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Cyprus in brief
(Cyprus Mail Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Cyprus wants to host European asylum office
CYPRUS IS interested in hosting the European Asylum Support Office headquarters, said Interior Minister Neoclis Sylikiotis yesterday.
Speaking from Stockholm where he participated in the Informal Meeting of EU Justice and Home Affairs Ministers, Sylikiotis said the EU should support the countries which feel the strain of illegal immigration and proceed with the establishment of a European Asylum Support Office, which will help those countries, including Cyprus.
On the sidelines of the informal meeting, Sylikiotis reiterated Nicosia's interest in hosting the headquarters of the European Asylum Support Office in Cyprus. To that end he will soon send a detailed letter backing this request, he said.
According to a press release by the European Commission, if the proposal is adopted quickly, the Office could be up and running by 2010. Its headquarters will be established in an EU member state by decision of the Heads of State and Government.
"The initial response to this prospect has been positive, the issue is still under discussion and it is stressed that the Office should have its headquarters in the Mediterranean, where EU member states have the greatest pressure regarding migration", said Sylikiotis.
Cyprus has a long experience in handling refugee issues, said the minister, adding: "I think there was an initial positive approach on behalf of representatives of countries with whom I have met".
The deadline for expressing interest to host the EU Office expires mid October.
"I expect that either by the end of the current EU presidency or during the next presidency we will have solved this issue", he told Cyprus News Agency.
French radio feels the pinch
IT SEEMS high costs despite zero inflation is not just the concern of Cypriot bread and milk buyers but also the French government as they reconsider the presence of their radio relay station in Protaras, which reportedly brings €3m into the state coffers.
Larnaca Press News Agency quoted DISY deputy for Famagusta Kyriacos Hadjiyiannis saying that the French government were now debating whether to continue the operation of Somera radio station at Cavo Greco in the Protaras area due to rising costs and reduced budgets.
The 10-year agreement between the Cyprus Republic and French company Somera ends in 2010. The question now is whether to renew it. Somera Radio Monte Carlo-Middle East is a subsidiary of Radio France Internationale (RFI), a French state-owned public service radio which broadcasts in many languages. The radio relay station has been operating on the island since 1970.
According to Hadjiyiannis, 12 Cypriots work at the site, while the state benefits to the tune of €3m from leasing the place, along with other indirect benefits such as local employment and costs of the station's operation.
There are doubts as to whether the agreement will be renewed due to the French Foreign Ministry apparently cutting funding for the station as well as concerns of rising operational costs, he said.
The DISY deputy will table the issue for discussion in the House Foreign Affairs Committee to explore how the government intends to deal with the matter.
Tyres must go says muktar
THE MUKTAR of Marathounda village in Paphos, Christakis Andreou, met with the mayor of Paphos, Savvas Vergas yesterday, to discuss the removal of the multitude of tyres, which have built up at the Marathounda rubbish dump.
Andreou is demanding that the tyres be removed from the area prior to the opening of the tip. Meanwhile, Vergas confirmed that the ministry of the interior has pledged €150,000 to be used for the removal of the tyres, which will be implemented throughout the Paphos district office.
Tyres are often set alight in Paphos, and send burning choking fumes into the air, which can pose a serious danger to health.
Andreou underlined that," the well being of the villagers is paramount," and that he would ensure they weren't compromised in any way, adding, "this is not open to negotiation."
The Marathounda dump has long been a bone of contention with the community council and residents of the area, who have campaigned to close the dump, and have it moved it to another location.
Marathounda is found in the municipality of Yeroskipou, and the mayor of Yeroskipou, Tassos Kousopos, thanked the muktar for his co- operation with the issue, but added that the "solution to the rubbish dump problem would not be its closure."
He asked for Andreou to be patient, and added that the tip should open on Monday, and the removal of the tyres would be in two weeks time. He said this time frame was down to the company contracted for the disposal of the rubber tyres.
The muktar reiterated that he would not permit the dump to open before the tyres were taken away. He threatened that, "dynamic action' would be taken if this scenario played out.
Flu plan in place for schools
THE EDUCATION Ministry said yesterday it had an H1N1 flu virus action plan in place which it would implement at the start of the new school year although there was no need for panic.
Head of the Health and Safety department at the Education Ministry Charalambos Constantinou said the ministry had prepared the action plan in co-operation with the Health Ministry. He did not divulge details of the plan but stressed there was no need for panic.
Constantinou said the ministry had prepared a circular and information pamphlet which would be distributed to parents and students on the first day of the new school year. He said the written materials included among things information on simple hygiene regulations as well as steps to take to protect against the transmission of the flu.
Constantinou said all school premises would also be given health and hygiene inspections before they opened in September.
Nicosia elects new Deputy Mayor
Soulla Kollakkidou has been voted as the new vice deputy Mayor of Nicosia following a secret ballot on Thursday night. Kollakkidou won the election by 15votes to 9 over opposition (Disy) candidate Nicos Nouris.
The election took place after the resignation of Stelios Ieronimides, who was given a parliamentary seat. Kollakkidou was born in Nicosia and is a graduate of Hammersmith Polytechnic University of London with a degree in Business Administration. She is also the Executive Manager at an electronics import company.
She was an active member in many of the municipality's committees during her 20-year contribution to the Municipality. She is also a new member of Democrats (DIKO) Board.
The election of Kollakkidou makes Nicosia the only Municipality in Cyprus which has the privilege of having two women in charge of the capital, with Kollakkidou serving alongside Mayor Eleni Mavrou.
Fraud remand
A MAN wanted in connection with forging credit cards and other crimes was remanded in custody for six days yesterday by the Paphos District Court. The 26-year-old was arrested on Thursday after being brought over from the UK where he was detained based on a European arrest warrant issued by Cypriot police.
The man is wanted in connection with crimes committed in 2006, listed as conspiracy to commit a crime, forgery of credit cards, circulation of fake credit cards, theft, attempted theft, theft of personal data and the withholding of information.
Police were informed by Interpol that the 26-year-old, who was a resident of England and Limassol, had been detained in London. He was then escorted back to Cyprus by the local authorities and taken to court yesterday where he was held in remand. Paphos CID is investigating the case.
Incentives for Green Line merchants
THE NICOSIA Municipality is inviting shopkeepers and traders for a meeting to discuss the financial incentives available for businesses on the Green Line.
The meeting will be held at 6.15pm next Wednesday in the municipality's underground hall in Laiki Yitonia, during which the government's financial incentives for rejuvenation of the Green Line area for 2009-2012 will be presented.
Officials will go through the specifics of the incentives available for business operations, which include grants for redoing the facades and interior of shops based on the de minimis rule.
The municipality hopes to encourage as wide participation in the grant scheme as possible to improve the image of the area near the Green Line. This opportunity allows shop keepers to improve their shops and traders to improve their business activities creating better prospects for the future, said a municipality statement.
Car registrations down
THE TOTAL registrations of motor vehicles during the first six months of 2009 decreased by 22,2 per cent to 27.389 from 35.226 vehicles in the same period of 2008. According to a report entitled ''Registration of Motor Vehicles'' for the period January-June 2009, issued by the Statistical Service, the registration of private saloon cars decreased to 19.838 from 25.363 in January–June 2008, decreasing by 21,8 per cent. Of the total private saloon cars, 8.478 vehicles or 42,7 per cent were new and 11.360 vehicles or 57,3 per cent were used cars. Goods conveyance vehicles, recorded a decrease by 10,9 per cent, 3.817 in 2009, compared to 4.285 in 2008. In particular, light goods vehicles decreased by 7,7 per cent to 3.025, from 3.278 in 2008 whereas heavy goods vehicles decreased by 21,4 per cent to 792 in January-June 2009, from 1.007 in 2008. The report also indicates that mechanised cycles decreased by 22,3 per cent to 2.358 in 2009, compared to 3.035 in January-June 2008.
Child porn arrest
A man was arrested and remanded in custody yesterday on suspicion of the illegal
possession of child pornography. Police searching the man's house discovered two mobile phones, two portable computers and a hard drive which was confiscated as evidence.
The Police Electronic Crime Office is investigating the case.
Army camp concerns
HEALTH concerns have been raised over fifteen of the new recruits who have arrived at Anarita army camp in Paphos in the last few days. The young men have displayed high temperatures, and as a precautionary measure have been granted three day leave by officers, while blood tests are carried out to determine if the soldiers have the HINI flu virus. Parents and relatives of the new recruits collected the youngsters from the camp, and officers assured that preventative measures have already been put in place. A few days ago, another soldier showed signs of the deadly virus, but after hospital treatment for the HINI virus, has now recovered to full health.
(c) 2009 Cyprus Mail Provided by Syndigate.info an Albawaba.com company
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