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Coffeeshop and Mail’s anti-Perdikis campaign is grossly unfair

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For many years, a highlight of my week has been the pleasure I derive from Patroclos’ “Tales from the Coffeeshop”.

On the whole, these “tales” are both amusing and insightful commentary on the political scene in Cyprus. My only problem has been the nature of Patroclos’ invective whenever he refers to Giorgos Perdikis, whom he always sneers at as “turtle-loving”, “tree-hugging” and “insufferably self-righteous” or words to that effect.

While such comment is only to be expected in this form of literature, it has always struck me, unlike the barbs thrown at other politicians, as being particularly personal and vindictive, as if Patroclos were exacting revenge for a past personal offence. (Did George get the girl Pat wanted?)

In the Sunday Mail of June 22, however, Patroclos has really gone too far over the top. In commenting on the proposed plan to raise the minimum share of the vote required to gain entry to the legislature, he says: “This would be a good thing as it is sure to eliminate the Perdikis one-man show, masquerading as Green Party, from parliament.

I hear that this is also the motivation of DISY whose deputies have come to detest the pompous, pontificating populist Perdikis. The turtle-lover is disliked across the ideological spectrum, which could help DISY pass its proposal.

Deputies, apparently, hate the way self-righteous, bash-patriot regularly leaks information to the media, regarding confidential House committee work or unfinished bills in exchange for public exposure (nobody makes as many appearances on TV and radio or is quoted so often by the papers) and hagiographic reports about him.

We would like to wish every success to DISY which would be doing us all a big favour if it spares us the torture of hearing Perdikis advertising his moral superiority whenever we turn on the radio or TV!”

This vitriol is not political “fair comment”. This hymn of hate is a thoroughly nasty, vindictive personal attack which is obviously intended to injure.

This attitude is not limited to Patroclos himself but seems to extend to the Mail’s editorial policy (see the editorial “Drastic action needed over electoral reform to gain voter trust”, Cyprus Mail, June 17).

Even today, June 24, in an article “No danger from unloaded cargo …”, the writer seemingly cannot resist a slam at the Greens “once more Cyprus is keen to become the dumpster of the eastern Mediterranean, the party said.

For all their concerns the Greens somehow omitted to demand disclosure of the ship’s manifest”, as if this were some kind of fault on their part.

My problem with all this is that, to me, very much a friend of the Cyprus Mail, none of this invective is in any way descriptive of Giorgos Perdikis, an honest and upright man whom I have known for over 20 years.

Although as a tax-paying, resident Canadian I do not have even the municipal vote, he tried and almost succeeded in getting legislation through parliament that would have given me and some 200 others this vote, only to be defeated by the chauvinistic, racist clowns who now govern the country.

As a Green supporter I know that Perdikis has made every personal sacrifice to keep his party alive. He is devoted to openness and transparency in government, hence the “leaks”.

If he is indeed detested by fellow MPs, the reason is obvious. He is honest, open and straight and refuses to play their secretive, dirty little games.

He may well lose his seat as a consequence of this “reform” but please explain to me how strengthening the large, crooked parties through eliminating the small ones, such electoral reform will somehow “gain voter trust”?

The very fact that Giorgos Perdikis clearly won a country-wide survey as the most highly regarded politician in the country only a couple of months ago, yet failed to gain a seat in the European Parliament, says it all.

He is very highly thought of by all (except the Cyprus Mail) but they don’t vote for him, preferring to support the large parties that can do them personal favours. There is clearly no room in this country for politicians of high principle and probity.

The basic problem is that corruption is endemic in the very souls of Cypriots. Consequently this country will always have the corrupt government it deserves.

John Knowles, Peyia

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Tales from the Coffeeshop: The return of the DIKO-AKEL romance

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Rekindling a marriage, Andros Kyprianou and Nicolas Papadopoulos

By Patroclos

WHEN Ethnarch Junior was rushed into the operating theatre three weeks ago, it appears that surgeons did not only remove his appendix. They must have also removed the last few political scruples that had been hiding in his system and were preventing him pursuing his presidential ambitions with the requisite ruthlessness.

It did not take him long after leaving the hospital, without his appendix and free of political scruples, to get to work on achieving his objective. First he re-posted his bash-patriotic credentials and reminded everyone that he was as hard-line as his late papa, by launching a vitriolic attack on Prez Nik’s handling of the Cyprob.

Junior’s outburst followed the National Council meeting of the previous week and would have been ignored by everyone, as he had said nothing remotely interesting or new, had it not been for Nik’s inability to leave any criticism unanswered. The prez issued a written statement, which, despite its patronising tone, gave the impression that he took Junior’s rant seriously enough to respond to it.

How can you take the prince of Strakka seriously when he complains that the Cyprob procedure is heading for deadlock? Deadlock is what Junior always wanted and Nik is on the brink of achieving it. The possibility of a settlement, which the prince was so paranoid about, is as remote now as when his papa was president so why is he attacking Nik who seems to be following the Ethnarchic mantra of talks for the sake of talks?

Would the prince have been happier and publicly congratulated Nik if the procedure was progressing and the two sides were agreeing on issues, instead of heading for deadlock?

THE REVELATION of his deadlock-phobia may have been related to his courtship of AKEL which seems to have blossomed into a full-blown romance over the last 10 days or so.

Junior has realised that he would need AKEL votes, if he is to have a chance of becoming president in the next elections so he has started pandering to the commies, for whom he expressed only disgust and contempt in the previous three years. With his last few political scruples now surgically removed, he can act with the unbridled opportunism that was in all his predecessors’ DNA.

Since the 1970s AKEL and DIKO have gone through as many marriages and divorces as Richard Burton and Liz Taylor. DIKO has jumped into bed with other partners when they were apart, but AKEL has always waited patiently for DIKO to return. We had thought that after the last acrimonious divorce in 2011 and DIKO’s falling into the arms of DISY the on-off marriage was over for good. We were wrong.

It is back on now, as the meeting between Junior and Andros 10 days ago emphatically confirmed. There was love in the air, the two leaders putting the past behind them and renewing their vows. Romantics may have applauded, but for our establishment this is a marriage made in hell which invariably turns the country into a living hell. Suffice to say this disastrous marriage gave birth to both the Tassos and Tof presidencies, not to mention the 10 years of Spy Kyp.

YOU HAVE to give some credit to Junior for rebuilding the relationship after all the abuse and invective he had personally heaped on the commies and their sainted president. He could see the commies were very vulnerable and isolated after the calamitous Tof reign and were ready to jump into bed with whomever as much as winked at them.

He winked and they obliged, although they also needed to find an excuse to sell the proposed marriage to their supporters after the cruelty and contempt with which the nasty Junior had treated them in the last three years. After their kiss-and-make-up meeting, Andros and Junior announced they would forge a unite opposition front, as there was “big scope for co-operation” both in parliament and outside.

The issue that would justify the marriage and help Junior’s drive for the presidency was the memorandum of understanding imposed by the Troika. AKEK had been opposed to most of its provisions – even those negotiated by Tof – from the beginning, but in his brief incarnation as a responsible politician the prince had supported it.

But to win a place in Akelite hearts, he has decided that the memorandum was no good and needed to be re-negotiated. And the two parties agreed that they would no longer give in to the government’s blackmail regarding memorandum bills.

Junior has been banging on in the last week about the need to re-negotiate the MoU, in a way that would help development and improve the lives of ordinary people. The prince’s concern about the ordinary people was truly admirable and is guaranteed to win over caring Akelites.

THE DEMAND for the re-negotiation of the MoU is one of those hollow slogans our politicians love, identical to the demand for the re-positioning of the Cyprob. Everyone knows it will never happen, but it sounds good to the ordinary people that are suckers for false hopes.

The only difference with the re-positioning of the Cyprob, which has been demanded for the last 20 years, the calls to re-negotiate the MoU have an expiry date – 2016 when the assistance programme ends. And with presidential elections two years later, what would Junior do to keep the marriage with AKEL alive? He could start a campaign for the re-nationalisation of the privatised SGOs such as CyTA and EAC which would be peachy with the comrades.

He will cross that bridge when he reaches it. For now, all he has to do is keep calling for the re-negotiation of the MoU and keep showing AKEL that he will remain faithful and true. He seized the opportunity to do this on Tuesday when he had a meeting with DISY chief Averof Neophytou, after which it was announced that a big gulf separated the two parties on the economy and the Cyprob.

And Averof would never help Junior become president, because he has ambitions as well, but this was not mentioned.

THE BANK of Cyprus board finally bowed to the pressure of the Central Bank governor and the finance minister and decided on a capital issue of between €500m and €1bn at its Thursday board meeting, which lasted a staggering 10 hours.

The decision was a victory for the CEO John Hourican who had proposed a capital issue several months ago but encountered strong opposition from the members of the board. A month ago the Central Bank governor Chrystalla Georghadji stepped in, inviting the directors to a meeting and urging them to proceed with the share issue. The government also lent its support to Crystal, Harris Georgiades publicly advising the BoC to raise capital.

The Russian directors, who would see their shareholding, obtained in compensation for the haircut of their deposits, diluted, were also present for Thursday’s crunch board meeting. In the end they did not object to the issue, but there were strong disagreements over the price of the new shares, which caused the meeting to last 10 hours.

The Cypriot directors, who represented Laiki and ETYK, opposed the idea of a large number of shares at low price as this would substantially dilute their shareholding, arguing for the issue of a smaller number of shares at a higher price. The only problem was that the issue might not be successful if the share price was high.

Another fear of the Cypriots was that the dilution of the shareholding could have led to their losing their seats on the board. And what would be the point of saving the bank if they had to sacrifice their seats to achieve this?

THERE will be another meeting of the board in the next 10 days to finalise everything. One thing finalised, according to press reports, was that the bank would hire two deputy CEOs – one Cypriot and one foreign.

For some time, the happy bunny chairman had wanted to hire a deputy CEO, in order to curtail Hourican’s powers and show him that there would be someone ready to replace him if he failed to toe the line. The man chosen by the recruitment firm was interviewed by the CEO who was not impressed and refused to sanction the appointment.

On Thursday, the happy bunny insisted that a deputy CEO was hired and he was backed by most directors. Hourican said he would only agreed to this if another deputy CEO were to be recruited from abroad. So the BoC will now appoint two deputy CEOs, a Cypriot and a foreigner, it does not need, at a total cost of about 700 grand a year, all because the happy bunny wanted to clip Hourican’s wings.

THIS WAS not a good week for another company chairman – Tony Antoniou the head honcho Cyprus Airways. Antoniou had a meeting with Finance Minister Georgiades to answer accusations that he was making the bankrupt airline pay his personal expenses such as a speeding fine and a service for his car.

He was also accused of a awarding a small contract, in the region of 80 grand without first asking for tenders. It defied belief that such a fuss was made over Antoniou claiming expenses he was not entitled to (he claimed these would have been deducted from his fee), considering the large-scale plundering that was taking place at the airline in the past.

The perm secretary of the finance ministry was asked to investigate the allegation against Tony who was not a happy bunny over the shabby treatment by the government after he had saved the airline from bankruptcy – at least for now. But it seems some people will never forgive his decision to sell the Heathrow time slot and force them to fly to Stansted. It is payback time.

SOMEONE had to read great significance into Greece’s progress in the World Cup and draw important lessons from it for our loser politicians. This is a standard reaction to any national sporting success, journalists seizing the opportunity to ask why our politicians do not emulate our sportsmen.

Phil’s political correspondent, Costas Venizelos, took up the issue after Greece advanced to the knockout stages of the World Cup by defeating Ivory Coast. “We all needed this victory to regain our self-confidence as a nation, as Hellenism,” he wrote, bemoaning the fact that our politicians had ignored all the things that made the Greek national side successful such as team-work, the right preparation, a winning strategy and tactics.

“The big ask is to produce results. The ingredients that make up the recipe of the national side’s success are not found in what is defined as the political system and political personnel,” he wrote and explained what he meant. “Togetherness is absent, strategy is unknown and tactics are displayed in response to developments. Their game is defensive. And it is obvious that the biggest probability with these (defensive) tactics is that you will concede a goal.”

This is where his parallel went badly wrong, indicating that Venizelos’ knowledge of football is nowhere near as deep as his knowledge of politics. The Greek national side owes its success exclusively to its ultra-defensive tactics, which might not be very entertaining but get results.

It won Euro 2004 thanks to its defensive game and not through attack which Venizelos claimed “is the only way to win”. In the case of Greece it is quite clearly not, but who cares.

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New-look Greece and Costa Rica eye quarter-finals

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By Toby Davis

A solid defence used to be Greece’s modus operandi while Costa Rica traditionally relied on maverick individuals but the stereotypes have been shed in this World Cup where the two teams face a last-16 clash on Sunday.

A World Cup quarter-final against either the Netherlands or Mexico is the prize on offer for both when they meet in the coastal Brazilian city of Recife.

Few predicted that either team would make it this far.

Costa Rica turned heads by finishing above Uruguay, Italy and England in ultra-competitive Group D, yet it was the manner in which the Central Americans accumulated seven points from their three games that proved the most surprising.

They were exceptionally organised at the back, ruthlessly quick and punchy on the break and nobody stood out as being more influential than the overall team ethic.

While the fleet-footed Joel Campbell provides the focal point in attack, the most impressive thing about Costa Rica is the speed at which they get bodies up to support the lone frontman, without leaving themselves exposed at the back.

Greece, who emerged into the knockout stages after a last-gasp Giorgos Samaras penalty gave them a 2-1 win over Ivory Coast to snatch the runners-up spot in Group C, looked anything but organised in their games.

They were porous at the back, as shown in an opening 3-0 defeat by Colombia, but sprightly in attack and generally more eager to go forward than in past tournaments, where a solid backline was usually the foundation on which they built.

Greece were caught out several times in their opener against group winners Colombia, with the players putting it down to nerves.

AGGRESSIVE GAME

Against Ivory Coast, however, they arguably played their most aggressive game in years, and the two goals they scored equalled their tally for their eight previous World Cup games combined.

“We showed against Ivory Coast how well we can defend but also how good we can be in attack,” said Greece coach Fernando Santos, a former touchline chain smoker.

“We created a lot of chances and we kept attacking until the end. Even when we conceded the 74th minute equaliser, we continued to attack.”

Santos, who replaced Euro 2004 winning coach Otto Rehhagel in 2010 is not amused by continued claims that Greece only know how to defend.

“I can but laugh as it is a joke,” he said.

Like Costa Rica, they were nobody’s favourites to make it beyond the group stage.

Costa Rica midfielder Yeltsin Tejeda said: “We were thinking more about Colombia and the Ivory Coast and in the end came the least expected team. Now we have to change the video cassette.”

This is Greece’s first appearance in the World Cup knockout round, while Costa Rica have never been beyond the last 16.

The only previous time the Ticos reached this stage was in 1990 when, having come out of a group that included Brazil, Sweden and Scotland, they lost heavily to Czechoslovakia.

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Our View: Government lacks the stomach for genuine reform

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Interior Minister Socratis Hasikos, only tinkering with much-needed municipal reform

SOME TEN days ago Interior Minister Socratis Hasikos presented the government’s reform plans for local government. The plan envisages the creation of five second-tier local authorities – one for every district – that would be given many of the responsibilities currently handled by municipalities, such as the issuing of building permits, provision of services, rubbish collection etc.

Hasikos explained there would be economies of scale and a higher quality of service for residents as a result of the proposed reform. What he failed to say was that the government’s proposal was a half-baked rationalisation measure aimed at maintaining the unjustifiably high number of municipalities; there are 30 plus nine representing occupied towns and villages. The plan was the government’s concession to the foreign consultants that had been brought in to advise how local government should be re-organised and made more cost effective.

The consultants had proposed the creation of five municipalities, one for each district, which would make local authorities economically viable. But this would mean only five instead of 30 mayors, drastically fewer councillors and a lot fewer jobs for the party faithful. So the minister came up with a measure that would keep everyone happy. Mayor and councillor numbers would remain the same, but municipalities would have few powers other than to conduct civil wedding ceremonies and organise culture weeks in the summer.

Replacing the 30 municipalities with five economically viable entities, thus further reducing the cost of local government, which consist primarily of wage costs, was too radical and would have caused too much political unrest, so the government chose the path of least political resistance. But Hasikos still came under criticism from AKEL chief Andros Kyprianou who accused the minister of acting unilaterally and failing to engage in a dialogue with the political parties for such important reform. The reform was obviously not half-baked enough to satisfy Kyprianou; this could only be achieved through a dialogue that took on board the views of all interested parties, however ludicrous.

This has always been how we have done things in Cyprus – with disastrous results – because everyone has to be kept happy in the name of consensus. This is also the reason we have such a poor state education system – it evolved through a dialogue of the politicians, civil servants and teaching unions – that has been consistently letting down our children.

And now that the World Bank has submitted its proposals for improving the state education union chiefs and education ministry bureaucrats are up in arms because the main objective is a more streamlined and decentralised system in which teaching appointments would be meritocratic and the performances of teachers would be regularly evaluated. It even advised that promotions were determined by performance and not seniority.

The main gripe of the unions was the customary one – the World Bank technocrats, who prepared the reports, did not engage in a dialogue with them, while the education minister had set a five week time-frame for the completion of his discussions on the reforms with unions. How could the appointments system that has not been resolved after 15 years of efforts, be tackled in five weeks, asked one union boss, pretending not to know the answer. For his benefit, we should mention it was never resolved because the government has been engaged in a never-ending dialogue with unions, which are opposed to any change.

We are very naive if we think that those who have most of our society’s problems – political parties, civil servants, unions – are capable of fixing them. It was governments and political parties that created 30 municipalities in a country of some 850,000 people and then approved the creation of countless unnecessary jobs. What is the chance that Hasikos, a member of this ruling clique, would dismantle what it created? He will make some modifications, but parties like AKEL want to prevent even those through the obligatory dialogue.

The same applies to education reform. There is no hope of anything changing if the unions, which created and maintained this dysfunctional system, participate in the supposed reform drive. It is not in the interest of their members to fix the education system that exist to serve the teachers. Now we are witnessing a similar narrative for the national health scheme. An association representing private doctors has set a list of conditions, regarding pay and patient referrals, that need to be satisfied for it to give its consent to the scheme; it has the support of the government doctors who have also set a list of conditions.

The unions’ idea of dialogue involves the setting of ultimatums that politicians meekly give in to. No problems will be fixed by recourse to the discredited formula that created them in the first place.

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Recapitalise or resign, CBC governor tells BoC board

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Divided, BoC chairman Christis Hassapis and CEO John Hourican

By George Psyllides

CENTRAL BANK (CBC) Governor Chrystalla Georghadji has sent the Bank of Cyprus (BoC) board an ultimatum threatening members that if they don’t stop delaying tactics and push ahead with a capital issue, she will demand resignations, it emerged on Saturday.

The disclosure came a day after the lender, which was forced to use depositors’ savings to recapitalise itself last year, said it was assessing potential investor interest and would make a further announcement “when and if there is further tangible progress”.

The announcement was issued after Thursday’s marathon meeting of the bank’s 16 board members, some of whom, including chairman Christis Hassapis, do not favour the issue of capital and have been accused of engaging in delaying tactics.

The board is split between those supporting Hassapis and those backing CEO John Hourican who wants to issue new capital.
A government source asked by the Sunday Mail confirmed on Saturday that Georghadji had sent a letter on Friday, warning the board that she would ask for four or five resignations if procedures to raise new capital were not completed by early August.

The unsettling dispute is taking place even though foreign investors have shown “serious interest”, according to the source.

The bank is said to be seeking some €1 billion but it appears that there is interest for double that amount. However, new shares would mean that old shares would be diluted and would necessitate a new board of directors.

In light of this, some members of the board, including the chairman, have sought to delay if not scupper the process.
Some have promised to bring Russian capital to the bank, a move the government and the Central Bank do not believe to be in the best interests of BoC or the country.

The source suggested that in the end some members of the board may have to leave anyway to secure the success of the capital issue.

Politis reported on Saturday that the board was now expected to reconvene on Monday or Tuesday to take a clear decision concerning the capital issue.

The paper said Finance Minister Harris Georgiades met with Hourican on Friday morning. He warned the minister that the situation did not look good and appeared ready to resign if he was not allowed to do his job, Politis said.
Georgiades then met Georghadji.

BoC was forced to convert a large portion of client deposits to equity last year when international lenders refused to provide assistance.

The process, known as a “bail-in”, marked the first time in the history of the eurozone debt crisis that distressed banks used client funds to recapitalise, instead of EU tax payers.

Based on its first-quarter results, BoC had a core tier 1 capital, a ratio of financial strength, of 10.4 per cent, increasing slightly to 10.6 per cent from the disposal of Serbian assets in May.

Under stress test baseline scenarios it should exceed 8 per cent, and in an adverse scenario 5.5 per cent.
The bank is one of more than 100 across the eurozone which will be assessed by regulators this autumn under simulated conditions of financial stress.

The dispute over the capital issue is another example of the reported friction between Hourican and Hassapis, particularly over how to deal with the bank’s extremely high rate of non-performing loans which now constitute more than 50 per cent of the bank’s loan portfolio. Though this friction has been denied, it is now clear that the two cannot see eye to eye.

The latest run-in is not helping the bank’s efforts to regain confidence and foster stability in its operation.
Hourican appears to be fighting with deeply entrenched interests represented by board members put there by the new shareholders that came about after the bail-in.

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Dutch stun Mexico with last-gasp 2-1 win

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Dutch striker Jan Huntelaar scores from the penalty spot to send his team through to the quarterfinals of the World Cup

A stoppage time penalty from Klaas-Jan Huntelaar gave the Netherlands a dramatic 2-1 victory over Mexico in the second round of the World Cup on Sunday minutes after the Mexicans had seemed certain to reach the quarter-finals.

With two minutes to play Mexico were leading 1-0 but Wesley Sneijder pulled the Dutch level with a fierce drive, seemingly forcing the match into extra time.

Then, in stoppage time at the end of 90 minutes, Mexico captain Rafael Marquez was judged to have tripped Arjen Robben in the penalty area and Huntelaar converted the spot kick to take the Dutch through.

They will play either Greece or Costa Rica in Salvador next Saturday and will fancy their chances of making the last four.

It was a cruel ending for Mexico, who dominated much of the match and took the lead just after the break through forward Giovani Dos Santos.

He chested the ball down 30 metres from goal before firing a low left-foot shot into the bottom corner of the net.

The Dutch almost equalised 10 minutes later when their big centre back Stefan De Vrij forced a brilliant reflex save from Guillermo Ochoa. The keeper parried the effort on to his left hand post and his defenders cleared it to safety.

The Dutch victory follows their swashbuckling performances in the group stage as their quest for a first World Cup title goes on.

For the Mexicans, defeat meant more second-round heartache.

They have now reached the last 16 at six consecutive World Cups and have lost every time.

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Costa Rica beat Greece on penalties to make last eight debut

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Costa Rica's players react as goalkeeper Keilor Navas makes the crucial save against Greece during their penalty shootou

Costa Rica secured a place in the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time on Sunday after beating Greece 5-3 on penalties after the teams finished level at 1-1 after extra time, the Central Americans playing for almost an hour with 10 men.

Costa Rica keeper Keylor Navas dived to superbly save Theofanis Gekas’s fourth penalty for the Greeks, leaving Michael Umana to stroke home the decisive kick.

After a dire first half the game came to life in the 52nd minute when an unmarked Bryan Ruiz placed a low sidefooted shot beyond Greek keeper Orestis Karnezis and into the corner, but Costa Rica then had defender Oscar Duarte sent off for a second booking in the 66th minute.

Greece, who made it into the last 16 after an injury-time winner against Ivory Coast, again struck in added time when Gekas unleashed a shot that Navas parried straight into the path of Sokratis Papasthathopoulos who gleefully rammed into an empty net.

Greece almost snatched a 2-1 win moments later when Kostas Mitroglou had a header tipped over but though they had the best of extra time they were unable to press home their advantage and paid the price in their first shootout.

Costa Rica, whose only previous appearance in the last 16 came 24 years ago, now face the Netherlands with a place in the semi-finals at stake

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Kapnos lays on extra runs to Paphos airport

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Kapnos

Kapnos Airport Shuttle is increasing its bus routes to Paphos Airport, it was announced on Tuesday.

The company said there would be an additional 64 trips per week, 35 from Nicosia and Larnaca to Paphos airport, and 29 from the airport back to the two cities.

The new schedule for bus routes offers a number of departure hours both on weekdays and on the weekend, to suit all passengers.

Information can be obtained from company’s website www.kapnosairportshuttle.com  or by calling 77771477.

The price for a one way ticket is €15.

The company also announced that for groups larger than five people, transportation to and from the Kapnos bus stations (near the police and army headquarters in Nicosia) would be free.  Children aged between two and 12, pay €5.

 

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Contract signed for Apostolos Andreas restoration phase one

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Apostolos Andreas

By George Psyllides

The bicommunal committee on cultural heritage and the United Nations announced on Tuesday the signing of the contract for phase one of the restoration of the historic Greek Orthodox monastery of Apostolos Andreas.

“Today, with the signing of the contract … we feel that we are sending a strong message, inside and outside Cyprus, that the spirit of cooperation for the preservation of cultural heritage is strong and productive,” a joint statement by Takis Hadjidemetriou and Ali Tuncay said.

Phase one of the project will last 22 months and will include the full, structural and architectural, restoration of the main church complex and adjacent buildings.

“Today marks the beginning of a new phase in our joint efforts for restoration this important monument for Cyprus, thanks to the constant dialogue and cooperation of all involved parties,” said Tiziana Zennaro, UNDP-PFF.

The project is funded by the Church of Cyprus and the Evkaf Administration through two contribution agreements worth €2.5 million each. USAID also contributed $25,000.

Located on the island’s easternmost tip, on the Karpas peninsula, the monastery is in urgent need of repair and it had taken years to reach an agreement on its restoration.

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European court backs French ban on full-faced veil

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By Gilbert Reilhac and Alexandria Sage
The European Court of Human Rights upheld France’s 2010 ban on full-face veils in public on Tuesday but acknowledged the law could appear excessive and feed stereotypes.
Judges at the Strasbourg-based court, by 15 to 2, said the ban did not violate religious freedom and aimed to ensure “respect for the minimum set of values of an open democratic society” which included openness to social interaction.
In their ruling, which cannot be appealed, the judges “accepted that the barrier raised against others by a veil concealing the face in public could undermine the notion of ‘living together’” that France defended in its argument, the court said in a statement.
It was the first time the court has ruled on niqab and burqa veils, which have stoked controversy in several European states although few women wear them. A French Muslim woman filed the suit for discrimination and breach of religious freedom.
France has both the largest Muslim minority in Europe, estimated at 5 million, and some of the continent’s most restrictive laws about expressions of faith in public.
Amnesty International said in a statement the ruling was “deeply damaging”, representing “a profound retreat for the right to freedom of expression and religion.”
But Abdallah Zekri, an official of the French Muslim Council that represents most leading mosque associations in France, said the wearing of the full-faced veil was “Salafist dogma” and those who wore it transgressed the law.
“I hope that this decision, which comes during the month of Ramadan, a sensitive time, doesn’t become an excuse to rekindle the flame,” Zekri told Reuters.
France, under former conservative President Nicolas Sarkozy, was the first European country to pass a law banning burqa and niqab garments that conceal the face in public. Belgium later followed suit, as did the Swiss canton of Ticino.
Authorities said the full-faced veil is a security risk, preventing the accurate identification of individuals, and the law made violators liable to pay a fine of €150 or attend lessons in French citizenship.
In his arguments before the court in November, the woman’s British lawyer Ramby de Mello said his client felt “like a prisoner in her own country,” calling the full-faced veil “as much part of her identity as our DNA is of ours.”
The court said the blanket ban affecting what the government estimated in 2009 were 2,000 women wearing the full-faced veil in France “might appear excessive.”
“A State which entered into a legislative process of this kind took the risk of contributing to the consolidation of the stereotypes which affected specific groups of people and of encouraging the expression of intolerance, when it had a duty, on the contrary, to promote tolerance,” wrote the court.
But it said that France had “a wide margin” in implementing the European Convention on Human Rights in respect to this “general policy question on which there were significant differences of opinion.”
Rulings by the court cannot be appealed and signatories must comply or risk exclusion from the Council of Europe.
The ban enjoys wide support among non-Muslims and even among some Muslims opposed to the strict interpretation of Islamic beliefs they say full veils imply. Critics see it as an affront to France’s official secularism and degrading to women.

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Emir of Qatar accepts invitation to visit Cyprus

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President Nicos Anastasiades on Tuesday had a telephone conversation with the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, during which they discussed issues of bilateral interest, according to a written statement issued by the Government Spokesman Nicos Christodoulides.

The president has invited Emir of Qatar to visit Cyprus, an invitation that has been accepted.
The visit will be arranged as soon as possible through diplomatic channels, Government Spokesman concludes in his statement.

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Cyprus welcomes ‘positive’ Moody’s comments

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The government has welcomed a positive statement buy Moody’s credit rating agency on Cyprus’ return to the international markets.

Through this development “the Republic of Cyprus has managed to reduce liquidity risk and has improved debt repayment plan to a significant extent,” Deputy Government Spokesman Victoras Papadopoulos in a written statement.

“According to Moody’s these two objectives contribute significantly to the Government’s strategy to restore the economy’s credibility,” he added.

Cyprus’ return to international markets is attributed, according to the credit rating agency, to financial discipline and the achievement of better financial results than what was projected, which if continued could lead to the improvement of economic conditions in the country, he said.

 

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State doctors announce strike measures

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FEATURE HOSPITAL

By Constantinos Psillides

State doctors will go on a four-hour strike on July 21, followed by a 2- hour strike on July 28, if the state doesn’t meet their demands, their union (PASYKI) general assembly has decided.

The general assembly also decided that a second meeting would take place on July 28, to discuss an indefinite strike, which has not been ruled out.

“Our goal is to serve patients and not to inconvenience them,” read the statement.

PASYKI put forth a number of demands, including that its members be  granted a seat on the bodies that deal with establishing the National Health Scheme (NHS), that the state decides on a legal frame governing the operation of public hospitals, a lift on the promotion ban in hospitals as well as clear guideline on the subject of overtime pay and working hours.

PASYKI also asks for job security for contract doctors.

The state doctors’ union general assembly accused the government of taking public health apart by employing  a “we do not discuss, we command and the doctors should obey” tactic and for reducing the budget regarding hospitals by €53m. “without it being a troika demand.”

“These are only few of the problems we are facing, but everything leads to the decline of public health and the care provided to our fellow citizens,” the union said.

PASYKI accused government of employing diversionary tactics and weakening the public sector by funnelling patients to private hospitals.

“State doctors cannot sit idly by while public hospitals are being taken apart and hospital care gets turned into a privilege. We will protect the health of our fellow citizens and we will protect the interests of health care professionals,” the statement said.

In May, Health Minister Philippos Patsalis submitted the road map for the implementation of the NHS, which will be partially implemented by mid 2015 and to be fully in place by mid 2016.

The implementation of the NHS is included in the terms of the island’s €10bn bailout

Patsalis’s roadmap has been met with significant reaction and heavy criticism both by the state doctors and the private sector doctors. Last Friday, chairman of the union of private doctors (ENIK) Marios Theodotou said that the proposed scheme had large weaknesses despite the advantages over the current system,

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Limassol hotel pool temporarily shut down by health services

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A swimming pool in Limassol was closed down on Tuesday, after Health Services officials found high traces of the bacterium staphylococcus in the water.

The pool belongs to a hotel complex and has been shut down for maintenance. According to Health Services head Christos Christou the pool will only re-open after his department has carried out all necessary checks.

Christou told CyBC that the owner of the hotel was fully cooperating with authorities

“Zero tolerance will be shown for public pools that endanger public safety,” said Christou, urging owners to conduct checks in regular intervals to ensure that the water in their pools is up to standard.

The head of Health Services warned hotel and public pool owners that he won’t hesitate to close down any pool, despite the fact that this is the peak of the tourist season.

Christou also told CyBC that the legal services were currently finishing checks on a law amendment that would double the penalties for owners who neglect to maintain public swimming pools

 

 

 

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‘Pivotal that more gas is discovered in EEZ’

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Energy and Tourism Minister Giorgos Lakkotrypis moves early and keeps his cabinet post

By Staff Reporter

THE expression of intent by Israeli companies to give natural gas to Egypt does not affect Cyprus` strategic plans, and were expected, Energy Minister Giorgos Lakkotrypis said on Tuesday.

The minister was commenting on reports on Monday that the partners in Israel’s giant Leviathan natural gasfield have said they had signed a preliminary agreement with British oil and gas company BG Group to negotiate a deal to export gas to BG’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant in Idku, Egypt.

Texas-based Noble Energy is the field’s operator with a 39.66 percent stake. Avner Oil and Delek Drilling, subsidiaries of Delek Group, hold a combined 45.34 per cent, and Ratio Oil has the remaining 15 per cent.

Delek and Avner last month raised $2 billion in an international bond offering to help fund Leviathan’s development.

The gas unit of Turkish fuel retailer Turcas is holding non-binding talks with another company to jointly procure natural from Leviathan, while Leviathan’s partners have also started looking into selling gas through a pipeline to Cyprus.

Noble owns 70 per cent of the rights of the Cyprus Aphrodite field, and Delek Group’s Avner and Delek Drilling Limited Partnership own 15 per cent each.

Lakkotrypis, speaking at the House Commerce Committee on Tuesday, said it was “pivotal” that additional quantities of natural gas were discovered in Cyprus` Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

He said due to the fact that the results of appraisal drilling last year and did not respond to the primary estimations; “we need to look for more natural gas,” he said.

On new drilling operations due this year, Lakkotrypis said: “We expect that the Italian company ENI and the Korean firm KOGAS will begin at the end of the summer, a few months earlier than scheduled, and we are now holding discussions with Noble to see when their next exploratory drilling will take place, probably at the beginning of 2015,” he said.

As regards Total, he said that since they would be drilling in a new area where there were no discoveries so far, they were carrying out an intensive data analysis and their exploratory drilling would take place towards the end of 2015, at western blocks 10 and 11.Results would be known two to three months after that.

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Argentina scrape 1-0 extra time win over Swiss

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Round of 16 - Argentina vs Switzerland

By Peter Rutherford

Angel Di Maria scored deep into extra time to give Argentina a 1-0 win over Switzerland and seal the South Americans a place in the quarter-finals of the World Cup on Tuesday.

After a tense 0-0 draw at 90 minutes and a scoreless first period of extra time, Lionel Messi broke quickly and released Di Maria, who swept the ball home before wheeling away in delight.

Blerim Dzemaili almost saved the Swiss when his header hit the post but Argentina held on and now face a quarter-final with either Belgium or the United States, who play later on Tuesday.

Argentina had leaned heavily on Messi throughout the group stage, the number 10 scoring four of their six goals, and the forward was at the heart of their best work in the first half, prompting and prodding in front of the massed Swiss defence.

Switzerland, who were looking to return to the quarter-finals for the first time since hosting the tournament in 1954, went closest to scoring in a tight first half when impish playmaker Xherdan Shaqiri released Josip Drmic through on goal.

The tall striker shaped to shoot but wasted the opportunity with an ill-advised chip and Argentina goalkeeper Sergio Romero gathered comfortably.

With the score tied at 0-0 at halftime, the game then opened up in the second period as Argentina began to grab the momentum, and their blue and white clad fans brought the Corinthians arena to life, chanting and bouncing in unison.

The warning signs were flashing for Switzerland when Gonzalo Higuain went close with a header before Messi drove into the box and forced Diego Benaglio into a great save.

However, despite camping out in the Swiss half for long sections of the second half Argentina could not make the breakthrough and the 90 minutes ended scoreless.

Argentina looked the stronger side in extra time when Swiss legs began to tire and, just when it looked like Swedish referee Jonas Eriksson would call for a penalty shootout, Di Maria curled the ball past Benaglio to seal the late triumph.

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Nadal sent packing by Aussie ace machine Kyrgios

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Wimbledon Championships

By Pritha Sarkar
Rafael Nadal’s charge towards a third Wimbledon title came to a juddering halt in the fourth round on Tuesday when he was sensationally beaten by 19-year-old Australian wildcard Nick Kyrgios 7-6 (5) 5-7 7-6 (5) 6-3.
Ranked 144th in the world, Kyrgios fired down 37 aces and played a fearless brand of tennis to topple the world number one following two hours 58 minutes of exhilarating action.
It was the first time since 1992 a man ranked outside the top 100 had beaten a world number one.
“It hasn’t sunk in at all what just played out there. I played some extraordinary tennis,” said Kyrgios who is enjoying a remarkable run at these championships having saved nine match points in his third-round win over Richard Gasquet.
“You’ve got to believe that you can win the match from the start and I definitely thought that. I am playing some unbelievable tennis on the grass,” he told reporters.
“My mind’s buzzing … I’m just going to enjoy this.”
Kyrgios certainly had the crowd buzzing after causing the biggest shock of this year’s men’s tournament by bringing the 2008 and 2010 champion to his knees.
He opened with an ace, won the first set with an ace and sealed victory with an ace.
While Nadal might have been fed up with the number of thunderbolts that whistled past his ears, those lucky to watch the Australian tyro come of age will know that he is not simply an ace machine.
After dropping only four points on serve in the first set, Kyrgios had 15,000 fans leaping to their feet as he followed up jaw-dropping crosscourt sizzlers with breathtaking down-the-line winners.
As if that was not enough, he irked Nadal by producing perhaps the shot of the tournament.
Dangling his racket between his legs, Kyrgios timed the ball perfectly and astonishingly it kissed the tape and fell in.
The teenager loved it, the crowd loved it, Nadal hated it.
The 14-times grand slam champion’s day was unravelling fast and despite winning the second set he was left gasping as Kyrgios kept on believing that he could make his debut outing on Wimbledon’s Centre Court a day to remember.
A forehand error gave Kyrgios a break for a 3-1 lead in the fourth set and from then on the Spaniard was left chasing shadows and at 7.09pm local time, his hopes of a third Wimbledon crown had been snuffed out.
While one champion was exiting stage left, John McEnroe was hailing the arrival of a man he thinks can go all the way.
“We’ve been waiting for this for a while. We keep saying ‘who is the next guy?’, and I think we’ve found that guy right now,” said the former three-times champion.
“That was absolutely stunning, to see what he did to the world number one today. How did he keep that up? He absolutely believed that he was going to win that match.
“He’s acting to me like he could win this tournament. The last guy I saw like this was Boris Becker – young teenager, no fear whatsoever,” added the American great.
Those were the same traits Nadal showed the world in 2005 when he won the first of his record nine French Open trophies as a 19-year-old.
Almost a decade later the passion still runs deep in the Mallorcan.
“I fought until the very end,” said Nadal whose last three Wimbledons have ended in the second, first and fourth round.
“I am not even angry today because I lost the match despite losing my serve only one time. When you have an opponent who serves and hits every ball very strong, you are in trouble.
“I was not able to read his serve during the whole match. Congratulations to him,” added Nadal. “For me, I am going to go to the beach in Mallorca.”
Former world junior number one Kyrgios, competing at his first Wimbledon, next plays Canadian eighth seed Milos Raonic for a place in the semi-finals.

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Cannabis arrests

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Cannabis

Two men, a 22-year-old and a 17-year-old, have been arrested in Nicosia after a total of 76.5g of cannabis was found in their possession, police said.

According to the police report, the two men were arrested in their house in Nicosia following a search conducted by drug squad officers, which yielded the cannabis.

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Kouklia couple reports burglary

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burglary

A couple from Belgium reported to police that on Tuesday burglars stole from their Paphos home items almost worth €180,000, police said.

The 62-year-old husband reported that burglars broke into his home in Kouklia village some time between 7.30pm and 8.15pm and stole a gold watch worth €20,000, jewellery worth €150,000 and €9,000 in cash.

According to the 62-year-old, the valuables were all locked inside a small safe in the closet of his bedroom.

Police are baffled as to how the burglars gained entrance, since no there was no sign of a break in.

The couple are permanent residents.

No arrests have yet been made, according to the report

 

 

 

 

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Arson attack on Paphos store

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The entrance to a liquor store in Paphos, on Poseidonos Street was set on fire in the early hours of Wednesday, according to police who said the fire was due to arson.

According to the fire department report, the blaze broke out at around 1am. Patrons in a bar next door noticed the fire and put it out before it spread to the inside of the store

Preliminary reports conducted by fire department officials showed that the glass entrance door had been doused with a flammable substance.

Nobody had broken into the store, police said. According to the 59-year-old owner, he opened up his business only a week ago.

 

 

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