”. 

Students demonstrate on the anniversary of the unilateral declaration of independance in the north

THE island’s recession dragged on in the third quarter, preliminary data showed yesterday, with the economy contracting 0.5 per cent from the previous quarter.

Second quarter gross domestic product was also revised down to show a 0.9 per cent contraction.

On an annualised basis, output fell 2.2 per cent in the third quarter compared with 2.5 per cent in the second. The third quarter is typically improved compared with others because it coincides with tourism arrivals.

All sectors of the economy except tourism, legal and accounting sectors shrank, the statistics office said. Tourism arrivals rose by 4.6 per cent in the year to September, while revenue from the sector was up by 8.5 per cent in August, according to the latest data available.

The European Commission last week said it expected Cyprus'€17.9 billion economy to contract 2.3 per cent in 2012, and a further 1.7 per cent in 2013, with its cash-strapped banks and the economic gloom in Greece weighing heavily on the investment climate.

ACCEPTING the international lenders’ positions on banks would leave nothing standing in the country and people will indeed go hungry, the leader of the Cyprus Church said yesterday.

Archbishop Chrysostomos, whose institution owns shares in two banks, suggested that Cypriot lenders needed time not money.

“Woe betide if we accept the troika’s positions. The banks will fall apart and when they do, nothing will be left standing in this country and the people will indeed go hungry,” Chrysostomos said.

The archbishop was referring to a troika proposal to change the definition of non performing loans – to debts not serviced in 90 days even if they are secured – and expedite foreclosures to around 18 months from the several years, if not more, that are needed now.

Chrysostomos said Cyprus does not operate like they do in Europe; banks are known to give people time until their investment yields enough return to start paying off a loan.

“And this is a reality that exists for many decades and this is what our people are used to,” he said.

If Cyprus introduces the practices employed in other European countries, the Cypriot people’s property will end up in the hands of a few wealthy individuals for peanuts.

“Is this what we want to impose in Cyprus? Is this our effort?” the archbishop said. “At least the Church is against this and will fight for these views.”

Earlier this month, Chrysostomos urged the troika to go easy on banks regarding its demand they raise their Core Tier 1 capital ratio from 8 per cent currently, to 10 per cent.

The Church of Cyprus has a stake of around 16 per cent in the Hellenic Bank, the third biggest lender and some 3 per cent in the Bank of Cyprus – the biggest. 

AS BAILOUT talks with international lenders dragged on, the government yesterday sought to downplay speculation that the state would soon be unable to meet its financial obligations.

“We have ways to ensure that the state continues making payments,” said government spokesman Stefanos Stefanou, responding to reporters’ questions on whether the state could run out of cash next month.

Commenting on the overall progress of negotiations with the troika mission here on the island, Stefanou said a great deal of ground has been covered.

But there are many “difficult issues pending,” he added.

Once negotiations wrapped up, the President would brief political parties and the social partners, Stefanou said.

From media reports, it can be gleaned that a major sticking point is the bailout figure for the island’s two largest lenders, Popular and Bank of Cyprus.

In addition to being a key component of an overall rescue package, the scope of the banks’ recapitalisation needs – once agreed – would impact other areas of discussion.

If it turns out the banks need over €10 billion – according to some estimates – that could put added pressure on the government to sell off state assets, such as semi-governmental organisations, to pay off an EU/IMF loan.

The privatisation of SGOs, particularly those which turn a profit, is a ‘red flag’ for the Christofias administration.

Weighing in yesterday, leaders of the Cyprus Ports Authority and the Cyprus Telecommunications Authority both rejected outright privatisation.

Stathis Kittis, chairman of CYTA’s board of directors, left a window open for gradual and partial privatisation in tandem with a “controlled” issue of shares, but cautioned that this should be done “carefully.”

Also yesterday troika experts saw representatives of the investment company Pimco – which is running diagnostics on the Cypriot banking sector.

The troika experts were said to be combing the books of co-operative banks, and are proposing a drastic reduction in the number of these banks from 97 to 35 through mergers.

Cypriot authorities have apparently agreed to the restructuring of the co-operatives that would include early retirement schemes and a hiring freeze. 

The co-operatives’ exposure to government bonds is estimated to be around €1.4 billion. Given that the value of the bonds has dropped by 40 to 50 per cent, that would translate into losses of at least €550 million.

Meanwhile online media yesterday cited a new report by Merill Lynch warning that Cyprus could turn into the next weak link for the eurozone in 2013.

Merill Lynch said that despite the small size of the Cyprus economy – accounting for just 0.15 per cent the eurozone’s GDP - Cyprus’ debt dynamics could be at risk as the reported amount that Cyprus needs keeps rising.

“The broader implications of these challenges would eventually accelerate the speculations that Cyprus, and not Greece, may be the first country to exit the eurozone as soon as markets realise the risks to the country debt dynamics,” it said.

That could even create a situation where "Cyprus could in theory default on its official debt and remain in the eurozone, as its primary deficit is very small," Merill Lynch reported.

It pointed out that concerns over the viability of Cyprus’ national debt could be somewhat offset by expected revenues of between €1.7 billion to €2.4 billion a year from the commercial exploitation of natural gas reserves.

But given that it could take a decade for the cash to flow, this prospect might not be enough to ease jittery markets and official creditors of Cyprus, the report said.

Citing the same report, web-based Stockwatch said Merill Lynch does not expect a deal between Cyprus and international lenders before general elections in February 2013.

members of the troika delegation were on the island still yestreday

A 37-year-old man facing charges in relation to raping a 10-year-old boy last August pleaded not guilty yesterday during a closed-doors hearing at the Larnaca Assize court.

The Greek Cypriot man will remain in custody until trial, set for February 21 next year.

He is accused of allegedly having intercourse with a person under the age of 13, abduction and assaulting a police officer during his arrest.

Most of the charges relate to the rape of the 10-year-old Palestinian boy who on August 1 was forced to go on a motorbike with a strange man who led him to a rooftop and raped him at knifepoint, the boy said.

The boy then walked to the police station along the Phinikoudes promenade to report what had happened.

He was taken to Makarios children’s hospital in a state of shock, where a state pathologist said there was evidence he was raped.

The court yesterday rejected the defence’s request to have a public trial in order to secure a fair trial. 

The defendant had been free on bail, awaiting trial for trying to sexually abuse two other boys.

He was also sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment in 1994 for abducting and raping a Chinese woman. 

A different man was arrested in August but was let go when the boy was taken to the police station to recognise his alleged attacker and instead pointed out the 37-year-old, also present. 

The 37-year-old, now accused, was reporting to police as part of his bail conditions, set by a court judge who has not been named.

A LIMASSOL judge yesterday ordered a 25-year-old suspected victim of labour and sexual exploitation to remain in custody to answer charges of theft made by her employer after the domestic worker escaped from her workplace last month.

The 25-year-old domestic worker from Nigeria filed a series of complaints to the Limassol Labour Relations Office on October 4 relating to alleged abuses at her workplace as well as claims that her employer had taken her to a Paphos hotel to have sex with other men at least twice.

According to the complaint, which the Cyprus Mail has seen, the 25-year-old was allegedly made to work from 5.30am until 10pm without a day off and without pay and taken twice to a Paphos hotel to have sex with a man for money.

The 25-year-old escaped to Nicosia, where she was put in touch with Renos Pelayias, a retired policeman, who for a small fee gave her shelter and helped her file a complaint with the district labour office after first informing immigration police.

At no point did the labour office or police refer her claims of sexual exploitation to the Office for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, headed by Rita Superman.

Within days of filing the complaint, her Limassol employer made a counter-claim that the domestic worker had stolen €3,500 worth of jewellery.

The 25-year-old categorically denies the charges, claiming she left her workplace with only the clothes on her back.

On October 12, both the employer and employee were called to the Limassol labour relations office to give their respective version of events. As soon as the meeting ended, police arrested the 25-year-old in connection with charges of theft. She has been in prison since.

When first taken to Limassol court, the 25-year-old had no legal representation. The judge ordered her detention until trial.

After Limassol lawyer Andry Ioannou stepped in to represent the Nigerian woman without pay on humanitarian grounds, she requested her client be released while filing on her behalf a request for legal aid.

Weeks later, the welfare office has yet to prepare a report on the request for legal aid. 

During a court hearing yesterday, the judge rejected Ioannou’s arguments that the 25-year-old was neither a flight risk nor a burden on the state, and ordered her detention until trial.

Backing her decision, the judge reasoned that the 25-year-old had no job, no money and nowhere to stay. The latter argument was made following a mix-up on the charge sheet regarding her new Nicosia address which has yet to be cleared up.

The judge ordered her incarceration until the next court date on December 5, meaning the potential trafficking victim will spend at least two months in prison since making her allegations against her employer.

At the next court hearing, the court will examine the request for legal aid, after which a new date will be set for the actual theft trial to start.

Under current practices, if a domestic worker makes a complaint against their employer, the labour official compiles a report and sends it to an advisory committee which will provide a recommendation to Migration Department head Anny Shakallis. This can take anywhere between four and seven months.

Until a decision is taken, the domestic worker usually has nowhere to stay and no legal access to the labour market. 

ENERGY chief Solon Kassinis yesterday said he would ask for the lifting of the parliamentary immunity of AKEL MP Andros Kyprianou after the latter apparently accused him of putting the interests of corporations before his country.

What sparked the row were comments attributed to Kyprianou in yesterday’s issue of London-based newspaper Eleftheria.

In the article, Kyprianou was quoted as saying word-for-word: “The value of natural gas from Block 12 is estimated at $7 billion, and based on the contract [with Noble Energy] a large percentage of that goes to the Republic of Cyprus.

“The contracts to be signed for the four other blocks will be on far better terms for the Republic, since at the time the outspoken Mr. Kassinis took pains to shape a contract that was in favour of Noble. Now, we are motivated by a desire to serve the interests of the Republic, not of the corporations.”

Kyprianou was reported to have made the remarks on November 12 during a pre-election gathering in north London for AKEL-backed presidential candidate Stavros Malas.

On being told what Kyprianou was quoted as saying, Kassinis yesterday said he would check if in fact the comments were accurately conveyed.

If they were, Kassinis said he would be taking legal action against Kyprianou – but first would ask for the lifting of Kyprianou’s parliamentary immunity.

The energy chief also threw down the gauntlet, daring the AKEL chief to table the matter for discussion at the House Watchdog Committee.

“I never expected this sort of slander and insults from Andros Kyprianou. It is well known that he is fighting me, for example when he said that I was not a serious person when I argued against signing the contract [for supply of natural gas] with Shell.

“He also described me as not serious when I said we would drill for gas by the end of last year. In the end, we did drill and we found the gas. Yet I never heard him talk about this, because he is too much of a coward to retract those statements.”

Hitting back at insinuations that he was serving the interests of foreign energy corporations, Kassinis countered that it was thanks to his own efforts that the profit-sharing percentage for the Cypriot state almost doubled in the contract signed with Noble on the Block 12 prospect.

Later in the day, AKEL spokesman Giorgos Loukaides denied that his party boss had accused Kassinis of treason.

“What Mr. Kyprianou did say was that the bargaining position of the Republic is better today than at the time it was negotiating with only one company,” Loukaides said, alluding to the first offshore licensing round.

energy chief Solon Kassinis is calling for Andros Kyprianous immunity to be stripped

THREE teenage British tourists will face manslaughter charges when they go on trial early next year for allegedly killing a young British soldier during a nightclub brawl in Ayia Napa.

Mohamed Abdulkadir Osman, 19, and two 17-year-old suspects who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared in court yesterday but did not have to answer any charges.

The trio from London will be asked to enter a plea when the case goes to trial at Larnaca criminal court on January 24.

Famagusta district court will decide today whether the Britons will remain in custody or be freed on bail until their trial.

Osman’s lawyer said his client was a diabetic who needed special treatment, while those representing his co-accused insisted they were too young to be held behind bars in a foreign country.

Private David Lee Collins, 18, from Manchester, was stabbed to death in a confrontation with a group of British tourists in the early hours of November 4.

He was stationed at Dhekelia garrison with the 2nd Battalion Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, part of British army reserve forces for Afghanistan.

The suspects were privately informed of the charges by their lawyers yesterday. Senior police sources said these include manslaughter, possession of knives and use of a class B drug.

Manslaughter carries a maximum life sentence in Cyprus.

A police officer told court last week that Osman, who is of Somali origin, had admitted stabbing Collins. But the tourist said he had acted in self-defence when he and his friends were allegedly attacked by a group of off-duty soldiers.

Osman claimed he waved a knife solely to intimidate them. But one had “jumped on to the blade”.  He told police he did not mean to hurt the soldier and was sorry for what had happened.

The other two suspects – who are of Pakistani origin - put themselves at the scene of the crime but insist they played no part in the violence.

An autopsy concluded Collins died from a “ruptured heart caused by a sharp instrument”.

The confrontation is believed to have been triggered over taunting related to rivalry between London and Manchester.

Police said a switchblade was recovered at the scene of the crime and 11 similar knives were found in the trio’s hotel room along with a sizeable quantity of cannabis and a knuckleduster.

Osman admitted buying the weapons at a shop in Ayia Napa but said they were to take home as gifts for friends, police said.

The fatal confrontation happened near Ayia Napa’s central square – an area long out of bounds to all British forces personnel between 5pm and 10am because of previous incidents.

Following the “tragic death of Fusilier Collins” the area has been put temporarily out of bounds “around the clock until further notice”, a British forces spokeswoman said.

The three suspects, smartly-dressed and looking nervous, arrived and left Famagusta district court in handcuffs. They listened intently as an interpreter translated the proceedings from Greek into English.

Osman’s left hand was heavily bandaged and there was a scab over his right eye.

More than half the tiny court room was taken up by a dozen distraught-looking family members of the accused.

two of the three suspects being led to court earlier this month

GREEK CYPRIOT students marked the 29th anniversary of the occupied north’s unilateral declaration of independence by roaming the streets of downtown Nicosia yesterday. Some headed to the checkpoints holding flags while the extreme nationalists of ELAM gave a demonstration of their militaristic discipline as they also joined the protests. In the evening the political parties took over the proceedings, holding gatherings to condemn the creation of the pseudo-state 29 years ago. 

North of the dividing line, the Turkish Cypriots were celebrating. In his anniversary address, Dervis Eroglu said that the ‘TRNC’ was not established as a “bluff or joke of history” but came to symbolise the sovereignty of the Turkish Cypriots. This ‘sovereignty’ was made a mockery of a little later by Turkey’s ‘ambassador’ Halil Ibrahim Akca, who told Turkish Cypriots they should not be spending their money in the Republic of Cyprus and that financial assistance of Ankara would no longer be used to pay public sector wages and pensions. It was a cruel reminder by Turkey’s overlord of the very peculiar ‘sovereignty’ enjoyed by the Turkish Cypriots. 

But deluded politicians exist on both sides of the dividing line, as presidential candidate Giorgos Lillikas illustrated with his announcement condemning the secessionist declaration of the pseudo-state. Although belonging to the younger generation of politicians, Lillikas’ rhetoric and false promises are from the old school of Cyprus problem discourse. He gloatingly cited Eroglu’s comments, which “shattered the illusions of all those who believe that negotiations on the Annan plan and bi-zonal, bi-communal federation would lead to the liberation and re-unification of our country”.

But what did Lillikas have to offer as an alternative? More illusions. In his anniversary message he said that if we wanted to achieve “as soon as possible, a solution that safeguards our democratic rights and freedoms of citizens in the whole of the Cyprus Republic, it is an imperative to forge a new assertive strategy, a strategy that would incur a serious political cost to Turkey for its occupation”. If it is so easy, why has no Greek Cypriot politician thought of it in the 38 years since the invasion? Why did Lillikas not employ his ingenious tactic that is certain to lead to the liberation and re-unification of Cyprus while he was serving as foreign minister in the Papadopoulos government?

It is sad that after more than 38 years of occupation politicians on both sides of the divide see the Cyprus problem as nothing more than an excuse for political posturing and vacuous rhetoric, while Ankara has turned the ‘TRNC,’ in all but name, into a Turkish province. 

AN enormous 85 per cent of Cypriots polled by CyBC said Cyprus is heading in the wrong direction, while 79 per cent said they were not impressed with President Demetris Christofias’ handling of his duties.

In the survey, carried out between October 26 and November 7, 1,205 people were questioned. Eighty per cent of them said they thought the economic situation worse than a year ago, down from the 84 per cent who thought so in October.

Meanewhile, only five per cent in October and three per cent in November said they were able to live comfortably with their current income, while the vast majority found it ‘difficult’ or ‘very difficult’ to cope.

When asked on their thoughts regarding the troika, 50 per cent believed we should sign the memorandum, with 38 per cent saying we shouldn’t. The differences increased when asked about satisfaction levels with the way Christofias was dealing with the troika; 71 per cent were ‘quite unsatisfied’ to ‘very unsatisfied’ and only 19 per cent were ‘satisfied’ or ‘very satisfied’. 

When asked which political party they believed had the more correct stance on the negotiations with the troika, the majority believed no party did with 36 per cent, followed by DISY with 19 per cent, 17 percent either didn’t know or didn’t want to respond, and ruling AKEL came in with 14 per cent.

The participants’ faith in public institutions reflected their discontent with the president, with politicians in general inspiring the least amount of faith in them with a weighty 84 per cent dissatisfaction rate. The banks and political parties tied in close second, with an 80 per cent dissatisfaction rate. The institutions in which the participants had the most faith were cooperative credit institutions, the church and the radio.

Only two per cent of correspondents believed the public deficit was one of the most important problems that Cyprus is currently facing. The biggest problem, according to 79 per cent, was the economic crisis. Unemployment followed as the second largest problem with 44 per cent and the Cyprus problem third with 29 per cent. 

When the subject of elections arose, the little faith they had in Cyprus politics was mirrored in their degree of interest in the presidential elections, with more than half (55 per cent in October and November) caring ‘little’ or ‘not at all’ about the forthcoming elections. When asked to compare the three main presidential candidates on a variety of attributes, Nicos Anastasiades came out top on all aspects, an opinion that was confirmed when asked who they would vote for in the first round of elections – 36.9 per cent in October and 36.8 per cent in November said Anastasiades, 23.8 per cent in October and 22.8 per cent in November said Malas and 17 per cent in October and 18.9 per cent in November said Lillikas.

Scenarios on the second round of elections revealed that Anastasiades would win against both opponents if he ran against either of them.

more than three quarters of those polled said they werent impressed with the president

THE EUROPEAN Union has launched a drawing and writing contest for eight to 24-year-olds, with the four winners being invited to the 2012 Nobel Peace prize ceremony in Oslo. 

This contest is organised in partnership with the European Youth Forum. The four winners will be invited by the Presidents of the European Council, the European Commission and the European Parliament to be part of the official delegation of the EU that will travel to Oslo to receive this year's Peace Prize.

Launching the contest, Council President Herman Van Rompuy, Commission President Manuel Barroso and Parliament President Martin Schulz issued a joint statement, saying: "The 2012 Nobel Peace prize is not only a recognition of the European Union's past achievements: it also looks to the future. Our task is always to inspire the next generation of Europeans. That is why we want Europe's youth, who are inheriting a continent of peace and who will be responsible for Europe’s future, with us in Oslo".

Peace, Europe, Future: What does Peace in Europe mean to you? This is the question put to young people from the EU and acceding or candidate countries aged between 8 and 24 years old. Children aged 8 to 12 should express their answer in a drawing, young people aged 13 to 24 in a short text of maximum 120 characters, in any of the 23 EU official languages.

The contest will be open until November 25, midnight Central European Time. The European Youth Forum will pre-select the 16 best entries for each age group (8-12, 13-17, and 18-24). A jury will select three of the final winners (one per age group) who will win a trip to Oslo.

The 16 pre-selected entries from the categories 18-24 will also be posted on Facebook for a vote by the public. The candidate with the most votes will also be invited to Oslo. This winner will also be invited to come to Strasbourg for a special event around the Nobel prize on December 12, and so will the 9 runners-up.

The names of the winners will be announced during the week of December 3. Winners will attend the official ceremony on December 10 as well as the Nobel Peace Prize concert on December 11.

Participants can take part in the contest and propose entries on: www.peaceuropefuture.eu.

TWO players from AEL’s futsal team were injured by APOEL fans after their match at the Melkonian stadium in Nicosia on Thursday night.

“In spite of warnings by the police that the (Melkonian) stadium was unfit to stage the game and there would be no police presence, the game went ahead resulting in incidents and some damage to the stadium, caused by a section of APOEL fans,” police spokesman Andreas Angelides said yesterday.

According to Angelides a letter was sent by the police to the president of the Cyprus Football Association (KOP) on November 12. In the letter he was warned that Melkonian stadium was unfit to host the game and according to the existing law, should not go ahead.

But sources at KOP claimed yesterday that the letter police sent only informed them that there would be no police presence at the game. 

Futsal has become increasingly popular as a spectator sport, but traditional rivalries between the big clubs have meant a growing number of incidents between fans at futsal matches.

“We may have to meet with KOP to discuss whether the increase in incidents in futsal matches might require a police presence,” Angelides responded.

During the incident on Thursday, a firecracker was thrown into the changing room after the match -- which APOEL won 9-2 -- resulting in the injury of two AEL players, aged 29 and 23. Rocks were also thrown and windows broken.

“We were lucky that we caught wind of what might happen and managed to make a run for it before the firecracker was thrown into the changing room, otherwise it wouldn’t have only been two or three of us that got severely injured,” said AEL player Pambos Demetriou.

According to Robert Ursell who plays for APOEL, Thursday’s incident was in retaliation to a clash when the two teams met earlier in the season in Limassol.

THREE teenage British tourists facing manslaughter charges in relation to the death of a British soldier during a nightclub fight in Ayia Napa will be held in custody until their trial next year.

“Famagusta district court has decided that all three… will remain in custody until the day of their trial on January 24,” Famagusta police spokesman George Economou told the Cyprus News Agency.

The Larnaca criminal court will ask the three Britons, one 19-year-old and two aged 17, to enter a plea in January.

Private David Lee Collins, 18, was stabbed to death in the early hours of November 4 after a confrontation over Collins’ home town, Manchester and rival city of London.

Collins was stationed with the 2nd Battalion Royal Regiment of Fusiliers at Dhekelia garrison. 

A post mortem said that he died from a “ruptured heart caused by a sharp instrument”.

Police found a switchblade at the scene, and 11 similar knives, a knuckleduster and cannabis at the trio’s hotel room.

The Ayia Napa square where Collins was killed was out of bounds to British forces’ personnel between 5pm and 10am because of previous incidents. It is now completely out of bounds until further notice, a British forces spokeswoman has said.

ANIMAL shelters are reaching breaking point, as the economic crisis has led to an increase in the number of people abandoning their dogs. 

“Around 170,000 dogs are abandoned in Cyprus every year,” Mary Anastasi, president of the Voice of the Animals organisation, told the House Environment Committee yesterday when it met to discuss the welfare of animals in Cyprus. “Animal shelters cannot cope with this huge burden, which has unfortunately worsened with the economic crisis.”

She said her organisation recommends a control, protection and public animal health service to be created in order to improve animal welfare.

But committee president AKEL MP Adamos Adamou said it wasn’t just the present crisis that was a cause for concern when it came to the treatment of dogs.

“The animal abuse that takes place in Cyprus has on numerous occasions been exposed on the internet, causing international outcry and creating a terrible image for us abroad,” he told the meeting. 

DIKO MP Sofoklis Fittis added that the existing law on the protection and welfare of dogs and other animals has not been operating satisfactorily. A new bill, that fines owners who break the law and also sets a maximum number of pets per resident or family, has to be submitted by March.

The extent of the problem can be seen in the case of the Dali municipality which has so far collected 217 stray dogs this year, an increase from the 187 collected during the entire year of 2011. An increasing number of dogs have been abandoned as more and more people are unable to cover the costs of feeding and providing veterinary care for their pets. 

Panayiotis Harpas, health inspector for Dali municipality, told the Cyprus Mail yesterday that with the help of volunteers and the Voice of the Animals organisation, they have so far managed to avoid euthanising the dogs, and try their best to have the dogs adopted.

Sirius Dog Sanctuary in Limassol is suffering a similar fate. They have reached maximum capacity after a surge of abandoned dogs this summer, and are unable to take in anymore. The sanctuary is also at risk of shutting down unless donations from the public and the number of shelter volunteers increase.

CYPRUS is well prepared for any influx of Syrian refugees fleeing the on-going civil war, the European Commissioner for humanitarian aid and crisis response, Kristalina Georgieva, said yesterday.

“The conflict in Syria is top of my concerns because of the sheer magnitude and because there is no political solution in sight,” said the commissioner who was in Cyprus this week to discuss likely responses to the potential humanitarian crisis in the Middle East. 

Although the commission’s immediate concern is for the people inside Syria and the adjacent countries, Georgieva did address concerns that some refugees might make their way to Cyprus. 

“The island is the closest European port to Syria, a mere 110km away so it is imperative that a plan is put in place,” she added.

Interior ministers of Europe are discussing how to deal with an influx of Syrian refugees to European countries such as Cyprus, Greece and even to Georgieva’s home nation of Bulgaria. Germany and Sweden have pledged to take 5,000 and 2,500 Syrian refugees respectively to help with the outflow of people.

“Cyprus is at the forefront of preparedness,” Georgieva explained.

Following the civil war in Lebanon from 1975 to 1990 and the more recent Israeli-Lebanon conflict of 2006, she said “Cyprus has full awareness and historical experience”. 

War broke out in July 2006 between Israel and Lebanon and lasted until August after the United Nations brokered a ceasefire. Over 1,500 people were killed, the Lebanese infrastructure was severely damaged and over one million people were displaced because of the conflict. Over 50,000 temporarily fled Lebanon through Cyprus which won international praise for the speed and skill with which it dealt with the humanitarian crisis.

“The best way to prevent people continuing their journey to Europe right now is to increase aid,” she said. 

Current statistics show that 40 per cent of aid goes to neighbouring countries, Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey and Iraq. “But there has not yet been a serious threat of people coming to Europe,” the commissioner explained.

“We don’t know what the future may bring, we are now at the stage that [President] Assad is determined to stay and at the same time the opposition against him is better organised. That can lead to a political solution, but it can also lead to an intensifying of the conflict,” she warned.

Commenting on the increased tensions in the region after Israel’s latest attack on Gaza, the commissioner commented, “It’s like throwing gasoline on fire.” 

With over 500,000 Palestinian refugees currently in Syria any escalation of tension in the region would leave them with “nowhere to go,” she said.

WITH THE latest statistics showing that up to one in three secondary school students in Cyprus are smokers, the health ministry and the police are launching an anti-smoking campaign.

“Smoking is the only cause of death that is preventable in the world today. It kills six million people a year, 600,000 of which have only been exposed to passive smoking. Unless urgent action is taken, tobacco will kill more than one billion people this century,” said health minister Androulla Agrotou.

She was speaking at a news conference to present the police’s anti-smoking campaign.

Part of the campaign will focus on drivers and smoking in the car and will start on Sunday and last a week. 

Police officers will distribute flyers to drivers to inform them of the law.

It is illegal to smoke in any vehicles carrying anyone aged 16 or younger and offenders face a fine of up to €1,700 and/or up to six months’ imprisonment.

Passive smoking in cars is 23 times more harmful than it would be in a smoking area, but the public needs to become aware of the health risks of smoking in cars, Agrotou said.

So the police will intensify checks, reporting and fining law breakers, police spokesman Andreas Angelides said yesterday.

But despite previous and ongoing anti-smoking campaigns, schoolchildren continue to smoke. 

Academic at the Cyprus University of Technology, Costas Christofi, presented a recent study that collected questionnaires from 1,318 secondary school students. In lyceums, 32 per cent of students consume tobacco products including shishas, and in gymnasiums some 17 per cent do, Christofi said. 

Cabinet has approved an anti-smoking policy created by an inter-departmental team following guidelines from World Health Organisation and the European Union. The policy aims to prevent children and youth from starting to smoke so they do not develop an addiction, to help smokers quit and to promote a smoke-free environment through legislative and other measures, Agrotou said.

She said the ministry was in the process of appointing a national committee to implement and supervise related activities.

In the meantime, police report a drop of 29 per cent in charges related to smoking in cars with minors, something they attributed yesterday to the public learning to follow the law.

CYPRIOT debt could be sustainable after a bailout, reports suggested yesterday, as the government said there was still disagreement with international lenders on certain matters, including the proposal to privatise profitable semi-government organisations (SGOs).

The size of the potential bailout -- the bulk of it for banks -- will probably determine how strict the island’s adjustment programme would be. 

“An unsustainable debt has other conditions,” government spokesman Stefanos Stefanou said.

Included in those conditions is the privatisation of profitable SGOs like the telecommunications company CyTA.

The lenders -- European Commission, IMF, European Central Bank -- have so far insisted that Cyprus’ debt would be unsustainable after the bailout.

The government disagrees.

Preliminary results of an audit into the banks’ loan portfolios are not expected before December but some figures provided by the company undertaking the task appear to indicate that the debt would be sustainable -- after the bailout -- at around 120 per cent of GDP, the Cyprus News Agency reported.

But reports said lenders still insist on privatisation, even with the debt at 120 per cent.

Cyprus has said it will not sell profitable SGOs, a position reiterated by Stefanou yesterday.

“We are very determined on issues of privatising profitable SGOs,” he said.

He also rejected criticism that the government was stalling, challenging the opposition to say whether it wanted a memorandum that did not meet the conditions all political parties and the government have set together.

President Demetris Christofias has been accused of trying to stall in a bid not to be the one signing the bailout agreement.

“We should all make up our minds,” the spokesman said.

Cyprus has said it wants the eurozone's European Stability Mechanism (ESM) bailout fund to recapitalise the banks directly, but heavyweights in the bloc disagree with the ESM undertaking legacy debt.

The island is already staring at a public debt which catapulted from 71 per cent in 2011 to about 90 per cent this year after coming to the aid of its second largest bank, Popular.

Daily newspaper Politis reported yesterday that the government was still trying to secure a loan of about €4 billion to last it until banks can receive assistance from the ESM directly in about a year.

However, the protracted uncertainty is taking its toll on the economy, with observers pointing out that the longer it takes for a bailout deal, the greater the damage.

Central Bank Governor Panicos Demetriades stressed the urgency of the situation in a meeting on Thursday of the island’s negotiating team, according to Phileleftheros.

Cyprus’ top banker tried to make it clear that there was no other solution but to sign the bailout as soon as possible so that banks receive the necessary capital and in turn start supporting the economy.

FORMER trade minister Praxoulla Antoniadou yesterday announced she would be running for president in next year’s elections, saying none of the other candidates could offer any prospect of hope for the country.

Antoniadou, who heads the United Democrats, said times are so tough that “we would be unworthy of being called a political party if we did not state our presence with our proposals … especially since we assessed that none of the other candidates offer any prospect of hope for the country.”

The former minister, unceremoniously removed from office in a cabinet reshuffle last March, suggested that the dead-end currently faced by the economy was worse than the aftermath of the 1974 Turkish invasion.

“Unemployment has reached unprecedented levels, to an extent that a real social tragedy has been created,” she said.

Whereas in the past, children returning from their studies were supported by their parents until they found a job, now the mother and father are also unemployed.

“They are all in despair,” Antoniadou said.

She blamed the former Central Bank governor Athanasios Orfanides’ “unwise monetary and regulatory policy” for the banks’ expansion to Greece that ultimately became their downfall.

But the government was also to blame for the economic woes faced by the island, Antoniadou added.

“While they had early warning … they did nothing to prevent what they could,” she said. “Unfortunately we are on the brink of bankruptcy due to greed and mismanagement.”

She said the island’s reunification was the answer to the crisis, since it would restore growth and employment.

“If an agreed solution was achieved now, reunification would lead to rapid economic growth as a result of the investments for reconstruction and the normalisation of political and economic relations with Turkey,” Antoniadou said.

The discovery of natural gas offshore Cyprus can be used as an incentive for all parties involved to settle the Cyprus problem, she said.

Antoniadou had been sacked early this year after just eight months in office.

She charged that during her tenure she was continuously being undermined and pressured by her colleagues into following different policies from those suggested by the president.

The claims were rejected by the government. 

AS THE crisis bites, 40 per cent more people cashed in their life insurance policies in the first six months of this year compared to the same period last year, statistics released by the Insurance Association of Cyprus show.

A total of €111m was redeemed by policy holders between January and June of this year, compared to €79m over the same period in 2011.

“It’s an easy way for people to get money during the economic crisis,” general manager of the association, Stephie Dracos told the Cyprus Mail. 

“Banks are no longer giving out loans, the value of land is depreciating and stock prices are falling, so redeeming their policies is a simple option,” she added.

Dracos warned that people should only redeem their insurance policies in cases of real emergencies as “insurance exists to help people out during a problem or difficult time”. 

Leading life insurance firms such as Laiki Cyprialife are aware of the trend.

“Given the current economic climate in Cyprus the policy redemptions appear higher than previous years,” said investment manager for Laiki, Chrysanthos Pantazis.

Another reason people are cashing in on their policies is that they simply don’t have the money to continue paying the monthly premiums said Dracos.

Laiki Cyprialife is attempting to help customers maintain their payments by rearranging payment schemes. 

“We understand the changes to the financial situation of our clients and we therefore actively offer them various flexible solutions to reduce their monthly payment, while maintaining an adequate insurance coverage for their needs,” said Pantazis.

Although there has been this large withdrawal of cash from insurance companies, Dracos said their large reserves cover them from any losses.

Despite the large increase in life insurance policy cash-ins, the statistics were not all doom and gloom. The total amount of money paid to insurance companies over the first six months of 2012 has risen by 2.21 per cent compared to the same period in 2011. In 2011 over that period, insurance companies received €228.01m compared to €233.05m this year.

“People understand the importance of insurance policies,” explained Dracos. Payments towards insurance policies that cover accidents, healthcare and property for example have risen substantially.

“Because of the rising cost of medicine and healthcare people prefer to pay a little bit more for insurance,” she added.

THE MIGRATION Department has always behaved as if it were an agency in a totalitarian country. Abuse of power is routine, accountability non-existent, entrapment of people part of the procedures and xenophobia endemic. The abuses of the department are legend, while on the few occasions ministers have tried to call it into account, they have failed to get anywhere. It continues with its heavy-handed and arbitrary ways in the fight to protect the country from all the third world foreigners who want to live and work here.

Its most recent excess, censured in a damning report by the ombudswoman, defied belief. The department forced families with a foreign mother, seeking a residence permit or citizenship for her child, to undergo DNA testing to prove the father was a Cypriot national. It did not matter that the Cypriot father’s name was on the birth certificate - failure to take the test, when requested by the department, guaranteed a rejection of the application. The applicant is even obliged to foot the €1,000 bill for the DNA test. This is nothing short of blackmail by the state against its own citizens, who supposedly have rights. 

As the ombudswoman’s report said: “The department is violating the principle of legality and, by extension, the human right to family and private life ... the practice followed by the department has no legal basis and cannot be tolerated in a rule of law state like ours.”

It also smacks of racism, persecuting a Cypriot man because he had a child with a non-EU national. It did not matter that his name was on the birth certificate - he could not be believed by the Department, because he had had the child with a foreign woman and had to scientifically prove that he was the father. And what if he was not the biological father, but wanted to live with the woman and bring up the child as his own? Does any state authority have the right to prevent him making this life choice?

The authoritarian head of the Migration Department, Anny Shakallis seems to think so. The DNA tests are only sanctioned by Ms Shakallis who has made a habit of abusing the discretionary powers of her position. And not only does she believe she has the right to overstep the boundaries set by the law, she also feels she is entitled to impose her moral values on anyone who has the misfortune to apply to her department. By what authority does Ms Shakalli dictate what is morally acceptable in a marriage between a Cypriot and a foreigner? Is it really her job to stop a man from living with a foreign woman because he is not the biological father of her child? 

For how much longer will Ms Shakalli be allowed to act like a despot, violating rights, ignoring the law and imposing her moral values on citizens?