DISY

Parties demand probe into ELAM’s Saint Habakkuk scandal connection

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Parties demand probe into ELAM’s Saint Habakkuk scandal connection

The president of ELAM, Christos Christou, was present at the Tamasos Bishopric during the transfer and counting of money from the safe of Saint Habakkuk, causing reactions from political parties. DISY, AKEL, DIKO, EDEK, DIPA, and the Greens are demanding explanations, with AKEL addressing the issue in the House of Representatives. Christou claims his presence was as an enthroned commissioner appointed by bishop Isaiah and criticizes AKEL’s stance towards the Church. Political parties have various reactions, with some denouncing ELAM and others calling for a thorough investigation into the events at Saint Habakkuk and the involvement of Christou. DIKO’s president, Nikolas Papadopoulos, emphasizes the need for investigation by competent authorities and raises questions about Christou’s presence and ELAM’s connections. EDEK suggests involving the Attorney General and lifting Christou’s parliamentary immunity, while DIPA emphasizes the importance of separating Church and State. The Greens suggest investigating Christou’s involvement in relation to the MPs’ code of ethics.

CySEC oversight on 50 companies , ‘unacceptable’

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CySEC oversight on 50 companies , ‘unacceptable’

Bar Association chairman Michalis Vorkas criticized the plan to only oversee 50 of the biggest service-industry firms for compliance, arguing that company size should not be the sole criterion for scrutiny. This discussion took place at the House legal committee, following the announcement of a new oversight authority by Finance Minister Makis Keravnos. The Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission is being considered to oversee these 50 companies. Vorkas also mentioned that the government had not invited relevant parties for dialogue, although a presentation is scheduled for March 22. Concerns were raised about the potential for this oversight to violate lawyer-client confidentiality, with Vorkas emphasizing the importance of privacy and established legal principles. The committee plans to invite representatives from various associations and finance ministry officials for further discussions.

House to vote on expansion of pre-primary education

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House to vote on expansion of pre-primary education

The Cyprus Parliament is expected to vote next week on a bill to expand free and compulsory pre-primary education to include children aged four years old and above. This follows a letter from Education Minister Athena Michaelidou to the House Education committee, urging them to advance the matter. The committee, led by Diko MP Pavlos Mylonas, discussed the initiative, which aims to address issues within the education sector through collaboration between relevant ministries and deputy ministries. Support for the bill was expressed by MPs, highlighting its potential benefits for low-income families and the necessity of the reform. Concerns were raised about the need for proper consultation and the impact on nursery schools, with a meeting planned between the Education ministry, the Social welfare deputy ministry, and the private preschools association (Sipek) to discuss these issues. The government plans to gradually lower the age of acceptance into nursery schools to four years old over the next few years.

Calls for resignation over money laundering oversight

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Calls for resignation over money laundering oversight

MPs in Cyprus have expressed concerns over the country’s compliance with money laundering regulations due to a lack of coordination and communication between the police, the money laundering unit (Mokas), and the customs office. Over €160 million in cash has entered Cyprus in the past four years, raising questions about tax evasion and money laundering investigations. A recent case involved the arrest of a 31-year-old Ukrainian woman facing 60 counts of money laundering, having brought €8 million in cash to the country. There is criticism over a “strange” meeting in 2023 where police allegedly instructed the customs office to route information through them before reaching Mokas, a directive not supported by law. The customs office provides Mokas with a USB detailing declared cash sums every three months, indicating a delay in communication. Concerns were raised about the lack of real-time information sharing, the effectiveness of the legal framework against money laundering, and the existence of a shadow economy. The committee chair criticized the absence of coordination among state services and described the situation as “criminal” due to the inaction of Mokas and the police.

Absence of trust in justice

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Absence of trust in justice

A poll by Phileleftheros, conducted by Pulse Market Research, found that the Attorney General and the Deputy Attorney General do not satisfy citizens with their work, with only 29% of citizens responding positively about the Attorney General and 24% about the Deputy Attorney General. In contrast, 71% of citizens are satisfied with the work of the Auditor General. The poll also indicated that the negative stance towards the Attorney General is consistent across all party lines, with 51% of DISY voters, 66% of AKEL voters, and 61% of DIKO voters expressing a negative opinion. The President of the Republic has expressed intentions for institutional changes in the Audit Office, which has been met with immediate reaction from Odysseas Michaelides, the Auditor General. Additionally, the European Social Survey conducted by the University of Cyprus showed that the levels of trust in Justice are low, with an average of 4.39 out of 10.

DISY leader Annita Demetriou by far the most popular politician, with Stephanou and Perdikis in positive outlook

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DISY leader Annita Demetriou by far the most popular politician, with Stephanou and Perdikis in positive outlook

Democratic Rally President Annita Demetriou is the most popular politician in Cyprus, with 66% of respondents having a positive opinion of her, according to a Pulse Market Research poll for Phileleftheros. AKEL General Secretary Stephanos Stephanou and Greens President Yiorgos Perdikis are the only other leaders with a positive opinion. Perdikis has a 47% acceptance level and Stephanou has a 45% borderline positive opinion. Government coalition Democratic Party President Nicholas Papadopoulos has 42% positive opinions, ELAM President Christos Christou has 36% positive opinions with a 10 percent rise over the past five years, and Socialist EDEK leader Marinos Sizopoulos has 21% positive opinions. DIPA President Marios Karoyian has 26% positive opinions.

Government reshuffle received positively by citizens, survey shows

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Government reshuffle received positively by citizens, survey shows

President Christodoulides’ cabinet reshuffle on January 8 received mixed reactions, with a public opinion survey indicating majority support for five out of six changes. The survey, conducted by Pulse Market Research for Phileleftheros, found that 26% of respondents thought the changes were needed, 48% saw them as necessary, 10% disagreed, and 16% did not respond. DISY supporters mostly favored the reshuffle, with DIKO and AKEL supporters also showing significant support for some changes. The replacement of Michalis Hatzigiannis, Anna Koukides-Procopiou, Popi Kanari, Petros Xenophontos, and Philippos Chatzizacharias was generally supported, except for the removal of Defence Minister Michalis Georgallas, which faced opposition from 44% of respondents. The survey had a sample size of 600, covered nationwide urban and rural areas, used random-stratified multistage sampling, and was conducted via telephone interviews from February 20 to 26, 2024.

Trafficking numbers far worse than reports suggest

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Trafficking numbers far worse than reports suggest

Cyprus is reporting a decrease in human sex trafficking, but stakeholders claim police investigations are inadequate. Androula Christophidou Henriques, founder of Cyprus Stop Trafficking NGO, criticizes the current trafficking department’s lack of initiative. Between 2019 and 2022, Cyprus had 98 trafficking victims, with 33 cases related to sexual exploitation. The closure of cabarets in 2010 and COVID-19 restrictions have reduced sex trafficking activities, according to Henriques. Rita Superman, a Disy MP and former head of the police anti-trafficking department, believes the actual number of trafficking cases is higher than reported. The interior ministry plans to intensify inspections to prevent trafficking. Concerns about underreporting and institutional racism in handling trafficking cases have been raised by Dr. Nasia Hadjigeorgiou, who notes low prosecution numbers and inadequate victim interviews. Police cooperation between the Republic of Cyprus and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is minimal, affecting victim support. The US Department of State’s 2023 report places Cyprus in Tier 1 for compliance with trafficking standards but notes failures in victim referral and identification. The report also highlights the vulnerability of certain groups to trafficking and the government’s shortcomings in convicting traffickers and compensating victims. Efforts to combat human sexual trafficking in Cyprus intensified after the 2010 European Court of Human Rights decision in the case of Oxana Rantseva, leading to criminalization of human trafficking in Cyprus and Russia, and changes to Cypriot visa rules.

We have made so many mistakes since the 1940s

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We have made so many mistakes since the 1940s

Leontios Ierodiakonou, in his analysis of the Cyprus problem, highlights the decision-making failures of Cyprus’s first two presidents following the Turkish invasion. He attributes these failures to various factors, including fear of losing popularity, protecting political careers, and personal interests, which hindered the ability to make difficult but necessary decisions. This approach led to setting unattainable targets that ultimately benefited Turkey by perpetuating a stalemate and allowing the consolidation of the invasion’s outcomes. Ierodiakonou also revisits historical instances, such as Makarios’s rejection of constitutional revisions agreed upon with the Turkish Cypriots and Spyros Kyprianou’s rejection of international plans for settlement, to illustrate missed opportunities for resolving the Cyprus problem.

ELAM climbs to 3rd place in June European elections Phileleftheros poll, as DISY and AKEL fly low and DIKO drops to fourth

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ELAM climbs to 3rd place in June European elections Phileleftheros poll, as DISY and AKEL fly low and DIKO drops to fourth

Less than three months before the European Parliament elections, a poll conducted by Pulse Market Research for Phileleftheros shows that 50% of voters are still undecided about their choice for the June 9th election. The poll results indicate a decline in voter interest for major parties, with the Democratic Rally (DISY) and AKEL both falling below 20% in voter preference, and all other parties in single digits. ELAM has risen to third place, while the Democratic Party (DIKO) has dropped to fourth. According to the poll, DISY is at 17%, AKEL at 14%, ELAM at 8%, DIKO at 7%, Socialist EDEK at 3%, the Greens at 2%, and the government alliance DIPA at 0.3%. More than a third of respondents are undecided, and 9% intend to abstain. Compared to the 2021 results, DISY has seen a 10% drop from almost 28%, and AKEL’s drop is attributed to the undecided vote, falling from 22.3% in the previous election. ELAM is the only party showing an increase, from 6.78% to 8%.