government

Govt announces new criteria for naturalisation

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Govt announces new criteria for naturalisation

The interior ministry of the Republic of Cyprus announced a new set of criteria for naturalisation as citizens. Applicants must have legal and continuous residence for 12 months before applying, with absences not exceeding 90 days in total not interrupting this period. They must have legally resided in Cyprus for at least seven years within the ten years preceding the 12-month period. Applicants must be of good character, have a minimum B1 level knowledge of the Greek language, understand basic elements of Cyprus’s modern political and social reality, have adequate accommodation, stable and regular financial resources for themselves and their family, and intend to continue residing in Cyprus. There are also specific criteria for the naturalisation of “highly skilled” individuals, which applies to employees of companies with foreign interests operating in Cyprus, Cypriot shipping, high-tech, innovation, pharmaceutical, biogenetics, and technology companies. These applicants have reduced residence and language requirements, needing only three or four years of residence in Cyprus and a minimum A2 level of Greek language competence.

Blinken pushes for more aid for Gaza in talks with Israel’s Netanyahu

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Blinken pushes for more aid for Gaza in talks with Israel’s Netanyahu

– U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss aid flow into Gaza amid tense relations due to the six-month-old war.
– Israel claimed to have killed or captured hundreds of Hamas fighters in a five-day operation at the Al Shifa hospital complex in Gaza, which Hamas and medical staff deny.
– Blinken has been engaging in diplomacy in the Middle East, including meetings with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Saudi Arabia and officials in Cairo, aiming for a ceasefire.
– U.S. President Joe Biden criticized Israel’s campaign in Gaza as “over the top” due to its toll on civilian lives.
– The war started with a Hamas raid into southern Israel, killing 1,200 and taking 253 hostages. Over 32,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli bombardments.
– Blinken emphasized the need for increased and sustained aid deliveries to Gaza, where the entire population faces severe food insecurity.
– Israeli Colonel Moshe Tetro denied food shortages in Gaza, claiming sufficient food enters daily.
– Discussions include Israel’s intention to launch a ground offensive on Rafah, with Washington objecting to the plan.
– An airstrike on a house in Al-Naser, east of Rafah, killed eight people, including a family with five children.
– Senior Israeli and U.S. officials are set to meet in Washington to discuss alternatives to a full-on assault on Hamas.
– Talks in Qatar focus on a proposal for a six-week halt to fighting, exchanging Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners.
– Israel aims to eradicate Hamas, while Hamas wants a permanent end to the war and Israeli troop withdrawal.
– Israeli troops claim to have killed or detained hundreds in the Al Shifa hospital, including senior Hamas and Islamic Jihad members, though Hamas denies fighters were in the compound.

Former govt spokesman on Elam list for EU elections

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Former govt spokesman on Elam list for EU elections

Former government spokesman Marios Pelekanos has been included on Elam’s party list for the upcoming European elections in June. Elam aims to address challenges facing Cypriot Hellenism and promote Cyprus’s interests in Europe through the Party of European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR). Pelekanos’s inclusion is based on his positions on immigration, demographics, and economic policies for vulnerable groups. He served as government spokesman under President Nicos Anastasiades from 2021 to 2023 and was vice chairman of Anastasiades’ party Disy before resigning in February after not being selected as a candidate for the European elections. Elam leader Christos Christou confirmed discussions about Pelekanos’s inclusion. A final decision on Elam’s candidates is pending, but an announcement is expected soon. If Pelekanos is included on Elam’s list, he will be automatically expelled from Disy, as stated by Disy MP Onoufrios Koulla. Pelekanos has requested to terminate his Disy membership. He is known for his right-wing views on immigration and LGBT rights and identifies with the “popular right,” a conservative wing of Disy.

Apple antitrust suit mirrors strategy that beat Microsoft, but tech industry has changed

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Apple antitrust suit mirrors strategy that beat Microsoft, but tech industry has changed

The US government has filed an antitrust lawsuit against Apple, accusing it of unlawfully monopolizing the smartphone market through restrictions on app developers, which allegedly forces consumers to pay higher prices and curbs choice and innovation. The Department of Justice, along with 15 state governments, claims Apple’s practices harm competition in areas such as “super apps,” cloud streamed gaming apps, messaging apps, smartwatches, and digital wallets. Apple counters that the government’s accusations are factually and legally incorrect. Legal experts note differences between this case and the 1998 case against Microsoft, highlighting that Apple’s market share and competition dynamics, particularly with Android, make the case more challenging for the government. In 2021, a federal judge ruled in favor of Apple in an antitrust case brought by Epic Games, finding that Epic failed to prove Apple users were “locked-in” to their iPhones. The lawsuit reflects the DOJ and the Biden Administration’s Federal Trade Commission’s willingness to pursue significant antitrust cases.

Cyprus , ‘under suffocating pressure’ from migrant arrivals

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Cyprus , ‘under suffocating pressure’ from migrant arrivals

Cyprus has been described by European Commission Vice President Margaritis Schinas as “emerging as a European champion of returns” of migrants. Schinas highlighted the complexity and difficulty of managing migration in Cyprus but affirmed the EU’s unwavering support for the country in this regard. Despite the positive outlook from Schinas, Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou expressed concerns over the “suffocating pressure” from the influx of Syrian migrants arriving by sea, although he noted that the flow of migrants from sub-Saharan Africa has been largely limited. Ioannou has proposed a plan to the European Union to declare parts of Syria safe for the return of migrants, a plan that has received support from the Austrian government and, despite a misunderstanding, was initially thought to have the backing of the Swedish government. Ioannou also mentioned the challenges posed by organized trafficking rings and the steps taken to combat them, including the establishment of a special police unit. Additionally, he referred to an agreement signed between the EU and Egypt aimed at addressing the root causes of irregular migration and enhancing legal immigration pathways. Schinas mentioned the EU’s efforts to pressure airlines involved in irregular migration and the provision of over €250 million in funding for Cyprus’ immigration infrastructure.

Fuel prices set to soar in April

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Fuel prices set to soar in April

Fuel prices in Cyprus are expected to increase significantly at the beginning of April due to the end of government subsidies. Initially, there will be an 8.3 cent hike per litre on petrol and diesel and a 6.3 cent increase on heating oil starting April 1. Additionally, a new green tax could add another five cents per litre, with the tax expected to increase annually, reaching 25 cents by 2033. The finance ministry aims to implement the green tax from April 1, potentially raising fuel prices by at least 14-15 cents per litre. The director of the consumer protection service mentioned that the return of the consumption tax on fuel is expected at midnight on March 31, but the impact might be somewhat mitigated by the recent stabilization of global oil prices. Cyprus is among the EU countries with the cheapest fuel, based on the European Price Observatory. The public consultation on the green tax bill has been completed, and its introduction is expected in 2024, with compensatory measures for vulnerable groups. The end of the fuel subsidy and the imposition of the green tax are seen as adding significant costs to consumers and businesses, with an estimated total increase in fuel prices of about 10 percent. Despite the increases, prices are not expected to surpass the record high of €1.83 per litre set in July 2022. The government had previously reintroduced the subsidy after motorists began traveling to the north to fill up their tanks due to high prices. There is also a call for changing the law so that new fuel prices come into effect at 6am instead of midnight to prevent a rush on petrol stations.

Water carbon tax to be around one cent per 1,000 litres

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Water carbon tax to be around one cent per 1,000 litres

A carbon tax of one cent per cubic meter on water is to be implemented as part of green taxes, announced by the Nicosia Water board in conjunction with World Water Day. This tax is aimed at reflecting the environmental cost of water use and its scarcity. The Cyprus Recovery and Resilience Plan, introduced three years prior, included provisions for this tax but did not specify an amount. The plan highlights the need for reforms due to the energy-intensive and polluting nature of desalination plants, which Cyprus relies on for its drinking water supply. These plants contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and are powered by fossil fuels. The government is urged to require desalination plant operators to reduce reliance on conventional energy and switch to renewable sources. The announcement also touched on the importance of transboundary water cooperation for peace and sustainable development, noting that only 24 of the 153 countries with shared waters have comprehensive cooperative agreements. It mentioned the potential for a bi-communal agreement in Cyprus to provide drinking water across the ceasefire line as a confidence-building measure. Additionally, concerns about drought following a mild winter in 2023-2024 were raised, with actions being taken to increase water storage capacity. Current reservoir levels are at 69% capacity, with inflow this season at approximately 20 million cubic meters, compared to 48 million cubic meters in the winter of 2022-2023 and 154 million cubic meters the previous winter.

Swiss central bank cuts rates in surprise move, getting ahead of global peers

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Swiss central bank cuts rates in surprise move, getting ahead of global peers

The Swiss National Bank cut its main interest rate by 25 basis points to 1.50 per cent and also reduced its interest rate on sight deposits to the same percentage. This decision marked the first rate cut in nine years and was unexpected by many, leading to a decrease in the value of the Swiss franc and a drop in Swiss government bond yields. The move was in response to a drop in Swiss inflation to 1.2 per cent in February, maintaining within the SNB’s target range of 0-2 per cent for nine consecutive months. The SNB’s action reflects its assessment that the fight against inflation over the past two and a half years has been effective, with expectations that inflation will remain within the target range in the coming years. This decision came before the chairman, Thomas Jordan, is set to step down in September.

United for Palestine organising Larnaca protest against Gaza war

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United for Palestine organising Larnaca protest against Gaza war

United for Palestine Limassol is organizing a protest on Sunday, March 24 at 2 p.m. at Larnaca Marina against what they claim to be Israeli manipulation and exploitation of the Palestinian plight. They accuse the Cypriot government of being complicit in facilitating Israeli actions. The press release mentions a death toll in Gaza exceeding 30,000, with many victims being women and children. It alleges that Israel is using a “humanitarian corridor” from Cyprus not to deliver aid but to extend its control over the sea of Gaza and accuses the Cypriot government of unwittingly aiding Israeli interests. The organizers call for a permanent ceasefire, non-complicity of the Cypriot government in the alleged ethnic cleansing of Palestinians, and rejection of Israeli manipulation.

Government to intensify penalties, enhance firefighting measures

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Government to intensify penalties, enhance firefighting measures

On the International Day of Forests, Agriculture Minister Maria Panayiotou announced the government’s plans to submit amendments by the end of March to increase penalties for individuals causing fires. She spoke at Athalassa Park, stating that district administrations would conduct wild brush clearance by the end of May to prevent wildfires. Panayiotou emphasized the government’s focus on enhancing the forestry department’s operational readiness, infrastructure, technology, and human resources. She highlighted the introduction of technology, including drones and electromagnetic methods, for fire detection and forest surveillance, as part of the Recovery and Resilience Plan. The plan has also facilitated the acquisition of firefighting vehicles and equipment through national funds. Additionally, a coordination meeting at the Presidential Palace led to decisions on further measures for fire prevention and response, including a proposal for integrating the airborne firefighting unit into the National Guard and the reopening of the forestry college in 2025. Additional sensors for early wildfire detection are also to be installed.