Cyprus Beat

In today’s episode, President Nikos Christodoulides met UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday during the Ocean Conference in Nice.

Elsewhere, Cyprus celebrated the Kataklysmos festival on Monday, a water-linked tradition marking 50 days after Easter.

Also, Police launched an investigation on Monday after a quad bike was found burning in Ayia Napa at around 2.45am.

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

In today’s episode, President Nikos Christodoulides on Thursday laid the foundation stone for Phase 2 of Cyprus’ airport expansion project, which is set to increase capacity to over 17 million passengers annually by 2027. 

Elsewhere, the old state fairgrounds in Nicosia will be transformed into a 250,000-square-metre nature park, scrapping earlier plans for a tech hub and commercial development, MPs heard on Thursday.

Also, lawmakers on Thursday voiced frustration over continued delays in expanding the neonatal intensive care unit at Makarios Hospital, with construction stalled due to a legal dispute between the contractor and the state health services organisation (Okypy).

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, House president Annita Demetriou spent over €18,700 on hotel accommodation during a July 2023 trip to London, with €15,172 covering rooms for her entourage of eight—including officials, CyBC staff, and a security guard—and €3,621 for her own stay, according to a report by the audit office. 

Elsewhere, Nicosia municipality is under fire over its decision to partly reopen Makarios avenue to private vehicles, a move critics say undermines sustainable urban mobility goals.

Also, the government has no plans to scrap the 12 per cent pension ‘penalty’ for those retiring early at 63, Labour Minister Yiannis Panayiotou told MPs on Tuesday, sparking a heated exchange in parliament.

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.

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, the government pledged that it would cover the state health services organisation (Okypy)’s financial deficits until the end of next year, with the deficits expected to reach around €70 million.

Meanwhile, President Nikos Christodoulides on Wednesday said he would be open to Turkish participation in the European Union’s €150 billion defence programme, “if Turkey means what it says” in relation to the strengthening of its relations with the EU.

Elsewhere, banana farmers in the Paphos district are “on the brink of disaster” over ongoing water shortages which are impacting the island.

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

In today’s episode, President Nikos Christodoulides vowed that arrests of individuals accused of usurping Greek Cypriot-owned property in northern Cyprus “will certainly not stop, no matter what Tatar says.” 

Elsewhere, a new audit report has revealed financial irregularities among all seven political parties represented in Cyprus’ parliament during the 2016–2021 term.

Also, Government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis dismissed accusations that President Nikos Christodoulides used the presidential jet for a domestic flight between Larnaca and Paphos as “ridiculous” and “a joke.”

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

In today’s episode, a peaceful protest was held on Sunday evening in Paphos over the suspension of Metropolitan Bishop Tychikos. It began at 6.30pm in Town Hall Square, organised by parishioners from the Holy Metropolis of Paphos. 

Elsewhere, three men aged 30, 39 and 41 were remanded in custody for eight days on Sunday in connection with recent house burglaries in Paphos.

Also, Parliament’s finance committee will on Monday begin discussing a bill offering tax breaks to skilled Cypriots abroad, aiming to reverse brain drain under the “Minds in Cyprus” campaign.

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