Cyprus Beat

In today’s episode, government officials pledged new measures to address distortions in public contract awards, following an Audit Office report showing that a few firms dominate state projects. 

Elsewhere, operations at Limassol port resumed on Thursday after the heads of category A transporters’ associations agreed to suspend strike action following consultations with President Nikos Christodoulides and Transport Minister Alexis Vafeades.

Also, Parliament passed a law tightening up the rules on owning certain types of firearms, giving the chief of police total discretion on the granting of gun permits.

All this and more in today’s Daily News Briefing brought to you by the Cyprus Mail Newspaper.

In today’s episode, trade unions on Wednesday accepted the government’s proposal for the future of the cost-of-living allowance (CoLA), before employers’ organisations promptly rejected it.

Elsewhere, President Nikos Christodoulides and Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos on Wednesday both discussed relations between the European Union and Turkey with the bloc’s foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas.

Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman’s first trip to Turkey since being elected to the office is expected to take place between Tuesday and Friday next week, the Cyprus Mail understands.

All this and more in today’s Daily News Briefing brought to you by the Cyprus Mail Newspaper.

In today’s episode, President Nikos Christodoulides has set a target for Cyprus to achieve water self-reliance by 2028 through the installation of two permanent desalination units. 

Elsewhere, the findings of several high-profile corruption investigations are set to be released this month.

Also, a report by the Audit Office found that the Social Support Fund, chaired by the First Lady and financed by private donors, raises concerns over possible conflicts of interest.

All this and more in today’s Daily News Briefing brought to you by the Cyprus Mail Newspaper.

The Cyprus Beat briefing brought to you by the Cyprus Mail.

The Cyprus Beat briefing brought to you by the Cyprus Mail.

In today’s episode, President Nikos Christodoulides called for an “immediate” response from parliament to pass his tax reform plans into law, to allow them to be implemented by the beginning of next year.

President Nikos Christodoulides also told new United Nations special representative in Cyprus Khassim Diagne of his “political will” to “create the appropriate conditions for the resumption of talks” to solve the Cyprus problem.

Elsewhere, Transport Minister Alexis Vafeades and the commissioner for gender equality Josie Christodoulou welcomed on Wednesday the installation of new female silhouettes on pedestrian traffic lights in Nicosia.

All this and more in today’s Daily News Briefing brought to you by the Cyprus Mail Newspaper. 

In today’s episode, “everyone will be judged at the negotiating table”, President Nikos Christodoulides said, responding to comments by Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman on peace talks.

Meanwhile, an official at a semi-governmental organisation almost got in trouble with the anti-corruption authority after flaunting their wealth on social media, media reports said.

Also, Cyprus was ranked 30th out of 143 countries in this year’s edition of the World Justice Project (WJP)’s annual rule of law index, moving up a single place since last year.

All this and more in today’s Daily News Briefing brought to you by the Cyprus Mail.

The Cyprus Beat briefing brought to you by the Cyprus Mail.

In today’s episode, Cyprus insists on staying committed to the proposed electrical link, the Great Sea Interconnector (GSI), despite doubts from the European Investment Bank (EIB) about its financial viability. 

Elsewhere, the north’s ‘prime minister’ and head of the UBP party, Unal Ustel, on Monday ruled out the option of early elections, saying his ‘government’ was a “government of action, not election.”

Also, the future of Akrotiri’s vital salt lake is at the center of a new 25-year conservation plan aimed at protecting the area’s unique ecosystem.

All this and more in today’s Daily News Briefing brought to you by the Cyprus Mail.

The Cyprus Beat briefing brought to you by the Cyprus Mail.