government

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.

Gaza humanitarian aid leaving Larnaca port this afternoon

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Gaza humanitarian aid leaving Larnaca port this afternoon

Cyprus will send 150 tonnes of humanitarian aid, mostly food, to Gaza from Larnaca port this afternoon. The departure time is not disclosed for security reasons. The aid is part of the Amaltheia maritime corridor initiative, aiming to address the humanitarian crisis in the region. The shipment has received approval from Israel and will be loaded onto the ‘MMS ARIS’ floating platform due to Gaza’s lack of port infrastructure.

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%.

A strategic EU role for the Cyprus problem

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A strategic EU role for the Cyprus problem

The text discusses the flaws in the traditional negotiations process regarding the Cyprus problem and suggests that a solution requires a slow, incremental process of “deliberative democracy” and strategic international coordination to incentivize leaders towards a negotiated settlement. The EU and the US play crucial roles in this process. The text highlights how the US improved its relationship with Greece, making it a strategic partner in southeastern Europe through military and energy developments, suggesting a similar approach could be applied to Cyprus. The text proposes enhancing Cyprus’s role in humanitarian assistance as a geopolitical incentive, mentioning the Republic of Cyprus’s involvement in evacuations and support in various crises. It discusses the EU’s engagement with Cyprus through the Task Force for the Turkish Cypriot community and suggests that strategic political decisions on Cyprus could be better managed by placing them under the Secretariat-General of the European Commission. The text concludes with the author’s credentials and involvement in Cyprus negotiations.

Cyprus: weak tax administration and prolific tax evasion

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Cyprus: weak tax administration and prolific tax evasion

– Tax evasion in Cyprus is defined as the deliberate non or underpayment of taxes and is illegal, while tax avoidance involves using legal methods to minimize tax owed.
– Weak and ineffective tax administration in Cyprus contributes to large-scale tax evasion.
– The Tax Department’s primary goal is to collect taxes and enforce payment in accordance with tax laws.
– Tax collections in Cyprus are below potential, with a significant shortfall attributed to widespread tax evasion.
– It is difficult to quantify tax evasion levels, but as of end-September 2023, taxes owed to the state amounted to €3.4 billion, with nearly €900 million deemed uncollectible.
– Self-employed persons in Cyprus paid on average €1,080 in personal income taxes in 2022, compared to employees who paid on average €1,920.
– Tax evasion and avoidance deprive the government of revenue, limit the scope for reducing tax rates, and hurt honest taxpayers.
– Cyprus’s reputation for weak law enforcement and corruption attracts corrupt politicians and criminals from abroad.
– The inefficiency of Cyprus’s tax administration contributes to tax evasion, with personal income tax returns taking about five years to process.
– The government has been promised €24.2 million from the EU’s Recovery and Resilience fund to improve tax administration efficiency.
– Increased digitalization and coordination between tax units could help curtail tax evasion and avoidance.
– Simplifying the tax registration and filing process could encourage greater tax compliance.
– Government policies that delay the submission of tax returns and payments foster tax evasion and avoidance.
– Enhanced digitalization of public services and harsh penalties for late tax payments are suggested to enforce timely tax payment and compliance.

Britain, ’s Tesco raises store worker pay by 9.1 per cent

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Britain, ’s Tesco raises store worker pay by 9.1 per cent

Tesco, Britain’s largest retailer, announced a 9.1% increase in hourly pay for store workers, raising the base pay from 11.02 pounds to 12.02 pounds starting April. This pay rise, negotiated with the shopworkers’ union USDAW, surpasses the government’s national living wage increase of 9.8% to 11.44 pounds an hour. Tesco’s London workers will receive 13.15 pounds an hour. The pay rise will cost Tesco over 300 million pounds. Other UK retailers, including Sainsbury’s, Asda, Marks & Spencer, Amazon, Aldi, Lidl, and Costa Coffee, have also announced pay increases for 2024.

Our View: Sugarcoating unpopular policies cannot work indefinitely

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Our View: Sugarcoating unpopular policies cannot work indefinitely

Finance Minister Makis Keravnos of the Christodoulides government claims that green taxation plans will significantly benefit the public, despite concerns about the increased costs for fuel, water, and mandatory energy upgrades for buildings. The consumer tax reduction on fuel is ending, and a new green tax is expected to increase fuel prices by 14 to 15 cents per litre. Keravnos argues that green taxation will discourage energy and resource waste, and claims that revenue from the carbon tax will be returned to businesses and households, though specifics are not provided. Critics argue that the green taxes will increase the cost of living and inflation, as businesses pass on higher costs to consumers. There is also concern about the government’s decision-making regarding energy tariffs and subsidies, with suggestions that temporary tax relief measures are not sustainable and could harm public finances. The government is under pressure to extend fuel tax discounts and electricity bill subsidies, despite the need for fiscal responsibility and addressing inflation.

Europe needs fast, focused tech industry policy, Dutch minister says

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Europe needs fast, focused tech industry policy, Dutch minister says

Europe needs to rapidly and assertively support crucial technology sectors due to US-China trade tensions, according to the Dutch economic affairs minister, Micky Adriaansens. The Netherlands is focusing its industrial tech policy on protecting and promoting key technologies, notably semiconductors, with Dutch company ASML being a significant player. The European Chips Act aims to counter US and Chinese chip subsidy programs but has only approved French government support for STMicroelectronics to build a factory in Crolles, France. Plans by Intel and TSMC to build plants in Germany are pending European Union approval. Adriaansens emphasized the need for Europe to act more swiftly in executing its tech strategies and highlighted the challenges the Netherlands faces as a small trading nation. The Dutch government has supported US efforts to limit ASML’s exports to China and has introduced security vetting for foreign tech investments, though Adriaansens cautioned against further isolating China technologically.

Green taxes: , ‘pay now, or later…but you have to pay’

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Green taxes: , ‘pay now, or later…but you have to pay’

The announcement of a new carbon or ‘green’ tax on motor fuel in Cyprus has been met with widespread disapproval from trade unions, industry leaders, and consumer advocacy groups, despite a general acknowledgment of its necessity. The tax will begin at 5 cents per litre in 2024, with additional levies on water consumption and hotel stays. It is expected to disproportionately affect low-income households, with an estimated average household spending increase of 0.37% in 2024, translating to a monetary welfare loss of €121 per household. The government has promised fiscal neutrality, planning to return the extra money spent by the public through offsets, including a €100 cash-back for low-income families in 2024. The green tax is part of a broader tax system overhaul aimed at encouraging a shift towards greener energy and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.