THE MAXIMUM price, or ‘plafond’ as we like to call it, will be imposed on the retail price of milk from Monday after an order issued by the commerce minister on Wednesday. This would set the price at €1.41, supposedly 10 cents lower than it would have been had all parts of the supply chain imposed price rises. 

But what happens after the 45 days for which the plafond will be in force? Will the retail price just rise to €1.55 with the government powerless to do anything? Commerce Minister Neoclis Sylikiotis hoped that in this period some compromise would be reached and both cattle-farmers and pasteurisers would agree to smaller price hikes. 

It is difficult to understand his optimism which is based on the assumption the producers would show good will.

The fact is the problem of high prices cannot be tackled by plafond or by shows of good will by suppliers. There must be competition, which in the case of the supply of milk there is not. The cattle farmers have organised themselves into a monopoly – a limited liability company represents 90 per cent of milk producers – which sets prices while the pasteurisers are a duopoly that also sets prices. 

There can be no price competition in such market conditions and therefore no incentive for producers to become more efficient as they simply pass the additional costs onto the consumer. Cattle farmers raised the price of a litre of milk by four cents at the beginning of the month, because of the increased cost of animal feed, while pasteurisers announced they would increase the price of a litre by nine cents. They argued that apart from paying more for the milk, the price of electricity and the price of petrol which affected distribution costs had also gone up this year, which was true.

It is also true however, that we are dealing with price-setting monopolies that the Commission for the Protection of Competition has been unable to bring into line. Investigations have been in progress but these are never concluded. But do we need an investigation to tell us that the company representing 90 per cent of milk producers was a monopoly that needed to be broken up? As regards the pasteurisers’ duopoly, it is difficult to do anything because the Cyprus market is too small to sustain more than two companies; there were three but two of them merged. 

The Commission could ensure there was no price collusion between the two pasteurisers, but the biggest problem are the cattle-farmers, who have organised themselves into a monopoly and the politicians are afraid to touch it. It was no surprise that Sylikiotis wanted the pasteurisers to absorb most of the extra cost of milk production, while the price hike imposed by the cattle-farmers was left untouched.    

TURKISH journalist Mehmet Ali Birand, whose documentaries and books helped shape many Turks' understanding of their recent tumultuous history, died in Istanbul late on Thursday.

Birand suffered cardiac arrest due to complications while undergoing gallbladder surgery, according to the Hurriyet Daily News for which he worked.

His book "30 Hot Days" was an insider-like account of the international manoeuvring by Britain, the United States, Turkey and Greece that followed Turkey's 1974 invasion of Cyprus. Birand was a regular attendee at events involving major developments on Cyprus over the years.

The 71-year-old had been battling cancer, for which he had had surgery in 2011.

With a career spanning almost 50 years, Birand interviewed world leaders from Bill Clinton to Francois Mitterrand to Saddam Hussein. He worked mainly as a newspaper columnist and anchorman, including at CNN Turk.

Birand's documentary films about the 1960 and 1980 military coups in Turkey helped define those watershed moments in the public record.

In October he told a parliamentary commission investigating Turkey's coups that he and other members of the media had tacitly supported such military interventions.

WITH over €2 million still owed to Peyia municipality in outstanding taxes, the cash strapped municipality is cutting water supply to non payers.

Peyia councilor Linda Leblanc said: “The council decided that the water supply will be cut if outstanding payments are not paid.” 

According to Leblanc, individuals, holiday rental villas and businesses have overdue water bills.

“The situation in Peyia is still dire, and the municipality has to keep increasing its overdraft to keep everything going. It’s a struggle to pay staff every month- the monthly wage bill is around €100,000,” said Leblanc.

Over €2 million in unpaid taxes remains outstanding including licence fees, rubbish and water bills.

“The good news is that people are starting to pay their outstanding taxes and at least one developer has kept to the agreement from earlier last year of monthly payments to clear outstanding taxes owed to the municipality,” leblanc added.

But the councillor noted that at least one other developer is still delaying payments, and owes around €800,000.

One reason for the delay is that the company, which rents the beach kiosks at Coal Bay, had requested some reductions and the subject was constantly being postponed from one council meeting to the next.

“It is likely there will be some reduction in rent, due to a number of issues including the missing sand which wasn’t rectified until well into the tourist season.”

As the financial crisis tightens its grip on the cash-strapped municipality, the Peyia budget for 2013 has been reduced again and expenses have been slashed. 

Leblanc said: “The total income for Peyia is estimated at around €5.57 million. The annual state subsidy has been reduced again, staff overtime and salary cuts are still in force. We are taking measures to cut costs, including better control of municipality vehicles and reducing stadium costs.”

In the meantime, Leblanc says that is also appears as if some consumers have been overcharged for their water supply, some by as much as €100.

“It appears as if the municipality hasn’t been reading some meters on a regular basis which has resulted in estimated bills being issued. We have discovered that some residents have inflated water bills,” she said. “We need to find out why this has happened and the people must be given their money back.”

The practice in Peyia says Leblanc, is of billing for small amounts quarterly and then adding the accumulation to a future bill which results in higher tariffs. 

“If there are residents facing similar situations we can help. They need to note meter readings at regular intervals and send us an email if they are being overcharged,” she said.

info@pegeiacoalition.org

THE NICOSIA Criminal Court yesterday visited the site where media boss Andis Hadjicostis was murdered three years ago, following a request from the defence team of the four accused in the murder trial.  

The court visited the crime scene, near the US Embassy in the capital, under heavy police escort at around midday. 

Judges presiding over the murder trial took the opportunity to examine the scene of the murder where Hadjicostis - CEO of family-controlled DIAS media group and Sigma TV - died after being shot twice outside his home on January 12, 2010.

They also followed the route the alleged killers took after Hadjicostis was murdered, going from Ayia Eleni Street to Vasilis Michaelides street near Finlandia taxi office.

Heightened security measures were in place before and during the court’s visit. 

Facing murder charges are the alleged masterminds former television presenter Elena Skordelli and her brother Tasos Krasopoulis; alleged shooter Gregoris Xenofontos; and alleged fixer Andreas Gregoriou. 

Defence lawyers for the accused had also requested that the court make a night time visit to the buffer zone near the Massari dam, where the murder weapon was allegedly disposed of. 

However, during yesterday’s morning hearing in the courtroom, state prosecutor Elena Kleopa informed the court that police headquarters would not allow any visit to the buffer zone at night for security reasons, saying it would pose serious risks and that the police could not guarantee the court’s safety.

Kleopa also presented a written response from the UN saying that UNFICYP could not escort the court to the area at night.

Defence lawyer for Elena Skordeli, Michalis Kyprianou, questioned the motives of police, saying the force did not want the court to see these locations with its own eyes. 

The presiding judge Haris Solomonides berated the lawyer for questioning the views of the police, UN and prosecution, adding that a night visit would not be possible. 

Judges were taken to the crime scene By Christos Theodorides

A WARD at the Athalassa Psychiatric Hospital in Nicosia, which has been home to 13 people with severe learning and behavioural disorders, some for decades, is to be closed down, the labour and health ministers said yesterday.

Health Minister, Androulla Agrotou and Labour Minister, Sotiroulla Charalambous yesterday presented a programme for the closure of Ward 14 at the hospital where people were thrown and forgotten about because there was nowhere else to send them.

The closure, which will be completed by May, only comes after years of discussion about where the patients in Ward 14 could be helped.

Agrotou said the government had realised that the eight men and five women in the ward could no longer be expected to live in a psychiatric hospital and are to be rehabilitated back into the community. 

“Respect for human rights requires immediate de-institutionalisation and reintegration into society, with full respect for human dignity and inalienable rights," she said.

She said their condition did not make them more dangerous to either themselves or to others compared to the general population.

The Athalassa Hospital is the only specialised mental hospital in Cyprus.

The hospital received criticism from the Ombudswoman in her 2011 report where she said it looked looked like a “throwback to institutions from older times.”  

For Ward 14 in particular, the Ombudswoman noted that  living conditions were not according to international principles for the appropriate treatment of these patients. 

The patients of Ward 14 suffer severe learning and behaviour disorders and some of them are also autistic or epileptic.  

Yiannis Kalakoutas, the Mental Health Services Director said: “The families of these persons did not want them and they were chucked into Athalassa.  Most them came here when they were children and they grew up in the mental hospital”.  

The majority of the patients, aged between 25 and 55, have been in Athalassa for 15 years on average. 

Director of the Department of Social Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities Christina Flourentzou said these patients were placed “In the wrong institution with the wrong services” and the reason that happened was because there was a lack of other appropriate institutions.

Only eight of the 13 patients will initially be placed on the rehabilitation programme while the remaining five will be placed to other units of the Athalassa hospital.  The rehabilitation programme will last two years, gradually placing the patients in protected homes staffed by 24-hour carers within communities.  

Since the Ministry of Labour has yet to declare a competition for a non-governmental organisation to find and operate the homes, it is unknown where they will be. Flourentzou said the tendering process would be completed in two to three months.

The rehabilitation programme will cost €550.000.

COMMERCE MINISTER Neoclis Sylikiotis yesterday accused the opposition of obeying the commands of the troika and making a “behind the scenes” agreement not to let the draft bill on a national hydrocarbons fund pass through parliament. 

Speaking to reporters, Sylikiotis repeated his argument that the memorandum of understanding with the troika states clearly that the government is obliged to submit draft legislation on the hydrocarbons fund and an action plan on hydrocarbons exploitation to the troika by the end of June “for review” and only for review. “An agreement with the troika on the draft bills is not required,” he said.  

“It is clear that in the memorandum there is no reference to an agreement, though the troika is suggesting that they not only need to review (the draft legislation) but agree to it too,” said Sylikiotis, arguing that the troika is trying to move the goalposts after the memorandum was agreed with the government. 

“And that is why we should proceed on the basis of what we agreed in the memorandum with the troika,” he said. 

Stating his case, Sylikiotis revealed correspondence between the troika and the finance minister, where the international lenders wrote: “There is no need to rush this bill through parliament at this stage. Please make sure that this bill does not go to the parliament before proper review and agreement by the Troika partners.”

Cyprus does not need close consultation with the European Commission, European Central Bank and IMF on what to do with its hydrocarbon reserves, he argued. 

“If we feel we need their contribution, we will ask. Certainly, we will listen carefully and take seriously into account any observations they make on the draft bills we will send them,” added the minister. 

Sylikiotis denounced “the opposition and those who cooperated towards this goal, to agree behind the scenes with the troika not to approve this bill on the creation of a national hydrocarbons fund.”

He accused the opposition of “failing to rise to the occasion and approve the bill that was before them, preferring to obey the commands of the troika”. He added that the draft bill was a near carbon copy of the Norwegian hydrocarbon fund.   

The minister also questioned what will happen when the government soon receives around €200m in signature bonuses for awarding more offshore exploration licences in its exclusive economic zone. The government is obliged to put half the money into state coffers, as agreed with the troika, but the other half could have been put in the proposes hydrocarbon fund and used to invest in natural gas infrastructure. 

Instead, it looks more likely, that the €100m will fall into the hands of the new government post-February elections, and towards plugging the hole in state finances. 

FROM today all new driving licences issued across the EU will be in the form of a plastic ‘credit card’ with a standard European format and tougher security protection, the Commission announced yesterday .

The new European licence will progressively replace the more than 100 different paper and plastic models currently in use by more than 300 million drivers across the EU.

 It is part of a broader package of measures coming into force designed to enhance free movement, tackle driving licence fraud and improve road safety across the EU. 

"Traffic police across Europe are currently expected to recognise more than 100 different types of paper and plastic driving licence. ID photos may be long out of date, the categories for which the driver is licenced unclear and the document may be easy to forge. Fake driving licences are a licence to kill, that is why we need licences which are easy to read, easy to understand and very difficult to falsify,” said a statement from the Commission.

All new European driving licences will be issued according to a new format, a plastic ‘credit card’, with a photo and standard information requirements - easy to recognise and read across the EU.  

Existing licences are not affected, but will be changed to the new format at the time of renewal or at the latest by 2033. The European driving licence can be adapted to incorporate national symbols as decided by each Member State. 

The new driving licence includes a number of security features to make it "tamper proof" and to avoid falsification. 

In addition, it is backed up by the creation of a European electronic data exchange system to facilitate the exchange of information between national administrations. This will simplify the process for managing driving licences for people changing residence from one Member State to another. It will also significantly help to prohibit "driving licence tourism" and fraud, for example, to enforce the new, more stringent prohibition, of a Member State issuing a licence to someone who has already had their licence withdrawn, suspended or restricted by another Member State. 

The Regular Renewal of Licences 

“Central to tackling fraud and improving road safety is the need for a regular renewal of licences across the EU. Under the new rules, licences must be renewed, for car drivers and motorcyclists, every 10-15 years, depending on the Member State. For buses and lorry drivers licences must be renewed every five years and a medical check-up will be necessary for renewal,” the Commission said.

This is an administrative renewal, and does not require any additional testing. It ensures that licencing information, photos etc. are kept up to date, security features on cards can be regularly updated to new technology and Member States have constantly updated information about the licences in circulation. 

The European driving licence regime also strengthens protection for the most vulnerable categories of road users, said the Commission. This includes:  a higher age limit for the most powerful motorbikes, up from the existing 21 to 24 years. The new regime requires driving experience of a minimum of four years instead of two.

Mopeds will also constitute a new vehicle category and moped licence candidates will from now on be required to pass a theory test. Member States may also introduce skill and behaviour tests and medical examinations. The EU sets a minimum recommended age of 16 years at which licences are mutually recognised by all Members States. Prior to this there were no minimum EU requirements for mopeds. 

Under the new rules, driving examiners will have to comply with minimum standards as regards their initial qualification and periodic training.

There will be a uniform drivers licence as of yesterday

CYPRUS has hired an international communications firm to help its bid to secure financial assistance, especially in light of recent negative reports on the country’s money laundering record.

According to PRWeek, a weekly public relations publication, Cyprus has hired FTI consulting as it tries to put out its side of the story amid a flurry of negative reports, mainly in the German media.

The firm has been hired by the Cyprus Investment Promotion Agency (CIPA) – a non-profit limited company fully funded by the government -- which initially invited bids at the end of 2011 for a brief to increase direct investment to Cyprus.

It has however evolved to also include support and advice to the finance ministry and the Central Bank during the bailout process, PRWeek said.

A process that may run into difficulties after a number of German lawmakers, who would have to approve any bailout, voiced concerns about a rescue for Cyprus because its reputation of being a popular tax haven for wealthy Russians.

In November, Germany’s Der Spiegel had cited a German intelligence agency report as saying "Russian oligarchs, business people and mafiosi" would benefit most from any bailout and that Cyprus was a "gateway for money laundering in the EU.”

Cyprus has denied the allegations, saying it was doing more to fight money laundering than other eurozone countries.

Neil Doyle, managing director in FTI’s strategic communications practice, was quoted by PRWeek as saying: “We are trying to provide balance to what has been biased coverage on what is really going on … the Cypriot story is a positive one, but the underlying story isn’t coming out.”

Doyle suggested that Cyprus was plagued by ‘legacy issues’ from before its EU membership.

FTI will assume its inward investment brief after conclusion of the bailout talks and the presidential elections mid February.

“Our hope is to have a more balanced coverage and at least set the facts straight,” FTI senior managing director Cleopatra Kitti, told the Cyprus Mail.

FTI Consulting has previously worked with the governments of Hungary and Iceland, and the Bank of Spain.

CYPRUS is asking its EU partners for a loan, not a gift, Finance Minister Vassos Shiarly said yesterday, saying a write-down of Greek debt, which effectively forced the island to seek a bailout, was a mistake.

"The Greek PSI (debt write-down) was a gift to Greece," Shiarly told Reuters in an interview. "We are not asking for a gift. We are asking for understanding, and a loan on fair terms so we can overcome these financial difficulties we are facing at the moment."

The minister’s comment could be viewed as a response to those claiming that European taxpayer money would be effectively bailing out Russian tax evaders.

A number of lawmakers from Germany's parliament, which would have to approve any bailout, have voiced concerns about a rescue for Cyprus.

The island denied the allegations, stressing that it does more to fight money laundering than other eurozone states.

The write-down, which cost Cypriot banks some €4.5 billion in losses, was a political decision taken by EU leaders, including President Demetris Christofias.

"There are many people in Europe who believe that it was a mistake to go for a PSI. I say it as well," said Shiarly.

The Greek debt write-down "caused a lot of upheaval and one of the problems we are facing - in fact, one of the main reasons we are facing problems is because we accepted the PSI proposal which has added some 25 per cent to our national debt," the minister added.

Cyprus says it has gone the extra mile to introduce reforms, including public sector cutbacks, pension reform and tax hikes. 

"We did what was expected of us, and more," Shiarly said.

The minister did not rule out privatisations if needed to seal a bailout for the island and make a debt even as high as €17.5 billion sustainable.

"There is a provision, a reference, to a possible privatisation if need be," Shiarly said, referring to a draft bailout deal. "That will be considered by us at the time the (bank recapitalisation) figure is known, but not until then."

Much now hinges on an asset quality review expected imminently on Cypriot bank recapitalisation needs.

The company carrying out the review was expected to publish the total amount late yesterday, but ongoing negotiations could mean it will not be known before a Eurogroup meeting on Monday expected to discuss Cyprus.

Cypriot authorities are trying to adjust the worst-case scenario figure downward to avoid the risk of the island’s debt being deemed unsustainable.

“I very much doubt there will be discussion that could lead to a specific decision,” Shiarly told state radio earlier yesterday. “It is unavoidable that another date will be set to discuss matter when figures will be at our disposal.”

Preliminary estimates put the island’s bailout at €17.5 billion – €10 billion will go towards bank recapitalisation – raising concerns that it will difficult to pay off.

But even with an extreme scenario of a €17 billion to €17.5 billion bailout total, "at that figure, the debt can be made sustainable," Shiarly said.

In any case, it appears that any decisions will be deferred until after the February presidential elections.

"It is a fair bet that a final decision will not be made under the present government, but it will be one of the first tasks of the next government, after the elections on February 17th," a senior EU official, involved in the talks said. "In the second half of March there will be a possibility to come to an agreement on a programme," the official said, adding the government was well funded until then.

Finance Minister Vassos Shiarly

IT SEEMS there cannot be an immovable property tax (IPT) that would satisfy everyone. The second IPT bill, submitted by the government in the space of a couple of months was rejected by the majority of the legislature on Thursday, on the grounds that more time was needed to study its provisions in depth. The bill had been submitted as ‘urgent’, the government hoping to have had it approved before Monday’s meeting of the Euro group, which was why the House plenum was obliged to vote on it on Thursday.

The new bill was again based on AKEL’s communist philosophy that the ‘wealthy’ should carry the main burden of the tax, with 78 per cent of property owners – property valued at less than €40,000 at 1980 prices – not having to pay anything. In short 22 per cent of individuals and 51 per cent of businesses would pay the €120 million the government would collect in IPT this year. Half of the tax revenue, €55 million, would be collected from778 companies and 87 individuals who would be taxed 20 per 1000 for properties valued in excess of €1 million at 1980 prices.

Having cut wages and benefits of public employees, AKEL felt obliged to tax the ‘haves’, as the unions had been demanding, and illustrate its alleged pro-worker credentials. No time was wasted by the party in making political capital out of the rejection of the bill. Its parliamentary spokesman, Nicos Katsourides, was quick to point out that “in all the years I have been a deputy, whenever and IPT bill came to parliament it ended up being shredded to pieces,” implying that his colleagues were protecting the wealthy.

This was how propagandists talk. The truth is there was no issue of the IPT being shredded or shelved. No party was opposed to taxing immovable property, especially as it was part of the memorandum of understanding, but they had every right to study its provisions, examine its effects on the economy and propose amendments. The AKEL rationale that the bill was ‘good’ because it exempted 78 per cent of the population was very superficial. 

The bill is too complicated and is certain to be subject to countless disputes and appeals, relating to the property valuation that would determine the tax percentage. Perhaps the answer would have been a fixed levy on all properties, as the owners of expensive properties would still pay more. This would be much easier to manage and collect, even though it would not penalise people with highly-priced properties as AKEL would like. 

Nobody knows whether the political parties will come up with a better proposal in the next week or whether they will wait for the new government to present a new bill in March.                

A RECORD 11 people submitted their candidacy yesterday at the Hilton in Nicosia for the February 17 presidential elections.

Cameramen, photographers and journalists stalked the comings and goings of the candidates as they each came at a set time with their respective supporters for an orchestrated dance that started at 9am sharp and was over by noon. 

First up was AKEL-backed Stavros Malas whose entourage included former finance minister Kikis Kazamias, AKEL parliamentary representative Nicos Katsourides, and agriculture minister Sophoclis Aletraris who also nominated him as candidate. 

Escorted by his wife and with AKEL leader Andros Kyprianou by his side, Malas presented his papers and travelled the room to sit on a long and narrow table decorated with a flower arrangement.

Around the table, Malas – surrounded by his team – had a chat with Chief Returning Officer Andreas Assiotis as they waited for the election service to confirm that his paperwork was in order. A few signatures later, team Malas took their seat at an area arranged with two couches and a side table for a relaxed cup of tea before the inevitable statements. 

We need a leader that can tackle the indebted island’s economy head-on, Malas said. AKEL leader Andros Kyprianou took the podium to appeal to “progressive members of the public”, saying Malas was their only hope for reunifying the island, defending the workers, and securing the island’s safety and welfare. 

It was only the main contenders who sat down for the benefit of photographers and cameramen for that cup of tea.

Independent candidate Makaria Antri Stylianou, an assistant head at a primary school, was up next but there were no bells and whistles for her. 

She submitted her candidacy, paid the €1,710 fee, and in her statement told people they had a choice, to show they have had enough with the political system and create the change they want to see. 

It was the turn of the head of the Citizen’s Rights Bureau of the Popular Socialist Movement LASOK, Lakis Ioannou, who accused authorities and the media of “silencing” alternative voices. But in the meantime, the vibrant Costas Kyriacou Outopos distracted people by peeking in the room and waving hello as he waited for his turn. Wearing a green bandana, a green sporty jacket and jeans, Outopos walked to the Hilton all smiles. He was also the only male candidate who eschewed a suit. 

Ripples of conversation formed on his outlandish statements of a Mormon conspiracy against democracy, and his version of a utopian society (hence his moniker Outopos).  He said the answer to the financial crisis was lovemaking. 

Though some made a joke of the candidacy, a police officer jumped in to defend him. “Would you have the guts stand in front of all those television cameras?” he asked as the day was winding down and they were waiting for the closing statements. 

Others had no problem standing in front of the cameras. 

Praxoula Antoniadou-Kyriacou has already been making headlines for singing in entertainment charity show ‘DanSing For You, broadcast by MEGA TV. She sang as a duet with well known Greek singer Dakis and has even performed in spoof show ‘Patates Antinachtes’ as herself.

She has also reportedly petitioned the director of a play showing in Anemona theatre to dabble in the play. Daily Phileleftheros has reported that she will have a singing part in the play, though Antoniadou-Kyriacou did not confirm or deny the report yesterday. 

Looking immaculate in a dark pink skirt suit, pearls gracing her neck, she asked people to break free from the old-style politics and to choose someone who could give them a way out of the crisis. 

As she made her statements, jubilant main contender, DISY-leader Nicos Anastasiades, was already posing for the cameras himself with family, grandchildren, friends, and members of his party and supporting partners DIKO. The lobby leading to the Hilton room was too small for his entourage, and Anastasiades- smile glued on his face – seemed all too happy to stand further out to accommodate the crowds. An all-star procession walked inside. 

In addition to DISY and DIKO brass, the numerous supporters included popular singer Michalis Hadjiyiannis; the outspoken psychiatrist, TV personality and newspaper columnist Yiangos Mikellides;  Nobel laureate Christophoros Pissarides - who also nominated him - and  the Archbishopric’s accountant Yiannos Charilaou, to name but a few. Photographers jostled  to photograph Anastasiades and his associates, irking the cameramen who had no clear shot of the sit-down on the couches, the reserve of the big players. 

The last of the main contenders, EDEK-backed Giorgos Lillikas, looked dapper and confident and even more so when honorary EDEK president Dr Vassos Lyssarides showed up just in time to take his place in the comfortable couches. “The doctor is coming,” EDEK leader Yiannakis Omirou said, as he joined Lillikas who had already filed his candidacy. Lyssarides, affectionately referred to as ‘the doctor’ firmly declared his support for Lillikas. Lillikas was nominated by Irene Mandoles, whose mother Charita has been a prominent figure in efforts to discover the whereabouts of missing persons, including that of her husband and his family. And to reinforce his message that he was a candidate of the people, the eight people vouching for Lillikas’ candidacy were all unemployed. Candidates need to be nominated by someone, and vouched for by eight others for their application to be valid. 

Economist Andreas Andreou, was disappointed to realise he could not submit an application because he did not have anyone to vouch for him. He lingered for a while wondering if he could get anyone to support him. He said that he wanted to run as president so he could express himself. 

The other candidates did harness enough supporters. The far right party ELAM candidate Georgios Charalambous kept a low profile.

Andreas Efstratiou asked people to support him because politicians had failed them. Farmer Solon Gregoriou asked people to wake up from their slumber, while another independent,  Loucas Stavrou, warned people that the politicians they vote to power “will continue eating from silver spoons, throwing leftovers to the people.”

Meanwhile, parliament has decided to keep ballots open for an hour longer on voting day. Voters will have until 6pm to vote on February 17. 

Favourite to win Nicos Anastasiades brought his whole family and then some

AKEL's Stavros Malas on the couch with his wife

EDEK-backed Giorgos Lillikas pays his respects to party founder Vassos Lyssarides

Praxoulla Antoniadou is apparently a woman of many talents

Outopos never gives up despite the financial cost

AMONG the thousands watching this week’s presidential debate for next month’s elections on their TV sets, many were also online on social media services Facebook and Twitter in what marks the internet’s first real entry in Cyprus’ political elections. 

The three main contenders, Stavros Malas who is backed by ruling party AKEL, DISY leader Nicos Anastasiades who is also backed by DIKO, and EDEK-backed Giorgos Lillikas, discussed the economy for over two hours on Monday night.

The debate on the economy of our indebted island was broadcast live by Cyprus’ four main TV channels Sigma, Mega, CyBC and Ant1. 

People could also watch it online.

The debate was watched by over 70 per cent of TV viewers with about 243,000 viewers for the first part and over 189,000 viewers for the second part that started at about 10.30pm, according to AGB Cyprus Nielsen audience measurement. 

Compare those numbers to Facebook users in Cyprus and they suddenly seem small.

Over 582,000 people use Facebook in Cyprus or 99.63 per cent of Cyprus’ online population. This means that almost everyone in Cyprus who is online is on Facebook, according to statistics by company Socialbakers that provides social media network statistics.

There are fewer people on Twitter, but users are growing and many of them participated in a lively debate of their own just as the contenders answered journalists’ questions on TV.

Twitter’s search functionality allowed strangers to interact by adding the term #cyelections2013 on their comments.

Highlights included the user who proposed a drinking game for the next debate. 

You can try this at home. Simply have a drink whenever a candidate mentions says “I promise”, “I commit” and of course, “banks”.

Another person relished in the prospect of this week’s popular spoof show Patates Antinachtes. 

Those who were unconvinced by Lillkas’ proposal to pre-sell part of natural gas found at Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone, which he kept returning to, were quick to poke fun. 

“Rumour has it that Lillikas has promised Chuck Norris a ministry, only in this way will he accomplish what he says,” one Twitter user said, referring to the martial artist and actor whose action films’ characters sometimes do accomplish the impossible.

People were also quick to spot inconsistencies and mistakes.

When Malas tried to fudge his ignorance of the price of fuel, hesitantly suggesting it went for €1.17 per litre (he didn’t specify which kind), people were quick to comment. One user joked: “I am the petrol station owner where fuel goes for €1.17,” plenty pointed out that fuel (unleaded 95) actually went for €1.37 at the very least, while another one declared that she would have gone round the world with fuel that cheap.

They were equally unkind to Lillikas who translated directly from English the expression “brain drain” and told a live audience that Cyprus’ “brains are leaking”. 

One commenter told Lillikas that his brain was probably leaking natural gas, a dig at Lillikas’ single focus on his natural gas proposal, despite its dismissal by experts.

Anastasiades got off relatively lightly though not without the odd joke about his relationship with the island’s European partners, which monopolised his part of the debate, in light of last week’s high profile European People’s Party summit in Limassol which was attended by German Chancellor Angela Merkel. 

One person said he wanted to see Anastasiades and Merkel hold hands. 

Joking aside, both on Facebook and Twitter would-be voters criticised the contenders for failing to answer questions. 

But there were plenty who used the internet to express support for their candidate of choice. 

This should come as no surprise as particularly in the case of Twitter, users tend to come from political parties and the media, said Demetris Demetriou, a commentator on technology news and the head of online news portal www.cyprusnews.eu

Nonetheless, the three main contenders are reaching a wide audience on Facebook and Twitter in their electoral campaign.

Nicos Anastasiades who has had an online presence since 2010 has over 10,000 likes on Facebook, and over 1,000 followers on Twitter.

Lillikas who got a Facebook page last year has over 3,360 likes on Facebook and about 400 followers on Twitter.

Latecomer Stavros Malas who only got a Facebook page in December last year has already amassed about 4,220 likes on Facebook and some 320 followers on Twitter.

But all three are using the internet in the same way “to release photographs, videos and news releases”, Demetriou said. 

“They are not using social media for interaction and to exchange views,” Demetriou said. 

What does happen is that people interact with each other and the candidates’ online presence gives them a platform for discussion, Demetriou added.

Take Anastasiades’ latest clip that was aired during a commercial break on Monday’s debate. Anastasiades’ team shared the video clip on his Facebook page and dozens of people commented. In addition to the expressions of support, people also engaged in debate. But there was no direct interaction with Anastasiades or his team.

“This is a first for Cyprus, which is a mitigating factor,” Demetriou said adding that their presence was “promising for the future”.

It costs at least €2,000 a month to advertise on Facebook, Demetriou said although TV ads are much more costly, if not as labour-intensive.

As it stands, taking the plunge to a different marketing strategy focusing on the internet would require a dedicated team of some ten people to monitor various aspects of a candidate’s online presence - from managing ads, to responding to comments and having dedicated people on specific sites - as well a decision to shift budgets to online media, Demetriou said.

And in the coming weeks, we should see more online advertising and in various forms, from banner ads on news websites to promoted news articles and advertising on Facebook, Demetriou said.

He added that all three teams were also using the internet to inform their voters of candidates’ views.

And what definitely happens is that candidates and their teams use people’s social media presence as a way to get feedback on their campaigns.

Malas’ spokesman, the MEP Takis Hadjigeorgiou, was in Strasbourg at the European Parliament for Cyprus’ presentation of the results of presidency of the EU council at the same time as Demetriou who noticed that Hadjigeorgiou was checking out Twitter during the presidential debate.

Expect a more pronounced internet presence in future elections, Demetriou said.

After all, “[politicians’] clients as it were are online”.

All three main presidential candidates are using social media on the internet for the first time

TWO WOMEN and a transvestite male were remanded in custody for four days yesterday by the Nicosia District Court in connection with charges of running a brothel.
Police raided the alleged brothel on Friday night, arresting the 46-year-old Greek Cypriot owner of the flat, a 60-year-old Greek transvestite male who goes by the name of ‘Soula’ and a 30-year-old Polish woman. A fourth person from Greece who was visiting the brothel at the time of the raid was released without charge.
The three are accused of running a brothel in an apartment in old Nicosia
Police made the raid after an associate went to the flat, allegedly discussed buying the services of the Polish woman with the 46 and 60-year-old and then paid €50 to have sex with the Polish woman.
Police raided the place, arrested the three, and confiscated evidence including a client list.
During their remand hearing at the Nicosia court yesterday, a police officer told the court that the Polish woman was offering sexual services at a cost of €40-50 for 15 minutes.

BURGLARS MADE off with over €100,000 worth of cash and jewellery from the home of an elderly couple in Larnaca.
According to a complaint made by the couple to police, between 11.30am and 12.10pm on Friday, burglars stole a safe from a bedroom in the pensioners’ residence. The safe contained, among other things, €70,000, £3,000 sterling and jewellery worth €30,000.
Police examined the scene of the crime, taking with them evidence that may lead to the identity of the culprits and are continuing investigations.
Larnaca police spokesman Christos Andreou yesterday called on the public to avoid keeping large sums of money or jewellery in the home as they have become an easy target for burglars.

THE LATE Archbishop Makarios would withdraw his support for a federation in Cyprus if he were alive today, said Archbishop Chrysostomos II yesterday at a ceremony to celebrate the former leader’s name day in Nicosia.
Speaking outside the historic Church of St Ioannis in the Archbishopric, the primate noted that this year marks 100 years since the birth of Makarios, the Cyprus Republic’s first president after independence from British colonial rule.
Asked whether Makarios had accepted a bicommunal, bizonal federation as a basis for a Cyprus solution, the primate replied: “Makarios accepted a federation with much heartache, so Makarios died and had he lived, he would take it back.”
“He offered a federation, not bizonality, just a federation simply because he had to make that concession to solve the national issue…when he saw that the Turks did not respect this concession, however, in his last speech he spoke of a long-term (problem), and if he had not suddenly left us, he would definitely have withdrawn it, he would not have kept it there,” said Chrysostomos.

CYPRUS now has more large dams than any other country in Europe, the Minister of Agriculture Sophocles Aletraris said yesterday.
In his address at the inauguration of Solea dam, in Nicosia district, Aletraris said that Cyprus has 56 large dams listed in the International Commission on Large Dams (ICOLD). With the completion of Solea dam this has increased to 57.
He also said that the total storage capacity of reservoirs in Cyprus stands at approximately 336 million cubic metres, compared to six million cubic metres in 1960.
“This is really impressive if compared with other countries of the same size and level of development as Cyprus,” he added.
He said current water supplies in the reservoirs amounted to 250 million cubic metres or 86 per cent of their total capacity.
“The completion of Solea dam is expected to strengthen significantly the water balance of the region, contributing to the management of water resources,” he said, adding that “the goal of the Solea dam is to meet the irrigation needs of the area.”
Speaking during the inauguration ceremony, President Demetris Christofias said that Cyprus is now fully independent of rainfall and weather conditions, as a result of proper planning and implementation of water supply infrastructure.
“The implementation of desalination plants means that the people, the economy and tourism will not have to face in the future water cuts or water shortage,” Christofias said, as he inaugurated the dam.

GREEK investment group Marfin (MIG) has said it would take legal action against Cyprus, seeking compensation for the dilution of its holding in CyprusPopular Bank after Nicosia nationalised the lender.
Popular, Cyprus's second-largest bank, was nationalised in mid-2012 after its capital base took a severe hit from a writedown in Greek government debt, to which it was heavily exposed.
MIG, which had invested €823 million in Popular, saw its 9.5 per cent shareholding diluted to 1.5 percent as a result and wants restitution.
"MIG will send a notice of dispute to Cyprus. The law allows a six-month period for the two sides to resolve the dispute," a MIG official told Reuters, declining to be named.
No immediate comment was available from the Cypriot government.
MIG said it would provide further details at a news conference on January 23. An official added the company would go to an international arbitration tribunal if efforts to settle the case failed.
MIG expects other private investors in Popular Bank to become parties in the dispute notice, which will be formally served to the Cypriot government on January 23.
Cyprus now owns an estimated 84 per cent of Popular. The state's attempts to save the country's banks forced it to seek financial aid from EU partners and the IMF in order to recapitalise them and put its economy back on a stable footing.
The bailout is estimated at around €17 billion, equal to the entire output of the Cypriot economy.
Cyprus applied for financial aid last June but some euro zone states like Germany  are uneasy about bailing out a country they say lacks financial transparency.

THE CENTRAL Bank yesterday announced that consultations on defining a bailout sum for its Greece-exposed banks were still in progress, effectively overshooting a deadline to decide how much aid the cash-strapped island will need from lenders.
Evaluating bank capital needs is crucial to determining how much Cyprus should receive in badly needed financial aid.
“The review of the technical details of the due diligence to estimate the capital needs of Cyprus’ financial institutions is still on-going. An announcement will be made once this review is completed,” said the Central Bank.
Cypriot banks were badly burnt by an EU-sanctioned writedown of Greek sovereign debt held by private investors.
Investment managers PIMCO are carrying out the review of bank capital needs, and its findings are being assessed by a steering committee made up of lenders and Cypriots.
A definitive result had been expected by January 18, but according to Cyprus News Agency (CNA) sources, no agreement was reached on the final amount required for the recapitalisation of the banks during Friday’s teleconference with the steering committee.
An agreement is expected to be reached within the next 10 days, the same sourced added.
A preliminary estimate of a draft bailout deal said Cyprus could need up to €10 billion to plug holes in its banking sector, though this is a worst case scenario.
On that basis, its total bailout including fiscal requirements could reach €17-17.5 billion, equivalent to the island's annual economic output.
The central bank is working towards reducing the worst case scenario figure to under €9 billion, with the difference apparently playing a decisive role in determining whether Cyprus’ public debt will be sustainable or not post-bailout. Debt sustainability or the lack of it, in turn, will decide whether the troika will demand the privatisation of state or semi-state organisations like CyTA and the EAC before lending Cyprus much-needed cash.  
The delay in concluding with PIMCO means Finance Minister Vassos Shiarly will attend tomorrow’s Eurogroup meeting without a final figure on the recapitalisation needs of Cypriot banks, pushing further back any possible agreement on a Cyprus bailout among the eurozone’s finance ministers. 
A European Union official said on Friday that a bailout for Cyprus is likely to be concluded only in the second half of March, after presidential elections next month.

THINGS seem to have turned out perfectly for Tof the Terrible. His delaying tactics and time-wasting have achieved the desired result for him and ensured he will leave without having signed the cursed, neo-liberal memorandum.
News from Brussels is that the memorandum will be finalised and signed in the second half of March, long after the great leader retires to his dacha in Kellaki. He will leave boasting that he kept his promise not to sign an agreement that included the privatisation of the semi-governmental organisations.
An EU official who briefed hacks in Brussels on Friday attributed the delay in the signing of the memorandum to the comrade’s refusal to agree to the privatisation of SGOs, which would have made the debt sustainable. This may give him bragging rights and allow the commie demagogues to adopt an anti-bailout stance in March, but the SGOs will not escape privatisation.
His achievement would serve AKEL’s propaganda purposes, which is all that matters to the dithering Dikomo div.

THE ONLY matter on which the government has never dithered or employed delaying tactics was on the signing of the contracts for natural gas.
Not only did it initiate the second licensing round, claiming at the time that the signing of the contracts would be left to the next government, commerce minister Neoclis Sylikiotis is now hell-bent on getting them signed before he leaves office. We have not seen the government showing such urgency about anything in five years.
Sylikiotis has even set up a National Fund for Hydrocarbons which would receive the €200 million the government estimates to receive in bonus signature fees when the contracts for hydrocarbon exploration are signed with the oil companies. By rushing everything, Sylikiotis claims the troika would not be able to get its hands on the 200 million (and use it against the loan) that would pay for urgently needed gas infrastructure projects.
What infrastructure projects did he have in mind, considering that the government has not bothered drafting the comprehensive plan for the energy sector that is stipulated by the memorandum and will have to be approved by the troika?
The time-frame for the plan is the second quarter of this year so there would not be much use for the 200 million before July, unless Sylikiotis in the next months plans to secretly invest in infrastructure work that we will not need.

SUPERCILIOUS Sylikiotis’ silly scheme suffered a serious setback last week as the troika wrote to the finance ministry telling it that the establishment of the hydrocarbons fund, which he was trying to rush through parliament, would be in violation of the preliminary agreement.
The minister lost it when this was relayed to him on a morning radio show, lambasting his colleague Vasos Shiarly and finance ministry officials, for having consultations with the troika on the matter. Our only obligation was to inform the troika about our plans, he barked at the presenter before embarking on a rant about national sovereignty.
The political parties refused to approve the bill for the resources fund, prompting Sylikiotis to accuse them of serving the interests of the troika and obeying its commands. Shiarly, his ministry officials and deputies should be congratulated for siding with the troika as it is the only way to protect the country from the AKEL scourge.
A government which for five years has been putting AKEL’s interest above the country’s is not going to change its philosophy one month before it is set to leave office. We will all sleep safer knowing that the troika has taken control of energy policy out of the hands of AKEL’s super-minister. The government has caused enough catastrophes and should take it easy in its last month.

“ONLY 14 minutes separate us from the big confrontation,” declared the over-excited CyBC news boss, with unnatural jet-black hair and no sense of perspective, on Monday night ahead of the televised debate of the three main presidential candidates.
If he was doing a preview of a World Cup Final I could understand him building up viewers’ expectations and counting the minutes to kick-off, but counting the minutes to a political debate guaranteed to numb minds and kill the senses, only a TV presenter could have done, without a hint of irony.
And you could accuse Yiannis Kareklas of many things, such as his self-importance, his over-zealousness and his bad choice of hair-dye, but never of being ironic. In order to help us get through the 14 minutes of suspense, before the big event, he asked questions of studio guests, starting with Olympic bore and former finance minister Kikis Kazamias.
A smart move, because after two minutes of listening to Kikis, viewers were indeed counting the seconds for the big confrontation and when it started thought it was scripted by Quentin Tarantino.

THE BIG confrontation was a big disappointment, according to the thrill-seekers who watched the whole show and the four hacks asking the questions made a big contribution in ensuring this. Why for instance does the CyBC’s Emilia Kenevezou always ask about the privatisation of the SGOs? Is she afraid that CyBC would be privatised and her fat salary reduced, or is she a commie?
Most newspapers expressed shock that Stavros Malas did not know what the price per litre of petrol was, when asked by one of the smart-ass hacks. But why did he have to know? Why did they not ask the Fuhrer the price of field cucumbers (as opposed to those grown in greenhouses) which last weekend were selling for an extortionate €5 a kilo? And Lillikas could have been asked about the price of a kilo of potatoes.
One of our customers, who watched it, concluded that Malas seemed the most decent of the three candidates. In what way, he was asked by a metrios drinker. Well, if my daughter was to marry one of them I would be much happier if she chose Malas, he said.
  
BUTTERING up the right people and networking have always been a surefire method for pursuing social and professional advancement. Millionaire candidate Giorgos Lillikas has a natural talent for this, as his career history shows.
He has worked his way into the hearts of George Vass, comrade Tof, the Ethnarch and finally Dr Faustus, each time using his chosen mentor’s backing to climb higher. Vass introduced him to the political scene, Tof helped him become a deputy, the Ethnarch appointed him foreign minister and Faustus made him a presidential candidate.
Nobody uses influential people for his own ends so clinically. And while Giorgos profits politically, his wife’s advertising company Marketway profits financially from his merciless networking, according to a report in last Sunday’s Politis.
When he was AKEL deputy, Marketway won the advertising account for the presidential election campaign of AKEL candidate Giorgos Iacovou; the company also did the ‘No’ campaign in the 2004 referendum collecting a cool 800,000 euros; and in 2008 Marketway handled the Ethnarch’s unsuccessful re-election campaign which, according to Politis cost about €3 million.
You have to admire Giorgos’ self-improvement skills, even if this indicates he would make a lousy president.

ANOTHER renowned networker, although not in Lillikas’ league, is Vassilis Rologis, the Chairman of the Bank of Cyprus (London). Rologis’ talent for networking and using people landed him the chairmanship of Cyprus Airways, Chamber of Commerce, General Insurance and briefly the B of C.
He was ousted as chairman of the B of C by the then Governor of the Central Bank, Ttooulis TToouli some seven years ago, but refused to surrender his seat on the bank’s board which he still has. Rologis, man who has done little in his life other than play the big-shot, has had a seat on the B of C board since the ‘80s and is currently fighting to hold on to it despite Central Bank Governor Panicos asking for his and another three directors’ resignation.
Two of the four have given up their seats and Rologis has written back to say he would also step down but at a time of his own choosing - presumably in five or 10 years. This was a stalling tactic as he has already been contacting people who could help him keep his B of C seat. He asked for the help of the DISY fuhrer, who we hear has already contacted Professor Panicos to put in a good word for Rologis.
He then begged the former chairman of the B of C Aristo Developer, who has close ties with the Archbishop, to arrange a meeting with Chrys so he could ask for his help. The man is desperate to stay on, especially now that he is chairman of the B of C (London) and can play the big-shot banker to the UK Cypriots who might even buy the myth.

ROLOGIS, who usually gets his way by mercilessly pestering people in a position to help him, has also launched a charm offensive on Professor Panicos, who will have the final say over whether he will stay on the board. We hear that he has twice wined and dined Panicos in London. The first time the professor was the guest at a dinner attended by most members of the bank’s board. The second time, dinner in London was a more private affair. Both times the bill was paid for by the bank, a point Panicos should note as it a bit unfair that B of C shareholders are paying for Rologis’ efforts to remain a director for another 20 years.

SPEAKING of the Central Bank, we find it very strange that the bank employees’ union ETYK has not protested against the governor’s decision to re-hire two employees who had taken early retirement. When this was done in the past, the ETYK boss Loizos Hadjicostis raised hell, but this time he has said not a word.
Someone obviously has got him by the balls. Could his silence have anything to do with the fact that he worked closely with Andreas Vgenopoulos, the man who singlehandedly destroyed Laiki, and the Central Bank could, at any time, use this against him?

EMPLOYEES of the Cyprus Weekly were not smiling when they left Friday’s meeting with Nicos Pattichis, the head honcho of the Phil group which owns paper. How could anyone smile after being told that the paper would become a daily and they would have to produce six editions a week, working nights and Saturdays?
The big boss hoped to cut the losses of the newspaper by going daily and staff were told that if they did not agree the paper might have to fold. Not much of a choice, but staff were given until tomorrow to think about Patt’s proposal and give their response. The question is what would the new daily be called?
Would it be the Daily Cyprus Weekly or the Cyprus Weakly Daily? And will the Weekly maintain, its legendary slogan, ‘The paper that lasts the week,’ when it will want people to buy its sister paper every day?

TWENTY-EIGHT days left until the presidential elections, 35 for the second round and 39 before our great leader goes home, content that CyTA remains a state organisation.

COMMERCE Minister Neoclis Sylikiotis has come to exemplify the arrogance and autocratic style of the outgoing government. Like his president, he believes he is the arbiter of the country’s best interests and anyone who questions his decisions is dismissed as an enemy of the state. On Wednesday, he publicly laid into his ministerial colleague Vasos Shiarly and finance ministry officials whom he accused of failing to deal with the troika seriously. On Friday he accused opposition politicians of being in cahoots with the troika in order to hurt the country.
The reason for his outbursts was the finance ministry’s failure to inform him that the troika had written to it asking that the bill for the establishment of a National Fund for Hydrocarbons be put on hold. The troika wanted the bill blocked until it could have consultations with government because it believed some of the provisions were in violation of the memorandum of understanding. Its main objections were that the fund was not “based on a solid legal base and governance structure, drawing on internationally recognised best practices” that would ensure transparency, accountability and effectiveness.
Under the preliminary agreement with the troika, the government was expected to “prepare and adopt legal steps enabling the establishment of a resource fund, which should receive and manage the public revenues of offshore gas exploitation.” But first it had to “undertake a study on the financial aspects of the transition towards the exploitation, use and export of natural gas, as a first step in the formulation of a comprehensive development plan for the re-arrangement of the Cypriot energy sector.”
None of this was done by Sylikiotis, but the commerce ministry prepared a bill for the resource fund, which was sent to the troika by the finance ministry, as it was obliged to do under the preliminary bailout agreement. The troika informed the finance ministry of its objections and its demand for additional consultations. This put paid to the plans of Sylikiotis who was unable to suppress his anger once he found out what had happened.
Sylikiotis, as if to emphasise the government’s lack of trustworthiness, insisted that Shiarly should have simply briefed the troika about the resource fund bill, but not entered into consultations with it. He claimed, misleadingly, the memorandum did not stipulate that the agreement of the troika was required for any bills regarding natural gas. He also made out that passing bills, without consulting the troika, was a matter of national sovereignty.
But why is Sylikiotis in such a rush to have the bill for the establishment of the national fund for hydrocarbons approved? He claimed that this would enable us to collect €200 million in signing on bonuses for the fund, from the companies that were awarded exploration rights in the second round of licensing. If the money was paid after the signing of the memorandum of understanding it would go towards the debt rather than the fund which, supposedly, needed to start spending on infrastructural work. How peculiar that the government which has delayed every important decision it had to take, regardless of the negative consequences of its procrastination, has found a sense of urgency, a month before it is set to step down.
Why the mad rush to collect the €200 million before it steps down? How honourable is it for the government to go out of its way to try to cheat our lenders, who will loan us €17 billion, by secretly passing the bill? This is nothing more than small-time shabbiness, which at least the finance minister, to his credit, refused to be a party to.
The fact is that the AKEL government has been desperate to collect the signing-on fees. When the second licensing round was announced last year, Sylikiotis had assured everyone, that there would be no time to assess the tenders and that the contracts would be signed by the next government. Not only did the AKEL government assess the applications, it is eager to sign the contracts and collect the signing-on fees before it leaves office, hence the big hurry to establish the resource fund. A fund before the detailed action plan for energy was formulated and submitted to the troika, as agreed, in the second quarter of this year, makes no sense.
All we can say is that the troika’s intervention should be welcomed and the taxpayer should not see the provisions of the memorandum about hydrocarbons as a violation of sovereignty. On the contrary, giving the technocrats of the troika a big say in the drafting of the plan for hydrocarbons is an excellent idea. They can be relied to put in place the right legal and political framework for the rational management of hydrocarbons. We cannot say the same for Sylikiotis and the government.