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That which divides us…

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Our Wall-02

By Maria Gregoriou

Tomorrow the Nicosia Municipal Arts Centre will screen the English documentary film Our Wall by Cypriot filmmaker and documentarian Panicos Chrysanthou.

The film is set on our island and revolves around its division in two by a wall. The division creates a barrier to any form of communication between Greek and Turkish Cypriots. They live separately on their own sides, but they are united in the same pain of separation. Or at least that’s how it was before the checkpoints were opened.

It is back to this time that Chrysanthou takes the viewer through the experiences of the two main characters: Chrysanthou himself and Turkish Cypriot Niyazi Kizilyurek. The two manage to meet in a hotel in the Nicosia buffer zone, under the control of the United Nations. Their meeting is the start of a trip to the recent history of their country, and it involves the people who have and are, living on the land.

The journey becomes a dialogue between them and acts as a way to reflect on the experience of the conflict and partition. TV news and documents from the island’s history are brought to mind and to the screen to allow viewers to share their own experiences.

Chrysanthou, from Kythrea, graduated from the University of Athens with a joint degree in Literature and Philosophy. He worked as an assistant director and executive producer in many Greek and Cypriot films before beginning to make his own films.

Our Wall received the Abdi İpekçi Peace Award in 1997, and his filmography also includes Akamas (2006), Parallel Trips (2003), Sylikou (2002), The Footprints of Aphrodite (1996) and A Detail in Cyprus (1987).

Our Wall
Screening of the documentary film by Panicos Chrysanthou. February 4. Nicosia Municipal Arts Centre, Associated with the Pierides Foundation (Old Powerhouse), 19, Palias Ilektrikis, Nicosia. 6pm. Free. In English with Greek subtitles. Tel: 22-797400

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Paphos strips former Greek minister of key to the city (Updated)

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By Bejay Browne

A UNANIMOUS vote by Paphos municipality to remove the city’s prestigious Golden Key from disgraced former Greek minister of defence Akis Tsochatzopoulos was taken on Monday night, in a symbolic stand against corruption.

Tsochatzopoulos, 75, is currently serving a twenty year prison term which was handed down to him in October 2013 after being found guilty on a number of charges including fraud and money laundering.

Paphos councillor Fylaktis Konstantinides told the Cyprus Mail that the decision was a symbolic one and another example which highlights the current council’s firm stance against kickbacks and corruption.

After winning the town’s recent by election, when disgraced former mayor Savvas Vergas was forced to step down amid a slew of scandals and corruption, newly elected Phedonas Phedonos promised to clean up Paphos and assured he had the full support of the council.

Konstantinides said: “This latest move is to give a clear message that we do not accept any sort corruption, bribery or kickbacks, and they will be punished.”

The councillor said that in 1997, during his time as Greek Defence Minister, Tsochatzopoulos was presented with the Golden Key from Paphos town council at a special ceremony held on October 14 that year. It effectively saw him accepted as an honorary citizen and one of importance, an honour which comes with a number of benefits. He has been stripped of that and is persona non grata, he said.

“It’s not important to physically take back the key, I doubt we will try to pursue it being literally returned, but the importance is the message. It has been proven in a court of law that he took bribes. This council will not accept bribery and unanimously believe that bribery has to be punished.”

Tsochatzopoulos is a Greek former politician, and served as a minister in several cabinets, remaining in seat until 2007. Following his embroilment in a raft of accusations and scandals parliament voted to press charges. He was found guilty on all counts and sentenced to the maximum 20 year prison term in October 2013.

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Government sells 125 million euros in T-bills with an average yield of 2.96%

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A woman leaves Cyprus' finance ministry in Nicosia

By Stelios Orphanides

The government sold 13-week treasury bills worth 125 million euros today at an average yield of 2.96 per cent, the finance ministry said.

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French police arrest eight in anti-jihadi operation

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French soldiers patrol the Part-Dieu railway station as part of the "Vigipirate" security plan

By Emmanuel Jarry and John Irish

French anti-terrorism police arrested eight people on Tuesday on suspicion of being part of a network linked to recruiting young people for jihad in Syria, Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said.

The suspects, who can be held for up to 96 hours without charge, were arrested in the northern suburbs of Paris and the Lyon region, he said, according to remarks published on the ministry’s Twitter feed.

“They are now in the hands of the police. It is a Syria issue,” an official at the Paris prosecutor’s office said.

The government estimates that about 1,300 French citizens have links to recruitment cells for Syria and Iraq, of which about 400 are already fighting alongside militants.

The arrests come after President Francois Hollande’s Socialist government unveiled a raft of new security measures in response to attacks in Paris in January by homegrown Islamist militants in which 20 people were killed, including the three attackers.

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Central bank responds to criticism by board member

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By Stelios Orphanides

The Central Bank of Cyprus said its board of directors acknowledged the need for reforms in the supervisory authority’s organisation, structure and operation, as well as the introduction of best governance practices.

“For the first time in the history of the Central Bank of Cyprus, the board of directors unanimously and with the support of the governor decided on September 22, the complete restructuring and modernisation of the Central Bank of Cyprus,” the central bank said in an emailed statement today. “With respect to this, after previous proposals were taken into account, it was decided that a thorough and comprehensive report reflecting best practices applied internationally which can however be implemented and live up to the Central Bank of Cyprus’s needs and role today”.

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FIFA’s ‘culture of intimidation’ must end, says Prince Ali

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Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein of Jordan on Tuesday launched his campaign for the presidency of world football’s ruling body

By Mike Collett

Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein of Jordan said it was time for the “culture of intimidation” in FIFA to end when he launched his campaign on Tuesday for the presidency of world football’s ruling body.

He also called for a public debate among the four candidates in the race including incumbent Sepp Blatter “to set out our positions and for people to know exactly where we stand.”

Prince Ali, 39, FIFA’s Asian vice-president for the last four years and a member of the ruling body’s executive committee, said he “could not sit through” another four years in the current circumstances.

“There has been a culture of intimidation within FIFA,” he told a news conference.
“In the past people have taken a principled stand and they have ended up being punished for it. I hope things are played fairly and in the right way now.
“Obviously, the incumbent has a natural advantage but I want to assure the national associations we are moving in the right direction.”

As well as Prince Ali and Blatter, the other contenders are former Portugal international Luis Figo and Michael van Praag, the president of the Dutch FA.
Prince Ali said the countries who had nominated him were his own Jordan, England, Malta, Georgia, Belarus and the United States, adding that the fact that his own Asian confederation was not fully behind his campaign was not a hindrance at this stage.

“This is about the whole world, it is not just about one confederation,” said the Prince who has campaigned for reform since being elected in 2011.
However, he is facing a complication over the next few months.

Due to changes in the Asian confederation, he will lose his seat on the FIFA executive committee following the Asian Congress on April 30 when he will be replaced by Sheikh Salman of Bahrain.

He confirmed that he would not contest an “ordinary” Asian seat on the FIFA executive committee at the Asian Congress which means he faces a “win or bust” situation.

If he does not win the presidential vote at the FIFA Congress in Zurich on May 29 he will not be on the executive committee at all after that date when decisions taken at the various confederation congresses come into force.

“My total commitment is to run for the presidency of FIFA. I am not going to sit through another four years of what’s been going on and I think the way to change it is to go for the top,” he said.

“I want to turn the pyramid upside down, so that the national associations, the players the officials, the fans and the sponsors are on top and the FIFA president is there to serve them and protect the game.
“If I am elected, I will not attempt to shift blame or dodge my responsibility for the actions of FIFA. As president I will accept accountability at all times.”

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Redknapp resigns as QPR manager

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Harry Redknapp said the need for an immediate knee operation was the reason for his decision to quit the Premier League strugglers

By Martyn Herman

Harry Redknapp has resigned as manager of Premier League Queens Park Rangers, the club said on Tuesday.

The 67-year-old spent just over two years in charge of the London side, gaining promotion to the top flight last season.

Redknapp said ill-health had been a factor in his decision.
“Sadly I need immediate surgery on my knee which is going to stop me from doing my job in the coming weeks,” he said in a statement.
“It means I won’t be able to be out on the training pitch every day, and if I can’t give 100 per cent I feel it’s better for someone else to take over the reins.”

QPR are second from bottom of the Premier League.

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Greek forced to surrender €500,000 at Cyprus customs

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larnaca airport bomb hoax

Authorities in Cyprus have confiscated €500,000 from a Greek businessman who tried to fly home with the cash after banks on the island refused to let him deposit it.

State radio reported the businessman had arrived in Cyprus from Greece, carrying the money in his luggage in bills of €200 and €500.

It was confiscated when he attempted to take it back to Athens. Authorities were investigating his assertion that Cypriot banks had refused to accept the cash because he had no documents to show where it came from or prove it had been declared to customs.

“The amount was found in the person’s possession as he was leaving Cyprus on Monday afternoon,” said Demetris Hadjicostis, acting director of Cyprus’s customs and excise department.

By law the import and export of currency exceeding 10,000 euros must be declared to customs, Hadjicostis told Reuters. He declined further comment since there was an ongoing investigation.

Deposit outflows from Greece have intensified on investors’ concerns about a stand-off between its international creditors and the leftist Syriza party, elected on January 25 on a platform of opposition to its 240 billion euro bailout and the harsh austerity conditions attached.

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‘Little upturn on foreign investment without reforms’

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By Angelos Anastasiou

A steady economic environment and combating bureaucracy are the two prerequisites to effectively attracting foreign investment to Cyprus, the House commerce committee heard on Tuesday.

Addressing the committee, investment promotion organisation CIPA’s chairman Christodoulos Angastiniotis informed the committee that since March 2013, foreign direct investment in Cyprus exceeded €3 billion, including €1.2 billion raised for the recapitalisation of Cypriot banks, and investments in Limassol hotels like Le Meridien (75 per cent investment), Amathus (50 per cent) and Alexander the Great (100 per cent).

He also noted an interior ministry announcement of €1.5 billion in revenues to the government from the issuance of permanent resident cards and naturalisation of foreigners who wished to invest in Cyprus.

Angastiniotis added that the agency’s efforts continued unabated, noting that an Investors’ Summit would be held in Limassol from February 9 to 11, presenting potential investors with 14 major projects. “Resounding names” will participate in the summit, “including Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, Societe Generale, HSBC and at least 15 funds from the Arab world”, he said.

Cyprus International Businesses Association (CIBA) chairman Frixos Savvides called on deputies to “try and address the huge psychological issue that has come up in the public sector due to the recent scandals”.

“There is an enormous aversion to initiative”, he claimed.
Savvides opined that the reason local banks have not yet started investing the capital they have raised lies with the uncertainty caused by the issue of foreclosures and insolvency legislation.

“That is the first thing investors look at”, he said, adding that “until these issues are settled we will not see any serious moves by the banks”.
A representative of the Undersecretary to the President Constantinos Petrides’ office said a team has been put together to improve the business environment.
Acknowledging that the “one-stop-shop” – a department set up to simplify government bureaucracy – is not yet fully functional, he said the undersecretary’s office was working with the department to improve it.

He noted that a study is being prepared on legislation that would govern strategic investment in Cyprus, which would include the benchmark for amounts invested, and how the licensing procedure for strategic investments could be simplified.

An action plan, but more importantly “many practical measures”, are in the works, the representative said.
Speaking to reporters after the session, committee chairman Zacharias Zachariou said that the “main reason we are unable to attract more [foreign direct investment] is the instability presenting itself to the economic environment on a daily basis”.

“When investors are scared off by the uncertainties in the banking sector, when the public service causes them pain, at the end of the day they will find more stable environments and simpler procedures, and we will be stuck looking at models of projects”, he added.
AKEL deputy Costas Costa said his party’s view is that the only way out of the downward spiral created by tough austerity policies is growth.
“We ask the government to upgrade one-stop shops immediately”, he said.

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Greece seeks ECB bridging funds, vows to respect EU rules

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The Greek government headed by Alexis Tsipras wants the funding to continue because if the ECB were to halt it, Greek banks could collapse, forcing the country out of the euro zone.

By John O’Donnell and Jan Strupczewski

Greece’s new leftist government appealed to the European Central Bank on Wednesday to keep its banks afloat and vowed to respect European Union rules as it seeks a negotiated solution with euro zone partners to reduce its debt burden.

Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis said after meeting ECB President Mario Draghi in Frankfurt he believed Athens could count on central bank support during the short period it would take to conclude talks with international lenders.

Banking sources told Reuters that two Greek banks have begun to receive emergency liquidity assistance from the Bank of Greece after an outflow of deposits accelerated after the victory of the hard left Syriza party in a general election on Jan. 25.

The Greek government wants that funding to continue because if the ECB were to halt it, Greek banks could collapse, forcing the country out of the euro zone.

Promising to end five years of austerity, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and Varoufakis are meeting senior officials across Europe to seek support for a new agreement on Greece’s debt.

Their reception has been cautious so far, even in euro zone countries such as France and Italy which Athens had hoped would support its case for debt relief.

European Council President Donald Tusk said after meeting Tsipras in Brussels that any solution must be acceptable to all member states, a veiled reference to Germany, Greece’s biggest creditor which takes the hardest line on fiscal discipline.

“Those negotiations … will be difficult, will require cooperation and dialogue as well as determined efforts by Greece,” Tusk said.

“NO DOUBT”
Tsipras, 40, said after talks with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker that Greece respected European Union rules and would find a solution to its economic problems within the framework of EU law.

There was no agreement yet, but talks were going in the right direction, he said.

After meeting Draghi in Frankfurt, Varoufakis told Reuters: “The ECB is the central bank of Greece … The ECB will do whatever it takes to support the member states in the euro zone.”

“I have no doubt that we can conclude our discussions with our European partners, as well as with the IMF and the ECB, in a very short space of time so that we can kick-start the Greek economy,” he added.

Without the support of its creditors and the ECB, Greece would soon find itself back in an acute financial crisis. Unable to tap the markets because of sky-high borrowing costs, the government has enough cash to meet its funding needs for the next couple of months. But it faces around 10 billion euros ($11 billion) of debt repayments over the summer.

Clemens Fuest, head of the ZEW institute, said at the Reuters Euro Zone Summit that the chances of Greece leaving the euro zone had “jumped from close to zero to at least something like 20 percent” since the election.

The ECB made no comment on the talks. Its policy-making Governing Council was due to meet later on Wednesday to discuss whether to extend emergency funding for Greek banks, on what conditions and for how long.

“We outlined to him the main objectives of this government which is to reform Greece in a way that has never been tried before and with a determination that was always absent,” Varoufakis said after his session with Draghi.

“We also stated categorically that the debt-deflationary cycle in which Greece finds itself is detrimental to all efforts to reform Greece. He was good enough to explain to us his own constraints.”

Sources familiar with ECB thinking said Athens needs to be in a bailout programme or actively negotiating a new one to qualify for emergency funding.

With the Greek public determined to cast off the stigma of supervision by a troika of EU, IMF and ECB inspectors, and to regain economic sovereignty, the semantics of any new arrangement may be crucial.

A source familiar with the Greek position said after the talks with Draghi: “We are thinking of a bridging programme. You may not call it a ‘programme’ for political reasons but perhaps a contract.”

ECB officials in the meeting talked about the rules on emergency funding and their desire that the Greeks reach an interim arrangement with the Eurogroup of euro zone finance ministers, which next meets on Feb. 16, the source said.

Varoufakis has so far said Greece will not extend the bailout programme when it expires on Feb. 28. A government source disclosed that the finance minister had a previously unannounced meeting with IMF officials last weekend.

Tsipras won the election promising to negotiate a debt write-off, reverse some key reforms and end budget cuts.

In a hectic first week that rattled financial markets, ministers scrapped some privatisation plans and said they would reverse public sector job cuts and raise the minimum wage.

However, Varoufakis has since struck a softer tone, saying Greece aims to swap its official loans for growth-indexed bonds and swap its ECB loans for perpetual interest-yielding bonds with no repayment date.

Euro zone officials have responded coolly, noting that the ideas amount to a partial write-off by other means.

“I’m very optimistic that we will try to do our best in order to find a common, viable and mutually acceptable solution for our common future,” Tsipras said.

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Missing teenage boy found (updated)

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kid

A 14-year-old boy missing since Tuesday has been found and is in good health, police said.

Cornel Gotoiu was located in Ayia Napa. No other information was immediately available.

Earlier, police issued a missing person bulletin after Gotoiu, a Nicosia resident, failed to return from school.

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Capital Intelligence lowers top Greek banks’ outlook, warns of “systemic liquidity crisis” (Update-1)

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A Greek flag flutters in front of the Acropolis hill in Athens

By Stelios Orphanides

Capital Intelligence said it revised the outlook of Greece’s four largest lenders Alpha Bank, Eurobank Ergasias S.A., National Bank of Greece, and Piraeus Bank S.A. to negative citing the government’s intention to renegotiate bailout terms.

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Barclays clarifies account changes

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Britain's Barclays bank to cut 14,000 jobs

By Angelos Anastasiou

In line with the strategy it announced in 2014, Barclays Bank in Cyprus will be closing international banking accounts held in London, Jersey, Guernsey and Isle of Man, belonging to Cyprus residents and with a balance less than a minimum £100,000, the bank said on Wednesday.

Having been contacted by several concerned Barclays account-holders in Cyprus who read a letter carried in the Sunday Mail on February 1, in which a former Barclays customer complained that his account of 50 years had been closed without prior warning, the Cyprus Mail contacted the lender’s Cyprus office to help clarify the matter.

“As part of the strategy announced by Barclays in 2014, individual clients, residents of Cyprus, with Barclays International Banking accounts in London, Jersey, Guernsey and Isle of Man, a minimum threshold of £100,000 has been introduced,” Barclays said.

“Therefore, the bank has taken the difficult decision to gradually close accounts for customers that fall outside the new strategy, informing them via mail of these changes, and the timeframe within which they are taking place.”

The bank did not address the complaint of no prior warning expressed by the Mail reader, as his identity was unknown to the bank.

However, it asserted that “only a limited number of clients in Cyprus” were affected by the new policy, the “vast majority” of whom have already received a letter, and their accounts have been closed.

“Barclays apologises for any disruption caused by these changes and is committed to fully supporting customers, clients and employees through this transition,” the bank said.

Keen to dispel any concerns of withdrawing from Cyprus, Barclays added that its policy shift takes nothing away from the way it views Cyprus as a business centre.

“As Barclays refocuses its activities in line with its new strategy, it continues to recognise Cyprus as an attractive place to do business and remains committed to developing its business here,” it said.

“Barclays in Cyprus will focus on key intermediaries and key (mainly) international direct corporate relationships.”

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Remand for two in car theft scam

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Larnaca courthouse

By Angelos Anastasiou

Two men, a 36-year-old policeman and a 38-year-old night-club owner, were remanded for three days by the Larnaca court on Wednesday in connection with a stolen car scam.

As the lead investigator told the court during the remand hearing, police received a tip that on January 19 the 38-year-old, aboard a black Range Rover reported stolen in the United Kingdom, would meet with a customs and excise officer near the Kalo Chorio roundabout in Larnaca.

Members of Larnaca CID placed the area under surveillance and the 38-year-old promptly arrived, driving the car in question, the court heard.

Following investigation, police determined that the car’s chassis number, displayed on the windshield, did not match the chassis number of the car registered under the Range Rover’s registration number, they said.

When questioned, the 38-year-old claimed he had bought the car from a Paphos-resident, a British woman.

At this point, a customs and excise officer from Limassol arrived at the scene with a friend of his, and when CID members approached the car, the two responded with verbal attacks, investigators told the court.

Taking advantage of the commotion, the 38-year-old put the car in reverse gear and fled the scene, endangering a police officer standing nearby.

Police investigations revealed that the car registered under the suspicious Range Rover’s licence plates was owned by a Paphos-based British woman, who was contacted and confirmed that she was in possession of the legally registered car, which was different to the one driven by the suspect.

The stolen car was subsequently spotted in the evening of January 19, parked in a used-car lot in Aradippou, Larnaca. The lot’s owner said that the car was delivered and parked by the suspect shortly before police arrived.

Further investigation revealed that the car had been stolen in the United Kingdom in March 2012, imported to Cyprus through the Limassol port on March 4, 2012, and delivered to a person in Limassol.

Police inquiries as to how the suspect could have secured access to licence plates corresponding to an identical car, showed that the 36-year-old police officer, who serves at Famagusta police, ran a search in the system for cars similar to the stolen one, earmarking five from the list – among them, the British woman’s car.

Investigation also led police to a tyre-repair shop, whose owner is also licensed to manufacture licence plates.

The shop owner testified that he made the fake plates, on instructions from the 36-year-old policeman, who texted him the request on his mobile phone.

The suspect even asked for the plates to be manufactured using the old system, meaning without the Republic of Cyprus logo and other insignia, which require the verification of the car-owner’s identity.

The two suspects’ lawyers did not object to the remand of their clients.

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‘Third and final’ continuance for SAPA trial, court says

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Former Paphos mayor Savvas Vergas

By Constantinos Psillides

The Paphos Sewerage Board (SAPA) trial involving alleged kickbacks paid to municipal officials, and misappropriation of public funds, was adjourned and rescheduled for February 11 by the Assizes Court on Wednesday.

The continuance request was submitted by the defence lawyers but the court said this was the third and final one that would be granted.

The six defendants are former Paphos mayor Savvas Vergas, suspended SAPA director Eftychios Malekkides, former DISY municipal councillor Giorgos Michaelides, former DIKO councillor Efstathios Efstathiou, former AKEL councillor Vasos Vasiliou, and sitting AKEL councillor Giorgos Shailis.

They are facing charges of having conspired to extort money from private contractors awarded SAPA contracts among others.

Defence lawyers for both Vergas and Malekkides told the court that their clients were ready to plead guilty on all charges.

Costas Efstathiou, Makekkides’ lawyer, told the judge that his client wanted more time to come to a settlement with the Unit for Combating Money Laundering (MOKAS) on how much money he would have to pay back to the state. The lawyer argued that if his client admitted his guilt he would be jailed until sentencing, which would make it much harder for him to settle his affairs with the state.

Efstathtiou’s claims were supported by prosecutors Christina Vrachimi and Andreas Aristidou, who verified that the defendant was indeed cooperating with MOKAS.

Vergas’s lawyer Giorgos Georgiou told the court that since he faces the same charges as Malekkides, it would be best if they both pleaded together.

The prosecutor informed the judge that the former mayor had agreed to plead guilty.

Defence lawyers for Giorgos Michaelides, asked for a continuance claiming that they received a 1000-page evidence report on Tuesday and didn’t have time to go through it.

Michaelides’ lawyers were not the only ones who had problems with the body of evidence. Fofo Georgiadou and Yiannakis Thoma, defence lawyers for Vasos Vasiliou also claimed the same thing and asked the judge for a continuance.

Costas Shiailis and Alexandros Alexandrou, representing Giorgos Shialis argued the same.

The Paphos Assize Court comprises president Dora Socratous, Senior District Judge Lia Markou, and District Assize Court judge Michalis Droushiotis.

In total, the defendants are facing 153 charges, including conspiracy to commit a crime, conspiracy to defraud, bribery of a public official, abuse of power, unjust enrichment, among others.

 

 

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Germany wants new Greek rulers to ditch promises-document

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Bundestag session on G7 Summit

By Paul Taylor

BERLIN, Feb 4 (Reuters) – Germany wants Greece’s new left-wing government to go back on anti-austerity promises made in its first days in office and revert to economic policies its predecessors’ agreed with international lenders, a document showed on Wednesday.

The document, seen by Reuters, was prepared by Berlin for a meeting of senior euro zone finance officials on Thursday. The officials are to discuss the currency bloc’s response to Greek demands for an official debt write-off or restructuring, an end to budget cuts and a reversal of some recent unpopular measures.

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Turkish Cypriot teacher calls for end to divisive education

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Semen Saygun

Removing the elements of division and nationalism from education would help rapprochement, the new head of the Turkish Cypriot teacher union KTOS has said.

Semen Saygun, the first female head of KTOS, said children had to be brought up with a mentality of peace and not division and animosity.

“Nationalism affects new generations a lot. As we see the situation is similar in the south,” she told the Cyprus News Agency in an interview.

Saygun said teachers on both sides of the divide must be the first to rid themselves of nationalist views and then do the same with the new generations.

“There is a need for education that serves reunification and not division,” she said.

In March 2014, the Turkish Cypriot education council decided to scrap the Kemal Ataturk oath, make religious studies optional and make Greek language compulsory, she said.

However, the decisions were of an advisory nature and have not been implemented. Nor was there a political will, she said. Saygun said they expected similar decisions to be made by Greek Cypriot educators, noting the influence religion and nationalism had on people.

The Turkish Cypriot educator said Turkey’s ruling party AKP was putting pressure on them as regards religion, which was treated very carefully.

“If only we adopted the same diligence with nationalism,” she said. “If you start educating a child today, you will reap the fruit in 10 years, at the earliest.”

“After 10 years you will see someone free from nationalism, who will not be serving the policies of division. That is why we must start immediately.”

Unions may be unable to influence the curriculum or book contents, but teachers can limit certain, nationalist, elements.

Saygun said some contacts have been made with Greek Cypriot organisations, but they wanted to broaden their co-operation and hold joint events.

Children can be taught not to be racist and nationalist, or view the other person as the enemy.

“Teachers on both sides must teach this way. We do no want people who will create more enemies. We want to raise people who will listen and understand each other.”

Schools were not the place to celebrate national days and children should be taught humanitarian values, she said.

“If you really want peace, you should scrap national day celebrations in schools.”

 

 

 

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Papadopoulos denies link to law firm (Updated)

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Nicholas-Papadopoulos (1)

By Constantinos Psillides

DIKO leader Nicholas Papadopoulos on Wednesday denied being part of his late father’s legal firm, Tassos Papadopoulos and Associates, after conflict of interest claims were made in parliament.

Papadopoulos, also the Chairman of the House Finance Committee, said he left the firm in 2011 and therefore could not be held responsible for any of its actions.

On Tuesday, newly-elected Paphos Mayor Phedonas Phedonos told the House Watchdog Committee that Tassos Papadopoulos & Associates represented both Nemesis construction company

In a lawsuit against the Paphos Sewerage Board (SAPA), and engineers Modinos and Vrahimis who are tasked to protect the interests of the municipality.

The case relates to the recent SAPA scandal, where public officials allegedly received kickbacks in order to award contracts for the sewerage project.

Papadopoulos has been highly critical of President Nicos Anastasiades because his former law firm had represented Ryanair in its bid for Cyprus Airways, which has since shut down.

Anastasiades was cleared of any personal involvement though lawyers of the firm bearing his name will be disciplined by the Bar Association for their involvement.

“We understand the frantic and hopeless attempts by the Palace, ruling party DISY, and pro-government media to divert public opinion from President Anastasiades’ involvement in the Ryanair scandal. These distractions, fuelled by confusing and unfounded accusations will not succeed,” read a statement issued by DIKO.

DIKO goes on to say that the real scandal is Anastasiades law firm’s involvement in the Ryanair deal.

Earlier on Wednesday Papadopoulos still appeared as an associate in the law firm’s website, with his full resume and the fact that he was currently an MP, Chairman of the House Finance Committee and leader of a party. His sister is listed as a partner.

The site also provides the reader with an email address to contact Papadopoulos through the law firm. Papadopoulos contact information and resume were taken down sometime later in the day.

The firm also represents prominent developer Theodoros Aristodemou in a €10 million lawsuit against the state.

Aristodemou, who is facing charges over a suspicious land zoning case in Paphos, claims his constitutional right to a fair trial and human rights have been violated by information leaked to the media.

Tassos Papadopoulos & Associates issued a statement later in the day, rejecting any allegations on conflict of interest and claiming that the two cases mentioned by Phedonos are completely separate.

The law firm accuses Phedonos of deliberately leaking the story to the press.

“Our firm has been criticised and subjected to unacceptable commenting by some journalists who acted as judge and jury without first contacting us so they could be better informed on these two separate court cases,”  the statement said.

The firm explained that regarding the two engineers, the law firm represented them in a suit against SAPA for services rendered. The two claim that they are owed €650,000 for consulting services offered to the SAPA board from 2007 to 2012.

When it comes to the second case, the law firm stated that it represented construction company Nemesis in a settlement claim on work done on the sewerage project.

“Moreover, we are now forced to reveal that the investigation on the SAPA scandal began after our clients, the engineers, contacted the Auditor-general and the police acting on our advice,” read the statement.

The scandal came to light after Auditor-general Odysseas Michaelides filed a report with the office of the Attorney-general, in October 2014.

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House expected to extend road tax deadline

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Parliament is expected on Thursday to extend the deadline for renewing road tax and make March 9 the final payment date from now on.

The current law calls for road tax to be paid within 40 days from the expiry date, Chairman of the House Transport Committee Antonis Antoniou said. MPs are looking to change the deadline to 70 days, or March 9.

The deadline for payment is usually the beginning of February but parliament traditionally extends it for a month.

Parliament will also discuss a proposal to cut the late penalty from €30 to €10. Late payments are also penalised with a surcharge of 10 per cent on the amount of the road tax.

An extension will also be given to those who have not paid arrears that were due in July 2014. They will be given until March 31.

 

 

 

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Professor did not link Sarikas to SAPA scandal: lawyer (Updated)

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Fidias Sarikas (right) with his lawyer outside the Supreme Court

By Constantinos Psillides

THE Greek professor questioned by police over his role in the Paphos Sewerage Board (SAPA) scandal never implicated EDEK MP Fidias Sarikas in his police statement, the professor’s lawyer said on Thursday.

Professor Giorgos Bafas, 73, was arrested last week following a statement by SAPA manager Eftychios Malekkides, who is currently on trial on corruption charges. Malekkides told investigators that Sarikas and a Paphos municipal councillor, now deceased, bribed him on behalf of German company Awatec so they would secure a contract in the sewerage construction project.

Malekkides claimed that Bafas represented the company and that he acted as middleman.

However, the professor’s lawyer, Xenios Xenopoulos, rejected the claim that his client had ever been involved in the tender process. In a press release he said that Bafas never acted on behalf of the German company and that his involvement only went as far as to file two studies on behalf of the company, “long after the contract was secured.”

Xenopoulos admitted, however, that he was not in possession of a copy of the statement Bafas gave police.

Bafas was released on Thursday afternoon. Reports said that the Greek professor would be called back as a prosecution witness.

A police source told the Cyprus Mail that in his statement Bafas talked about his relationship with Sarikas while police spokesperson Andreas Angelides told CyBC radio that Bafas “fully cooperated with authorities”.

Legal Services was expected to meet on Thursday with police investigators to decide on their next step.

This is not the first time during the course of this investigation that police released suspects so they could be called as prosecution witnesses.

The CEOs of three construction companies – who admitted to bribing officials in exchange for securing contracts – were released after agreeing to turn witnesses for the prosecution.

Fidias Sarikas has rejected the allegations but has refused to waive his parliamentary immunity, despite a public appeal to the attorney-general earlier on to initiate the procedure.

The case will be decided by the Supreme Court on Monday.

The six defendants are former Paphos mayor Savvas Vergas, suspended SAPA director Eftychios Malekkides, former DISY municipal councillor Giorgos Michaelides, former DIKO councillor Efstathios Efstathiou, former AKEL councillor Vasos Vasiliou, and sitting AKEL councillor Giorgos Shailis.

They are facing charges of having conspired to extort money from private contractors awarded SAPA contracts among others.

 

 

 

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