Sunday Mail by Cyprus Mail Co Ltd

CHARITY

TWITTER TRUTHS

INSIDE

The Church puts its money where its mouth is

Fake news tweets are causing Twitter a credibility problem

TV and lifestyle supplements to see you through the week

Page 6

Page 10

www.cyprus-mail.com

April 28, 2013

€1.60

TALES FROM THE COFFEESHOP: THE MORE THINGS CHANGE... INSIDE Cyprus DISY ballot marred by Paralimni shenanigans 3

World US in no rush to intervene in Syria 9

Lifestyle Is a cure for ageing really on the horizon? centre

Property Investing in property is still worthwhile 24

Sport APOEL forced to postpone title celebration back

PAGE 17

‘Dirty money’ just an excuse Leading German expert says all EU27 states are failing to comply with bloc’s directive on money laundering By Stefanos Evripidou

HE EUROPEAN Union, led by Germany, has made Cyprus pay dearly for its alleged money laundering transgressions but one leading anti-money laundering expert questions how the EU will ever repay Cyprus if those charges are proved wrong. Andreas Frank is an independent adviser to the German Bundestag and Council of Europe, who has already initiated two infringement proceedings against Germany for violations of the EU’s antimoney laundering (AML) directive. A German national living in Switzerland, he argues that mostly German allegations of money laundering in Cyprus were used to justify the unprecedented Eurogroup decision to force a ‘bail-in’ of depositors in Cypriot banks, the argument being that German taxpayers’ money should not be used to save ‘dirty’ Russian money deposited on the island. However, this premise could fall ﬂat on its face if the recently submitted reports by the Council of Europe’s Moneyval and private auditor Deloitte Financial Advisory show Cyprus to be no more or less guilty of AML violations than other EU member states. In fact, according to Frank, all 27 member states are failing to comply with the EU’s third

AML directive from 2005. The European Commission, meanwhile, is currently working on a fourth. Each new directive repeals and replaces the older one, meaning that when the fourth anti-money laundering directive is passed, the previous three will no longer be applicable. Speaking to the Sunday Mail, Frank said the reason was that none of the member states were complying with the directives. He highlighted the difference between adopting the directive’s measures “on paper” and actually ensuring “effective implementation”. Rather than accusing member states of AML violations and taking all 27 to the European Court of Justice, as the Commission is obliged to do, it simply wipes the slate clean every few years and starts fresh with a new directive, giving member states more time to comply, he argued. The EU’s AML directives are based on the 40+9 recommendations made by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), an inter-governmental body established in1989 to set standards and promote effective implementation of AML and counter-terrorism ﬁnancing (CTF) measures. According to the previous Moneyval review of Cyprus in September 2011, the country was found to be compliant to

TURN TO PAGE 4

EYESORE FOR SALE?

The Limassol district ofﬁce has called a halt to work on a multi-million-euro mansion being built in a prime location in Pissouri, which local residents say is an eyesore. The property has been listed for sale on a website but a representative for the Russian owner would not conﬁrm or deny the move SEE STORY PAGE 2

2 April 28, 2013 • SUNDAY MAIL

Home Weather

Nicosia

Troodos 25 Limassol Paphos oss

31 3 LLarnaca

TODAY: Generally sunny and clear. Temperatures will reach 33C inland, 29C in the west, 31C in the south and 25C over higher ground. OUTLOOK: Fine weather continues with a rise in temperatures from Monday until Wednesday.

YESTERDAY

Nicosia Larnaca Limassol Paphos Paralimni Prodromos

max/min temp 32 - 15 30 - 16 29 - 16 28 - 17 27 - 16 25 - 11

SUNRISE: 05.59 am

Humidity 11% 20% 46% 55% 35% 16%

SUNSET: 19.30 pm

Sunday Mail Established 1945. Number 21,520 NICOSIA 24 Vass. Voulgaroctonou, P.O. B ox 21144, 1502 Nicosia Tel: 22-818585, Fax: 22-676385 email: mail@cyprus-mail.com LIMASSOL 5A Nicolaou, Pentadromos Centre, Thessaloniki St, Tel: 25-761117, Fax: 25-761141 email: cyprusmail@cytanet.com.cy LARNACA Tel: 24-652243, Fax: 24-659982 PAPHOS 62 Apostolou Pavlou Avenue, Ofﬁce 2, 8046 Paphos, Tel: 26 911383 Fax : 26 221049 email: paphos@cyprus-mail.com

OFFSHORE C O M PA N I E S

L L

Cyprus & Worldwide

Complete Service A.K. COSMOSERVE LTD 89 Kennedy Ave., Off. 201 P.O. Box 26624, 1640 Nicosia - Cyprus

Tel 22379210, Fax 22379212 Email: consult@cosmoserve.com

http://www.cosmoserve.com

OFFICE/WAREHOUSE FOR RENT 735m² of ofﬁce space and 1200m² warehousing available for long term rent on Yianni Kranidioti Avenue very close to Carlsberg Brewery. Easy access to Nicosia-Limassol highway (only 200 metres). Loading bays for warehouses and parking space for more than 40 cars. Hidden fuel tank plus car mechanics station. For more information please call 99218866

The building has been criticised for blocking residents’ views and for being out of keeping with nearby houses

Controversial Russian palace put up for sale Work stopped on sea view-blocking Pissouri mansion By Bejay Browne WORK on a multi-million euro mansion being built in a prime location in Pissouri has been ordered to stop by the Limassol district office. Residents have long been up in arms over the construction of the supersize house which is being built on 2,200m2 of land on a small hill overlooking the village’s picturesque bay and blocking hitherto unspoiled seaviews for many villagers. The Russian owner has also purchased an extra 17,000 m2 in front of the house stretching right down to the beach. The protests were highlighted in the Sunday Mail over a year ago. At the time, while admitting the construction has been the subject of many complaints, local officials insisted the owner was following all planning permission specifications. But last week, the Limassol district office confirmed that work has been ordered to stop because construction has deviated from the original plan. “There are differences from the original plan,” Charis Zachariou of the Limassol district office told the Sunday Mail. “We have informed the architect that they must make new plans which must be submitted to receive a new licence to cover the work which has been done.” Zachariou said that the file concerning the construction would be passed onto the relevant department to study, along with proof that a new application has been made to the town planning department. “We give people time to obtain everything, but if not, they may proceed with court action,” he said. But he did add that the changes appeared to be minor. The unfinished house has meanwhile been listed for sale on an international property website www.world-estate. com for 28 million euros.

Disgruntled residents have sent letters of complaint to numerous authorities including Limassol town planning office, Limassol district office, the mayor of Limassol, the Green party and the commissioner of the environment. Their main complaint is that the building exceeds height restrictions and that it is an eyesore which changes the entire picture of the bay. Dietmar Koerner - a 75-year-old German resident - is one Pissouri homeowner who has spearheaded the campaign. “Many tourists in the Columbia Bay Hotels and on the Pissouri Beach have asked me and are still asking how such a monstrous construction - a demonstration of big money - found the approval of the respective authorities,” Koerner said. A spokesman for Anthimos Ioannou of Alpha Ioannou construction Ltd, which is based in Paphos and is responsible for the project, insisted that all the plans had been approved by the relevant authorities and that nothing illegal had taken place. The construction company wouldn’t confirm if they had received a letter from the district office ordering them to stop but said that work on the project is still underway. A local representative for the Russian owner also insisted that all permits as required by law were in place. “We haven’t done anything which isn’t legal,” said the representative who did

not want to be named. He added that the owner could build as many houses “as he wants” on the extra 17,000 m2 in front of the existing construction. “The house will be beautiful when it’s finished and I think he plans to make the rest of the land into a garden; I don’t think there are plans to build any more houses at the moment,” he said. The representative wouldn’t confirm that the house was up for sale despite it being listed on the property website According to the website, the plot for sale covers an area of 2200 m2 with the main villa covering 1400 metres. “The owner has already obviously lost interest in his palace because it is now for sale at a price of € 28 million - or maybe it was his objective from the beginning only to make more money,” said Koerner. “This building is grotesque and out of place here. It has totally ruined the entire area. I know suggestions were made to the Russian owner at the first stages that a building in context with the natural surroundings would be more appropriate,” said a British expat resident who wishes to remain unnamed. “But instead of building a more modest structure created out of locally sourced natural materials such as stone, he chose to build a hideous marble eyesore. The authorities should never have allowed this to happen. It’s a disgrace.”

3 SUNDAY MAIL • April 28, 2013

Home

DISY vote marred by locals protesting over bird activists Ballot boxes and papers are thrown in streets in Paralimni By Peter Stevenson TROUBLE struck during party elections for ruling DISY in Paralimni yesterday when angry members and other locals moved the voting boxes and threw ballot papers into the street to protest against campaigns to stop illegal poaching of songbirds, or ambelopoulia. The voting was taking place islandwide to elect three vicepresidents to the party, after new DISY leader, Averof Neophytou, and new deputy head Lefteris Christoforou were unchallenged for their new positions within the party. Neophytou and Christoforou headed for Paralimini after the trouble broke out. They attempted to ease tensions but were verbally abused by locals and DISY members. The protest was aimed at preventing people from voting after police and bird activists had recently stepped up campaigns to stop the illegal poaching of ambelopoulia in the area. The protesters said it was unthinkable that just anyone could enter their property and search for bird traps. They labelled the government a police state. Neophytou intervened and assured the angry locals that activists would stop their actions, with only police enforcing the anti-poaching laws from now on. This enabled the voting station to re-open,

although unlike the other stations which closed at 6pm, the Paralimni one closed at 8.30pm. Christoforou called on all DISY members to go and vote so the voting process would go smoothly. The voting process began at 9am and ended at 6pm at 77 different voting stations, four of which were in Athens, Thessaloniki, London and Manchester. The result was expected later yesterday evening. Fourteen candidates were vying for the three positions of vice-president of the party including MPs Stella Kyriakidou, Andreas Kyprianou, Costas Constantinou and Andreas Michaelides. Former party leader, President Nicos Anastasiades took part in the process, casting his vote early yesterday morning in Limassol. Speaking afterwards, Anastasiades said he believed that political life needed to modernise, that the government needed to become more creative and that all the political powers on the island needed to unite in facing the tough times ahead. “At some point people leave office and are replaced, deservedly so but what I wish is the continuing creative presence of DISY and its policies, both reflecting the confidence of the people to the party, and towards all the political powers,” he said.

THE LUXURY cruise ship the MS Europa stopped off at Kato Paphos yesterday at 8am, the fourth stop on its itinerary, after setting off from Dubai and passing through Abu Dhabi and Egypt’s Sharm El Sheik. The ship was due to leave Paphos at 4pm yesterday, destined for Rhodes and Symi before weighing anchor in Malta. The Europa’s 337 passengers had the opportunity to visit Paphos harbour and other sites. Paphos Mayor, Savvas Vergas said he would offer all possible assistance and services to visitors. The Europa is owned and operated by the German company Hapag-Lloyd. It is the fourth ship

to be named Europa in the company’s history. For twelve years in row, the MS Europa was awarded the title “best cruise ship in the world” by cruise experts Berlitz. The Europa was designed as a sleek, streamlined luxury cruise ship.It was one of the ﬁrst ships designed with the ABB Azipod propulsion system, implemented to reduce vibration towards the stern of the ship. Being designed as a luxury ship, all of the Europa’s cabins are described as suites. There are 204 suites and of those, 168 have their own private veranda with the largest suites measuring 915 square feet, and the smallest 291square feet.

Piraeus Bank sponsors free Easter parking PIRAEUS Bank will cover parking costs for municipality parking in Nicosia and Limassol over the holy week in an effort to revive the market. Executive Board Director and General Manager of Piraeus bank Cyprus Ltd George Appios said the slogan would be: ‘Now we will all go to the city centre’.“We are convinced this will help the market and give shops a signiﬁcant boost in both cities,” he said. Nicosia mayor, Constantinos Yiorkadjis: “This contribution will

support shops in the city centres, attract people to the cities where they can shop, attend church and have family outings. It will also help boost the market.” The deputy mayor of Limassol, Savvas Stouppas said Piraeus bank had given €15,000 to the municipalities to pay for the free parking. Municipality parking in Nicosia will be free at: D’Avila Moat, Tripolis, Kostantza, Phaneromeni underground parking, Solonos Street, Ledra Street multi-sto-

DAILY OFFER

DESSANGE PARIS

Velvet Skin 25’ with vanilla body scrub

€59

rey parking, Ariadnis, Mykonou, Costis Palamas, Podokataro, Grivas Dighenis, Ayios Antonios Market, Pentadaktylou, Municipal Swimming Pool, Simonidou Street and Alasias Street. In Limassol parking will be free at the four parking lots on the seaside road, the car park on Andrea Themistokleous street and the one on the corner of Ipirou and Kyriakou Oikonomou street. The scheme runs from tomorrow until May 5.

DAILY OFFER

DESSANGE PARIS

personal training 60’ with any massage

Dead sea 25’ scrub with any Massage 55’

€82

€67

Aroma massage for 2

Stone bath – body scrub – Aroma massage Day Spa 5 Aipias Street, Engomi Tel: +357 22464333

€85

Wellness Day Spa 1 Daliyianni Street, Lycavitos 1055 Nicosia Tel: +357 22460000

€90 Day Spa 5 Aipias Street, Engomi Tel: +357 22464333

Wellness Day Spa 1 Daliyianni Street, Lycavitos 1055 Nicosia Tel: +357 22460000

when you switch to Gan Direct All-in-One You Save €2,000 on Insurance, for a family with two children, two Cars and a four bedroom house with Family Medical cover based on the most popular plan in Cyprus. And with Gan Direct’s EasySwitch Service, we will take care of all the paperwork for you. Call 800 5 10 15 for more details on how you can save €2,000 per year. Notes: • Motor Cover based on Fully Comprehensive Insurance cover for two 1.6 litre cars, not more than ten years old • Property Cover based on Building and Contents Insurance cover of €250,000 • Medical Cover based on the most popular plan in Cyprus, family (2 adults, 2 dependants) inpatient and outpatient cover of €2,000,000 per year The acceptance of your proposal is subject to terms and conditions and we reserve the right to decline

4 April 28, 2013 • SUNDAY MAIL

Home CYPRUS TODAY

It’s not that Cyprus became squeaky clean, but that as a member

‘Dirty money’ just an excuse

Mugged A 52-YEAR-OLD man in Nicosia reported to police that at around 8.20pm on Friday he was attacked by two men who managed to rob him of €100,000 in cash and cheques. According to reports, the man had parked his car in the yard of his home when two men attacked him, spraying him in the face with a harmful substance and hitting him with an unknown object. They then opened the back door of the car and took his bag which contained €30,000 in cash and €70,000 in cheques. Nicosia CID is investigating the case.

Robbery A ROBBERY took place yesterday at around 5.10am at a bakery in Limassol when a masked man took €600 from the till, police said. A spokesman said the man was described as being between 25 and 30 years old, 1.80m in height, of thin build, wearing a sweatshirt and blue jeans. Limassol CID took evidence from the scene and is investigating.

Firecrackers POLICE confiscated 121 firecrackers, belonging to a 16-year-old boy, from the house where he lives in the village of Konia in the Paphos district on Friday. The teen was written up by police and released. Police are continuing their campaign in the runup to Easter to confiscate firecrackers in order to avoid severe injuries over the holiday period.

Cyprus is no better or worse than any other EU member state when it comes to money laundering, Frank says

(continued from front page) some degree with all 40+9 recommendations. It concluded that Cyprus adopted measures that comply with international standards and has a comprehensive legal framework in place which compares favourably with other EU and developed countries. In fact, the ratings assigned to Cyprus in relation to its compliance with the 40+9 FATF recommendations outranked most eurozone countries. Cyprus has been evaluated by Moneyval four times before last month’s evaluation, imposed by the Eurogroup, along with a private audit, as a precondition to signing a bailout agreement. In all previous four reports, Cyprus received an overall positive evaluation. The Basel AML Index, developed by the Basel Institute on Governance, uses a composite methodology, aggregating 15 variables from third party sources that deal with AML/ CTF regulations, financial standards, transparency and disclosure and political risks. Frank notes that the Basel AML Index assigns Cyprus a lower money laundering risk than the eurozone average and lower than EU countries like Germany, Luxembourg, Austria and the Netherlands. He also highlights the difficulty in correctly assessing countries’ compliance using current evaluation procedures, hinting at much deeper problems in the worldwide approach to fighting money laundering and terrorism in general. “To stop money laundering and transnational organised crime from further undermining the civil societies, the cur-

rent AML/CFT regulations must be urgently adjusted and improved,” he said. Taking Germany as an example, Frank noted that Germany’s 16 federated states (Lander) have requested the federal government take on the responsibilities of implementing the AML directive as they are not able to do so. Germany’s largest Lander, North Rhine-Westphalia with a population of 18 million, has clearly acknowledged that its’ ofﬁces of public order will not be able to oversee AML measures in the non-ﬁnancial sector of the federated state.

LOBBYING Frank also notes that on October 22, 2012, Italy’s antimafia prosecutor Dr Roberto Scarpinato was asked to speak at a public hearing of the Bundestag Finance Committee where he testified that “for international crime syndicates and Italy’s mafia, Germany is one of the most important countries for their money laundering operations”. A staunch supporter of the EU project, Frank has over the years lobbied and pressured the German government to ensure full implementation of the EU’s AML directive, even getting a mention in German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaueble’s official biography for his efforts. Frank knew him when he was Interior Minister, and responsible for the AML framework, before it was passed on to the German Finance Ministry. Frank also shared correspondence with Schaueble’s underling Gerhard Schindler at the time, who incidentally,

was later promoted to head of the German intelligence agency BND. In the run-up to the Eurogroup’s fateful decision last month to impose massive losses on depositors of the island’s two biggest banks in exchange for a €10 billion loan, the German media and lawmakers embarked on a consistent campaign to point the finger at money laundering activities on the island. In November, 2012, Germany’s Der Spiegel cited a BND 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”. In January, 2013, the same publication wrote: “Several dozen oligarchs and financial sharks have set up offshore companies in Cyprus, where they can protect their assets, at very favourable tax rates, from the Kremlin-controlled Russian justice system,” and listed all Russian magnates with interests in Cyprus. According to the BND report, attorneys and trustees in Cyprus have specialised in financial services, some of which “are used to conceal money earned illegally”, Spiegel said. Schaueble and Bundestag MPs threatened at the time to veto a Cyprus bailout deal over money laundering concerns and applied heavy pressure on Cyprus to accept an independent audit on its AML framework. “Can you imagine what Germany would say if Cyprus demanded the same?” asked Frank. The AML consultant argued that Cyprus is obliged to abide

ELECTRICITY AUTHORITY OF CYPRUS Interruption of Supply The Electricity Authority of Cyprus announces that electricity supply will be interrupted between 08:00 to 14:00 on Tuesday 30th of April 2013 in the following areas: Chandria (part of), Dymes, Potamitissa, Agridia, Agros, Agios Theodoros, Agios Ioannis Agrou, Kato Milos, Zoopigi water-pumps SINCE IT IS NOT CERTAIN THAT THE ELECTRICITY SUPPLY WILL BE INTERRUPTED THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE OF THE PERIOD STATED, INSTALLATIONS IN ALL PREMISES MUST BE REGARDED AS BEING “ALIVE” DURING THESE HOURS. We regret any inconvenience which may be caused by the interruption of supply, but this is necessary due to work on the high voltage system.

5 SUNDAY MAIL • April 28, 2013

Home

of the EU, it had to act within a framework of certain rules and standards by the “hard” law provisions of the EU’s AML directive. The Commission, as the “guardian of the treaty”, is responsible for ensuring that EU law is correctly applied. When the Commission, as a troika member, supported the demand for an independent audit by a private company, it not only broke EU law but also destroyed its foundation, said Frank. “Why should the member states comply with EU law when the Commission conﬁrms that it is unable to fulﬁl its obligations in accordance with the treaties on European Union?” For most Cypriots, the allegations were taken half-seriously, as most were under the impression Cyprus had improved its act after EU accession. To most members of the public, Cyprus was no longer tainted by the serious allegations levelled against it in the 1990s of UN sanctions violations connected to bagfuls of money being sent to Cyprus by former Serbian leader Slobodan Milosovic. It’s not that Cyprus became squeaky clean, but that as a member of the EU, it had to act within a framework of certain rules and standards, meaning any possible AML violations could only go so far before the Commission would come along and take Cyprus to court for non-implementation. However, failure to heed the warning signs proved most costly for the average Cypriot who operated their

business accounts, deposited their savings or put away their pension/provident funds in seemingly safe places, like the island’s biggest and most systemic banks. In 2012, the two banks, Laiki and Bank of Cyprus, had suffered massive losses from the EU-imposed haircut on Greek sovereign bonds, to which they were disproportionately exposed. They desperately needed bailing out, but the government was in no position to help, leading the country to request a eurozone bailout. Various polls showed that the majority of Cypriots were in favour of signing a memorandum with the hydra-headed troika, and swallowing the austerity measures that this would entail, in exchange for a bailout of the systemic banks. What they didn’t expect was for Cyprus to be used as an experiment, or as President Nicos Anastasiades put it, a “guinea-pig” for the Eurogroup to send out a clear message that EU taxpayers will no longer foot the bill for the mistakes of eurozone banks, and even sovereigns. Schaueble made it clear after March 25, 2013, that Cyprus was dealt with successfully. The German and IMF-inspired precondition that Cyprus does not inﬂate its public debt was met by using depositors’ money for most of the ‘rescue package’. This was morally justiﬁed, according to Schaueble, because those who were responsible

German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaueble (above) mentions Frank’s efforts against money laundering in his own ofﬁcial biography for the crisis have been made to pay for it. In the process, through its handling of the Cyprus debacle, the EU sent a host of other messages to the European public that, put simply, are almost Orwellian in nature: If you are a prudent saver, as

opposed to a reckless spender, you are liable to be punished and whatever money is not taken from you will be frozen indeﬁnitely in your account. If you fail to live within your means and have loans taken out with the bank, your savings will be spared from a hair-

cut. And equally controversial, if you choose to put your money in a bank which happens to offer high-interest rates on certain deposits, you are liable to be punished. Unless, of course, the offending party happens to be the University of Cyprus, a local authority or the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (which employed the services of Laiki to run its operations), in which case you are entitled to a ‘get out of jail’ card. On April 18, the Bundestag overwhelmingly voted in favour of the Cyprus bailout, while the debate on money laundering was completely sidelined. “The money laundering accusations were used to serve as justiﬁcation for the Eurogroup’s extraordinary demand for a depositors’ haircut, disregarding that many of the expropriated depositors earned or received their deposits from legal sources,” said Frank. To prevent the creation of conspiracy theories, the results of an “unsparing and transparent” AML/CFT probe has to be published without omissions, he said. “To prove that Cyprus was not discriminated or misused to set an example, the inquiry’s results have to be evaluated in the context and comparison with the AML status in the other EU member states which have to comply with the EU Money Laundering Directive.” The German consultant

was quick to add that US investigations have shown that some Cypriot banks have been involved in money laundering operations for Russian organised crime. But they are not alone. “Many large international banks, some of them operating from the EU, have recently been ensnared in money laundering/ﬁnancing terrorism cases.” According to the US authorities, HSBC and Standard Chartered laundered billions of dollars for their customers ranging from drug syndicates to failed states while German banks like HSH Nordbank, Commerzbank and Deutsche Bank have also been sanctioned by US authorities for AML related failures, he said. As for Cyprus, the Moneyval/ Deloitte reports were submitted to the troika last Wednesday. It remains to be seen whether they will be published in full, what their conclusions are, and whether Moneyval will reverse the positive evaluations of its last four reports on Cyprus, the most recent being one and a half years ago. If it ﬁnds serious violations of the EU’s AML directive in Cyprus, then Frank believes there are legal grounds to sue the Commission over its failure to ensure enforcement of EU law. If not, how will the EU make amends after forcing Cyprus to swallow a gutwrenching pill before even completing the diagnosis, he asks.

6 April 28, 2013 • SUNDAY MAIL

Home

Church proactive in a crisis Over 2,000 families in Nicosia alone are now receiving free food from the church each month By Alexia Saoulli IVE YEARS ago, hunger linked to poverty was virtually unheard of in Cyprus. Today, over 2,000 families living in the 40 parishes under the Archbishopric of Nicosia, alone, would go hungry each month if it weren’t for the Archbishopric’s community grocery. Set up in May last year, by Archbishop Chrysostomos II, the community grocery went from feeding 500 families 11 months ago, to over 2,000 families today. Monthly the grocery supplies each family with pasta, bulgur wheat, cereals, orzo, UHT milk, corned beef, canned chopped tomatoes, ﬂour, sugar, rice, lentils and haricot beans. Every two to three months, each family receives a litre of cooking oil, and at Christmas and Easter, two kilos of meat. The Archbishopric foots the bill for the foodstuffs, which are then distributed by each parish priest to each family for free. This month the order cost the Archbishopric €80,000. “The grocery started last Easter when the Archbishop learned from talking to several priests that there was a problem in their parishes. We started with 500 families and then by June the number of families [in need of food] went up to 600. Every month this number goes up,” said Panayiotis Panayiotou, who oversees the overall management of the grocery. “Since the crisis began [March 16] we have had another 400 permanent families added [to the monthly list] and we also supplied food to about 80 families and pensioners who didn’t have credit cards and couldn’t access any cash from the ATMs when the banks were closed,” he said. Panayiotou said the grocery also supplied food to around 200 families in parishes in the Metropolis of Morphou and Kyrenia and Trimithoundos, as they did not have their own community grocery. Panayiotou said the parishes supplied food to any family in need, regardless of race, creed or colour. “We have been accused of a lot of things lately but they are untrue. The Archbishop has made it clear to all the priests in the parish that the community grocery is for any family in need. The families just have to go to their [Orthodox] parish priest asking to be put on the monthly list for foodstuff supplies,” he said. Panayiotou said the family would have to explain their circumstances and why they needed to be put on the list and that the priest would then inform the Archbishopric, which would then increase its food orders for the following month. “The Archbishop knows that we are a proud people and he has told all his priests that they have to go knocking on people’s doors in all their parishes and to see who is in need. There are some families that are going hungry and they are too ashamed to admit it. The Archbishop wants to reach out to those families,” he said. The 33-year-old, who is employed by the Archbishopric, is responsible for the monthly foodstuff orders and ensuring the deliveries arrive on time so that they can be distributed to the families. Panayiotou is clearly under a lot of pressure to deliver each month and becomes visibly and audibly agitated when he has to stop the interview to take a call from one of his suppliers who informs him that the oil he promised to deliver, is actually going to be a week late. This information is not good enough for Panayiotou, who has promised the families the Archbishopric feeds they will be receiving oil with their next delivery.

Mamas Papapetrou (above) is in charge of the day-to-day running of the grocery where food is piled up and made ready for distribution

A delivery of haricot beans is made to the storeroom near the Archbishopric. Panayiotis Panayiotou (right) discusses an order “You told me you would have it delivered on time. You’re going to expose the Archbishop,” he shouts down the phone, pacing up and down the courtyard of the traditional Cypriot house where the grocery is located. The grocery receives its ﬁrst deliveries by 6.30am and by 8.30am the place is a hive of activity. The day-to-day running of the grocery is managed by Mamas Papapetrou, who is also employed as a restorer of Byzantine antiquities at the Archbishopric. Together, volunteers, Archbishopric staff and delivery men ofﬂoad boxes upon boxes of foodstuffs. The items are sorted and stacked in rows where they will remain until they are collected by each parish priest each month. The families then go to the parish priest and take delivery of their food items, while the 200 families in the other Metropolises that the community grocery supplies, collect their foodstuffs directly from the community grocery. Panayiotou said the grocery had also received a lot of supplies from the Cyprus Aid concert which it would be distributing to families, including baby food and nappies. Food companies also donated foodstuffs near their sell by date which the Archbishopric undertook to distribute, he said. Papapetrou, aged 50 and himself a Kyrenia refugee, admitted that he could never have imagined the hardship people were suffer-

‘There are some families that are going hungry and they are too ashamed to admit it’ ing in Cyprus and the number of families in need of food. He said the majority of families had no income because both parents were unemployed or one was unemployed and the other suffered ill health. “It’s getting worse every month. There was a woman who came to us once and she was homeless. She told me that she hadn’t slept in a bed for eight days and that she went to the hospital saying she was sick in the hope that they would admit her and that she could sleep in a bed for a few hours,” said Papapetrou. Turns out the woman not only got a bed to lie down in, but she was also diagnosed with pneumonia, he added. Papapetrou said things were worse than 1974.

“At least then you could go abroad and find work as a labourer to feed your family. Now, even abroad it’s hard to find work, with employers preferring to find cheap labour elsewhere,” he said. “If you’re a professional or a manager, it’s easier to find work, but for simple, working class people it is much harder now,” he said. But the Archbishopric did not only feed families, added Panayiotou. Since November 2012 it collaborated with school boards and supplied a sandwich and fruit juice to 1,500 pupils from primary to lyceum school level whose parents could no longer afford to give them money to buy a snack at break time, he said. Only the school board and canteen knew the names of the students and the Archbishopric merely supplied the funds. The students in question then went to their school canteen counter and were given their sandwich like any other student without being singled out in any way, said Panayiotou. Panayiotou admitted that this, as well as the community grocery, was a costly project the Archbishop had undertaken but that it would continue indefinitely, as long as people were going hungry. “Imagine how bad things have become if a parent doesn’t even have €2 anymore to give their child to buy something to eat a school,” he said, before he was off taking more calls from suppliers and ensuring the deliveries arrived on time.

7 SUNDAY MAIL • April 28, 2013

Home

Four arrested as Bangladesh collapsed building toll rising Building’s owner is still on the run By Serajul Quadir and Ruma Paul TWO factory bosses and two engineers were arrested in Bangladesh yesterday, three days after the collapse of a building where low-cost garments were made for Western brands, as the death toll rose to 341 but many were still being found alive. As many as 900 people could still be missing, police said. The owner of the eightstorey building that fell like a pack of cards around more than 3,000 workers was still on the run. Police said several of his relatives were detained to compel him to hand himself in, and an alert had gone out to airport and border authorities to prevent him from ﬂeeing the country. Ofﬁcials said Rana Plaza, on the outskirts of the capital, Dhaka, had been built without the correct permits, and the workers were allowed in on Wednesday despite warnings the previous day that it was structur-

Garment workers help evacuate a survivor from the rubble using lengths of textile as a slide (AFP) ally unsafe. Two engineers involved in building the complex were also arrested at their homes early yesterday, Dhaka district police chief Habibur Rahman said. He said they were arrested for dismissing a warning not to open the building after a jolt was felt and cracks were noticed on some pillars the previous day. The owner and managing director of the largest of the

five factories in the complex, New Wave Style, surrendered to the country’s garment industry association during the night and they were handed over to police. The factory, which listed many European and North American retailers as its customers, occupied upper floors of the building that officials said had been added illegally. “Everyone involved - including the designer, engineer, and builders - will be arrested for putting up this defective building,” said junior internal affairs minister Shamsul Huq. An alliance of leftist parties which is part of the ruling coalition said it would call a national strike on May 2 if all those responsible for the disaster were not arrested by today. Rahman identified the owner of the building as Mohammed Sohel Rana, a leader of the ruling Awami League’s youth front. “People are asking for his head, which is quite natural,” said H.T. Imam, an adviser to the prime minister. Wednesday’s collapse was the third major industrial incident in five months in Bangladesh, the second-largest exporter of garments in the world. In November, a fire at the Tazreen Fashion factory nearby killed 112 people.

Reduction of Basic Interest Rates by 0,5% A series of measures for supporting our clients

Within the framework of the measures for supporting its clients (both individuals and businesses), Bank of Cyprus announces that the Basic Interest Rates are reduced by 0,5%, effective from 1/5/2013. The Basic Interest Rates are set as follows: Interest Rate Basic Interest Rate – Bank of Cyprus and former Popular Bank

5,25%

Basic Interest Rate – Bank of Cyprus Mortgage Loans

3,50%

Basic Interest Rate – Bank of Cyprus Business Loans

4,25%

The above mentioned reductions affect all loans / current accounts linked to the basic interest rates of the Bank of Cyprus and the former Popular Bank.

Nicosia, 26 April 2013

8 April 28, 2013 • SUNDAY MAIL

World

Fresh Slovenian protests over bailout apprehension Thousands take to the streets against graft

Similar protests helped bring down the previous conservative government

By Marja Novak AROUND 2,500 anti-corruption protesters gathered in the centre of the Slovenian capital Ljubljana yesterday, the ﬁrst such demonstrations since the centre-left government of Prime Minister Alenka Bratusek took power on March 20. Similar protests helped bring down the previous conservative government of Janez Jansa, which lost a majority in parliament in January over a corruption scandal, although those involved crowds of up to 20,000 people. Many on the streets yesterday hoped Slovenia could

avoid a Cyprus-style bailout, seen as a risk with the country’s three biggest banks, in which the state has large stakes, nursing most of the 7 billion of euros of bad loans in the lending sector. “Power to the people” and “Let’s ﬁre the troika, not the people” read banners held

aloft by protesters blowing whistles. “I am here because I believe we have to get rid of anyone who has held high political ofﬁce during the last 20 years,” said Damijan Sencar, a 51-year old electrical engineer. “The political elite here is corrupt.”

“I fear that things will get even worse in Slovenia if the troika comes, but I hope that can still be avoided,” he added, referring to EU/IMF bodies involved in last month’s chaotic bailout of Cyprus. The new centre-left government plans tax increases and more public sector wage cuts

in order to further reduce the budget deficit, which reached 4 per cent of GDP last year, down from 6.4 percent in 2011. The government is also planning to establish by June a special bank which will take over most bad loans burdening the ailing banking sector - at the heart of concerns Slovenia could be the next euro zone member in need of financial rescue. The small Alpine state of two million people was badly hit by the global financial crisis due to its dependency on exports, and fell into recession again last year amid lower export demand and a fall in domestic spending caused by budget cuts. Unemployment stands at a 14-year high and is expected to rise further by the end of the year. The government this week held non-deal fundraising road shows in the main global financial centres, although Finance Minister Uros Cufer told Reuters last month the country had sufficient liquidity to postpone a bond issue until the autumn.

787 in first flight since grounding American detainee trial A BOEING 787 operated by Ethiopian Airlines flew from Ethiopia to Kenya’s capital yesterday, the first commercial flight since air safety authorities grounded the Dreamliners after incidents with smouldering batteries on two different planes in January. The Boeing 787 passenger jet arrived at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport yesterday afternoon after a twohour trip from Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, according to the Kenya airport website. The US Federal Aviation Administration has approved Boeing’s redesigned battery system, which the company says sharply reduces the risk of fire. Richard J. Horigan, a Boeing engineer,

told reporters in Nairobi this week that all potential causes of battery fire have been eliminated with the new system. But he noted that the root cause of smouldering batteries experienced by the two different 787s may never be known because the evidence was destroyed by heat. There are 50 Dreamliners in service around the world. Once the FAA approves the fix on individual planes, airlines can start flying them again. United Airlines, the only US airline with the planes, moved one of its six 787s to a Boeing facility in San Antonio, Texas, on Tuesday so it can get the battery fixed. Neither of the battery incidents involved a United jet. Boeing said Wednesday that deliveries of the 787 should resume in early May.

The Senior School

“Senior School Sports’ Day”

“the informed choice for secondary education”

The Senior School is the secondary section of the Junior School and offers a world class private education based on the English National Curriculum. Examination results are outstanding and excellent pastoral care ensures each child achieves his or her full potential in a caring and nurturing environment.

The Senior School is now offering Academic Scholarships and discounts for special groups. Third child receives 50% discount and new students receive €1,000 reduction on the first year’s fees. Please contact the School for further details. THE SENIOR SCHOOL 12 Lohagou Kapota, Strovolos, 2057 Nicosia, Tel: 2266 0156, Fax: 2266 6617 E: contact@theseniorschool.com Web: www.theseniorschool.com

NORTH Korea said yesterday it will soon put a detained American on trial for allegedly trying to overthrow the government. The announcement further complicates the already fraught relations between Pyongyang and Washington. The indictment of Kenneth Bae comes in the middle of something of a lull after weeks of threats by North Korea against the US and South Korea. It has expressed rage over UN sanctions over a February nuclear test and ongoing US-South Korean military drills, though analysts say Pyongyang’s motive is to get its Korean War enemies to negotiate on its own terms. Bae, identiﬁed in North Korean state media by his Korean name, Pae Jun Ho, is a tour operator of Korean descent who was arrested after arriving with a tour on November 3 in Rason, a special economic zone bordering China and Russia. He is the sixth Ameri-

WORLD TODAY Unity talks PALESTINIAN President Mahmoud Abbas said yesterday he would begin talks with rival factions including Islamist Hamas to form a unity government, a crucial step towards healing years of damaging internal divisions. But, underscoring the chasm between Abbas’s Fatah movement and Hamas, Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said Abbas had not consulted his group about his move and the Islamists had only heard about it in media reports. Hamas and Westernbacked Abbas, who heads the more secular Fatah that holds sway in selfrule areas of the Israelioccupied West Bank, have been at loggerheads since Hamas seized the Gaza Strip in a brief civil war in 2007. Past unity attempts have foundered because Hamas and Fatah have been unable to agree a joint agenda, above all on how to handle the conﬂict with Israel. Hamas is committed to Israel’s destruction while Fatah supports a negotiated solution providing for a Palestinian state co-existing alongside Israel.

Bank details target

US marines participate in a US-South Korea joint landing operation drill can detained in North Korea since 2009. The other Americans were eventually deported or released after high-proﬁle diplomatic interventions, some involving former Presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter. Analysts say the North will probably hand Bae a harsh punishment to use him as a bargaining chip in possible negotiations with the US.

AUSTRIA aims to agree within weeks to give other European Union countries access to foreigners’ bank account details, Chancellor Werner Faymann said yesterday, allowing the bloc to begin talks over bank secrecy with non-EU states such as Switzerland. Faymann said he hoped for a deal before a May 22 EU summit that will discuss ways to curb tax dodging that costs members about 1 trillion euros ($1.30 trillion) a year in lost income. EU leaders have pushed Austria for a deal before the meeting. “We want to achieve a result for an exchange of data in the interest of ﬁghting fraud in Europe,” Faymann said in an interview aired by broadcaster ORF, playing down the potential impact of data swaps on Austria’s banking sector.

EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN ORTHOPEDIC UNIT (www.emoucyprus.com) is pleased to announce that DR GAVRIEL MOZES (minimally invasive shoulder surgery) (from the Institute of Advanced Orthopedics, Assuta Hospital, Tel Aviv)

is now receiving patients at the American Medical Center (American Heart Institute) Nicosia. For appointments or further information call AMC 22476777 or email info@amc.com.cy

9 SUNDAY MAIL • April 28, 2013

World

A Jordanian demonstrator holds a banner as others wave their national ﬂag during a protest in the capital Amman against an American troop deployment in Jordan in connection with the war in neighbouring Syria on Friday (AFP)

US in no rush to intervene in Syria Obama talks tough but takes cautious line By Matt Spetalnick and Jeff Mason PRESIDENT Barack Obama has warned Syria that its use of chemical weapons would be a “game changer” for the United States but made clear he was in no rush to intervene in the civil war there on the basis of evidence he said was still preliminary. Speaking a day after the disclosure of US intelligence that Syria had likely used chemical weapons against its own people, Obama talked tough while calling for patience as he sought to fend off pressure for a swift response against Syrian President Bashar alAssad. “Horriﬁc as it is when mortars are being ﬁred on civilians and people are being indiscriminately killed, to use potential weapons of mass destruction on civilian populations crosses another line

with respect to international norms and international law,” Obama told reporters at the White House as he began talks with Jordan’s King Abdullah. “That is going to be a game changer,” he said. But Obama stopped short of declaring that Assad had crossed “a red line” and described the US intelligence evaluations as “a preliminary assessment.” While some more hawkish lawmakers have called for a US military response and for the arming of anti-Assad rebels, several congressional voices urged a calmer approach after Secretary of State John Kerry briefed them. “This is not Libya,” said Nancy Pelosi, the senior Democrat in the House of Representatives, referring to the relative ease with which a NATO bombing campaign helped overthrow Muammar Gaddaﬁ in 2011. “The Syrians have anti-aircraft capability that makes going in there much more challenging.”

US officials said on Thursday the intelligence community believes with varying degrees of confidence that Assad’s forces used the nerve agent sarin on a small scale against rebel fighters. Obama had warned earlier that deployment of chemical weapons by the Syrian government would trigger unspecified consequences, widely interpreted to include possible US military action. Aides have insisted that the Democratic president will need all the facts before deciding on action, making clear it is mindful of the lessons of the start of the Iraq war more than a decade ago. Then, the Republican administration of President George W. Bush used inaccurate intelligence to justify the invasion of Iraq in pursuit of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons that turned out not to exist. Syria denies using chemical weapons in the two-year-old conflict.

š 7HPSRUDU\ VXVSHQVLRQ RI FKDUJHV š $GMXVWPHQW RI SD\PHQWV $ VHULHV RI PHDVXUHV IRU WKH DFWLYH VXSSRUW RI RXU FOLHQWV

Within the framework of the measures aiming at actively supporting its clients, Bank of Cyprus has initiated the suspension of charges for 75 days, from April, 16th until June, 30th, 2013. Zero charges for the following: š /RDQ $UUHDUV š &XUUHQW $FFRXQW XQDXWKRULVHG H[FHVVHV š 5HWXUQHG FKHTXHV š $XWKRULVHG WHPSRUDU\ FXUUHQW DFFRXQW OLPLW All the above measures concern all clients of Bank of Cyprus, including those of the former Popular Bank. At the same time, you should contact your Customer Service Officer in order to consider possible DGMXVWPHQW RI \RXU SD\PHQWV, based on your new ﬁnancial status.

For more information call 80000800 or visit our site ZZZ EDQNRIF\SUXV FRP F\

10 April 28, 2013 • SUNDAY MAIL

World

News organisations are increasingly reliant on Twitter for gathering and spreading news, but fake tweets and misinformation is bringing in to question its real value

Truth and consequences By Gerry Shih

OES Twitter have a credibility problem? For many, a single fake tweet from the Associated Press account that briefly roiled financial markets on Tuesday, driving the Dow Jones industrial average down about 145 points, vividly reaffirmed the fearsome, near-instantaneous power of the 140-character message. But the security lapse also revived doubts about Twitter’s place in the media landscape - and its ultimate value - at a moment when its status as one of today’s essential information networks had seemed all but cemented. Just a week after social media networks took criticism for helping circulate misinformation about the alleged perpetrators of the Boston Marathon bombing, Twitter’s security shortcomings fell under a harsh spotlight on Tuesday after a hacker group commandeered the AP Twitter account and falsely reported that explosions in the White House had injured President Barack Obama. The AP was only the latest hacking victim in recent days after Twitter accounts belonging to National Public Radio, CBS 60 Minutes and others were breached. Last year, Reuters News was the victim of hackers who briefly took over one of its Twitter accounts and posted false tweets. The latest hack was by far the most significant: the single AP tweet stunned investors and effectively wiped out $136.5 billion of the S&P 500 index’s value in a matter of minutes. Although the news agency later disclosed that one of its employees may have inadvertently given away company passwords as the result of a “phishing” attack by the hackers, security experts quickly faulted Twitter for its longstanding failure to implement two-factor authentication, a double-layered password feature used by the likes of Google Inc and Microsoft Inc that might have prevented the spate of high-

proﬁle Twitter hijackings. “It’s one of those cases that we are seeing too often. It’s getting unnerving,” said Robert Quigley, a journalism lecturer specialising in social media at the University of Texas. “What media organisations need to do is pressure Twitter to have a more secure website.” Twitter declined to comment for this article. The company has also repeatedly declined to discuss its product roadmap, although it has signalled that it will soon unveil two-factor authentication, including a public job posting in February that suggested it was hiring to tackle the problem.

Twitter has touted itself as a critical newswire

SECURITY Mark Risher, the founder of a security consultancy that counts social media companies Pinterest and Tumblr among its clients, said introducing more measures like two-factor authentication would make Twitter more cumbersome to use and potentially slow its user growth - a critical concern for a company that relies on advertising revenues. But he warned that a prolonged rash of high-proﬁle hacks, and an eroding sense of user trust, would hurt Twitter more. “There’s always a tradeoff between convenience and safety,” Risher said. “But a security issue damages Twitter’s brand.” For Twitter, the hacking has raised questions about its credibility just as it is beginning to assume a central role in a fast-changing media landscape, with the volume of tweets rising to more than 400 million a day. Earlier this month, the Securities and Exchange Commission ruled that US companies may report material information such as quarterly results on Twitter, as long as investors are alerted in advance. Days later, Bloomberg LP said it would funnel Twitter directly into its terminals used by thousands of traders on Wall Street. At the same time, the world’s leading news organisations and Twitter, which has 200 million us-

ers around the world, have become increasingly intertwined in a symbiotic, if sometimes troublesome, relationship. Dan Gillmor, a journalism professor at Arizona State University, said the hacks have especially hurt news outlets because their Twitter accounts are often the primary way that their news reaches consumers who may not subscribe to a newspaper or have access to a newswire. Twitter has touted itself as a critical newswire of sorts, such as during the 2011 tsunami in Japan, when it helped emergency re-

sponders locate survivors, or when it became a vital lifeline for some New Yorkers as television sets fell dark during Hurricane Sandy last year.

CREDIBILITY But last week, in the wake of the Boston bombings, some of those who previously viewed Twitter as an indispensable news source began turning against the service upon discovering that the wisdom of crowds is, in fact, an adage not often applicable on the Internet. Steve Brunetto, a senior execu-

tive at Edgewave, a network security company, said Tuesday’s hacking undermined Twitter at a sensitive time. “On the heels of the Boston Marathon bombing, everyone’s trying to figure out, ‘Okay, where does Twitter fit into that news cycle? Where does Twitter fit into disseminating information?’” Brunetto said. “They’ve got an opportunity to legitimise themselves as a real player in that information life cycle but they get knocked down a peg every time somebody says, ‘Oh, you can’t believe what you read on Twitter.’”

Are you a cyberloafer? By Joshi Herrmann HOW much of the time your company paid you to work today did you waste on the internet? Ten per cent? Twenty per cent? Half? Or did you, in fact, spend longer wasting time on the internet than you did working? Most employees probably don’t give much thought to the question, but increasingly it seems their bosses do. “Cyberloaﬁng” - deﬁned as indulging in internet-based activities that have no relevance to one’s job - is the word interesting London’s managers at the moment, and it promises to wreak havoc with the hours you spend social networking, reading celebrity gossip and watching cute YouTube clips. A study by US academics published earlier this year found that of the time work-

ers spend on the internet during their working day, between 60 and 80 per cent is on sites that have nothing to do with their job. Its authors, Joseph Ugrin of Kansas State University and John Pearson of Southern Illinois University, concluded that only publicly humiliating the worst offenders will stop people wasting time online. The report elicited a frank admission from Financial Times columnist Lucy Kellaway, who confesses: “I ﬁnd the temptation to waste time online is so great that it swamps everything else. It feeds almost every need I have.” She says she was even distracted from reading Ugrin and Pearson’s report by a gallery of “ships with rude names”, which had been tweeted by a colleague (a cyberloaﬁng pro, by the sound of it). To discover whether I am a cyberloafer ( some people

say “cyberslacker”) I registered with RescueTime (rescuetime.com), which tracks the programmes, browsers and sites your computer is visiting and uses that information to work out how productive you are. The programme also measures the time you aren’t using your computer by asking what category of activity you have been doing if you haven’t touched the keypad or mouse for a few minutes. After it had observed me like an overbearing management consultant for a few weeks, it concluded that my average productivity was 72 per cent. Apparently I usually spend 17 per cent of my time each day writing articles, 15 per cent reading and writing emails, and the other 40 per cent either away from my computer taking calls or in meetings, using work programmes on my desktop,

or browsing “productive” websites. RescueTime can’t break down exactly what percentage of our internet usage is deemed productive unless you tell it which sites you deem to be productive, neutral or distracting to your work. It found three per cent of my working day is spent on Gmail (which I tend not to use for my job) and just under one per cent on Facebook and the same on Wikipedia. All of which makes me 15 per cent more efficient than the average RescueTime user, who clocks in an average efficiency of just 57 per cent. The programme says I am least productive on Wednesday and Thursday and at my best on Monday. Noticeably, on the days when I checked my efficiency regularly, it shot up towards close to 80 per cent. Bosses take note: selfmonitoring may well be the

Be warned: clever new software can tell whether you are a net skiver or net striver at work simple answer to internet skiving. Graham Alcott, a productivity consultant and author of How to be a Productivity Ninja, says bosses are waking up to online time-wasting but thinks banning sites like Facebook can backﬁre. “I think it often works much

better if people feel a sense of autonomy,” he says. “If you start banning certain sites, you are treating people like children and they may not respond well to that.” He says he has a self imposed blocker on Facebook between 9am and 6pm during the week.

11 SUNDAY MAIL • April 28, 2013

News Review Guinea pig CYPRUS has been an unwilling guineapig for a possible policy of enforcing a haircut on banks’ deposits, President Nicos Anastasiades told his European Union partners on Monday. He was speaking at the Nicosia-based conference of EU parliament speakers in the presence of members of the European Parliament, which comprises of voted representatives from all 27 member states. Anastasiades conceded there was “reckless management by the banks affected” and lax supervision of the banking system, but he said that Cyprus’ treatment took place “irrespective” of those facts.

Popular artist Alkistis Protopsalti performs at a beneﬁt concert in Limassol on Thursday night

Haircuts AUTHORITIES have reduced the number of exemptions from a deposit haircut at the Bank of Cyprus (BoC) and the old Laiki Bank in a bid to cut the losses of uninsured depositors. The haircut on deposits over €100,000 had been imposed by the Eurogroup as a way of recapitalising the stricken lender. Depositors will receive equity in exchange for their loss. Authorities had initially exempted various entities from the haircut but have been forced to rethink after it became obvious that it would increase the losses on depositors. Several previously exempted categories will now incur a 27.5 per cent loss on deposits over €100,000. These include charities licenced by the ﬁnance ministry and private schools registered with the education ministry. Insurance companies are also no longer exempt.

Poor EAC THE electricity company (EAC) warned on Monday that its operation could be jeopardised by dwindling revenues this year due to a reduction in demand and cuts in electricity bills. EAC chairman Charalambos Tsouris told lawmakers that a €37 million surplus forecast for 2013 would not cover the losses in revenue caused by the recession that was expected to deepen. The EAC had expected €1.95 billion in revenues this year. However, demand for electricity was down 17 per cent, Tsouris said, which translated into a net loss of €40 million for the EAC. The company’s revenues will also be affected by a recent cut in bills, which it could not really afford.

Work schemes UP TO 8,000 unemployed people could ﬁnd a job via three government schemes aiming to “aggressively” reduce the jobless rate, the labour minister said on Monday. Most of them are due to be employed by hotels choosing to participate in a subsidised wage scheme for long-term residents, Labour Minister

Austerity outrage voiced An inquiry probing the causes behind the economic debacle is but a thinlydisguised political witch hunt, opposition AKEL charged on Monday

Zeta Emilianidou told the House Labour Committee. She was brieﬁng deputies on her ministry’s role in economy-supporting measures announced last Friday by President Nicos Anastasiades. “Our latest data show that there are about 60,000 registered unemployed people in Cyprus,” Emilianidou said.

Blame game AN INQUIRY probing the causes behind the economic debacle is but a thinly-disguised political witch hunt, opposition AKEL charged on Monday. Party leader Andros Kyprianou hinted the committee of inquiry is in reality a vehicle for the DISY government to lay the blame on the previous AKEL administration. Arguing that the panel’s mandate is too broad and vague, Kyprianou voiced concern that it would end up criminalising politics. This, he cautioned, would prove “disastrous” for political life in Cyprus.

Full steam PRELIMINARY designs for an energy

QUOTES OF THE WEEK “Cyprus was treated ated as an experimental guinea–pig nea–pig for testing the economic omic theory of enforcing a haircut on bank deposits and nd the consequent reperrcussions which were to follow” President Nicos Anastasiades “One should not be prosecuted for their political positions orr views. Should they ey open this Pandora’s Box, then it will become possible for any previous government to be persecuted by the next government for its political decisions” AKEL leader An-dros Kyprianou

clear that AKEL is wor“It’s cle that the investigation ried tha show up the huge reshall sh sponsibilities of the Christoﬁsponsi as admi administration for the sorry state of the economy. sta Talk of criminalising T political life is nothing p more than a pretext” European Party spokesman Michalis Giorgallas “It appears there is corruption, without wishing r to taint all land registry employees. On the other emp hand, han there are these exceptions where civil servcep ants appear to have been frequently putting their freq hands hand in the honey jar” Interior Minister SocraInte Hasikos tes H “Our semi-occupied country sem people who are strong needs pe durable, with principles, and dura and objectives” values an Minister Fotis Fotiou Defence M

“There are whole areas in Limassol, Nicosia and Larnaca where houses worth millions of euros are built, which do not have a building permit at the moment and are considered plots and ﬁelds” Government spokesman Christos Stylianides “Cyprus has many communities. Not just the long-established, historic communities but also newer communities of people who have come to the island seeking work, education or, indeed, a peaceful retirement. And not just communities deﬁned alongside ethnic, religious and linguistic lines but also communities made up of people of different backgrounds who are bound together by shared concerns or interests” Georgios Markopouliotis, head of the European Commission Representation in Cyprus

centre at Vasilikos are nearing completion, an energy ofﬁcial said during the week. Solon Kasinis, executive director with the Cyprus National Hydrocarbons Company (CNHC), told the state broadcaster that studies on the centre’s technical speciﬁcations should be ready by next month. The government is meanwhile looking for a strategic investor to undertake construction of the energy centre. Once the technical designs are done, Kasinis said, authorities will invite expressions of interest for the project and at the same time begin probing potential long-term buyers for Cypriot gas.

Law suits THE SUPREME Court on Tuesday began hearing 53 applications ﬁled against last month’s Eurogroup decision to resolve Laiki Bank and force losses on uninsured depositors at the Bank of Cyprus. The applications were ﬁled by depositors who can expect to lose the entirety of their deposits over €100,000 at Laiki and between 40 to 60 per cent (potentially higher) of uninsured deposits at the Bank of Cyprus (BOC). It transpired during Tuesday’s hearing that the effort by the plaintiffs’ lawyers to group their clients’ cases together failed, meaning that the Supreme Court will hear each of the 53 applications separately.

Corruption A NUMBER of “corrupt” public ofﬁcials at the Land Registry Department have been dipping their hands into the honey jar, Interior Minister Socrates Hasikos said on Tuesday, adding that the ministry will not hesitate to pursue criminal investigations wherever necessary. According to Hasikos, seven land registry ofﬁcials are under criminal or disciplinary investigation in relation to allegations of corruption, bribery, embroilment, violation of personal data laws and depriving the state of revenue.

Fees fall THERE will be a 10 per cent decrease in tuition fees at private and state-run universities for the 2013-2014 academic year, Minister of Education Kyriacos Kenevezos announced on Tuesday.

Kenevezos said the decision was made after the ministry’s plea to the rectors and boards of private universities in light of the crisis to reduce their tuition fees for the next academic year. “The reduction in fees is happening despite the fact that universities have not increased their tuition fees since 2010 and there had been talk there could have been an increase,” he said.

Interim IPT YEARS of omissions and delays have forced the government to submit provisional immovable property tax legislation (IPT) in a bid to meet immediate bailout conditions, but which will have to be amended by the end of June to make it fairer, spokesman Christos Stylianides on Wednesday. The spokesman said authorities lacked sufﬁcient data to prepare a comprehensive proposal but at the same time the bill had to be approved in the next few days for Cyprus to be eligible for the much-needed ﬁrst tranche of a €10 billion bailout at the beginning of May.

Fire death A 66-YEAR-old man burnt to death Wednesday while his son, 44, was in critical condition after the truck they were in was engulfed in flames on a rural road in Nicosia. Gavril Yerolemou died at around 1.30pm when the truck driven by his son, Yerolemos, was engulfed in flames while on the Nicosia to Palechori road near the Ergates industrial estate. It is believed the fire started in the engine and spread quickly to the bales of hay the pair were carrying in the truck. Yerolemos managed to get out of the vehicle while his father was trapped inside.

Veg gardens ORGANIC vegetable gardens are to be grown in 100 schools islandwide to get students involved in the process of nurturing crops and to teach them to be more environmentally friendly. Premier Shukuroglou Cyprus Ltd, a company that offers products and services in the ﬁelds of crop protection, animal health, public health and industrial chemicals, will donate the compost and instructions on how the organic plants should be grown. Solomou Nurseries Ltd, a garden centre and landscaping service, will donate the plants.

12 April 28, 2013 • SUNDAY MAIL

Opinion

Strategy needed to rebuild trust in the banks FINANCE minister Haris Georgiades surprised many people on Tuesday when he said he hoped that currency controls could be lifted within the next few weeks. He conceded, in an interview with Reuters, that it could take a little bit longer, but “deﬁnitely not six months”, adding, “I am optimistic we shall be able to proceed much sooner.”

He had to be optimistic to believe controls could be lifted much sooner, but to entertain the idea they could be lifted within the next few weeks verges on the unrealistic. While Georgiades’ eagerness to bring back pre-bail-in banking practices is understandable, as this would constitute a return to normality, it is very difﬁcult to see how it could be done in the current climate. However, the government took another step in this direction on Thursday with a new decree that increased the maximum amounts that companies could transfer from one local bank to another as well as abroad, for commer-

cial transactions. More importantly, it scrapped the applications to the special committee of the Central Bank for approval of standard commercial transactions overseas. It also raised the monthly limit on money being transferred abroad by individuals and eased the restrictions on individual spending abroad. After the issuing of the decree the Central Banker in charge of the capital controls, made pleas through the media urging people not to abuse the easing of the restrictions. It was an indication that the authorities were not entirely sure of the way people would react and these fears are certain to arise every time controls were eased; the troika, according to reports, was opposed to the issuing of the latest decree. Under present circumstances, the complete lifting of controls in the next few weeks or months would remain a big gamble as it could still spark a bank run and cause a total collapse of the

SundayMail banking system. Would the minister be willing to take such a risk in the slim hope that it would bring back normality? Could he be certain that thousands of depositors would not rush to take out all their money from the banks and keep it at home where it would not be in danger of bailins and haircuts? A couple of hours after opening without any controls, banks may have to be closed down again for the outflow of capital to be stopped. Before any thoughts of lifting all currency controls are entertained a very big and difficult problem must be tackled – the complete lack of public trust in the banking system. It is nonexistent at present and without it banks need to be protected by strict controls. Will the public’s trust and confidence in the banks be regained in a few months or

could years be needed to mend the damage caused to the system? The signs are not good and neither the government nor the Central Bank has been helping the reverse the negative climate. The Central Bank will not know by how much Bank of Cyprus’ depositors will be bailed in, before the end of June. Meanwhile the government spokesman keeps telling people that the Bank of Cyprus “must be saved,” thus implying that it is still at risk. To make matters worse, it had taken the Central Bank and the government two weeks to appoint a new bank board, because many people approached turned down the offer of a directorship in our leading bank. The rejections were even reported in the press, thus reinforcing people’s negative perception. Now we are awaiting for the ﬁnancial assistance needs for Hellenic Bank and the co-op banks which would be re-capitalised with part of the €10 billion the

government would receive from the EU. Would the funds earmarked for this exercise suffice or could there be another bailin? The indications are that the funds would be adequate, but if there is one thing we have learnt in the last few months is that we can be certain of nothing. With such a level of uncertainty, public confidence and trust in the banking system, we fear, will remain extremely low for much longer than six months. This is why it is an imperative for the government and the Central Bank to develop a strategy for rebuilding trust and confidence in the banking system. There must be an action plan supported by a properly thought out communication strategy that would change public perceptions, allay fears and regain a measure of public trust in the banking system. Only when this happens would the complete lifting of controls, that the finance minister desires, cease being a dangerous gamble.

Letters to the Editor

What a way to run a business I read with interest the recent article in the Cyprus Mail about the importance of tourism as a major factor in the plan to boost the island’s economy and indeed I think that everyone will agree that tourism must be boosted if the economic recovery is to become a reality as this is a major part of the island’s income. However may I suggest that the process starts with the hotel owners as the recent experience of a good friend of mine shows just how out of touch they are with reality and business acumen. Our friend is a widowed lady who has holidayed in Cyprus for 4 weeks every April and 4 weeks in November/ December for the last 17 years, being widowed and single she is obviously wary of single oc-

cupancy subsidies but for the last 14 years she has stayed at the same family run Paphos hotel and never been charged a single supplement, they treated her like one of the family and always gave her one of their best rooms especially as her holiday weeks are outside the main holiday season. In March she phoned the hotel in Paphos to conﬁrm her booking and was told that due to the economic climate that they would be charging her a single supplement of euros 140 per week. Adding euros 560 to each of her four weekly visits. Our friend was utterly disgusted cancelled her booking and is now on holiday in Turkey. What a way to ruin a business. George Raistrick

Where do donations really go? I refer to the various articles about helping the poor and disadvantaged. I am a shopkeeper of over 20 years and one of my customers is poor, unemployed and now virtually blind from diabetes probably mainly because of his gross overweight. I have known him for over 20 years as he has never worked during that time. He seems an honest and simple person and he has relied on welfare beneﬁts all of his life. During this period of severe economic crisis the community is encouraged to help such people even more so. The welfare services, local councils, the Church, radio stations, various charities, and individuals are collecting money, food or food coupons for these disadvantaged people. Since there is no co-ordination amongst these contributors it is possible that a disadvantaged person can get money from each of these many separate sources. This disadvantaged customer of mine has recently become one of my highest-spending customers. I am obviously very grateful for his support especially since I, along with most shopkeepers, are struggling to keep our shops going. My customer has purchased ﬁve mobile phones, two electric organs, hardly top priority /essential items. People should know where their hard-earned contributions are going. Andy Georgiou, Paphos

A new IPT law by June? Fat chance Your article dated 25 April ‘Interim IPT bill to satisfy troika’. It never ceases to amaze me why those in authority seem to think that we, I mean, those of us lucky not to be in the Club, need this daily ﬁx of utter garbage, unless of course they actually believe in what they are conveying to us ‘illiterate fools’ Let’s look at it another way, they must be assuming that we are all uneducated because otherwise they would not say, think, or even publish information that is so unrealistic, but no, they just have to do it because it’s in their blood and part of their makeup. However in this case they seem to have gone that extra mile in an attempt at convincing the troika and us mere mortals that they knew nothing about: ‘There are whole areas in Limassol, Nicosia, and Larnaca, where houses worth millions of euros are built, which do not have a building permit...,” Stylianides said. No mention of Paphos, and, that they are going to rectify this. Please can someone - not from the authorities - explain how on earth

or medical test before making an appointment. Some doctors have reduced their prices considerably.

The justice or otherwise of the treatment of the Republic is, it seems, secondary to the needs of international realpolitik. Turkey is important and the Greek Cypriots are not. I came to terms with this on a July morning in 1974, as Turkish jets bombed the hotel that I was staying in. It could also be argued that the Greek Cypriots are their own worst enemies and have contributed to their own downfall. This may be true, but the realpolitik argument implies their downfall was inevitable. Greek Cypriots could be saints but Turkey is still more important to the great powers. Cyprus is not going to receive the same treatment as other member states. The brutality of its treatment surpasses even that of Greece. The sooner the present administration grasps this the sooner they will respond in the best interest of the Republic. The ﬁnancial ‘rescue’ offered does not rescue Cyprus. It is a recipe for disaster and a disorderly exit from the eurozone. A negotiated exit would be orderly and less damaging than proceeding on the present trajectory. A disorderly exit would be much worse than even the present deal. An orderly exit would give the administration, or some other administration, time and the incentive to reorganise and deal with long overdue matters such as reuniﬁcation, relations with Turkey and the successful exploitation of gas reserves. It is in these matters that the long-term future of Cyprus sits and not in clinging to the euro.

Name and address supplied

George Hatjoullis, London

are they going to do all? Inspect the illegally built properties, and formally inform the owners/builders to have all appropriate documents drawn up, submitted, and then issue the approved title deeds, and all this by June as they said? Of course if some of these illegal properties have a mortgage, then it’s a non starter. The question then is: How did they get a mortgage on an illegal property? When I was building, I did everything the correct way right from the start “bigger fool me” as it looks like I am one of the many who is going to be penalised, while the majority will get away with it. I have been waiting for 18 months just to have my house placed on my title deeds and, still waiting. I rest my case. Those of you who are Renters, stop gloating, as for sure your landlord is already hunting for a loophole in your lease/ contract - if you even have one - to pass it on, government freeze, or no freeze. A, Limassol

Just more empty talk about title deeds In a recent speech in the British House of Commons, the Cypriot Foreign Minister included the following as part of his statement: “At this point, I wish to express understanding for the difﬁculties that British residents in Cyprus face with regards to the timely issuance of real estate title deeds. Many Cypriots face the same problem too. To this end, we aim to introduce a speedy and fast track system to assist foreign nationals wishing to invest in real estate.”

It’s all in the words so let’s carefully examine those ‘words’. Firstly, the age old deﬂective technique of stating that Cypriots are also suffering holds no water. So what? Secondly, the word ‘aim’ is no clear commitment to actually doing anything speedily about the problem and the timescale could extend to yet more years. Finally, ‘wishing to invest’ only refers to those who are likely to alight on Cypriot shores in the future and

hardly tackles the problems of those locked into the current corrupt system which, in so many cases, incorporates developer mortgages. In short, this yet again is pure ﬂimﬂam and will cut no ice whatsoever with those who’ve witnessed over many years the delaying tactics and machinations of government, developers, lawyers, bankers and all those connected to the Cypriot real estate fraternity. Gavin Jones, Lemba.

Doctors are still charging an arm and a leg Is it right that doctors in private practice have not agreed to reduce their fees? Many are still charging over 100 euros an hour In my experience it is advisable to phone around to ask the price of a consultation

A recipe for disaster, not a rescue

Want to send a letter? You can send letters to the Cyprus Mail by email, fax or post. Letters should include a full postal address (an email address is not sufﬁcient), a daytime telephone number and a reference to the relevant article. A name and address may be withheld from publication if circumstances warrant. Letters may be edited for length and clarity. Correspondence will be published at the discretion of the editor. Management is under no obligation to inform readers if, when or where their letters will appear.

13 SUNDAY MAIL •April 28, 2013

Opinion

The Chechen theatre of war is ‘any place’ The Chechens’ ancient code of honour and the modern internet made the Boston bombing possible Comment John Lloyd

ANY MEN in Chechnya, the mountainous region in the Russian Caucasus that has been fought over for three centuries, define themselves as warriors. They see the title as both their birthright, and the source of their manly honour. Now, their example has gone global, like so much else. Nearly 20 years ago, with Pilar Bonet of the Spanish daily El País, I persuaded two Chechens to drive us out of Grozny, Chechnya’s capital, to some high ground, so that we might catch a glimpse of the Russian army advancing on the city. It was the beginning of the first Chechen war, in 1994. Russian President Yeltsin had tired of the defiance of the self-appointed Chechen leader Dzhokar Dudayev, who had declared Checnya’s independence - one of Russia’s Caucasus republics. He sent in the army. Our drivers, a father and son, sped their rattling Lada out of the city and headed west, in the direction of the advancing Russians. As we drove, the older of the two men reached under the seat and, grinning, produced a Kalashnikov submachine gun and a pistol. He announced the intention to strike a blow for freedom against the Russians. Not wanting to join them in a bloody ditch, we asked to be let out, to the evident scorn of the son. The older man, with a hint of apology, said you must understand: “Lyubim oruzhie” (We love guns). That scene came back, with cinematic clarity, when I read about the two brothers, Tamerlan and Dzhokar Tsarnaev, suspected of planting the bombs at the finishing line of Boston’s marathon. As the evidence gathered by the security services accumulates and is fed to the news media, we are told

that the two men, outwardly well adjusted to their adopted home, had become radicalised. We don’t know their motivations yet, but some are wondering whether they have been inspired by the images and myths of those of their ethnic kin still fighting in Chechnya - fighting, now, for a sharia state purged of infidels. A scholar of the area, Christopher Swift, believes that the conflict in the Russian Caucasus, populated by a patchwork of peoples and tribes, “has metastasised into a kind of globalised jihadist theatre, at least in the minds of the young people fighting there.” Those who read and ingest the stories of that conflict, and bring it home wherever home is - are fighting “there” too. They, too, have come to love guns. In Grozny I saw warriors everywhere and at every age. A four-year-old boy had a Kalashnikov - without a magazine - slung over his diminutive body, under the eye of his proud mother. A man who looked in his eighties carried another - with a magazine. The Chechen-Caucasian code of manly honour - which Tolstoy celebrated in his last novel, Hadji Murat - was again on display. The memory of Stalin banishing Chechens to Siberia and Central Asia for alleged collaboration with the German armies remained strong, and was burnished for visiting reporters. Many thousands of Chechens died there. The Tsarnaev family, banished to Kyrgyzstan in Central Asia, survived. The first Chechen war, from 1994-1996, ended with a sullen truce; the second, which took up the first few years of the new century, fanned into life by President Vladimir Putin, was a hideous affair, which saw Grozny all but flattened as a brutalised Russian army gradually ground down equally brutalised warriors. Arkady Babchenko’s memoir, One Soldier’s War, is a near unbearable account of two forces each avid to maim, torture and kill the other. In the end, Putin suppressed most conflict:

Boston paid the ultimate price of a global jihad born in a tiny mountainous region But hundreds fought on, “going into the forest”‘ as the Chechen phrase has it, to carry on a struggle led first by the ruthless Shamil Basayev, then, on his slaying, by the no less fearsome Doku Umarov. Starting guerrilla life as an irreligious warrior, he then embraced the most radical Islamism and now calls for a sharia-governed state across the Northern Caucasus. Other leaders, similarly fundamentalist, confine their jihad to Chechnya: All now carry on the struggle in the name of Islam, even as most Muslims in the area reject them. The near-20-year wars have Islamised a struggle that was once motivated by nationalism, as Umarov had been. Some units of his “Caucasus Emirate”, with reported links to Al Qaeda, are now fighting in Syria against the forces of President Bashir al-Assad. One commander of these units, calling himself Emir Saifullah, said on a widely distributed video that no distinctions should be made in the different theatres of a jihadist war “to us, there is no difference between Syria, Egypt, Iraq, Afghanistan, Chechnya, Caucasus, any place.” Did that shift to violent jihad need to have happened? The few relative moderates among the Chechen fighters believe not. Ilyas Akhmadov, the foreign minister of the secessionists in the early 2000s, was received by a senior official of the US State Department in 2001 - but his request for aid was refused. In his book, Chechen Struggle, Akhmadov argues that “the lack of a principled assessment in the west contributed to the radicalisation of the Chechen resistance”. For the West to have supported the Chechen resistance would, of course, have

been a strongly aggressive move against Russia. But by not doing it, the Western states may have contributed to a growing sentiment that Russia and the West were one and the same - common enemies of the one true faith. For some impressionable young men, the example of war-hardened men of their kin cleaving to the most violently transcendent ideology on the planet is fatally attractive. “We are at war and I am a soldier,” said Mohammed Siddique Khan, a young British born man of Pakistani origin who led the four-man team that placed bombs in underground trains and a bus in London in 2005. His inspiration came from the fighters in the borderlands between Pakistan and Afghanistan, fighting - now with a chance of victory - against Allied and Afghani troops. The Chechen warriors, in Chechnya and abroad, have joined others on the stage of the “globalised jihadist theatre”. We see a deadly mixture: a code of honour that is centuries old with a means of communication - the net - that is little older than is this century. The latter transmits the former; the impressionable young everywhere consume it. Some adopt it as their own. For, as the Chechen commander now fighting in Syria put it, “There is no difference.” The war is “any place”. Any place, that is, where there are men prepared to be warriors. John Lloyd co-founded the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at the University of Oxford, where he is Director of Journalism. Lloyd has written several books, including What the Media Are Doing to Our Politics (2004)

The SGOs have learnt nothing from this crisis Comment Loucas Charalambous REGULAR readers do not need reminding of our column’s habit of describing our country as an unfenced, lunatic asylum. But one would have thought that today, faced with the horror of economic catastrophe caused by the accumulated lunacy of many years we would have started to get serious at last. Unfortunately not. Our lunacy and stupidity are incurable. This is crystal clear. You only have to look at what is happening around us every day to be convinced that this country could become the subject of the largest scale psychiatric study ever to be held in the world. On April 18, the chairmen of eight semi-governmental organisations gathered to discuss

what was for them a very big issue - how to save their ﬁefdoms from the threat of privatisation so the sinful plundering that has been taking place, at the expense of the taxpayer, could continue. And what did they think of doing? They decided they would mortgage the properties of their organisations with banks abroad, raise loans of €1.4 billion and give the money to the government which they would tell: ‘The troika asked you to privatise us so you could raise €1.4 billion. Here is the money and let us be so we can carry on our party.’ Predictably, they marketed their idiotic idea with heavy doses of populism, patriotism and toika-baiting, in order to fool all us idiots who have been paying the bill for the legalised plundering of the organisations. This is how the leader of the SGO pack, CyTA chairman Sta-

this Kittis explained things: “Instead of selling the assets of the people, we could mortgage them and give the money we raise to the state. And if, once we have given this money, the troika insists on privatisations, then it would be obvious that it has a hidden agenda. It is not the €1.4 billion it wants but all the wealth held by semi-governmental organisations. “ And in order to prevent the evil troika from snatching the wealth of CyTA and the EAC, Kittis and the other princes running the SGOs are happy to cripple their organisations with debts they would probably be unable to pay off. For what? So they can carry on taking their princely salaries, retirement bonuses of many hundreds of thousands, to which they do not contribute, provocative pensions, to which they do not contribute and carry on enjoying the good life at the expense of

the taxpayer and their hapless customers. This is their worry. The CyBC, which, strange as it may seem, also attended the meeting of the SGOs, stole the show. What on earth was the bankrupt CyBC doing at the meeting? Would it also borrow money in order to save the country? Of course it will. Corporation chairman Makis Symeou, also peddling patriotism, stressed the need for “the increase of the contribution by semi-governmental organisations during these difﬁcult times the country was going through.” The permanently bankrupt CyBC, that has revenue of €5 million, expenses of €50 million per year and takes €45 million annually from the state in order to survive, will mortgage its land in order to secure a loan of a few tens of millions to give to the state. I do not know what idiot would lend money to an organisation

that loses €45 million a year. It would be very interesting for Symeou to tell us with what money he would repay the loan. He is not that stupid to believe that it would make proﬁts in the future. I can only guess that in the future instead of €45 million he will demand €55 million every year from the loans the state would receive from the troika in order to make the corporation’s loan repayments. As for the so-called ‘proﬁtable’ SGOs such as CyTA, EAC and the Ports Authority, they will simply pass their loan repayment costs to their customers. In short, we will fund their generosity to the state. We should not be too worried. Thankfully now, decisions are not taken by the populists of the government and the legislature. The troika is now calling the shots and it will ignore all the nonsense the SGO parasites have come up with.

14 April 28, 2013 • SUNDAY MAIL

Opinion

Tangled web of deception The sacking of the head of the public gas company is not what it seems

ECENTLY sacked DEFA (Natural Gas Public Company) head, Costas Ioannou is the subject of a police probe into criminal offences he allegedly committed during his reign as head of CERA (Cyprus Energy Regulatory Authority) in 2009. For their part, the police confirmed that the investigation into Ioannou draws on an on-going civil lawsuit concerning a licence awarded to a Russian company by CERA to operate a private power station. To obtain the licence, the company had engaged the services of Ioannou’s cousin, Andreas Hayiannis as a mediator/facilitator to seek out possible buyers for the company. But the deal turned sour when a British company acquired all the shares of the Russian company. Hayiannis then sued the Russian company for not paying his mediation fee. The first meeting to sound out the British company took place in September 2011. Attending the meeting was the CEO of Blue Tree Consultants, Giorgios Lillikas acting on behalf of the British company, Ioannou, a journalist, and the go-between, Hayiannis. Before I go any further, I must declare a personal interest in Costas Ioannou, who I have known for the past eight years, meeting up regularly at our local bridge club. He is for me, extremely courteous, calm and a captivating bridge player. He never cheats or lies at the table, where a player’s true nature seldom remains hidden for long. I have not discussed with him the circumstances surrounding his sudden and recent dismissal as DEFA head, yet recall how he was vilified by certain sectors

Comment Hermes Solomon of the local media when appointed to that post accusations of ‘retirement jobs for the boys leading to golden handshakes and fat pensions’ - hopefully now part of our public service’s ‘glorious’ past. He is 70 years of age. Appearing as DEFA spokesman on TV news, and seen sitting placidly at government round tables, he rarely seemed to have much to say. His position, constrained I believe by third party interests in an administration where few are permitted to perform ‘job title duties’, was merely symbolic rather than productive or consequential. Yet just because he, Lillikas and Hayiannis all hail from the village of Panayia near Paphos is no reason to tar any of them with the ‘corruption’ brush! Besides, he left the village at the age of ten and had no recollection of his genealogical relationship to Hayiannis when the latter ﬁrst arrived unannounced at CERA HQ. I have since gathered

from various sources that tenders for the sale of natural gas to power Vasiliko for the next five years have been intentionally delayed over the past two years for reasons best known to Ioannou and the goverment. Shortlisted from a total of 17, two natural gas supplier tenders were sitting on Ioannou’s desk three weeks ago; selection between the two was in the offing when he was summarily and unconstitutionally dismissed by the president at the behest of the attorney general, delaying indefinitely the selection of a natural gas supplier. Why? It is self-evident that oil companies would prefer we continue paying EU fines of 11 million euros for exceeding EU quotas on CO2 emissions rather than lose (to a natural gas supplier) that power station part of the 60,000 barrels of oil consumed daily. If Ioannou is suspected of misconduct when head of CERA, this government could equally be suspected of intentionally delaying the final selection between the two natural gas tenderers. Then again, perhaps it was Ioannou’s presumed association with Giorgios Lillikas that cost him his head; or was his dismissal a troika directive to axe what they regard as unnecessary layers of top, pointless

‘Ioannou is for me, extremely

courteous, calm and a captivating bridge player’

Natural gas should have landed on our shores at least two years ago and costly management? Whatever the reason, the president and attorneygeneral’s unconstitutional act of summarily sacking Ioannou without warning demand investigation followed by censure. Cyprus is a small island, un pot-pourri de pourriture. There are no secrets here! After just 60 days of this DISY/DIKO government our minister of justice, Ionas Nicolaou, and the attorney-general have ridiculously condoned appointments of three ‘doddery’ judges to identify those responsible for the country’s economic disintegration; two of the three have already ‘hobbled’ down. Our Central Bank chairman, the president and then ﬁnance minister, Michaelis Sarris, did knowingly attempt to ‘interfere’ illegally with guaranteed depositors deposits. They have all escaped charges of misconduct. Our Central Bank and

present Finance Minister Haris Georgiades cannot definitively decide to whom and by how much to inflict the ‘haircut’, manipulating parameters and banking restrictions almost daily, causing chaos to reign over our private sector as commerce is unacceptably and indeterminately stifled; jobs are disappearing in their thousands. Our president’s son-inlaw donates three million euros to the Church instead of the poor when discovered moving 21 million out of Cyprus ‘in suspicious circumstances’ immediately ahead of the ‘haircut’. He has not been charged with ‘misconduct’! While Turkey persists in sabre rattling, our president condones the construction of an LNG plant at Vasiliko without either he, or Cyprus’ state hydrocarbons company (KRETYK) head, Charalambos Ellinas telling us where the money will come from ahead of settling our differences with the sabre rat-

tlers. Our minister of the interior spreads property taxes across the board to unfairly include the very poor, collecting 125 million euros in taxes instead of the formerly proposed 75 million. Our minister of labour ﬁnds 7,000 meaningless subsidised jobs at the cost of 20,000 useful ones. The CTO and Cyprus Airways are a powerless waste of money… Yet one thing is certain; police ﬁles concerning the mystifying Ioannou sacking, like those concerning the equally mystifying manslaughter at Mari, will be lost in a government web of misinformation intentionally tangled to deceive! Should charges of ‘shady’ misconduct by Ioannou prove groundless, I expect him to sue the state for defamation of character; a state in itself overstuffed with ‘shady’ characters - that pompous and selfrighteous attorney-general not the least among them!

Death penalty is not the answer to Boston bombing Comment Shami Chakrabarti “DEATH be not proud,” wrote John Donne in his famous sonnet more than 400 years ago. To put my feelings about recent horrors more simply - the answer to death is rarely more of the same. Three women have most directly affected my feelings about the Boston atrocity. First there was my oldest school friend, who relocated there just days before the horror. I expected her to be shocked, unsettled and homesick when we spoke on the phone. Instead, the lifelong

Londoner (who as my exact contemporary grew up against a backdrop of IRA-related bombings on buses, in department stores and even a party conference), spoke of the speed with which she had come to feel part of a community united and unbroken in both grief and resilience. The same day another friend, the brilliant journalist Marina Hyde, wrote about the way in which the doctors who fought in vain to save the life of the ﬁrst suspected bomber had sloughed away cynicism with cynicism’s opposite and rendered the bombers and what she “ﬂattered” to call their “ideology” a “stunning failure”. The terrorists had renewed and not shaken her joy in sport, solidarity and open society. Last, but never least, was my in-

spirational friend Doreen Lawrence, who marked the 20th anniversary of her son Stephen’s brutal murder with a service at St Martin-in-theFields attended, it seemed, by every senior politician in the land. Her calm, quiet words and consistent campaign over two decades remind me that with real courage and the clearest moral compass it is possible to search for justice after true horror and that real justice is not mere vengeance. So why not execute a Boston bomber? Why not answer death with death? Was it Churchill (who said most things), Shaw or Wilde who once described Britain and the United States as divided by a common language? Anyway, for me at least, Britain’s American cousins’

continuing attachment to capital punishment has always been lost in translation. I’ve long had nightmares about the one innocent in a hundred or thousand (it doesn’t matter) wrongly convicted yet heading for the electric chair, gallows or lethal injection. Equally strong is my belief that state sponsored killing does nothing for deterrence or public protection from serious crime. This must be especially true in the case of terrorists more than willing to give their lives to “the cause”. Rather than dissuading, it creates martyrs - the ultimate recruitment tool, swelling the ranks of men and women willing to kill and die for an ideal, however warped. It debases the justice system as a whole, with the paraphernalia of

death dehumanising all who work inside it. Surely the way we deal with those who threaten us is a reﬂection of our humanity and strength. Atrocities such as Boston shock and anger us. They terrorise, even provoke, as terror is designed to. It is human to rage at such destructive acts and to demand accountability for lives cut short. But we should remember that those who fought for human rights - which outlaw the death penalty closer to home - were also responding to horrors we still struggle to comprehend. So our response to terrorists is justice, not vengeance, and the answer to death is to live with pride. Shami Chakrabarti is director of Liberty

15 SUNDAY MAIL • April 28, 2013

Opinion uotes of the week “He is shorter than you would think but has the most lovely smell”. TV’s Springwatch presenter Kate Humble on the Prince of Wales

I’ll go a long way to find the proper Paphos pitta bread

HEN I was a lot younger, I couldn’t understand Cypriot students who ﬂew to the UK loaded down with Cypriot foodstuffs. I mean there was so much better stuff available in the UK. Kettle crisps, MacDonald’s, and soft, white sliced bread that stuck to the roof of your mouth when you bit into it. Even chocolates in the UK tasted better. So why would you want to take boring food from home with you, I’d ask them? Now though, times have changed, and I myself have turned into one of those students - albeit older and with sagging face tissue according to my all-knowing beautician. Every time I come home I have to buy the basics: halloumi, feta, fages (lentils), pourgouri, makaronia tou Mitsides, fresh unsalted anari, and of course, Paphos pitta bread. I daren’t return without the pitta bread or my boyfriend would never forgive me. Although he’s British, he’s a big fan of the Paphos pitta and knows the difference between it and ordinary pitta bread, which I on occasion also bring back. Sometimes, if I have space, I bring loukanika and pastourma back with me too.

TESCOS ISN’T THE SAME Some people ask me why I don’t just buy all that here since you can get most of the same stuff, but I tell them, sympathetically, that it is most certainly not the same and only one lacking a discerning palate would suggest such folly. There is also something comforting about tucking into pitta bread bursting with grilled village halloumi from home, something Tescos and Sainsburys can never match. Unfortunately the tomatoes, which are necessary accompaniment to such a feast, are not from home, but I’ve tracked down some very ﬂavoursome ones from the Isle of Wight at our local farmers’ market on a Saturday which do nicely. In fact I must add, as a sidebar, that the farmers’ markets they have in London are excellent, but more on those another time. Packing my case every time I return here (I still can’t quite bring myself to call London ‘home’) is quite a task. First

Letter from London Alexia Saoulli of all I have to race round all the shops like a blue arsed fly to try and get the stuff. This is because I’ve invariably left it to the last minute, thinking wrongly, for the gazillionth time, that this holiday I’d actually manage my time better. Sometimes the supermarket will do and that’s a huge relief. I even spot some additional extras, like pastellaki (peanut brittle with carob honey), which I pop into my cart. Other times, however, I’m not so lucky; like when I find it doesn’t stock Paphos pitta bread. Or not the really good stuff. I’ve noticed that some Paphos pitta bread is manufactured in Nicosia you see, and not in Paphos. I know this because there is a 22 telephone area code for Nicosia on the bottom of the package and not a 26 telephone area code for Paphos. It doesn’t take Nancy Drew to figure out that these are not the same pitta breads and they won’t taste the same. That’s like saying you get the best Cornish pasties in Norwich. Now maybe some might argue you do, I don’t know, but not so for the Paphos pitta bread connoisseur. Gutted that I can’t get my shopping done in one killing, I have to go and hunt for a place that sells ‘26’ Paphos pitta bread. When I first set out on my mission I’m full of high hopes but if by the second or third place I go to, I still don’t find it, I start to think that that ‘25’ telephone area code (Limassol) Paphos pitta looks mighty doughy and definitely similar to its sweeter, thicker authentic Paphos counterpart. I also know that at this point I’m starting to be a little bit anal, and that I should just buy any bloody bread since it’s all going into in the freezer anyway once I’m back in the UK. Once I’ve gathered all my goods, the process of packing begins. First I have to find newspaper to wrap my cheese in.

This keeps it cold, unless Cyprus Airways are on strike and your luggage is stuck waiting to be loaded for several hours in 40 degree heat. Then I have to squeeze the stuff in anywhere it’ll ﬁt, and hope my case closes as I give it a helping hand by sitting on it, leaning forward and asking someone else to zip it up. The good thing is, if I don’t have the space or weight allowance (ﬂying economy is such a pain), I can always rely on my gorgeous mum to bring me stuff. Although she’s Irish, she’d make any Cypriot mama proud, and brings over tons of delights for my partner and me. I also have two siblings who live here so they also email over their ‘must have’ list before she comes over. Thankfully my sister doesn’t cook so she doesn’t ever ask for much, which leaves more for my brother, his wife, my partner and me.

“They have huge noses, gouty demeanours, pale faces and a permanent state of arousal - like large sections of the English aristocracy”. Comedian and wildlife expert Bill Bailey’s description of the proboscis monkey

“Maybe Simon Cowell for his effect on music. I call him Slimy Cowpat”. Singer Mick Hucknall, on the thing he would like to edit out of his life

“Do you know my name? You are about to ﬁnd out who I am. You are about to be on national news”. Actress Reese Witherspoon to a policeman after being arrested for disorderly behaviour “It doesn’t matter how much polite self-deprecating ﬂuff you have on the outside, if you don’t have a steely something in the middle”. Actress Rebecca Hall

CYPRUS IN NORTH LONDON There is, apparently, a place in north London which is akin to a mini Cyprus where you can get all sorts of food from home. I haven’t actually been, but have been told by some Cypriots I know here (the students who left and never went home), that you can deﬁnitely get makaronia tou Mitsides and KEO beer. Oh the joy of gulping down an ice cold draught of KEO on a hot, summer’s day.... Almost brings tears of nostalgia to my eyes, as I turn on the heating and make myself my fourth cup of tea for the day... I don’t think, however, that you can necessarily get all the brands of foodstuffs I like and I have been warned the prices are on the steep side. That’s why I’m quite happy to ﬁll my case every few months, when I nip home for a mini-break, like the good Cypriot girl that I am. As they say, you can take the girl out of Cyprus, but you can’t take Cyprus out of the girl. In fact, my mum is coming over next weekend, so I really must get my skates on and get that list of mine prepared. I think this time I fancy some loukanika and some of that homemade bread with prozimi (yeast) from the OCHI square market...

“I am married to a girl from Hamburg, so no one need tell me about the dangers of living in a German-dominated household”. Ukip chief Nigel Farage “When Robin van Persie defected from Arsenal to Manchester United last summer, it felt like discovering my wife was having an affair with Ian Hislop”. TV’s Piers Morgan

My last day before leaving Cyprus is spent rushing around food shops stocking up on local produce

Packing tasty Cyprus into a small suitcase

funeral

“If Gwyneth Paltrow is the most beautiful woman in the world, then I am a 10times Olympic bobsled gold medallist and Top Gun ﬁghter pilot”. An unnamed Twitter user criticises the honour bestowed on the actress “Collection boxes are not what they used to be”. Christopher Coulthard, Britain’s most proliﬁc church burglar, after his latest conviction

“I think weeping is putting it a bit strongly. Yes I welled up because it was a very emotional occasion and at times overwhelming. Occasionally I get a tear in my eye when I listen to the Today programme headlines”. Chancellor George Osborne, who shed a tear at Margaret Thatcher’s

“I practised in front of my cat, Henry, before I gave my ﬁrst Holy Communion”. The Rev Beverley Jameson, curate to central Telford parish in Shropshire “In the Sixties I went into a bookshop in Norfolk, seeking a copy of the Koran. The assistant asked if I knew the author”. J Whitlock, of Harrow, Middlesex, in a letter to the Daily Mail

16 April 28, 2013 • SUNDAY MAIL

World in pictures

Dancers of the Monte-Carlo ballet perform in the show Choré, a new creation by French dancer and choreographer, Jean Christophe Maillot (AFP)

The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery canter through Gloucester Green in Regent’s Park during the annual inspection in London. The ceremonial unit of the British Army is responsible for ﬁring Royal and ceremonial salutes (AFP)

Former US President George W Bush (third left) shakes hands with his father former President George HW Bush as they attend the opening ceremony of the George W Bush Presidential Center with wives former ﬁrst lady Laura Bush (right) and Barbara Bush

Visitors stand on the staircase of the restored former Prussian justice palace, that serves now as county court in Halle an der Saale, eastern Germany. The 110 year old building houses 20 courtrooms, 110 ofﬁces and a further 100 rooms (AFP) An Indian Hindu devotee dressed as a monkey takes part in a procession outside the Hanuman temple in New Delhi

People celebrate in front of the Paris City Hall after the French National Assembly adopted a bill legalising samesex marriages and adoptions for gay couples (AFP)

Afghan polio vaccination volunteers ride in the open boot of a car in Balkh province (AFP)

French Michelin-starred Chef David Faure holds a cricket as he poses in front of a dish made with worms and crickets

A cleaner checks a sculpture by Hong Kong artist Tam Wai Ping titled Falling into Mundane World at the Mobile M+: Inﬂation! exhibition in Hong Kong (AFP)

17 SUNDAY MAIL • April 28, 2013

Coffeeshop

The more things change... AS RECENTLY as three months ago most men were willing to have their testicles chopped off, donate a kidney to comrade Tof and sign a life membership of AKEL for the chairmanship of the Bank of Cyprus, Kyproulla’s biggest, richest and mightiest company. But today, if they had a choice, most guys would rather shovel muck on an Aradippou pig farm in 40-degree heat, than sit in the soft-leather, executive chair of the chairman’s woodpanelled, air-conditioned office on the top floor of the bank’s marble and glass Nicosia premises, eager secretaries queuing up to pamper him. Who would have thought, a few months ago, that the country would be looking for someone to put in charge of the venerated B of C and all the leading citizens approached would reject the offer, faster than they would turn down a starring role in a porn movie. The only job worse than chairman of the B of C, for which not even an all-purpose saviour like Lillikas has offered his services, is president of the Republic, but we have someone to do that for the next five years. A few of the tasks the new chairman has to look forward to during his temporary term is keeping the beleaguered bank afloat, informing uninsured depositors how much of their money would be nicked by the bank, boosting staff morale which is at rock-bottom, sacking 2,000 employees, imposing pay cuts and facing death-threats from homicidal local and foreign customers, furious about the bail-in. And all this without actually being the big boss, because he will be taking orders from the bank’s administrator, appointed under the resolution law by the ECB’s local enforcer, Professor Panicos to oversee the restructuring of the once great bank. HOW UNFORTUNATE that the one heroic fool (his words) willing to accept the B of C chairmanship - our good friend the Famagusta Mayor Alexis Galanos – was deemed ineligible for the post by Attorney General Petros Clerides, who insists on full compliance to the letter of the law, except on the odd occasion when his son is caught driving over the alcohol limit. Clerides had initially given his goahead to Galanos’ appointment, but then he read the law and changed his mind. Apparently, the Cyprus Stock Exchange law prevents elected officials such as deputies and mayors from chairing companies the shares of which are traded in the stock market, because they may have access to privileged information. It did not occur to him that since the restructuring decision, the B of C’s shares cannot be traded on the CSE, for the simple reason that they are currently owned by no-one. The old shareholders have relinquished ownership which would be passed to the uninsured depositors, once the bail-in is finalised in three or four months. There is no risk of insider information but for our AG, as we know, there can be no compromises or discounts when it comes to the enforcement of the law. IN THE END, even a do-gooder, heroic fool, like Galanos, was not willing to give up the mayorship of an imaginary municipality for the sake of a four-month stint as chairman of the transitional board of the bank of sorrow. Unable or unwilling to designate a chairman, Professor Panicos decided to follow the accepted practice and leave the decision to the board. On Friday the Central Bank announced the 14 members (why did an interim board with so few powers need

so many members?) of the interim board and said that they would elect the chairman. But what if none of the board members wants to be chairman? In such a case they could have a draw and whoever picks the ticket with ‘C’ written on it becomes chairman. Even fairer would be to have a darts competition and the person with the lowest score would be declared chairman. IS THERE any good reason why Hellenic Bank and the co-ops would be re-capitalised with the taxpayer’s money? About 15 per cent of the €10 billion loan the state will receive would be used for the capital needs of the co-ops, which the previous government and Professor Panicos were assuring us were in rude good health. As Avraamis, a skettos drinking customer said a few days ago. “It is said the co-ops would need a billion, but this figure is based on the estimates made by the co-ops. The audit by independent auditors, which has never been undertaken and is now a troika demand, will reveal much bigger capital needs and make a bail-in of co-op depositors a real possibility.” This should surprise nobody, considering that most-co-ops are run by Akelites as “socio-economic institutions with anthropocentric orientation,” which is another way of saying that they are not at all bothered about non-performing loans or making bad debt provisions. AND WHAT about the Church’s Bank, which was also supposed to be doing fine and not in need of financial assistance? Why has the EU procedure not been followed in this case? Somehow I doubt the Godless fascists of the troika wanted to protect Church interests. But our government may have wanted to do so and decided to recapitalise Hellenic through bailout funds to prevent its restructuring, which would have led to the Church losing all its shares in the bank. This may go a long way in explaining the staunch public support Archbishop Chrys has been giving President Nik, at every opportunity. Chrys has become Nik’s most zealous disciple treating him like a Messiah and making everyone wonder why he had forgiven him for his despicably unpatriotic positions on the Cyprob and sinful pro-Annan plan past. Forgiveness and undying loyalty were the least the grateful Chrys could have offered Nik after what he had done for Hellenic. THE HEAD honcho of Greece’s Piraeus Bank, Michalis Salas was in town recently to prepare plans for increasing his bank’s share of the local market. With the B of C struggling and having lost public trust and Hellenic needing assistance, Salas justifiably sees big expansion opportunities in Kyproulla. You would have thought he would have avoided coming for the kill in Kyproulla, after Piraeus picked up the B of C and Laiki operations in Greece for almost

The Commiteee of Inquiry into the economic collapse: practically changing members every second day nothing. The uninsured depositors of Cyprus paid for the B of C losses in Greece and Salas took the bank’s Greek branches with a clean bill of health for peanuts, further strengthening his banking group. Now he will work on further reducing the size of the Cypriot banks, as a show of gratitude to the fascists of the troika, on whose instructions Laiki’s and B of C’s Greek branches were donated to Piraeus. Salas has reportedly agreed big advertising budgets with local media groups, as part of the plan to corner the Kyproulla market. This is no bad thing for the struggling media, considering our banks that were the biggest media advertisers now have no dosh to spend. Even if they had money to spend, what would they advertise, the fact that depositors can withdraw as much as €300 a day for their account? THE SECOND member of the committee of geriatric pensioners appointed to investigate the causes of the economy’s bankruptcy, Panayiotis Kallis, resigned on Monday, citing a possible conﬂict of interest with his sons’ law practice. He lasted a bit longer than Yiannakis Constantinides who resigned a week after his appointment for health reasons and was replaced by another septuagenarian former judge. Kallis was replaced by another former judge Iliana Nicolaou who also served as Ombudswoman and is also no spring chicken. The big question is why Nik insists on appointing superannuated, former judges with low energy levels and limited understanding of economics on a committee with a brief to establish the causes of the economy’s collapse. SPEAKING about his decision to resign, Kallis also took a swipe at AKEL chief Andros, who had been publicly attacking the committee in an attempt to discredit it and intimidate those who were called to give testimony. The cunning commies, like everyone, know who the main cause for the country’s bankruptcy was and hope that by undermining and discrediting the committee from now, it would be easier to question its ﬁndings. Andros claimed the committee was being directed by the justice minister and pleaded that politics should not be criminalised. But why

should politics not be criminalised? So that inadequate, incompetent, dumb, corrupt demagogues could be free to destroy the country with impunity? Not only should politics be criminalised but we would urge deputies to introduce the death penalty for crimes perpetrated against the country by politicians. WE MAY be bankrupt as a state, our banks are struggling to stay afloat, people have no money, newsagents are selling single cigarettes for 20 cents but some things never change. I was disgusted to hear that the government agreed to pay Cyprus Airways employees, who would take early retirement as part of the latest rescue plan, 50 per cent more in compensation than they were entitled to by law. It had to reward pampered CY workers whose obscene salaries, absurd benefits and work to rule practices made the airline insolvent. Nik’s government, which our establishment had foolishly hoped would change things is not behaving much differently to its populist predecessors. The measures for kick-starting the economy announced by Nik 10 days ago could have been formulated by AKEL as there was a heavy emphasis on creating more jobs for parasites. Some 800 labourers were to be hired by the state on contracts, some 500 state school teachers would have their annual contracts renewed in September and best of all – 300 graduates of military academies would be hired by the National Guard, to sit around and do nothing, like the rest of the army officers. Can the taxpayer really afford to pay the salaries of another 300 junior officers that the National Guard most definitely does not need? The promise to restructure the public sector is another promise Nik does not look like keeping. Unless having more officers than soldiers in the National Guard is his idea of restructuring. THE MOST reliable economic forecast for 2013, as regular customers may remember, was made by my greengrocer who predicted last January that “the only certainty for this year is that we will not go thirsty.” His assumption was that not even the disaster-prone, prominent incompetent Tof could cause dams that were full to capacity to empty. A few weeks ago we were discuss-

ing the catastrophic developments, as I was choosing tomatoes, lightly squeezing them to ensure they had the right consistency, and inevitably the conversation returned to the village idiot who had been running the country for the previous ﬁve years. Just as I was stating the bleeding obvious, “he was, is and always will be a gaaros” (ass in the Cypriot dialect – from gaidouri - often used in reference to people of low intelligence, judgment and sophistication) a middle-aged man entered the shop and smilingly, told the greengrocer: “I bet I know who the gentleman is talking about.” We all had a laugh, and I explained that I had referred to Tof as a “gaaros,” because I was in an unusually generous mood and that the word did not even begin to describe what I thought about the guy. The man agreed and said: “He destroyed the country; I just cannot believe how useless and stupid he was. He just sat back and allowed the country to collapse. We, members of AKEL, feel ashamed and everyone is quite rightly accusing us.” I was very pleased that there are open-minded Akelites who disparage comrade Gaaaaros in front of perfect strangers and express shame for what he had done. When the man left I asked the greengrocer who the guy was and he informed me that he was involved with AKEL and Omonia but was a good chap. “He is not one of those Akelites with a sick mind,” he explained. WE SHOULD be careful what we write about the comrade because last week his lawyers ﬁled a libel suit against the CyBC and its presenter who uses industrial quantities of hair dye, Yiannis Kareklas. Tof took offence at a remark made by Kareklas in an interview of Nice Nik, before the elections. Nik said that Tof was ‘clueless’ in accepting the haircut of Greek government bonds and Kareklas memorably asked: “Clueless or stupid?” The diplomatic Nik did not respond to Kareklas’ rhetorical question, even though everyone knows the answer is ‘both’. Tof is demanding damages of between 100 and 500 grand for “defamation, libel and damaging lies,” according to Alithia. Will he take an IQ test to prove to the court that he is not stupid, because all other evidence supports the opposite?

18 SUNDAY MAIL • April 28, 2013

Lifestyle OST of us look in the mirror every morning, but what if, rather than just seeing your reflection, you also saw a prescription for the products that you should be using that day? And what if your new regime was not only tailored to the weather and your skin type, but also to your genetic make-up, using specially created bespoke molecules expressly designed to even out your skin tone and stop your hair from frizzing? It may sound like science fiction, but this isn’t just some Jetsonsstyle view of what the beauty industry might look like in the year 2050. It’s technology that is being tested in beauty labs around the world and, in some cases, is already in our bathrooms. In a 2011 interview with US magazine Allure, cosmetic dermatologist Dr David McDaniel speculated about this sort of thing. “A sensor that looks similar to a digital thermometer could be tethered to the mirror and connected to a built-in metre,” he said. “You pull out the sensor and touch it to the skin, measuring moisture, oiliness and redness. If the meter says the skin is getting drier, you increase your moisturiser.” Less than two years later, French beauty brand Ioma has launched Ioma Youth Booster - the first skincare product to come with a builtin sensor that tells you how much of the product you need to use. The sensor - which is integrated into the cap and looks a bit like a SIM card - uses a technology called Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS), which detects minute changes to create a response. It’s this same technology that triggers a car’s airbags to blow up when you’ve been in an accident, or flips the screen on your iPhone when you turn it sideways. In this instance, it’s used to measure how hydrated the skin is. This reading is displayed by six LED lights (the more that light up, the lower your moisture levels), which dictate how much of the product you need, and how often you should be using it. And that’s just the start. A quick look at some of the latest launches sees a wealth of technologies - all promising, in various different ways, to help us turn back time. YSL’s latest research looked at glycans (sugars) in the skin that are involved with cellular communication. It noticed that young skin had more glycans than old skin, and created a product that could artificially raise the levels of glycans in older skin to make it behave like younger skin. The result was the Forever Youth Liberator range (yslbeauty.co.uk). Stem cells have created a buzz in recent years, whether using plant stem cells to try to smooth wrinkles, stimulating the body’s own stem cells, or - as is the case with Shiseido’s Bio-Performance Advanced Super Restoring Cream - attempting to prolong the life of stem cells

The end of ageing From talking mirrors to genome creams, Claire Coleman has seen the future, and it’s bright and beautiful

so they can keep functioning in a youthful fashion. Shiseido claims it has done that by including ingredients that create an environment in which it’s easier for stem cells to thrive. Elsewhere, beauty companies aren’t just relying on existing ingredients to create new formulations, but are actually creating molecules to solve speciﬁc problems. Avon’s

recent innovation, Avon Anew Clinical Pro Line Corrector Treatment, is one such product. It contains a special molecule (A-F33, if you really want to know) that’s designed to help boost collagen levels in skin by deactivating compounds that block the production of collagen a mechanism within the skin that had not been addressed until now. Genomics - the science of genom-

es, where differences between gene behaviour in young and old skin can be studied - is also a huge area of interest. Dr Jay Tiesman, a genomic scientist at Procter & Gamble’s Global Technology Division, explains that it’s not about genes being switched on or off: “It’s more like a dimmer switch than a light switch, but basically we’ve started to identify which genes get dimmer

with age, and which get brighter.” Having worked this out, it’s then a question of identifying which ingredients can brighten the genes that should be dim, and dim the ones that should be bright. It’s this sort of technology that’s been used to create products such as Olay Professional, Lancôme Génifique and L’Oréal Youth Code in recent years. And genetic science hasn’t stopped there. There are now companies promising to develop custom-made diet and exercise programmes based on your DNA and, at the end of last year, The Organic Pharmacy in London proudly announced that it was offering the world’s first instore DNA anti-ageing test. The test looks specifically at collagen and, using a saliva sample, it is able to pinpoint whether your body tends to hold on to collagen or break it down. Armed with this knowledge, you can then tailor your skincare to ensure you’re using ingredients that will maintain your collagen levels, and thus youthful skin. Founder Margo Marrone told me that it was “set to revolutionise our skincare consultations and product recommendations”. But I wasn’t so convinced. Not only is the test just looking at one aspect of ageing skin - what about pigmentation? What about pore size? - but it also only looks at a single gene and ageing is about a lot more than just one gene. And that’s part of the problem with this brave new world of beauty. Scientific research is expensive and until a product is on the shelf, it’s not bringing in any money. That means there’s huge pressure to get products and treatments to market, often before their full potential has been realised. There’s no doubt that all these technologies could revolutionise our approach to anti-ageing, but so far we’ve only stuck a toe in the water. There’s a lot more to be done before we will see what they can really do. The other issue is that technology has now got to the point where we can see genuinely microscopic changes in the skin and perceive improvements at a cellular level. This is all well and good, but when we look in the mirror, we don’t examine our skin at a cellular level, or under a microscope, we simply want to know if, to the human eye, that wrinkle really looks any smaller than it did two weeks ago. That means putting products through proper, objective tests on significant numbers of people, using the products in a real-life situation - not just seeing how cells in test tubes react, or asking 20 women whether they like the cream. For me, that’s the future of antiageing - jaw-droppingly impressive technology combined with credible clinical proof. It’s certainly the way things are going - and, with any luck, when we get there, tomorrow’s products will be able to make our skin look even better than it does today.

HOLDING BACK THE YEARS: THE TOP FIVE ANTI-AGEING PRODUCTS THAT REALLY WORK La Roche-Posay Anthelios XLMelt-in Cream SPF50+ I estimated It’s that up to 80 p per cent of skin a ageing is down to the sun, which is why I wear SP SPF50 on my face ev every single day of the year, even in wi winter. This French ph pharmacy brand cre creates simple pro products that work effe effectively

Olay Professional Anti-Wrinkle Kit

Obagi Nu-Derm Exfoderm

Skinceuticals CE Ferulic Serum

Big companies such as Procter & Gamble have large bu budgets to spend on resea research - and proof. A study o on this ﬂagship Olay range ran was published in the British Journal of DermatolDermat ogy, and showed that it could be as effective as a prescription regime when w it came to addressing wri wrinkle kles.

Obagi is the skincare line that most de dermatologists swear by. If you’re really serious about sorting out your skin, I’d get a complete regime, including prescription products if necessary, from a dermatologist. Obagi’s (non-prescription) exfoliating cream contains alpha hydroxy acids to gently remove dead skin cells.

Yes,, it’s very y expensive p but the brand is credible and you only need a few drops. Recent research suggested that infrared light sunli in sunlight may contribute agei to ageing, but a potent antiox antioxidant like this can h help, making it an esse essential part of an antiagein ageing regime.

Avene Ysthéal+ Anti-Ageing Em Emulsion If you y don’t want to use ap prescription product su as Tretinoin (a form such of vitamin A), which h been proven to be has e effective on ﬁne lines, t a non-prescription try v vitamin A derivative like t Retinaldehyde in the t this Avène product. It’s c crucial to use an SPF d daily if you’re using s something like this, as i can make skin more it s sensitive in sun.

20 April 28, 2013 • SUNDAY MAIL

Business & Jobs

More exchange of tax information lies ahead

UK urged to do more to speed up fracking

Exchange of information to provide tough common stance against tax havens

BRITISH lawmakers criticised the government on Friday for unnecessarily delaying development of shale gas, saying it should now encourage companies to come up with more accurate estimates of recoverable reserves. The lack of progress over the past two years in exploration and development of UK shale gas is disappointing and needs to speed up, members of the inﬂuential cross-party Energy and Climate Change Committee in parliament said in a report. Britain and some other countries have considered following the example of the Unites States, where development of shale gas has transformed its energy market. “We do not believe that it was necessary to take so long to establish the safety of fracking,” the report said. Britain in the summer of 2011 temporarily banned all hydraulic fracturing (fracking) after several earth tremors were measured in an area near a shale gas exploration site in Blackpool, northwest England. It lifted the ban in December 2012 on the condition of tighter monitoring rules after several expert reports advised a policy in favour of fracking. The Members of Parliament (MPs) urged the government to speed up policy to encourage shale gas work, which they said could help improve the security of Britain’s energy supply. Last month, ﬁnance minister George Osborne promised generous tax breaks for shale gas developers and to help improve the industry’s public image by involving local communities.

Investment Bill Blevins Bill Blevins is financial correspondent for Blevins Franks International. IT LOOKS like more and more automatic exchange of information agreements will be signed over the coming years. Following on from the US’ revolutionary Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA), the UK, France, Spain, Germany and Italy have announced that they will develop and pilot a new multilateral tax information exchange agreement. They see this as an important, early step in a much wider move towards a new international standard in automatic exchange of information; one that will improve the ability of tax administrations to clamp down on tax evasion. Once in effect, a wide range of financial information - on more than just bank deposits - will be exchanged between the five countries. In a statement, HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) explained: “This will help catch and deter tax evaders as well as provide a template for wider multilateral automatic tax information exchange.” The five finance ministers formally advised EU Commissioner for Taxation, Algirdas

Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker said the country had changed its position on bank secrecy ‘because the Americans do not leave us a choice’ Šemeta, about their action plan in a letter dated April 9. The letter makes it clear that this is just the start, and that the other EU member states should be persuaded to sign up. They hope Europe will take the lead in promoting a global system of automatic information exchange to remove the hiding places for those who seek to evade paying their taxes. In a statement the following day, Šemeta said that automatic exchange of information is the most effective means for countries to collect taxes due to them, and that the EU needs it to be widely applied. He called for a “tough common stance”

against tax havens, including sanctions against those who facilitate tax evaders. The multilateral exchange facility between the UK, France, Spain, Germany and Italy will be based on the model intergovernmental agreements they have signed with the US under FATCA. This latest wave in pushing for an automatic exchange of information on a broad range of ﬁnancial information started with FATCA, which was signed into law in 2010 and will largely come into effect in January 2014. Its aim is to prevent Americans from evading US taxes through the use of foreign bank accounts and other ﬁnancial

instruments. Foreign ﬁnancial institutions, based in countries all over the world, have to enter into compliance agreements with the US Treasury to automatically report on US clients. The US has found a strong incentive to make them agree do so - if they refuse, they will suffer a withholding penalty of 30 per cent of the payments made to them. This is considered a radical and controversial approach, and was very unpopular when ﬁrst unveiled. Some banks have been unwilling to have American clients because of the amount of reporting work that would be involved.

Nonetheless, it was only a matter of time before other countries realised the benefits such agreements could bring and began looking to set up similar arrangements. The Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey have agreed to report client information to the UK authorities, along the lines of intergovernmental agreements they are signing with the US. Luxembourg recently announced that it is preparing to ease its banking secrecy within two years. Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker said they had changed their position “because the Americans do not leave us a choice”. These exchange of information agreements have implications beyond tax compliance. As the chief executive of the Association of Life Offices, Alan Morgan-Moodie, commented: “It’s actually all about reporting, and tracking the wealth of the population, and where it resides. And it is the end of any form of confidentiality, certainly throughout Europe and the US, and I’m sure it will percolate into other areas.” For advice on compliant, tax efficient ways of holding your assets, and their best locations for your money, speak to an experienced wealth manager like Blevins Franks. Blevins Franks has decades of experience advising British expatriates on their tax planning. To keep in touch with the latest developments in the offshore world, check out the latest news on our website www.blevinsfranks.com

22 April 28, 2013 • SUNDAY MAIL

Business & Jobs

Different patterns of tourism Despite the shared reliance on the British market, tourism in the north and south has developed very differently Comment Costas Apostolides HOUGH Cyprus is a small island it is remarkable how different the development of tourism north and south of the Green Line has been. Details are shown in the table below which covers the period from 2000 to 2012, and shows that though the number of tourists visiting northern Cyprus has increased in proportion to those in the south from 16 per cent in 2000, to 43 per cent in 2010, revenues were still much lower in 2011 at 17 per cent in northern Cyprus. This brings out the fundamental difference in the structure of the tourist markets. Tourist arrivals north of the Green Line were 433,000 in 2000, of which 80 per cent were from Turkey. They increased to over a million arrivals in 2011, with the proportion of Turkish tourists being very similar at 78 per cent. This is because Turkish tourists stay for only three or four days and head for the luxury hotels with casinos. Casinos are banned in Turkey because of the links to organised crime so many Turkish citizens come over for long weekends. As a result the length of stay is shorter than in the south where it is around 10 days on average. This results in a substantial difference in average expenditure per head with that in the

northern part of Cyprus being €337 per visitor in 2010 and in the south more than double at €723 per head. Consequently the difference in tourist revenues is huge with over two million visitors in the south bringing revenues of almost €2 billion in 2012. Foreign, that is non-Turkish, visitors in northern Cyprus have doubled over the 11 year period, but are still relatively small in number (about 221,000 in 2011). That is only about nine per cent of total tourist arrivals in the south. The British dominate the “others category”. In the government controlled area the dominance of the British is being reduced from above 51 per cent 2000 to 49 per cent in 2012, with the Russian tourists increasing rapidly to half the UK level over the period. The other top ﬁve being made up by Germany, Greece and Sweden. The table also shows that after the 9/11 attacks both the Greek Cypriot and the Turkish Cypriot economies were hit with a decline in tourist arrivals in 2002, but the damage done to the economy of northern Cyprus was much larger with revenues falling by over half. This appears to have occurred from a sharp reduction in Turkish tourists owing to the 2001 economic crisis in Turkey. Despite the recovery in tourism in the government-controlled area in 2012, visitors are still below the 2001 level (by about 10 per cent). It is hoped that if the Russian market continues to develop, a full recovery may be possible over the next two or three years. In the Turkish Cypriot economy non-Turkish visitors stagnated between 2007 and 2008 but there was signiﬁcant growth in numbers in 2011.

The amount of tourists is still below 2001

One cause for concern in both economies is that expenditure per tourist has stagnated or declined over the 11 year period. Given inﬂation this means that revenues are in real terms substantially lower. It is known that about 10 per cent of all tourists entering through Larnaca airport also cross the Green Line. Of these only 25 per cent stay in northern Cyprus and the rest

only go on a day trip. That implies that about 27 per cent of the “others” category of tourists in northern Cyprus enter Cyprus through Larnaca. But up to date data is not available. Costas Apostolides is chairman of EMS Economic Management Ltd (costas.a@highwaycommunications.com)

TOURISM IN CYPRUS 2000-2012 North of Green Line Year

Beds

South of Green Line

Visitors Total

Revenue Beds Turkey

Others

Visitors

€ mlns

Revenue €mlns

2000

10,520 432,953 347,712

85,241 213

85,303 2,686,205 2,040

2002

10,912 425,556 316,193 109,363 121

94,466 2,418,238 1,941

2004

12,222 599,012 434,744 164,268 230

96,535 2,349,012 1,688

2006

13,755 715,749 572,633 143,116 240

93,957 2,400,924 1,772

2008

15,784 808,882 650,405 158,277 257

90,398 2,403,750 1,810

2010

17,358 902,390 741,925 160,465 304

88,234 2,172,998 1,570

2012

n.a.

2,464,908 1,928

Sources: Cystat, CTO, SPO and Kibris 28.3.12

Vacancy The U.S. Embassy in Nicosia is seeking an individual for the Local Guard Force Guard position. This is a full-time position (40 hours per week) with rotating shifts and rotating work days. Applicants must have the required work and residency permits to be eligible for consideration. Main responsibility: Performs guard services to safeguard the U.S. Embassy in Nicosia, its annexes, official residences and other USG facilities. Please visit the following website for detailed qualifications for the position and for application procedures: http://cyprus.usembassy.gov/theembassy/employment.html Applicants should send the DS-174 application for employment to: U.S. Embassy, HR Office, Local Guard Force Guard position, P.O. Box 24536, 1385 Nicosia or via E-mail to: VacanciesNicosia@state.gov to arrive no later than 5:00 p.m. May 8, 2013. No telephone calls will be accepted. An Equal Opportunity Employer.

23 April 28, 2013 • SUNDAY MAIL

Property From £4,920 a week: Alp Leisure’s Chalet Bartavelles

Two families who swapped London life for the ski slopes tell Cathy Hawker their secret was having a sound business plan

ARVING out a successful business in the highly competitive ski industry is not easy, but get it right and it’s the perfect way to enjoy living in the mountains. Britons Chris and Lucie Learoyd have run Alp Leisure, a luxury chalet company, since 1997, combining work with a busy family life. They live in a renovated 18th-century farmhouse in Courchevel Le Praz in the French Alps with their sons Jonty, 11, who is the French ski jump champion for his age group, and Louis, six. Alp Leisure manages six privately owned chalets, three in Meribel and three in Courchevel. The couple maintain the properties yearround and organise rentals, with an average annual occupancy of 70 per cent. Lucie puts the secret of their success down to hard graft, strict attention to detail and being very choosy about the

properties they take on. “All our chalets are private homes built from scratch or fully renovated, and are rented fully staffed with chefs and housekeepers,” says Lucie, 42. “To help cover costs, chalet owners are far keener to let their homes now than in the past. They know we will look after it for them. Over the years we’ve seen many people pay off their mortgages with the help of our service.” The ideal rental chalet, says Lucie, has a prime location - all Alp Leisure chalets are ski-in and out. And size does matter: the old days of cramming beds in are over. Other top must-haves include open ﬁres, outdoor hot tubs, plenty of separate space for children to play and adults to unwind, two dishwashers and, crucially, a loo in the boot room to help smooth the morning scrum to reach the slopes. One of their chalets even features a

London home on sale for a record £250m A LONDON house is set to smash Britain’s price record after going on sale for £250 million – 700 times more than the £370,000 average property value in the capital. The new owners of the Grade I listed Regency property, described as the biggest private home in central London, would be neighbours of the Queen and enjoy views of St James’ Park. The price tag comes as figures show million pound property sales in the British capital boomed last year with the total passing 5,000 for the first time. The house on Carlton House Terrace is in the hands of an elderly member of a Middle East royal family who is discreetly trying to find a buyer. A “strictly confidential” brochure describes it as “probably the finest residence in London” that retains original features including a magnificent double staircase and huge ballroom.

At 50,000 sq ft it is 30 times bigger than a typical London family house. A source close to the deal said the owner had spent millions restoring the magniﬁcent interiors of the sixstorey town house to their former glory. The source said: “The building is very much as it was in its heyday. It would be for a new owner to put in the modern toys such as a swimming pool.” The record for a house sale in London is the £136 million paid for an apartment at One Hyde Park in Knightsbridge. A house on Rutland Gate near Hyde Park was reported to have gone on sale for £300 million but has yet to ﬁnd a buyer. There were 5,115 sales over £1 million in London last year, eight per cent more than 2011 and 12 per cent more than in 2007 the last “boom” year before the banking crash triggered a temporary collapse in prices.

Sky’s the limit: The Alpine Club in stunning St Martin de Belleville

Who wouldn’t move for a view like this? full-size squash court beside an indoor pool. Helen and Chris Raemers left London to live in France’s Trois Vallées. They chose St Martin de Belleville, a delightful farming village, to set up their chalet company, The Alpine Club, living there full time. “We were living in London in busy jobs and never saw each other,” says Helen. “After a year travelling, we did two ski seasons and decided to try and create our own business. We chose St Martin because it is a pretty mountain village connected with a vast ski area. It is the same height as Meribel and two lifts take you up to 2,000 metres, but it is not crowded.”

Lucie and Chris Learoyd with sons Jonty and Louis

They bought Chalet Abode, a traditional Savoyard stone house, for £291,800 as a wreck in 2006. Chris, an architect, oversaw renovations, creating a four-bedroom chalet that mixes Alpine charm

Cyprus Handicrafts

and contemporary style - old stone and wood plus cantilevered glass balustrading. This winter, they added a second property to their portfolio, newly built Chamois Lodge.

“People who own property here love the local life but they are business minded and do not want to see their asset lie empty,” says Chris. “By using an established chalet company, they know their home will be looked after, be there for them when they want to use it and cover its costs for the rest of the year.” Helen’s top tips for decorating include using durable furniture and good quality bathroom ﬁttings. “We soon learned that you cannot afford to buy cheap furniture,” says Helen. “It needs to be durable, comfy and attractive, not too bling and not too Savoyard. Getting the mix right is the hardest part.”

Lefkara handmade lace, embroideries, crochet and needlework. Woven cotton cloth in traditional Lefkoniko, Karpass and Phiti styles. Handwoven traditional costumes, leather goods, silverware, copperware, pottery, mosaic, wood-carved items, baskets and other rush-made articles. CYPRUS HANDICRAFT SERVICE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE, INDUSTRY AND TOURISM Lefkosia: 186, Athalassa Avenue, Tel: 22305024 Lemesos: 25, Themidos Street, Tel: 25305118 Larnaka: 6, Cosma Lysioti Street, Tel: 24304327 Pafos: 64, Apostolou Pavlou Avenue Tel: 26306243

24 SUNDAY MAIL • April 28, 2013

Property LEGAL ISSUES WITH GEORGE COUCOUNIS

There are changes afoot for the property sector

Investing in property is still worthwhile

It is harder for our friends from overseas By Antonis Loizou FRICS THOSE of us who lived through the 1974 crisis in Cyprus might have a better understanding of the present economic situation, and back then circumstances were much worse than they are today. For the friends of Cyprus it could be considered much worse as they believed in us and now their savings are gone, which they would never have expected from an EU country. What can we say to those foreign residents who sold their assets in their own country and are now on the brink of desperation (as most Cypriots are)? But who is to blame? The whole situation, in a historic way, started by having a Communist president governing a capitalist EU country. It cannot be done. Although we were a member of the EU our then president called the EU “thieves”, “loan sharks” etc and did not follow the rules of the club. The opposition parties for the last two years urged the government to take measures, but the then government said we were okay and that the advice, including that of its own three consecutive ministers of finance, was wrong. Now that we are in trouble, those “loan sharks” and “thieves” want to take their “pound of flesh”. During the years 2009-2012 Government expenditure jumped because of the increasing handouts, whereas targeting the rich and the Banks, did not help. Yes now we will have a committee of investigation to find out what went wrong and

who is to blame, but what will this do for all of us? For those who govern the EU economy (the northern European countries) maybe it is difficult to understand how we ended up in this situation. A recent report by the German press raised the question how we in Cyprus made ends meet when our income is 36 per cent less than that of Germany and yet the cost of living is 20 per cent higher. The conclusion, by the German press was that Cyprus was living on the black money that the Russians and others have on the island. Yet two days after the implementation of the Troika measures, we in Cyprus received numerous letters to transfer offshore money to Germany, Luxemburg etc. But if those are black/laundered money, why do they want Cypriot deposits? In addition to the last five years of bad government, we were also unfortunate to have the previous and present presidents being at odds with the governor of the Central Bank. On the subject of real estate, what will happen to our mortgage debts towards banks who have lost our deposits and they want, as we have said before their “pound of flesh”? So we have unfortunate people who are chased by the same people (banks) who have caused them their distress – what a crazy and unfair situation. Yes, the public want all these at fault to go to prison, but then what do we do in the meantime and how will this help us? We now have a new president who we name ‘Margaret Thatcher’ of Cyprus.

WHAT YOU GET FOR

Examining the quality of our own politicians, this is the man who offers some sort of hope, but what can he do within the next short period of time? We understand that there are numerous (51) bills in the making which might address the situation to an extent. With respect to real estate we understand that: for the main residence local and foreign, the 18 month forced sale will not happen and an extension to 26 months has been set. Interest rates on delayed payments will not reach 13 per cent but set as a maximum on the prevailing rate of 7-8 per cent. At the same time, deposit rates to be reduced to around 2.5-3.5 per cent pa. Building amnesty, property taxes, common expenses are under consideration. Planning licenses etc to be speeded up, at least according to the new minister of the interior. The level of transfer fees is under discussion. A ﬂat rate of 5 per cent is one idea, but at the same time to charge 3 per cent interest to those who refuse to accept (or delay) transfer for the period from the title issue until transfer date. Reduction on the property tax based on individual property and not the total property of one company/individual, thus falling within lower scales of taxation. Antonis Loizou & Associates Ltd – Property Valuers, Property Consultants & Estate Agents, www.aloizou.com.cy

THE title deed of an immovable property remains reliable over time and this can be seen from the adjustment of prices of properties corresponding now to their value, as well as from the insolvency of the title of other investments, even deposits. The amendments of the laws on immovable property and specific performance strengthen the protection of the purchaser and encourage investments in real estate, a fact ascertained by Cypriot and other investors. The restrictions imposed in the banking sector due to the current economic situation constitute a temporary obstacle, which will be overcome when transactions are conducted freely. The situation will improve and the property market will be developed, a factor which will be beneficial for the economy of Cyprus. The reduction of interest rates and the increase of their tax together with the lack of trust in banking institutions and investments in deposits will push the public to invest their money in properties for their benefit and of those who cannot re-pay their loans. The property sector will again become an attractive investment contributing to development, though one cannot ignore unemployment and the present financial difficulties. Cyprus is an attractive tourist destination, increasing the interest of investors from abroad in properties, who are now careful and demanding, examining all aspects and seeking to obtain proper and independent advice to safeguard their rights. People acting as mediators without license trying to take advantage of purchasers must be ignored and isolated to eliminate any negative effects. All parties involved in the property sector should co-operate to overcome the difficulties faced due to the banking instability and create security and solvency in the property market. Everyone interested to invest in properties, Cypriots or others, should know that the

market is safe and that any past problems attributed to the lack of title deeds or the delay in their issue no longer exist. Moreover, they should know that there are no obstacles to the re-sale of their properties and they are in a position to cash their investment at any time without depending on the existence or lack of title deeds. The deposition of the sale contract at the Land Registry gives protection to the purchaser and enables the specific performance of the agreement, especially under the provisions of the new law giving wide powers to the court, preventing the obliged vendor from refusing or omitting to transfer the property sold. Additionally, the provisions of the law regarding the update of title deeds must also be considered. The law must be used for the protection of the purchaser; nevertheless attitudes must change so the purchaser need not resort to court claiming remedies which are evident obligations of the vendor. Adherence and compliance with the agreements constitute a prerequisite for the credibility and recovery of the property market. Only professionals can undertake this burden through their expertise and new ideas which will bring the desired economic development and the state should use their services. Through investment in property and the function of the correct procedures, the state will benefit through the collection of taxes which must be fair and not prohibitive. The financial problems cannot be resolved within a day or through haircuts of deposits and the practices we are facing, but through long-term development plans and new ideas. The Cyprus people have shown responsibility and they expect the same from the welfare state they envisage. George Coucounis is a lawyer specialiwing in the Immovable Property Law, based in Larnaca, Tel: 24 818288, coucounis.law@cytanet.com. cy, www.coucounislaw.com

€205,000 compiled by Peter Stevenson

How much: €205,000 What you get: This large two-bedroom ﬂat in Lykavitos in the centre of Nicosia comes with covered parking and a store room. From: www.foxrealty.com.cy Tel: 80080082

How much: €205,000 What you get: This two-bedroom house in the village of Vouni near Limassol. It has stone walls, wood beams, original stone ﬂoors and a stone built ﬁre place. From: www.buysellcyprus.com Tel: 26 200000

How much: €205,000 What you get: This new, luxury, two-bedroom apartment in the heart of Limassol comes with wall to wall ﬁtted wardrobes, covered parking and storeroom. From: www.propertyincyprus.com Tel: 70003211

25 SUNDAY MAIL • April 28, 2013

ADVERTISER helps you find what you’re looking for

Advertiser Only

€14 (plus VAT)

a week for classifieds (up to 40 words)

Send your classified by fax or email and pay by credit card, cheque or cash. It couldn’t be simpler! Nicosia - email: classified@cyprus-mail.com Limassol - email: limassol@cyprus-mail.com Paphos - email: paphos@cyprus-mail.com

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES *****************************

“FREEMONTGROUP.COM is seeking a Company Administrator with relevant background to join our corporate services team in Dubai. Email jobs@freemontgroup.com for more information. Interviewing will take place in our Limassol ofﬁce.” *****************************

FREEMONTGROUP.COM is seeking an accountant interested in working as: Accountant/ Company Administrator responsible for administering a portfolio of companies for clients and company accounts preparation and tax returns. Need to have tax knowledge. Email jobs@freemontgroup. com for more information.

have children over 6, and if you are interested in taking part in some research ﬁnanced by the University of Cyprus please contact us 96530033. Participants will complete a questionnaire and participate in a face-to-face interview. They will also receive a symbolic amount of money. ***************************** ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS CYPRUS Is drink costing you more than just money? AA could be the answer. Meeting at the following locations/days. Call to speak to an AA member. Ayia Napa Monday 97798043 Larnaca Tuesday (Polish spk) 96616589 Thursday 24645523 / 99259264 Limassol Tuesday / Wednesday / Friday / Saturday 25368265 / 99559322

******************************

Nicosia Sunday 99013596

EXPERIENCED PADI Instructors wanted for a 5* IDC in Limassol MUST be ﬂuent in BOTH Russian and English, with at least 5 Instructor Specialties. Please do not apply if you are not able to teach in both Russian and English. Contact jonathan@dive-inlimassol.com with your CV.

Paphos Tuesday / Thursday / Saturday 99916331 / 99399240 Details of meetings are available on www.aa-europe.net *****************************

LESSON

Nicosia - tel: 22 818583 fax: 22 676385 99131044 (all areas) info@rcscyprus.net / www.rcs-cyprus. net **************************** K.D.FLYSCREENS LTD. We manufacture top quality sliding screens, opening doors and roller systems. We also do repairs. For a FREE QUOTE please contact Phone: 99119582 Website: www.kdflyscreens.com **************************** SWIFT SERVICE AND REPAIRS air-cons, commercial and domestic fridges and freezers, ice machines, cool rooms, supply and fit air-cons VRV S. Call Nik on 99579602 Limassol **************************** DO YOU WANT A SHINY LOOKING FLOOR? Full repair & restoration of chipped, scratched, dull and stained, Marble, Terrazzo, Stone & Ceramic tiled floors and surfaces. Professional cleaning, repair & sealing of internal/external ceramic tiles & grout lines. For a free professional consultation & demonstration contact Mark at Premier on 70006766 All areas

PETS

Limassol - tel: 25 761117 fax: 25 761141

depth 58cm 2. Electrolux Freezer, model EUC3109X, width-595mm, height-1800mm, depth623mm, freezing capacity-24kg/24hours, energy class A 3.

CONVOTHERM OVEN model-OBG 6.10Combi OvenSteamer with Gas Steam Generator Extra: Stand with stainless steel shelving, extractor fan, water supply system and gas installation connections, PLUS CHAFING TRAYS & THERMO BOXES, ALL IN EXCELLENT CONDITION AT REDUCED PRICES. PLEASE CALL: 99622678

FOR SALE BUSINESS/ PROPERTY/LAND PLOT FOR SALE IN KATO PLATRES in a pine tree area. It comes with title deeds, 1095 square feet. Tel. 99881051. FOR SALE LAND in Anthoupoli (half plot) 288 sq.metres. for information 99621554.

PROPERTY TO LET

******************************

JOB WANTED *****************************

COUPLE FROM SRI LANKA are looking for a job, any job gardening, looking after old people, cleaning. Has driving licence. They have release papers - living in or out call 96499207 or 96757437 ******************************

MISCELLANEOUS ****************************** HELP WANTED and commission paid for advice regarding purchase of surplus Russian military items from Cypriot military. Please reply your details to info@rme-ltd.eu

***************************** WANTED: COUPLES OF EU CITIZENS LIVING IN CYPRUS We are currently conducting research as regards European families living in Cyprus. If both you and your spouse come from the same or a different country of the EU (except Cyprus and Greece, e.g. both from Germany, or Germany and France), if you

PRIVATE TUITION Experienced, UK-qualiﬁed teacher offers full/ part-time private home tuition in Maths, English, Science, I.C.T.,Geography, History, Business Studies and Economics, from KS2 to iGCSE, AS and A2 levels. 9 years experience in Cyprus; references available. Telephone 99318796 *****************************

HEALTH & FITNESS ***************************** FOR PRETTY WOMAN: anticellulite treatment, reﬂexology, aromatherapy massage against stress, back pains, headache. Also spa for nails. Tel: 99986991 Nicosia area near Hilton *****************************

SERVICES

RHODESIAN RIDGEBACK Quality pedigree puppies for sale, Kennels club registered. An excellent hunter, a good family dog, as well as a good guard dog. Lovely to have around, both parents can be seen. Price €500 for more info pls call 99046966 HONEY is a 3 month old pincher/ terrier mix. She is very small sized and very sweet and playful. Honey is looking for a loving family to be hers forever! She will remain small sized so she is ideal for a family with an apartment! For adoptions call 99 520 511 Monday-Friday between hours 10-2 or email ndsadoptions@gmail.com

FOR SALE MISCELLANEOUS ***************************** FOR SALE: Electric Cooker, Bosch 4 ceramic hotplates and oven, used 1 1/2 year, €300

**************************** PROFESSIONAL UPHOLSTERY CLEANING, also carpets, rugs and mattresses. Special offers now available. FREE STAIN GUARD FOR LIMITED TIME For a quote call Rickys Cleaning Services on

For further information contact phone 99757511 ***************************** FOR SALE – PAPHOS CATERING EQUIPMENT 1. Industrial freezer – CORECO Height 200cm, width 68cm,

NICOSIA *****************************

TO LET Villa Dasoupolis with pool mature garden €5000 Ayioi Omoloyitae 3 level house c/h a/c €3000 Mak/ ssa f/f house 4 bedr., €1500 Strovolos f/f house 4 bedr., €1200 3 bedr., ﬂat center f/f €1000 2 bedr., Acropolis/ Ma/ssa f/f €600 center 1 bedr.,f/f €550 Photos www.markidesestates.com Markides 22378898 / 99464764 Reg. No. 487 E 16 ****************************

FLATS/HOUSES FOR RENT studio Makarios Av. €300, Kennedy furnished €300, 1 bdrm Str/los €400, Hilton €400, 2 bdrm Lycavitos €480 fully equipped, Ag. Dometios ground floor + garden €450, Ag. Paylos rear house newly built €390, Acropolis furnished €450, 3 bdrm Ag. Omologites garden €700, Nikis Av. Furnished €500, Archangelos detached with pool €1,200, Acropolis independent ideal for office/residence €750, 4 bdrm Kwsta Theodorou new house €1,100, Mosfiloti unique villa with pool/landscaping €2,500. 99474839,

Paphos - tel: 26 911383 fax: 26221049 99646822. 21 PROPERTY FINDER LTD. Licenced & Registered Estate Agents A.M.627 A.A.108/E

****************************

TO LET 1 bedroom upper ﬂoor house, large veranda near restaurant Periyiali in Acropolis 5 Aeantos Street €300 call 99680208 ****************************

LUXURY HOUSES: 1. 4 bedr luxury detached house built in 3/4 of a plot, office space, central heating, full a/c, big sitting and dining area, separate big kitchen with family room and all the electrical appliances, blinds and curtains on all windows, aluminium shutters, big garden with grass, 3 wc, covered parking, in a quiet area – Strovolos €1000 (H4ST10051-R), (photos in the website) 2. 3 bedr luxury terraced house, 210sq.m,central heating, full a/c, marble floor in the sitting areas and solid parquet floor on stairs and bedrooms, 4 wc,3 bathrooms, 2 en suite, big verandas, electrical appliances in the kitchen, 3 covered parking spaces, roof garden access, in a quiet neighbourhood on Mon Parnas hill – Engomi €850 (photos in the website). 3. 3 bedr luxury semi detached house, a/ c for hot and cold in all the rooms, blinds, electrical appliances in the kitchen,2wc, big patio with tiles, in a quiet area in a dead end – Strovolos €550 (H3ST10002-R) (photos in the website) 4. 4 bedrs new luxury detached house,230sq.m,big sitting and dining area with solid parquet floor, big kitchen with cooker and oven,3wc,2 bathrooms, curtains on all windows, small garden, patio, central heating, full A/C, covered parking in a dead and near French Ambassador house- Strovolos €950 (H4ST10012-R) (photos in the website) 5. 4 bedr+ very big attic room separated in 2 rooms +separate room for the maid in the basement luxury fully renovated detached house with big sitting and dining room with fire place, big kitchen with electrical appliances sitting room and breakfast area, 3 bathrooms, floor heating independent with grass, a/c units, garden with grass and covered patio, in a quiet area near the International fair in the central part of Makedonitissa - €1500 AVAILABLE END OF MAY –(H4MAK0018-R) (photos in the website)

Larnaca - tel: 99 634725

classified contents Employment Opportunities pg 25 Employment Miscellaneous 25 Pets 25 Lessons 25 Health & Fitness 25 Personal 25 Services 25 For Sale Miscellaneous 25 For Sale Land/ Property Business 25 For Sale Motor vehicles -Properties Wanted -To Let Nicosia 25 To Let Limassol 28 To Let Larnaca 28 To Let Paphos 29 To Let Protaras, Ayia Napa, Paralimni -For Sale Nicosia 30 For Sale Limassol -For Sale Larnaca -For Sale Paphos 30 For Sale Ayia Napa -For Sale Famagusta Protaras 30 For Sale Athens -Property& Home Services display ads -Churches 29

abbreviations bdrm c/h a/c s/pool f/f apt pm pw sw nw st rd p/s c/l swb r/cass e/w

bedroom central heating air conditioning swimming pool fully furnished apartment per month per week south west north west street road power steering central locking short wheel base radio cassette electric windows

Please note tel nos. that begin with: 22 = Nicosia 23 = Paralimni/Protaras 24 = Larnaca 25 = Limassol 26 = Paphos

26 April 28, 2013 • SUNDAY MAIL

Advertiser TO LET NICOSIA

TO LET NICOSIA

6. 3 bedr + attic room with shower and wc luxury detached house with central heating, a/c, ﬁreplace, modern kitchen open plan with expensive electrical appliances, blinds, garden with grass, over ﬂow swimming pool, covered parking in a quiet area. – Makedonitissa €1500 (H4MAK0023-R), (photos on the website).

and swimming pool, covered parking, in a quiet neighborhood close to Alfa Mega supermarket – Dasoupoli €2000 - Available middle of June (H4DAS0001-R) (photos in the website) 8. 3 bedr +ofﬁce space luxury detached house with storage heaters, full a/c, 3 wc, 260 m², big kitchen with big family room opening to a big garden with grass, electrical appliances, covered parking, in a very quiet neighborhood in a dead end - Makedonitissa €2000 (H4MAK0034-R) (photos in the website) 9. New modern luxury very good quality ﬁnished semi detached house built in 3 levels. Upstairs 1st level 3 bedrs all en suite+ laundry room,

7. 4 bedr luxury detached house with 2 big extra rooms on the attic with shower and wc, central heating, air condition units, 360sq.m, solid parquet ﬂoor all the house except the kitchen, big sitting and dining areas with ﬁre place, big separate kitchen with family room and breakfast area, big mature garden with grass

TO LET NICOSIA 2nd level big attic room which can be used for office space or bedroom. Ground floor with 2 sitting areas ,dining area and breakfast area, kitchen with all the electrical appliances, central heating, full a/c units. Basement with kitchen with cooker and oven, dishwasher, microwave and 2 refrigerators, sitting room with fireplace, and 2 bedrooms with one bathroom. Outside private fenced garden with artificial grass, bbq area and covered veranda. The house has blinds and shutters on all windows, false ceiling with spot lights throughout house, pressure system, covered parking, satellite dish, central music and network system, storage room, very good double glazed windows. Behind General flooring in the centre of Makedonitissa - €2000 (H4MAK0001-R), (photos on the website). 10. 4 bedrs new luxury detached house, 450sq.m,

TO LET NICOSIA central heating, full a/c, office space, separate maid’s room, big kitchen with sitting room and fire place and all the electrical appliances, all the sitting areas viewing the garden with grass, blinds on all windows downstairs, very big bedrooms with parquet floor, main bedroom with jacuzzi,2 covered parking’s near Alpha Mega supermarket and English School. AVAILABLE END OF MAY 2013 – Strovolos €2200 (H4ST10001-R) (photos in the website)11. 4 bedr new luxury finished detached house with central heating independent, full a/c, 3wc, 2 bathrooms, big kitchen with cooker oven, dishwasher and big family room, aluminium shutters in all the house, separate big sitting and dining room with parquet floor, 2 covered parking, alarm system, big covered patio, SWIMMING POOL, in a newly built area near Falcon school – Strovolos €2000 (photos in the website).

KIOSK FOR SALE 20.000 EUROS (OVNO) PAPHOS

TO LET NICOSIA 12. 3 bedrs luxury 2 storey, FULLY RENOVATED LISTED HOUSE with high ceilings in the centre of Nicosia, 260sq.m, 2 small attic rooms, big sitting room upstairs, big sitting room and dining area downstairs, wooden floor, kitchen with all the electrical appliances, 2 bathrooms (one en suite),3wc,CH independent, A/C, big garden – Nicosia Centre €1400 (H4NIC0002-R), (photos in the website). 13. 4 bedrs luxury renovated detached house built in 3 plots of land,550sq.m aprox, central heating, full a/c, all the bedrooms with en suite shower/bathroom, extra room upstairs for sitting room/office space/bedroom, solid parquet floor in bedrooms, big kitchen with granite and all the electrical appliances, maid’s room, big sitting areas with fire place and internal yard, big swimming pool 6 x 12,big mature garden with grass and big trees surrounding the house giving privacy, in a very quiet neighborhood near Acropolis park. Available in August

TO LET NICOSIA €5500 – (H4DAS0006-R) (photos in the website) 14. 4 bedr very big luxury semi detached house 350sq.m, with big separate basement 80sq.m with 2 rooms, sitting room, kitchen and bathroom. Consists of big sitting and dining areas upstairs, big kitchen with big family room and breakfast area, big bedrooms, 3 showers, 1 bathroom, central heating, full a/c, black out blinds on all windows, cooker and oven in the kitchen, covered parking and patio with bbq in a very quiet neighbourhood close to Makarios football stadium. CAN BE RENTED FURNISHED, PARTIALLY FURNISHED OR UNFURNISHED Makedonitissa €1500 (H4MAK0032-R), (photos in the website) 15. 4 bedrs new luxury detached house, all the bedrooms very big and all with big bathroom/shower, sitting room upstairs, attic room with shower and wc, ofﬁce space/ maid’s room with shower and wc, central heating, full AC,450sq.m, big sitting and dining areas, big kitchen with

PRICE INCLUDES ALL STOCK AND EQUIPMENT FOOD, DRINKS, CHILLED PRODUCTS, PET FOODS, CIGARETTES FROZEN PRODUCTS, HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS, TOILETRIES. FREEZERS, CHILLER CABINET, ELECTRONIC TILL SYSTEM, SHELVING ETC INTERESTED PARTIES SHOULD E-MAIL – midnight011963@gmail.com

CityCell WiFi

1ST IN CYPRUS

Internet Only €25/Month NO PHONE LINE , NO DEPOSIT, NO CONTRACT PAY AS YOU USE . UNLIMITED USE , 25-100 999

27 SUNDAY MAIL • April 28, 2013

TO LET NICOSIA sitting area and ﬁtted cooker and oven, 6wc, 2 covered parking, yard with tiles and SWIMMING POOL, bbq area in a very quiet neighbourhood near CYBC (RIK) station and near a neighbourhood park – Platy Aglantzias €2500 (H4AGZ0005-R), (photos in the website) For many more properties with photos visit our website at www.landtouristestates.com which is updated daily. LANDTOURIST ESTATES LTD 22-422225/96422225/96422226, www.landtouristestates. com *****************************

LUXURY FLATS: 1. 3 bedr luxury finished spacious floor apartment with very big sitting and dining areas with family room with fire place, solid parquet floor all through, central heating independent, full a/c, all

FOR RENT 2 bedroom, 2 bath apartment in Larnaca near new hospital. €400 per month including service charge and refuse collection Call 99358916

Advertiser TO LET NICOSIA

TO LET NICOSIA

the bedrooms with en suite shower/bathroom, 4wc, big kitchen with all the electrical appliances, blinds on all windows, big covered veranda, covered parking, big storage room, on a small 3 storey building in a quiet neighbourhood – Agios Andreas- €1100 – A3AAD0005-R (photos on website). 2. 1 bedr spacious fully luxury renovated apartment,60sq.m, big sitting and dining room, big bedroom, fully newly modern furnished with LCD TV 32’, covered veranda, covered parking, storage heaters, full a/c, near Cyta, Laiki and Hellenic Bank headquarters – Dasoupolis €500 (photos in the website).

bedroom, covered parking, storage room, off Kallipoleos street in a quiet area – Lykavitos €360(A1LYK0021-R), (photos in the website). 4. 2 bedr FULLY RENOVATED spacious apartment with laminate parquet floor, a/c for hot and cold in all the rooms, big sitting and dining room, separate kitchen, big bedrooms, FULLY NICELY FURNISHED, covered veranda with nice view, near the American Embassy - €450 (A2ENG0018-R) 5. 4 bedr new spacious luxury finished floor apartment with floor heating independent, full a/c, 3wc, electrical appliances in the kitchen, blinds on all windows, very big 50sq.m covered veranda, fireplace, covered parking and big over floor heated covered swimming pool on the ground floor, on a small 3 storey building in a quiet neighbourhood near a play-

3. 1 bedr luxury GROUND FLOOR apartment with very big verandas and garden,2 a/c for hot and cold, cooker, oven, washing machine, fridge in the kitchen, big

English-Painter & Decorator Fully Qualified 30 years’ Experience SUMMER OFFER 30% OFF ALL AREAS • External & Internal painting • Damp Damage Repairs • Spritez Repairs • Free Estimates + very clean work • All areas. All types of woodwork stained and preserved • All work guaranteed

Tel. Tony on 99176557

TO LET NICOSIA ground and near Ippokration private hospital – Engomi €1500 (A4ENG0003-R) (photos in the website) 6. 1 bedr new luxury finished apartment with parquet floor, a/c for hot and cold, big bathroom, covered veranda, NEWLY MODERN FURNISHED, parking, off Kennedy Avenue near the centre – Nicosia Centre €450 (A1NIC0021-R), (photos in the website). 7. 2 bedr new luxury apartment with central heating independent, full a/c, 2wc, big sitting and dining room, separate kitchen with cooker and oven, blinds on all windows, covered veranda, solar heater, pressure system, covered parking, storage room, on a small building in a quiet neighborhood next to a playground, near Central offices of Cyta and Laiki Head quarters – Dasoupoli €500 (A2DAS0018-R), (photos in

SELECT Fencing & Decking Specialist For all your Garden and Security Fencing ♦ Quality approved workmanship ♦ 15 years experience + guaranteed work ♦ English workers ♦ also garden gates ♦ sheds ♦ chain link fencing ♦ free estimates ♦ all types of fencing & decking

Roofing flat & tired roofing repairs and construction Tel. SELECT fencing 99176557

TO LET NICOSIA

the website). 8. 2 bedr new modern luxury apartment with separate central heating, full a/c, 2bathrooms(one en suite), blinds on all windows, electrical appliances in the kitchen, big sitting & dining room, big covered veranda, covered parking near Alpha Mega – Engomi €500. AVAILABLE END OF APRIL (A2ENG0014-R), (photos in the website).

electrical appliances, water pressure system roller blinds and shutters on windows, big sitting and dining room, big bedrooms, covered parking and storage room, in a quiet neighbourhood near Akropolis park. – Acropolis €700 A2ACS0002-R (photos in the website) . 10. New luxury ﬁnished 1 bedr penthouse apartment with big verandah with nice view, in a small modern building,55sq.m,storage heaters,2 a/c, blinds on the windows, expensive electrical appliances (cooker, oven, extractor, refrigerator, washing machine, dryer), covered parking and storage room, off

9. New top quality 2 bedr apartment, 93sq.m+20sq.m veranda, on a small modern building with 6 ﬂats only. Central heating independent, full a/c, 2 bathrooms, 2wc, fully ﬁtted kitchen with all the

CityCell WiFi

1ST IN CYPRUS

Installation At € 99 & Only € 25/Month WIRELESS INTERNET NO PHONE LINE , NO DEPOSIT, NO CONTRACT . UNLIMITED USE , 25-100 999

SKY HD

WATCH NOW SKY SPORTS & FULL PACKAGE IN HD. Call: 25-341444 www.citycell.tv

BBC ITV CH4 CH5 & 100 UK FREE CHANNELS ,NO DISH REQUIRED.HAVE A DIRECT VIEW ON YOUR TV WITH REPLAY - / +12HRS

28 April 28, 2013 • SUNDAY MAIL

Advertiser TO LET NICOSIA Kalippoleos street opposite Dessange Day Spa near the University – Lykavitos €420 (A1LYK0002-R), (photos in the website). 11. 2 bedr luxury apartment with a/c for hot and cold, separate kitchen, big covered veranda, FULLY NICELY FURNISHED, covered parking, near the Ministry of Education – Acropolis €550 (A2ACS0036-R), (photos in the website) 12. 2 bedr new modern luxury apartment with ﬂoor heating, full a/c, big sitting and dining room, big covered veranda 30sq.m, fully ﬁtted kitchen with expensive electrical appliances, blinds,

TO LET NICOSIA

covered parking, on the 6th floor with plenty of view and nice breeze, in the centre off Kennedy avenue – Nicosia Centre €700 (A2NIC0031-R), (photos in the website). 13. New luxury finished 3 bedr penthouse (floor apartment) on the 5th floor,165sq.m+ big verandas(one bigger with bbq), solid parquet floor all the flat,3wc,2 bathrooms, central heating ind, full a/c, big separate Italian kitchen with electrical appliances and dining area, big sitting room, covered parking and storage room off Makarios Avenue walking distance to the centre €850 (A3NIC0030-R), (photos in the website).

14. 3 bedr spacious luxury ﬁnished apartment 150sq. m+30sq.m covered veranda, central heating independent with petrol, full wall a/c units, solid parquet ﬂoor, expensive electrical appliances in the kitchen, 3wc, curtains and blinds on windows, 3 COVERED PARKING, storage room, near Pizza Hut in Strovolos €1100 (photos in the website).

a small modern building, 186sq.m+90sq.m big veranda with nice view, separate ﬂoor heating, fully air conditioned, 4wc, 2 en suite bedrooms with shower,1 bathroom, solid parquet ﬂoor all through, big sitting and dining areas with electric modern shutters opening to the veranda, fully equipped kitchen with expensive electrical appliances, 2 parking places (1 covered), in a very quiet neighbourhood ,near the Russian Embassy. AVAILABLE END OF MARCH –Engomi €1900 (A4ENG0005-R) (photos in the website) For many more properties with photos visit our website at www.landtouristestates. com which is updated daily. LANDTOURIST ESTATES LTD 22-422225 / 96-422225 / 96422226 www.landtouristestates.com

2 BDRM ﬂat in the centre of Nicosia. Rent €450. For information call 99453663, 99663927.

15. 3 bedrs luxury penthouse,165sq.m+80sq.m verandah with bbq, central heating ind, full AC, 3 wc, 2 bathrooms, solid parquet floor all the flat, big kitchen with dining area, fully MODERN FURNISHED, covered parking off Athalassa Avenue near Stephanis Electronics and English school – Strovolos €800 (A3ST10013-R) (photos in the website) 16. New luxury finished 4 bed PENTHOUSE apartment in

*****************************

SPECIAL OFFER In Kokkinotrimithia, 15km from Nicosia in a good area, (in the centre, opposite Maragos bakery, 41/2 acres or 7 plot with 90% building factor. For more information please call 99673286, 99918830.

TO LET LIMASSOL year. Laminated parke ﬂoor, and big wardrobes in the 3 bedrooms. Rent €590.00 Tel 99497576 99886775 *****************************

LIMASSOL TO LET Hebrew homes, by Limassol twin towers, Kosher or Free, 3 monthly let. Call 035799036312. *****************************

TO LET Large 4 bedroom unfurnished house in the village of Asomatos nr Akrotiri Limassol. Fully A/C & Heating (storage heaters). 5 wc’s, large kitchen/diner, lounge and sitting room. Large loft with own shower/wc (suitable for office/playroom/gym). Carport - prominent position in cul-de-sac - lots of parking. €850 pcm (negotiable). Available from April 2013. Tel. 99831431 TRADITIONAL VILLAGE STONE HOUSE IN APESHIA. Very quiet village, 20mins from Limassol. Road to heritage school/Troodos. 2 bedrooms, office available top floor with veranda great view of mountains. Small courtyard with trees. Electric solar water. A/C-toilet in main bedroom. Semi/full furnished. Fitted kitchen with electrical appliances, fireplace. Toilet/ shower. €550pm negotiable. Tel 96891800. GROUND FLOOR HOUSE, furnished renovated this

LARNACA TO LET Impressive three bedroom ﬁrst ﬂoor apartment, Pyla, 2klms beach.Quiet area. Large lounge, balcony, seperate kitchen, modcons, furnished. Flyscreens, ceiling fans, aircon. Three double bedrooms, balcony with sea-views. Bathroom.Downstairs toilet. Free internet. Digi box. For prices email. josephina180149@yahoo. com Tel 99935294 ****************************

TO LET 3 bedroom house, 100m from beach, Dekelia road Oroklini area. 1 bed ﬂat Makenzie near sea and Petros supermarket. tel: 96693375 ****************************

FOR RENT fully furnished 1 bedroom flat near Larco hotel Larnaca. Price €370. Tel 99202543 1 BEDROOM flat in Ermou Square area Larnaca - 2 bedroom flat in Phaneromenis area Larnaca. Call 96693375 ****************************

1. Superior Real Estate Larnaca. 3 bedroom detached unfurnished property set on a fantastic development in the village of Tersefanou.

CHURCHES GRACE CHURCH, LARNACA 8 Ayiou Neofytou St Sundays 10 a.m. Also Midweek Meetings Details: Colin 24530700 HOLY CROSS CATHOLIC CHURCH, PAPHOS GATE, NICOSIA Sunday Masses: Saturdays 6.30 pm, Sundays 8.00am, 9.30am & 6.30pm Weekday Masses: 6.30 pm Monday to Friday Tel: 22662132 Email: holcross@logos.cy.net

LARNAKA COMMUNITY CHURCH APHRODITE STREET, LARNAKA 10.00 AM MORNING SERVICE and SUNDAY SCHOOL For more details ring Fred 24365152

International EVANGELICAL CHURCH (Reformed) Limassol 352 St. Andrew’s Street (1½ blocks from Starbucks/Fat Boy) Sunday worship 10:30am Wednesday Bible Discussion 7pm For info: 99384742 ALL ARE WELCOME

St Helena’s Anglican Church, Larnaca St Helena’s Court, Grigoris Afx Sunday Service: Holy Communion 9.30 am

NICOSIA CHRISTIAN CENTRE 10 PINDOU STR, ENGOMI, NICOSIA, TEL. 22464375 SERVICES: SUNDAY 10AM, WEDNESDAY 8PM

Family oriented evangelical church Contemporary Christian Worship Sunday 10am (Holy Communion - 1st Sunday of the month) Sunday School (Juniors and Teens) Outreach and Evangelism Bible Studies

Tel. 99 293489, 99 279960 Email: immanuel.church.nicosia@gmail.com Website: www.immanuelchurchnicosia.org

ALL WELCOME Tel:24651327 ofﬁce@sainthelenas.com

THE ORTHODOX CHURCH OF ST ANDREW AND ST JOHN THE BAPTIST MESA GEITONIA, LIMASSOL The Orthodox Liturgy in English served fortnightly on Saturdays at 9.00 am. We also hold a Discussion Group every Thursday evening at 7.30 pm For information please call Fr. Christopher Klitou Mobile: 99957144 Fax: 25710318 You can email us at: klitoux@logos.cy.net or visit our website: www.christopherklitou.com

THE REFORMED CHURCH OF LIMASSOL Clear exposition of the Bible in the presence of God, and relevant to our lives. Our Sunday services start at 10:30 am sharp, and the Wednesday Bible discussion at 7 pm. International Evangelical Church (Reformed) is located at 352 St. Andrew’s Street. 1½ blocks from Starbucks / Fat Boy, and 1 block from the Municipal Gardens, Zoo. For further information call Steve at 99384742, or email: iee.limassol@gmail.com All are welcome! PROPHETIC CALL-OUT Grieved by preachers living in sin ? Pastors collaborating with idolaters? Bored with just being a spectator? In Prophecy there is no ‘us and them: Everyone contributes (1 Cor 14:26) 10am start 9/2/2013 God willing, Meet: Entrance Palaiopafos, Kouklia Instruments/shofars welcome

Open Door Baptist Church

St Barnabas’ Anglican Church 153 Leontiou A Street Limassol www.stbarnabas-cyprus.com Telephone: 25362713 - All welcome ALL SAINTS GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH (ENGLISH) Sunday Divine Liturgy 8-10am. Followed by Fellowship hour (coffee) Services are now being held at the underground Chapel of All Saints of Cyprus at St. Panteleimonos Church Makedonitissa Archangelos (Engomi) For more info please contact Fr. Joseph Coleman Tel. 99938924

THE ORTHODOX CHURCH OF AGIOS ARSENIOS, LIMASSOL (near Tsirion Stadium) The Orthodox Liturgy in English Saturday, 4 February at 8:30 am For information please contact: Father M. Spanou at 99 – 401365 (msspanou@googlemail.com)

9 Larnakos Street Katholiki Area Limassol Sundays: 9:45, 11:00 AM, 1:30 PM Wednesdays: 7:30 PM 25 751193 or 99 758729 www.cbm-odbc.org

GRACE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH Invites you to COME AND EXPERIEBNCE THE LOVE OF GOD WITH US Int. Christian Business Fellowship Meeting Centre Sundays: 10.00am Sunday School 11.00 am Main Service (Dine with us centre services) Wednesdays: Prayer meeting 6pm Address: To Arsinois Str., 1010 Nicosia (Next to Western Union Office to KISA) Contact: 99988900 or 97667932. \VISITORS ESPECIALLY WELCOME!!!

The Anglican Church of Paphos Ayia Kyriaki (St. Paul by the Pillar) Sunday 8.15am Holy Eucharist 6.00pm Sung Eucharist th 4 Sunday 6.00pm Choral Evensong Wednesday 9.00am Holy Eucharist 3rd Wednesday (BCP) St. Stephen’s, Tala st rd 1 & 3 Sunday 11.00 am Holy Eucharist 2nd & 4th Sunday 11.00am Morning Worship St. Luke’s, Prodromi 1st & 5th Sunday 9.30am Morning Worship 2nd , 3rd & 4th Sunday 9.30am Holy Eucharist 1st & 3rd Wednesday 9.30am Holy Eucharist 1st Sunday 6.00 p.m. Peace & Wholeness with Holy Eucharist 4th Sunday every quarter 9.30 am Holy Eucharist from BPC Church Office: 26-953044 Fax: 26-952486 Email: anglicancofp@cytanet.com.cy for directions to each church

DEUTSCHE GOTTESDIENSTE IN ZYPERN Nikosia: Am 1. und 3. Samstag im Monat in der St. Paul’s Cathedral um 18 Uhr Limassol: Am 2. Sonntag im Monat im Gemeindehaus in Germasogeia um 11 Uhr Am 4. Sonntag im Monat in der St. Barnabaskirche um 18 Uhr Paphos: Am 2. Samstag in der Kirche an der Paulussaeule um 16 Uhr Agia Napa: Am 4. Sonntag im Monat im Hof des Klosters um 9.30 Uhr Näheres Informationen durch Pfarrer Dr. Herold, Tel 25-317092 oder im Internet www.ev-kirche-zypern.de

St. Paul’s Anglican Cathedral Byron Avenue, Nicosia, 22 445221/22 677897 www.st-pauls-nicosia.com

Sunday 0930 : Holy Communion Sunday School in the hall 1800 : Evening Prayer Monday/Tuesday/Thursday 0830: Morning Prayer Wednesday 1030 : Holy Communion First Monday of each month 1930 : Guild of St Raphael Parish Office : Mon-Fri : 0900 – 1100 Saturday 1000-1200

Bookshop and Thrift Shop

29 SUNDAY MAIL • April 28, 2013

TO LET LARNACA Available for immediate occupation. Ref. TLL973. Tel 24815926 2. Superior Real Estate Larnaca. 2 bedroom fully furnished apartment, nr the Metro/American Academy Larnaca. Ref. TLL1654 Please call to arrange a viewing Tel. 24815926 3. www.superiorrealestatelarnaca.com – LARGE RANGE OF RENTAL PROPERTIES. From studio apartments to 5 bedroom villa’s for rent, all properties have detailed descriptions, professional photographs. Interactive Virtual/Video Tours. Please visit our website. www.superiorrealestatelarnaca.com 4. www.superiorrealestatelarnaca.com - License No. 419. LANDLORDS AVERTISE YOUR PROPERTY WITH US FOR FREE. Tel. 24815926 Email. info@superiorrealestatelarnaca.com ****************************

PAPHOS ****************************

TREMITHOUSA- Modern 2 Double Bedroom Townhouse with Stunning Sea views, Large Secluded Terrace with Open Views, Roof Garden, Fitted Kitchen, A/C, U/F 350 Euros or F/F 400 Euros

Advertiser TO LET PAPHOS

TO LET PAPHOS

TREMITHOUSA- Superb Detached 3 Bedroom Villa with Large Pool, F/F to a very High Standard, Mater En-Suite, Family Bathroom with Jacuzzi, Beautifully Fitted Kitchen, Utility, Separate Shower room, Spectacular Mountain and Sea views, Quite Cul-DeSac location 700 Euros

pool on a big plot. Spacious living space, good sized bedrooms. Pool and garden maintenance included in rent. Lovely sea and country side views. €700 3. Peyia, Beautiful 3 bed un/ furnished villa with amazing sea views. Private pool, lovely garden, double bedrooms, master en suite. €500

*****************************

KISSONERGA- Beautiful Detached U/F 3 Bedroomed Villa, Large Pool,2 Bedrooms Upstairs Master En-suite, Family Bathroom, modern Fitted Kitchen, Downstairs Bedroom with En-suite Shower room, Low maintenance Garden, Large Terraces and Separate Storage Room 600 Euros TREMITHOUSA- Purpose Built Ground and First Floor 1 and 2 Bedroom Apartments U/F and F/F, A/C, Parking From Only 150 Euros URGENTLY WANTED – 3 Bedroom U/F Detached Villas 600/700 MORE PROPERTIES AVAILABLE FOR INFORMATION PLEASE CALL 99862922 *****************************

1. Sea Caves Paphos, luxury 3 bed unfurnished villa with private pool on a big plot. One bed downstairs, kitchen white goods include dish washer. Spacious bedrooms, dressing room, balconies, separate outdoor storeroom, enclosed garden. €1000 2. Secret Valley, 3 bed un/ furnished villa with private

4. Koili, brand new 4 bed unfurnished villa. Finished to a very high quality in a very quiet location. Italian kitchen, fire place, under floor heating, shutters, fly screens, pool, one bed downstairs. €850 PAPHOS TO RENT Tel: 99389198. For listings and many other properties please visit our web www. paphotorent.com and give us a call. *****************************

PEYIA, luxury villa, 3 double bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, fully or part furnished, private pool, quiet location, paved garden area, sea and mountain views. Sky satellite, €550 ono, please call: 99771532 – no agents FOR RENT a selection of 1 to 5 bedroom houses & apartments F/F & U/F Universal, Peyia, Tomb of the Kings, Tsada, Timi, Kato Paphos & Kissonerga Landlord & Owners please call 99329357 Or please view at our website www.cyprussands.com Fully Registered Company in Cyprus

MR RENT PAPHOS, THE LEADING PROPERTY RENTAL AGENCY IN PAPHOS OFFICE: 26271858 (00357) IF YOU HAVE A PROPERTY TO RENT WE ARE THE RENTAL AGENCY TO CONTACT OFFERING FULL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT & RENT COLLECTION SERVICE 1. CHLORAKA €600 a unique opportunity to rent a traditional stone village house in the village of Chloraka. This beautiful property has been lovingly restored and offers a spacious 3 bedroom, 2.5 bathroom homes with plenty of character. A rustic hideaway offering large pretty courtyard with fruit trees. Off street parking. Stunning real fire in living area & log burner in kitchen. Available furnished with solar panels, pressurised water system & storage space. Viewings highly recommended. website reference number: RTL_679 2. SECRET VALLEY €750 spacious modern detached 3 bedroom villa situated on a corner plot in a peaceful residential area. Offering large private pool with a low maintained enclosed garden with sea views. Off street parking. Fully furnished with modern furniture and includes gas central heating throughout. Modern fitted kitchen with granite worktops. One bedroom on ground floor with

TO LET PAPHOS bathroom. Pets allowed at owners discretion. Viewings highly recommended. website reference number: RTL_561 3. KAMARES TALA €850 a stunning detached villa offering 4 bedrooms plus ofﬁce in a quiet & private residential area with large parking bay for numerous cars and covered off street parking. Offering spacious living accommodation and breathtaking views of the sea. This proper-

TO LET PAPHOS ty includes a lift to all 4 ﬂoors. Luxury modern ﬁtted kitchen with appliances. Lovely garden with spacious veranda & private pool. Available unfurnished. website reference number: RTL_669 4. SEA CAVES €850 price includes pool cleaning & gardening. Luxury modern detached 3 bedroom villas in a peaceful & private location. Fully furnished with good quality modern furniture including a log burner

UK House Offered in Exchange for Apartment or House in Cyprus A 100 sq. m. four bedroom Semi Detached house in the East Midlands, with a market value of £120,000, is offered in exchange for a 2 bedroom (minimum) apartment or house anywhere in Cyprus. My house has been recently renovated at a cost of over £25,000 and is situated within less than three miles from Clumber Park. If interested, please email Natalia at nzah50@hotmail.com for a detailed description of my property and please include the internal size in square metres and photos of what you are offering in exchange.

30 April 28, 2013 • SUNDAY MAIL

Advertiser TO LET PAPHOS

for those winter months. Modern fitted kitchen with top brand appliances. Two bedrooms on ground floor with family bathroom & master bedroom & ensuite on upper level. Good sized low maintenance garden with private pool offering privacy & sea views. Shaded bbq area. Off street parking with shaded car port. website reference number: RTL_625 5. KAMARES TALA €900 a unique property combining modern and traditional. Situated in the sought after area of Kamares on a large plot with mature gardens & stunning private pool, offering total privacy and breathtaking sea views. Separate annex with modern shower room & separate kitchen. Guest room offering bedroom & shower room at pool level. Large modern office. Main house offering 2 further bedrooms plus a number of sitting rooms. Perfect for those who require something completely different from the norm. Available furnished or part furnished. website reference number: RTL_673 6. PEYIA €950 we are delighted to offer this ultra modern 4 bedroom villa with luxury furnishings & fittings. Offering spacious accommodation with breathtaking sea views. Furnishings & fittings are of a very high quality. Spacious living area with modern fitted kitchen & utility area. One bedroom on

ground floor with ensuite & kitchenette. Guest wc. Private infinity pool & enclosed low maintenance garden. A must to see! website reference number: RTL_670 7. ST.GEORGE €1,100 a brand new stunning detached 3 bedroom villa with modern fitted kitchen & bathrooms. Beautifully finished with detail mosaic flooring. One bedroom on ground floor with bathroom. Enclosed landscaped garden with kidney shaped private pool. Situated in a quiet residential area. Available unfurnished though includes top brand kitchen appliances & blackout blinds. website reference number: RTL_678 8. CHLORAKA €1,800 substantial luxury 4 bedroom villa, spacious (350 sq meters), beautifully designed with unique detail. Conservatory with views of landscaped gardens. Large modern fitted kitchen, living room with working fireplace. Circular dining room with vaulted dome ceiling. Stunning private pool area. Available unfurnished. website reference number: RTL_579 Tel: 97790883 Tel: 99133422 office: 26271858 visit our website for many more properties www.mrrentpaphos.net email: info@ mrrent-paphos.net *****************************

FLOWRON PROPERTY RENTALS : Offering a full range of property servic-

TO LET PAPHOS es, the company you can TRUST. ARMOU 2 bedroom townhouse situated in peaceful village, has great seaviews and communal pool. Property is walking distance to village square. Downstairs consists of kitchen, sitting area and guest WC. Upstairs are 2 bedrooms, one ensuite shower and the other with ensuite bath. REF 1204 Amount €370 TIMI 4 bedroom large furnished house on outskirts of Timi Village in its own private grounds surrounded by fruit trees. Very nice standard and lots of living space. Large quality kitchen. 3 large bedrooms upstairs, master with ensuite, family bathroom. Additional room used as ofﬁce and upstairs loft. REF 1049 Amount €650 ARMOU 4 bedroom modern villa offered unfurnished. Woodburner and airconditioning throughout. Dowstairs is large living room, large kitchen, dining area and guest cloakroom. Upstairs 4 bedrooms, Family bathroom. Private pool and great sea/mountain views. REF 1001 Amount €900 SECRET VALLEY 4 bedroom large unfurnished villa in nice residential road. Private pool, gated, covered parking. Downstairs bedroom, sitting room, kitchen. Upstairs 3 bedrooms all with ensuite shower rooms. REF 1241 Amount €900

TO LET PAPHOS PEYIA 3 bedroom villa, unfurnished. Bedrooms all with fitted wardrobes and family bathroom. Airconditioning, flyscreens, fans and sat TV. Sitting/dining area, kitchen with white goods and guest cloakroom. Outside private pool with shaded offstreet parking and great mountain and seaviews. REF 1214 Amount €550 AY MARINOUDA 2 bedroom bungalow in a quiet residential area, furnished, fireplace. Outside has offstreet parking and a communal pool. Nice cosy bungalow in a nice location with stone features. REF 1224 Amount €500 TALA 3 bedroom part-furnished modern villa with quality interior Italian kitchen, central heating, private pool and great seaviews in peaceful residential location. REF 988 Amount €750 SEA CAVES 5 bedroom modern, fully furnished luxury villa in centre of Sea Caves/ Coral Bay property with central heating double garage and downstairs bedroom. Outside – large grounds with private pool and beautiful seaviews. REF 9999b Amount €1,800 Please call for a free viewing on 26600450 – 97616070 many more properties in-

EMBA

TO LET PAPHOS

TO LET PAPHOS cluding commercial lettings on our website at www.ﬂowron.com – Your Vision is our Mission LANDLORDS FLOWRON PROPERTY RENTALS WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU, WE WELCOME ALL PROPERTIES FROM STUDIOS VILLAS *****************************

PEYIA – 3 bedroom villa with modern quality furniture and ﬁnishes. Central heating, sky, alarm, inﬁnity pool and stunning sea and mountain views €700 per month, call: 99389426 *****************************

BRAND NEW APT, opposite Poseidonio Gym, near Carrefour, F/F, a/c, great quality, 1 bdrm, from €340 p.m. Tel 99403261 *****************************

PROPERTY FOR SALE

FOR SALE NICOSIA well, pool, quiet area, great for families. Motivated seller. Price reduced 1.500000. Call 99432074 mpapadmd@ gmail.com ****************************

FOR SALE upper ﬂoor house 210 sq.m built on 301 sq. m land, Lapatsa area, Pereous 1a. 4 bedrooms with attic room (not ﬁnished), c/h ,4 a/c, aluminium doors& window, covered parking and storage room. Price €310.000 pm call 22431095 99330632.

PAPHOS EXO-VRISI – 2 bed townhouse in quiet cul-de-sac. Panoramic sea views, car port, a/c, ceiling fans, tastefully furnished, plus all white goods, €105.000 o.n.o with title deeds Call : 26954147/ 99137828

NICOSIA

PROTARAS

*****************************

FOR SALE special offer, €79, 000 ﬁrst ﬂoor apartment in Protaras, fully furnished with 2 bedrooms and a swimming pool. Walking distance to the beach of Ayia Triada and all amenities. Tel: 97 608941.

For sale Beautiful villa, Nicosia, Strovolos 550sqm build in two lots 1250sqm. 6 bds, 6 bath, under ﬂoor heating, A/C, basement, two car garage, beautiful landscape,

INDOOR MARKET & CAR BOOT SALE FRIDAY – SATURDAY – SUNDAY FRI 8:00AM – 2:00PM

FRESH VILLAGE FRUIT AND VEGETABLES WATCH REPAIRS & JEWELLERY POTTED FLOWERS NEW & USED HANDBAGS & CLOTHES SECOND HAND BOOKS COMPUTERS & TELEPHONE ACCESSORIES SECOND HAND FURNITURE & ANTIQUES INDIAN TAKE AWAY HOME MADE FRESH CAKES & PIES

STALLHOLDERS & CAR-BOOTERS WELCOME ALL ENQUIRIES CALL: 96533839/99771532

31 April 28, 2013 • SUNDAY MAIL

Compiled by Rosie Ogden

Peugeot Sport reaches for the clouds for the Pikes Peak Hill Climb PEUGEOT Sport has pulled no punches in its bid to provide Sébastien Loeb with a singularly awesome machine for the 2013 Pikes Peak Hill Climb (June 30). The 208 T16 Pikes Peak in which the driver who has dominated world class rallying for the past decade will attempt to become the ‘King of The Peak’ boasts a power output of 875 horsepower, tips the scales at just 875kg, and benefits from all-wheel drive, plus a spectacular aerodynamic package. The mission of any race car designer is to juggle with the restrictions and constraints dictated by the regulations in areas like height, the forms of the body, and the size and location of the powerplant. The Pikes Peak Hill Climb is the only race in the world that permits the beast that lurks at the back of every engineer’s mind to become reality. The very mention of the event and its celebrated ‘Unlimited’ class is enough to bring a twinkle to the eyes of any designer. “Your imagination is the only limit when you set out to design a car for Pikes Peak,” grins Jean-Christophe Pallier, the Peugeot Sport engineer tasked with the 208 T16 Pikes Peak project. “Designing this car was a tremendously rewarding experience, even though we still had to take the ‘time’ factor into account.” The giddy altitudes visited by the Colorado hill climb present a unique technical challenge: that of ensuring the engines are able to breathe as freely as possible in the rarefied air. “In the case of a normally-aspirated engine, you basically lose one per cent of the available power every 100 metres you climb,” notes Peugeot Sport Director Bruno Famin. This is a fundamental parameter that has to be taken into account for this race which starts at an altitude of 2,865 metres and finishes at 4,301 metres. By the time they reach the start line, certain engines automatically shed some 30 per cent of their potential so a powerful engine is essential. Peugeot Sport’s answer is a derivative of the bi-turbo V6 which was designed for endurance racing. With this 875-horsepower powerplant under the bonnet, the 208 T16 Pikes Peak will boast

even more power than a Formula 1 single-seater. It goes without saying that it will be the most powerful car ever driven by rallying’s multiple world champion. This will be motorsport in the extreme, especially since the guard rails that are a hallmark of traditional circuits make way for steep drops in the case of Pikes Peak. Peugeot has also paid careful attention to providing Loeb with a particularly lightweight car. “We’ve shaved it down to 875kg,” observes Pallier. “As a result, we have achieved the magic and symbolic power-to-weight ratio of 1:1!” Meanwhile, to be sure that the car’s handling is as agile as possible, the weight distribution of the tubularframed machine has been meticulously fine-tuned, with the engine sitting in a mid-rear position, like the famous Group B rally cars of the 1980s. The 208 T16 Pikes Peak effectively shares its genes with those of the Le Mans 24 Hours-winning 908 in several areas. Last year’s Pikes Peak took place for the first time on an entirely asphalted course, so the machine conceived by Peugeot Sport is practically an out-and-out endurance racing prototype. Common areas include the running gear, brakes and aerodynamic features like the air-intake and the spectacular two-metre wide rear wing which was originally used for the first-generation 908 HDi FAP. The car’s aerodynamic package has also been meticulously honed. “We believe efficient aerodynamics can give us a competitive edge over our rivals,” says Pallier. “The speeds reached during the ascent range from 50 to 240kph, and aerodynamics play a key role from 100kph.” The rear wing and front splitter are not only spectacular, they are also ‘awesomely efficient’; meanwhile, although invisible, the design of the under-tray is responsible for generating almost half the car’s downforce. To tackle the 156 corners that stand between Loeb and the Colorado clouds, the most successful driver in rallying history will, says Peugeot, “most definitely benefit from one of the most potent purpose-engineered cars ever designed for motorsport”.

The 208 T16 Pikes Peak, which will be driven by Rally icon Sebastien Loeb, will boast even more power than an F1 car

Motoring

DETROIT ELECTRIC’S SP:01 ‘SETS NEW BENCHMARK IN PERFORMANCE’

The SP:01 is the ﬁrst production vehicle to be marketed under the Detroit Electric brand since 1939 and heralds a new family of all-electric production cars

World’s fastest EV debuts at Shanghai DETROIT Electric’s new high-performance electric sports car, the SP:01, received its global public reveal at the Shanghai Motor Show last weekend. A limited-edition, twoseat, pure-electric sports car, its makers say the SP:01 sets a new benchmark for performance and handling in the electric vehicle (EV) segment. The Shanghai event is the first time that the public has been able to view the SP:01 first-hand, though since it went on sale in early April, there’s been a fair amount of interest, with 35 orders being placed within an hour of the car going on sale. The SP:01 boasts an impressive 155 mph (249 km/h) top speed and can cover the 0-62mph (0-100km/h) sprint in a blistering 3.7 seconds, making it the world’s fastest pure-electric production car. The exceptional performance is owed in large part to the car’s power-to-weight ratio: total weight is just 2,354 lb. The mid-mounted 201 bhp electric motor drives the rear wheels and delivers 166 lb ft of torque; there’s a lightweight, purposedesigned battery pack and all-new carbon-fibre bodywork (similar to that used in Formula 1) and the car also features performance-tuned suspension, steering and brake systems to provide “class-leading ride and handling characteristics”. To deliver instantaneous torque for ‘breath-taking’ acceleration, the SP:01’s innovative powertrain creates an electromagnetic

‘It is more than just a sports car, it is a mobile energy unit, allowing the user to use its stored battery energy to power not just the car but even an entire home’ ﬁeld around the rotor shaft, which then spins at varying speeds to drive the wheels. Drivers can select one of four gear ratios for optimal acceleration, but - unlike a manual shift in a conventional car - there is little need to change gear regularly to ensure brisk progress. With an energy storage capacity of 37 kWh, the battery gives the SP:01 a range of almost 190 miles between recharges, when tested to the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) standard. A homecharging unit allows owners to charge their car at home, with full charge achieved in 4.3 hours. Says Albert Lam, Detroit Electric’s Chairman and Group CEO, “it is a signiﬁcant development for the international EV sector. The car will allow us to demonstrate to the world our ability to build an exciting and innovative product, one that displays outstanding performance coupled with strong green credentials, and which delivers an exhil-

arating driving experience.” To accentuate the SP:01’s pure electric credentials, a transparent inspection window displays the vehicle’s battery technology. The cabin of the SP:01 is packed with innovation: it’s the ﬁrst to use smartphone applications to manage the complete in-car infotainment system. Named ‘SAMI’ (Smartphone Application Managed Infotainment system), SAMI provides access to a wide range of functions, including music player, satellite navigation, interior lighting adjust and vehicle systems status – such as the level of battery charge, range to recharge and other vehicle telemetry. It can, of course, also be used to make mobile phone calls! SAMI can also act as a remote control unit (via GSM), enabling the user to locate the vehicle, turn on the climate control system and check the charge status. “SP:01 is more than just a sports car, it is a mobile ener-

gy unit, allowing the user to use its stored battery energy to power not just the car but even an entire home” says Lam. The car is equipped with a bi-directional charge and discharge capability, allowing it to release its stored electrical energy to power a home.” This is made possible through the patented home charging and power back-up unit, named ‘360 Powerback’ which is a smart homecharging and power back-up unit that enables the SP:01’s battery to be charged at the rate of 8 kWh (240V@32A). This smart unit can also detect any power failure of the grid and provide the option to the user – via SAMI and the GSM network – to instruct the vehicle to restore power to the home using its stored energy. An all-disc braking system, coupled with ABS (anti-lock braking) and ESP (Electronic Stability Control) is fitted as standard, and regenerative braking technology underpins “superb stopping performance while ensuring greater energy efficiency”. The car’s energy recovery mechanism uses the motor as a generator, recovering kinetic energy when acceleration is interrupted and using it to recharge the vehicle’s battery packs. The SP:01 is the first production vehicle to be marketed under the Detroit Electric brand since 1939 and heralds a new family of all-electric production cars, including two other highperformance models that will enter production by the end of 2014.

32 April 28, 2013 • SUNDAY MAIL

Sport Chargers pick Te’o in second round of NFL draft MANTI Te’o was selected by the San Diego Chargers in the second round of the National Football League (NFL) annual Draft on Friday, ending an anxious wait for one of the game’s most scrutinised and controversial players. Te’o was a notable absentee when the NFL’s 32 teams made their first-round selections the previous night, but he was the sixth man picked when the second of the seven rounds got under way in New York on Friday. The Chargers, who have released a slew of veteran players, opening the way for the new crop to make their mark, traded up to get Te’o as the 38th overall pick. They gave up a fourth-round pick to Arizona just to move up seven spots and ensure they got their man. “That means a lot to me,” Te’o said in an interview with chargers.com, the team’s official website. “Being a Charger means a lot to me right now. It’s a great organisation. “I want to reward them for picking me. I’m going to do whatever it takes to help us win. “ When former Chargers defensive back Jim Hill announced that San Diego had taken Te’o, there was loud roar from the crowd inside Radio City Music Hall, where the draft was taking place. Te’o, a 22-year-old linebacker who played his college football with Notre Dame, was not there, steering clear of the spotlight and opting to watch the national telecast instead from Hawaii, where he was born and raised. An All-American player who finished runner-up in the Heisman Trophy, awarded to the best player in college football, Te’o’s private life has superseded his sporting career. He became a source of fascination for the American public when it was discovered earlier this year that he was the victim of an elaborate hoax about a fake girlfriend who supposedly died, but never really existed.

Depleted Lakers routed by hotshooting Spurs Ailing Los Angeles side missing top four guards, pounded 120-89 on home court By Mark Lamport-Stok es

Tim Duncan #21 of the San Antonio Spurs drives to the basket past Pau Gasol #16 of the Los Angeles Lakers for a layup in the second half, during Game Three of the Western Conference Quarterﬁnals of the 2013 NBA Playoffs

IT was the worst possible combination for the Los Angeles Lakers as their injurydepleted line-up ran into a scintillating shooting display by the San Antonio Spurs in a lop-sided Game Three on Friday. With the ailing Lakers missing their top four guards, they were pounded 120-89 on their home court by the second-seeded Spurs to slip 3-0 behind in their best-of-seven first-round playoff series. All-Star forward Tim Duncan scored a game-high 26 points on 12-of-16 shooting for San Antonio and guard Tony Parker weighed in with 20 as Los Angeles fell to their biggest home playoff loss in franchise history. “Parker and Duncan had great games,” Lakers head coach Mike D’Antoni told reporters after his team had been outshot by a staggering 61 per cent to 43 from the field, sending the home fans streaming for the exits well before the end of the game. “Duncan was phenomenal. I thought our guys played as hard as they could play but they ran out of gas toward the end. Times are tough right now. “Pau (Gasol) and Dwight (Howard)... they were trying the best that they could do. Nobody likes it and nobody’s happy but I don’t fault the effort of the guys or the will that they want to do it.” Gasol completed his first

Los Angeles’ Kobe Bryant is gone for the season after Achilles tendon surgery playoff triple-double with 11 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists and Howard added 25 points and 11 rebounds but the severely depleted Lakers line-up was always likely to struggle. With the inspirational Kobe Bryant gone for the season after Achilles tendon surgery, Steve Nash sidelined with back and hip problems, Steve Blake ruled out indeﬁnitely with a strained right hamstring and Jodie Meeks missing due to a sprained left ankle, the Lakers were scrambling for guards. Though the relatively inexperienced Darius Morris, with 24 points, and Andrew Goudelock, with 20, fared surprisingly well after being elevated into the starting lineup, Los Angeles were unable to keep pace with the four-time NBA champion Spurs. “We’re extremely shorthanded,” Gasol said. “We’ve

been murdered by injuries and it’s tough to overcome that.” Game Four is back at the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles yesterday and Spaniard Gasol knows the Lakers will have to produce something special if they are to keep the playoff series alive. “We’ll see Sunday how much ﬁght we have in us in order to give ourselves a chance and not have another 30-point loss at home,” he said. “It’s going to take a collective effort. “We have three consecutive losses to a team that’s feeling more conﬁdent and more comfortable and will try to put us away Sunday and close the series. Our backs are against the wall.” For their part, the Spurs will once again aim to show the injury-hit Lakers no mercy as they bid to compete a series sweep. “I think we’re playing fairly well,” San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said. “Every coach thinks they can play better, that’s what we do. We’re always looking for ways to improve. “Whether the team you’re playing is whole or banged up, like the Lakers obviously are, the team on court still wants to win. “We have to bring the energy and the professionalism to play. We’ve all been in situations where we’ve lost games when the other side is missing players. The intensity is so high already that everybody is pretty focused.”

You can ﬁnd everyday • Fresh organic fruits and vegetables

• Organic chocolate, biscuits, wafﬂes, snacks

• Fresh organic dairy and animal products

• Organic tea, coffee, beverages

• Organic baby food • Superfoods & supplements • Organic rice, pasta, legumes • Organic soy products • Organic bee products • Organic dried fruits and nuts

• Gluten free, lactose free products, products for diabetics • Eco friendly cosmetic, personal hygiene and cleaning products ...And much more

16 Kolonakiou str. 4103 Linopetra, Limassol Tel. 25587670

All Organic Market

Open hours: 7:30 to 19:30 (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday) 7:30 to 15:30 (Wednesdays, Saturdays)

33 SUNDAY MAIL • April 28, 2013

Sport IN BRIEF Baghdatis set to feature in Munich AFTER recovering from a right shoulder injury, Marcos Baghdatis makes his return to tennis in Munich, having been drawn to open his ATP World Tour 250 BMW Open campaign against a qualifier. If the 27-year-old Cypriot advances into the second round, he would then face fourth-seeded German Philipp Kohlschreiber, who received a bye in the first round. Baghdatis, who is currently ranked 38th in the Emirates ATP Rankings, leads the overall head-tohead series against the German 4-2, with the two having already met in Munich twice. In 2007 Kohlschreiber beat the Limassol native in the semifinals 6-2 6-3, while in 2010 Baghdatis eliminated the German in the quarterfinals of the event, also in straight sets.

Olympiakos in final four REIGNING Euroleague champions Olympiakos Piraeus qualified for the competition’s Final Four after an 82-72 home win over Anadolu Efes Istanbul on Friday gave them a 3-2 victory in their best-of-five quarter-final playoff series. Olympiakos will meet last season’s runners-up CSKA Moscow for a place in the final while eight-times winners Real Madrid will play rivals Barcelona in the other semi-final at London’s O2 Arena, which is hosting the showpiece event from May 10-12. Playmaker Vassilis Spanoulis led the Greeks with a game-high 19 points and forward Giorgios Printezis chipped in with 15.

Tour invitations FRENCH teams Cofidis, Sojasun and Europcar have been invited to take part in this year’s Tour de France, organisers said yesterday. Cycling’s greatest race, which will be held for the 100th time this year, usually invites four teams but only added three this year with 19 registered on the elite World Tour. Europcar shone last year with Frenchman Thomas Voeckler winning the mountain classification and team mate Pierre Rolland finishing in the top 10 for the second year in a row. They and Cofidis were widely expected to be invited to take part in this year’s Tour. The last place was given to Sojasun at the expense of Swiss team IAM Cycling.

Saracens will face Toulon family in semi - Wilkinson French club chasing European, domestic double By Duncan Bech JONNY Wilkinson has warned Saracens they will face the Toulon “family” in today’s Heineken Cup semiﬁnal at Twickenham. The French club are chasing a European and domestic double after years of heavy investment in a squad packed full of seasoned internationals such as Bakkies Botha, Matt Giteau, Andrew Sheridan and Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe. “There is this fantastic team spirit at Toulon, which I’ve never felt before,” Wilkinson said. “It’s a family now, a tight family that beneﬁts from having guys from around the world adding their piece. “It’s very easy for that situation to become a negative. For it to become a positive you need guys with the right values. People are happy to resume responsibility and learn.” Wilkinson recently signed a new one-year contract after enjoying a superb 2012-13 season and would have stood a good chance of Lions selection but for Toulon’s likely involvement in the Top 14 play-offs. “I have an issue with the idea of form. I’m just trying to do something good for the team and trying to get better

Toulon Captain Jonny Wilkinson (left) and Saracens captain Steve Borthwick (right) hold the Heineken Cup trophy at Twickenham Stadium, southwest of London on Friday, ahead of the two sides’ semi-ﬁnal clash today and better,” the 33-year-old said. “If I feel like I’m on the path to doing that then I feel like I’m on the path to doing the right thing. “I’m excited about getting up each morning and attacking each day. I’m excited about being able to play more rugby. “That for me is the best way to get a gauge on how I’m feeling - the excitement is there. If it’s there I know I’m in the right place.” Former London Irish openside Steffon Armitage has

Appeal dismissal welcomed ENGLAND and Wales Cricket Board chief executive David Collier has welcomed the decision to dismiss Danish Kaneria’s appeal against corruption charges. The ECB Disciplinary Panel handed Kaneria a lifetime ban in June after he was was found guilty of “cajoling and pressurising’’ former Essex team-mate Mervyn Westﬁeld into accepting cash in return for trying to concede a set number of runs in an over during a Pro40 match in 2009. The 32-year-old leg-spinner denied all involvement but his appeal against two ECB charges was dismissed on Friday by a Cricket Discipline Commission appeals panel although the former Pakistan international has launched a further appeal which could see the length of his ban reduced. Collier has welcomed the decision to uphold the charges while praising the ECB’s ACCESS Group which works to stamp out corruption in the game. “I welcome wholeheartedly the independent panel’s decision to dismiss Mr Kaneria’s appeal and uphold the earlier decision made by the Cricket Discipline Commission last summer,” said Collier. “I should like to thank the appeal panel for their time and diligence in hearing this case and I congratulate the ACCESS unit for its work in support of the successful prosecution of this corrupt activity. “Corruption has no place in sport and ECB will continue to be vigilant and adopt a zero tolerance approach in this area.” Kaneria said following the hearing in footage broadcast by Sky Sports News: “I am very disappointed with the decision made by the panel. “We are waiting for what are the reasons behind it and as soon as we know the reasons we will take some further steps.”

been demoted to the Toulon bench, but his fellow England internationals Delon Armitage, Andrew Sheridan and Nick Kennedy have made the starting XV. Today will be Saracens’ second appearance in the Heineken Cup semi-finals and the first for Toulon. The last time a club from the Aviva Premiership won the competition was in 2007 when Wasps beat Leicester in the only all-English final. It has been lean pickings since with the salary cap and demands of the domes-

tic league hamstringing attempts to break Ireland’s dominance, but wing David Strettle feels no obligation to reverse the decline on nationality grounds. “Some players might feel as though they need to do this for the Premiership, but personally I don’t,” Strettle said. “Whether an English team won it last year or 20 years ago, it makes no difference to me. “It’s about what’s happening now, I’m a Saracens player and we want to win for this team and this club”.

CHEMISTS NICOSIA SUNDAY 28/04/2013 G. Hadjigregoriou, 27A Omirou Ave. Tel: 22673594, 22510112 (H) A. Ttooulas, 22D Kennedy Ave. Tel: 22763805, 22377349(H) A. Panayi, 15B Androcleous St. Tel: 22763575, 22317370 (H) E. Fesia, 173C Tseriou Ave. Tel: 22321499, 22325995 (H) N. Spanos, 1D Thessaloniki St, Anglanja. Tel: 22337761, 22444437 (H) LIMASSOL S. Koskinas 8 Arch. Makariou Ave., Tel: 25728205, 25728210 (H) E. Kalotichou, 6, Anexartisias, Tel: 25360160, 25384714 (H) A. Evagorou 79A Macariou Ave Tel: 25577708, 25572558 (H) LARNACA M. Christodoulou, 2 Armenian Church Rd. Tel: 24652440, 24626763 (H) V. Christakis, 31A Papanicolis St. Tel: 24634390, 24663431 (H) PAPHOS S. Roidi, Ay. Anargiron 17, Tel: 26221300, 26931985. PARALIMNI A. Kamilaris, 52 Korai, Tel: 23744160, 23743418

NICOSIA MONDAY 29/04/2013 D. Evangelou, 34E Metochiou St. Tel: 22774123, 22352123 (H) A. Pontou, 38A Eleftheria St, Anthoupolis. Tel: 22382550, 22384724 (H) H. Christofides, 43A Pericleous St, Strovolos. Tel: 22511351, 22319454 (H) C. Iacovides, 6C Crete St. Tel: 22752877, 22255058 (H) K. Georgiou. Tifa, 100 Kyrenia Ave, Platy. Tel: 22340340, 22514500 (H) LIMASSOL D. Papadopoulou 121 N. Pattichi Tel: 25387216, 25750820 (H) A. Asprou, 72 Thesallonikis str., Tel: 25339066, 25331831 V. Nicolaou 75B Charalambous Evagorou Ay. Athanasios Tel: 25728798, 99490773 LARNACA M. Stavrou, corner Ermou & Evagorou St. Tel: 24628041, 24531731 (H) Kaloudi Christiana-Ekavi, 26 Ayion Anargiron Ave Tel: 24624555, 96473516 PAPHOS N. Nicolaou, P.E.O. 14 N. Antoniades St. Tel: 26934224, 26953371 (H) PARALIMNI S. Stylianou, 7A Sotiras Street, Sotira. Tel: 23812040, 70000440 (H)

‘It’s a family now ... that benefits from having guys from around the world adding their piece’ DOCTORS ON DUTY NICOSIA Pathologist: Costas Schizas, Tel: 22311077, 99606611 Gynaecologist: Christos Ppouris, Tel: 22469000, 99680488 Paediatric Surgeon: Panicos Theodorou, Tel: 22469000, 99612311 Ophthalmologist: Antonis Glykeriou, Tel: 70000171 LIMASSOL Pathologist: Savvas Ioannou: Tel.: 25372003, 99070777 Surgeon: Marios Philippou, Tel.: 25382115. Neuro-Surgeon: Michalakis Spirou, Tel.: 99624939 Paediatric: Doria Stephanou 25382933,99525716 Paediatric Surgeon: Yiannakis Koualis, Tel.: 25731673, 25732256 Cardiologist: Constantinos N. Kyriacou, Tel.: 99511589, 25108850 Doctor: Lampros Theodosiou, Tel.: 25581712, 99624372

34 April 28, 2013 • SUNDAY MAIL

Sport Blues interim manager calls for a cutting edge RAFAEL Benitez recognises Chelsea must be more clinical if they are to achieve their dual aim of Europa League victory and Champions League qualification. Fernando Torres last scored a Barclays Premier League goal before Christmas, while Demba Ba has two goals in the competition since arriving from Newcastle in January. There are mitigating circumstances, but it is undeniable Chelsea should expect more from their strike force. As Ba is ineligible in European competition, Torres has been used sparingly domestically, and the former Newcastle striker is in line to return against Swansea today. Chelsea were denied victory at Liverpool last Sunday by Luis Suarez’s 97th-minute goal and while it is argued the Uruguayan should not have been on the pitch following his bite on Branislav Ivanovic, the visitors would have expected to hold on to win. Benitez’s side were profligate at times in Thursday night’s 2-1 Europa League semifinal first leg win at Basle and the Spaniard knows chances must be converted against Swansea for his side to consolidate their top-four position. “Always when you have a lot of chances you want to be more clinical,” Benitez said. “It’s something we have seen during the season, a lot of games where we were doing well in attack and still we didn’t take our chances.” Fingers have been pointed at Torres and Ba, but Benitez has always praised the work-rate and influence of his lone striker set-up - the duo have rarely been seen on the pitch at the same time whether they have been on the scoresheet or not. Torres hit the post against Basle, when David Luiz’s

Giggs (L) hailed the performances that clinched a 20th League title for the Red Devils

Chelsea’s Rafa Benitez is seeking a clinical display last-gasp free-kick goal earned victory. Torres was not the only player to spurn an opportunity as Eden Hazard and Ramires also were denied and John Terry had a header saved by Yann Sommer at point-black range in stoppage-time. The Blues took the advantage in the tie, though, as Luiz’s strike earned the win after Victor Moses’ opener had been cancelled out following the award of a soft penalty converted by Fabian Schar. “We had some good chances,” Benitez said. “We scored one and after we had two or three chances to score a second goal and a lot of counter attacks we couldn’t finish, so I think it could have been even better. “I was disappointed with the penalty. It could change everything. “It was a surprise for everyone but the reaction was quite positive and I think we deserved to win.” The Europa League is Chelsea’s third semi-final of the season and in the first, Swansea overcame the odds to beat the European champions and go on to lift the Capital One Cup. The bid to avenge that tie is one of the intriguing subplots of today’s match.

Giggs revels in his 13th League title campaign By Simon Stone RYAN Giggs insists his 13th Premier League title-winning campaign has been one of his best. The Welshman, who was labelled a “unique freak” by Sir Alex Ferguson following the championship-sealing victory over Aston Villa on Monday, has now extended his own record in lifting the most English titles. Giggs is not one to spend too long reﬂecting on such matters. However, given the gut-

But the Welshman already set to do it all over again wrenching manner of last season’s demise, the team who took their coveted trophy away and the overwhelming manner of this term’s success, the 39-year-old has no hesitation in declaring this year as one of the ﬁnest. “If you look at the amount of wins we have had, you have to recognise it has been a brilliant season in the league,” he said.

“Some of the performances have been superb. “Whenever you win the Premier League it is something special. “Obviously, if you look at the end of last season that was a huge disappointment. “To come back the following year and perform so strongly means it must rank really high. “Overall, we have to be happy with the way it has worked out.” Having already extended his contract into next season, Giggs knows exactly what his immediate plans are. After United have completed their ﬁnal four ﬁxtures, starting at Arsenal today, he will jet off on an annual summer holiday, return fully rested, and get ready to do it all again, almost as if this season has never happened. “You just enjoy the mo-

ment,” he said. “Then you go on holiday, come back and do it all again. “That is the way it is at United.” Giggs is a past master at such things. Yet the sheer scale of his career sets him apart from virtually any other player - only Paolo Maldini had anything like the same longevity at one of the world’s biggest clubs in the modern era. Even now there is a desire for more, an inner spark that continues to drive him and ensure his competitive streak is back on view at Arsenal should his only club boss decide Giggs is required. “We want to make sure we apply ourselves in the right way,” said Giggs. “Champions League places are at stake. Relegation. Europe.” There are also records to aim for, including that Premier League best tally of 95 points Chelsea posted in 2005. “The aim is to get as many points as we can, then hopefully we can get the record,” said Giggs.

Redknapp planning for next season Harry Redknapp will use the last four games of QPR’s season to judge whether some members of his squad have the fight in them to help the club back in to the Barclays Premier League next season. Rangers’ two-year stay in the top flight will come to an end today if they lose at bottom side Reading, and even if they do win at the Madejski Stadium, they will be relegated if Aston Villa beat Sunderland tomorrow night. Knowing his team have only a minuscule chance of retaining their top-flight status, Redknapp has already started planning for next season. The 66-year-old, who this time last year was favourite to land the England job, will meet with the Rangers board next week to discuss potential ins and outs during what promises to be a busy summer for the club. Some big-name players such as Loic Remy and Julio Cesar are likely to leave while Redknapp will do his best to clear out the likes of Jose Bosingwa, who has failed to live up to expectations despite his £65,000 a week pay packet. There are players in the Rangers squad who want to remain and help the club get back in to the top-flight, but Redknapp will only include them in his plans if he thinks they are good enough.

35 SUNDAY MAIL • April 28, 2013

Sport

Cruel own goal denies Latics much-needed win over Spurs Boyce deflects into own net to level score Wigan 2 Tottenham 2 By Phil Medlicott EMMERSON Boyce’s late own-goal saw relegationthreatened Wigan denied a precious win against Champions League-chasing Tottenham at the DW Stadium. The Latics, 18th in the Barclays Premier League, would have moved out of the drop zone had they been able to hang on for victory. But having come from behind to take the lead after conceding early on through a defensive mix-up, in the end their efforts were not quite enough for all three points. Gareth Bale put Tottenham in front in the ninth minute, capitalising on some ponderous play by Maynor Figueroa and Joel Robles, but Wigan were level in the 11th thanks to Boyce’s header. Callum McManaman’s excellent piledriver then put them 2-1 up four minutes after the break, but Boyce was unlucky to find the net again with an own-goal in the closing stages. The result leaves Wigan two points adrift of 17th-placed Aston Villa, with both sides having four games left to play - including a meeting between them at the DW Stadium on the final day of the season. Tottenham, meanwhile, stay fifth with four matches to go, level on points with fourthplaced Chelsea - who have a

Double trouble: Wigan’s Emmerson Boyce (centre) was unlucky to find the net again with an own-goal in the closing stages of the clash with Spurs game in hand - and a point behind third-placed Arsenal. Wigan’s reshuffled defence, missing the injured Antolin Alcaraz, was facing a Tottenham attack in which Jermain Defoe had been restored to play alongside Bale, and Spurs’ threat going forward was apparent from the off. Tom Huddlestone delivered an early free-kick on to the head of Bale, who flicked the ball wide, and sent another one swerving against the post shortly after. Tottenham subsequently

opened the scoring, although the goal came about in bizarre circumstances and Wigan only really had themselves to blame. A hesitant exchange of passes between Figueroa and Robles led to the latter cannoning an attempted clearance against the outstretched leg of the approaching Bale, and the ball rebounded straight into the net. It was a truly embarrassing moment for Roberto Martinez’s men, but to their credit, they responded swiftly and within two minutes had

Everton maintain their Europe hopes Everton 1 Fulham 0 EVERTON’S bid for European football received a timely boost yesterday thanks to a submissive Fulham side and rivals Tottenham being held to a draw at Wigan. Steven Pienaar scored the only goal early in a ﬁrst half notable only for the lack of effort put in by the visitors, who with mid-table safety assured rarely looked interested. The match struggled to rise above mediocrity for long periods but that will not have bothered Toffees boss David Moyes who, after last week’s loss at Sunderland, will be urging on his squad for one ﬁnal

Everton’s Steven Pienaar scored the only goal in a mediocre match push. Everton began the day six points off fourth-placed Chelsea and although they closed that to three the

Stamford Bridge side have a match in hand. Significantly, however, fifth-placed Spurs drew at Wigan meaning their cushion over the Merseysiders is now only three points. Fulham had lost their previous 19 league visits to Goodison Park and the way they played the first half suggested that they knew it was ultimately a fruitless exercise. Their travelling support certainly thought so as only a couple of hundred made the trip north. Everton went close to extending their lead through Marouane Fellaini and Kevin Mirallas. Fulham, meanwhile, who lost Dimitar Berbatov to injury, almost equalised through Urby Emanuelson’s 12-yard effort.

equalised. Shaun Maloney swung a corner in from the right and Boyce was on hand to crash a header past Hugo Lloris. Scott Parker sent the ball over after playing a one-two with Bale, but Wigan went close when Arouna Kone’s ambitious, delicate side-foot shot from Jordi Gomez’s teeup went just too high. Figueroa redeemed himself by making a great tackle to take the ball away from Defoe as the striker advanced towards goal, but the Honduran

international appeared to injure his groin in doing so. He was soon carried off on a stretcher, with Ronnie Stam taking his place, before Tottenham suffered an apparent injury blow of their own as Mousa Dembele had to be replaced by Lewis Holtby. Spurs finished the first half strongly and after Bale had passed up a good-looking chance by heading over, Robles did well to palm the ball away from the feet of Defoe as the England man burst through the Wigan defence. The Latics emerged from the break looking bright and Lloris had to claw away a tricky ball from Stam. Moments later the home side snatched the lead through what was McManaman’s first Premier League goal. The 22year-old forward, who endured such widespread criticism after his controversial tackle on Newcastle’s Massadio Haidara last month, cracked in an unstoppable effort from outside the area having collected the ball from James McCarthy. Good defensive work from James McArthur allowed Robles to claim the ball with Clint Dempsey lurking, and Kone then twice failed to covert when he might have done better, hooking one shot straight into Lloris’ arms after chesting the ball down and then seeing the Frenchman getting down to save another. Franco Di Santo, who had come on for McManaman, then sent an attempt off-target, and Wigan were made to rue their inability to add a further goal. Tottenham applied late pressure and it paid off in the 90th minute, with a low ball into the box bobbling in off the unfortunate Boyce. Robles pulled off a save to keep out Bale’s stoppagetime free-kick, the Spaniard then stopping a follow-up effort from Huddlestone before a shot from Defoe was blocked by a defender all in a few frantic final seconds.

Premier League standings Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Manchester United Manchester City Chelsea Arsenal Chelsea Manchester City Tottenham Liverpool Hotspur Everton Tottenham Hotspur Liverpool Everton West StokeBrom City Swansea Bolton Wanderers Ham Utd West Brom Fulham Stoke City United Newcastle Southampton Sunderland Norwich City Aston Villa Sunderland Blackburn Rovers Newcastle United Wolves Aston Villa Birmingham Wigan Athletic Blackpool QPR Wigan Athletic Reading West Ham United

34 37 34 36 34 36 33 36 34 36 35 36 34 37 34 36 33 37 35 37 35 36 35 36 35 37 35 36 34 37 34 37 34 36 34 37 34 36 34 36

27 22 21 18 19 18 19 18 17 15 14 13 12 14 13 10 12 11 12 10 9 11 9 11 8 10 9 10 10 11 8 8 10 4 7 5 7

3 11 8 7 9 10 8 8 7 14 12 15 6 7 12 10 9 10 10 15 13 11 12 11 14 12 10 7 10 15 8 9 12 15 9 12

4 5 8 7 7 9 8 12 6 8 9 10 14 16 11 15 15 15 11 13 14 14 15 13 14 15 17 17 19 16 13 18 18 14 20 17

78 74 61 67 65 69 66 55 60 59 52 51 61 50 46 43 52 41 53 44 45 31 51 47 42 33 45 38 43 43 44 36 39 53 29 36 37 41

A Pts 35 31 30 35 39 35 33 43 41 38 45 42 45 44 42 54 49 68 53 41 41 52 57 56 54 58 45 57 60 63 63 54 62 74 56 59 65 64

84 77 71 70 63 67 62 65 62 58 59 56 51 48 46 42 46 42 46 40 45 40 44 39 44 38 42 37 40 37 40 34 39 32 39 24 36 24 33

Terry mulling England return CHELSEA captain John Terry believes he is still one of the world’s leading defenders - and it is understood he has not fully closed the door on an England return, despite his acrimonious departure from international football. The 32-year-old’s influence at Stamford Bridge has waned this season as fitness concerns have seen him overtaken in the pecking order. Yet Terry maintains he is as good as ever and is believed to be prepared to consider making himself available for England once more, despite being stripped of the captaincy after being charged with racially abusing QPR’s Anton Ferdinand. Terry was cleared at Westminster Magistrates Court of making a racist insult to Anton, brother of his former England team-mate Rio, but was charged by the FA and banned for four matches. Terry’s belief in his ability remains as he enters the final year of his contract and he is prepared to wait for Chelsea to initiate discussions over a new deal. Following the 2-1 Europa League semi-final win at Basle, Terry was asked if he is still as good a player after a decade of repelling the world’s leading strikers. “Yes, I personally think that,” he said. “I don’t want to talk out of turn, but I’d love to stay at Chelsea. I’m happy to leave things until they come to me. “I’ve got another year left and I’ll definitely be here next year. “It would be nice to get some silverware, get the season out of the way and maybe talk contracts in the summer.” The silverware available to Chelsea is the Europa League trophy and it is that tournament that has given Terry his opportunity as Rafael Benitez has rotated his options in a congested calendar of fixtures. Premier League Man City West Ham

2 1

Everton Fulham

1 0

Southampton West Brom

0 3

Stoke Norwich

1 0

Wigan Tottenham

2 2

Playing today Reading v QPR, 3.30pm Chelsea v Swansea, 5pm Arsenal v Man United, 6pm Playing tomorrow Villa v Sunderland 10pm Cyprus Championship APOEL AEK

0 1

AEL Doxa

3 0

E.N Paralimni Apollon

0 1

36 April 28, 2013 • SUNDAY MAIL

Sport

Heineken semi a family affair for Wilkinson 33

Cruel own goal denies Latics a much-needed win over Spurs 35

APOEL’s title celebration turns into a nightmare By Nemanja Bjedov APOEL’s title celebration was postponed as AEK surprised the league leaders and recorded a well-deserved 1-0 victory at the GSP Stadium in Nicosia yesterday afternoon, which could prove to bring them a vital three points in their own struggle to secure European football next season. Before the match even started, one of the flares from the stands with APOEL’s supporters flew into the dry vegetation outside the stadium and set off a fire which resulted in police force intervention and the kick-off was inevitably delayed for five minutes. Once the police arrested the culprit, the fans reacted and the police fired tear gas into the APOEL faithful, which was clearly counterproductive as the suffocating smoke affected the atmosphere at the entire stadium, and throughout the match spectators tried

to move from one stand to another in order to try and get some fresh air, while some of them even left the venue at half time. In the first half both teams created a few chances, but the deadlock remained and it looked as if the stars of the match would be the police, who were definitely the centre of attention, rather than the football players of either of the two teams. “They are the destruction of APOEL,” said APOEL’s president Phivos Erotokritou who was visibly furious with the behaviour of a small portion of his club’s fans. Nonetheless, AEK took the lead 12 minutes from time through Brazilian midfielder Alex da Silva, and then managed to hold on to an unlikely victory despite having Tim de Cler sent off five minutes before the final whistle. Disappointed APOEL coach Ivan Jovanovic admitted: “AEK were better

than us. Both teams had their chances to score. We played four matches so far in these playoffs and clearly there are no guaranteed outcomes. You have to take risks and sometimes you will win, but sometimes you won’t.” Jovanovic’s men are eight points clear of Anorthosis in second place, with two matches still to be played, but if the Ammochostos side fails to secure a victory in today’s match against Omonia, APOEL will be crowned new champions. On the other side, AEK are now third with 61 points, one point behind their city rivals and a single point above Omonia in fourth. Elsewhere yesterday afternoon in Group 2, AEL scored three goals in the last 20 minutes of the match to see off Doxa Katokopia 3-0 at the Tsirion Stadium in Limassol, while Fotis Papoulis’ goal at the half-hour mark proved to be enough to help Apollon seal a narrow 1-0 victory over Enosis Neon Paralimni away from home.

AEK’s da Silva scored 12 minutes from time to deny the Nicosia side from clinching the league title

Citizens hold off Hammers Aguero, Toure lift City’s posttitle gloom Manchester City 2 West Ham 1 By Simon Stone

ergio Aguero and Yaya Toure lifted the post-title gloom for Manchester City with a couple of outstanding goals to defeat West Ham. Last season’s elation at Eastlands has been replaced by the grim realisation that the red enemy from down the road are back in their familiar position of champions. Manager Roberto Mancini has already demanded that the summer transfer business should not drag on like last year. But the City chief clearly has plenty of quality at his disposal already, and the delightful Aguero and Toure contribution to the day’s entertainment underlined the fact they remain a force. There was an unexpected post-script to the day though, with Joe Hart’s mistake allowing Andy Carroll to net an injury-time consolation amid fears the England keeper had suffered an injury himself. Mancini implored his players not to feel sorry for themselves in his programme notes; the loss of their title ﬁve games before the end of the season has to be a source of regret. For the last month now, the Blues have been the best side in the Premier League.

Quality: dominance has come far too late for City to succeed in their League title campaign this season, but the efforts of Aguero (above) and Toure in defeating West Ham yesterday underlined the fact that they still remain a force Yet their dominance has come far too late. Few teams are capable of the move that brought Aguero their opener. Yaya Toure ﬁrst exchanged passes with Samir Nasri before the France midﬁelder played a sublime one-two with David Silva inside the Hammers box. Nasri crossed low to the near post, where Aguero turned home his 15th goal of the season. It was brilliant stuff, if simple in its execution. But where was this form at Southampton, Sunderland,

QPR or any of the other random venues where the Blues have inexplicably dropped precious points? They nearly made it two almost immediately as Jussi Jaaskelainen failed to hold Nasri’s 20-yard strike and Pablo Zabaleta closed in. The Argentina star seems certain to be named in the PFA Premier League team of the year tomorrow and must have thought he was going to mark the occasion with a goal. Jaaskelainen redeemed himself though, turning away Zabaleta’s shot from

point blank range. Other than that, the ﬁrsthalf was a fairly lacklustre affair. Applause for Marc-Vivien Foe, a respected ﬁgure at both clubs, who died 10 years ago, punctuated long periods of near silence. Returning after three matches out with a hamstring injury, Silva did his best to prompt City into life, setting Aguero up with a chance he would normally have buried but instead scuffed into the ground and onto a post. For their part, West Ham

played like a side whose return to the top flight has been consolidated by a secure mid-table finish. It did not prevent Sam Allardyce blowing his top at the fourth official though, when referee Howard Webb opted not to allow the Hammers to re-take a free-kick he appeared to be preventing but the visitors took anyway, only for Matt Jarvis to be immediately flagged offside. Allardyce could have done with his players showing similar passion and though they did return with a sense

of purpose, it was City who nearly extended their lead at the start of the second period as Carlos Tevez’s shot was blocked by Winston Reid. The opportunity have been provided by a superb piece of skill from Nasri, who like so many in blue, failed to reach the heights on a consistent basis this season. Silva is another, Aguero also. Yet the Argentina forward set up compatriot Tevez with an astute cut-back, only for Joey O’Brien’s last-ditch tackle to deny the hosts. Tevez turned provider for Nasri shortly afterwards, but with the goal gaping the man who left Arsenal two years ago and won a title at the ﬁrst time of asking attempted to prod home with his right foot and missed the ball altogether. On the touchline, Mancini’s face was a picture as he slumped into his seat. Frustration turned to elation 10 minutes from time as Toure provided another moment of magic, creating space for himself on the edge of the area before smacking a clinical effort into the top corner. In its own way, it was as wonderful as City’s opener. And City nearly added further gloss to their day when Aguero was inches away after turning home the loose ball after Jaaskelainen had parried Zabaleta’s shot. The last action involved Hart though, who had gone down with an injury a couple of minutes earlier and still seemed to be bothered by it as he inexplicably allowed Carroll’s shot to roll through his legs.