The government printing office has started printing ballot papers for the June 9, 2024 European Parliament elections. The papers are printed on blue security paper with a separate numbered column for coalitions and individual candidates, listed alphabetically with independent parties first, followed by coalition groups, and finally, individual candidates.
The National Council is set to convene on Friday morning, with President Nikos Christodoulides briefing party leaders on the latest developments regarding the Cyprus problem and the results of the latest European Council meeting regarding EU-Turkey relations. Christodoulides called the meeting to inform party leaders of discussions before the arrival of UN envoy Maria Angela Holguin. Opposition parties Disy and Akel have repeatedly called for the National Council to be convened in response to Christodoulides agreeing to UN proposals on the Cyprus problem. The government initially resisted calls for the meeting until “the facts differ” from the last National Council meeting.
Fact: There is speculation that the Attorney-General George Savvides will submit a request to the supreme court to have Auditor-General Odysseas Michaelides removed from his post for inappropriate behavior.
Fact: The Ormidia fishing shelter in Cyprus received a €1.6 million upgrade, co-financed by the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund 2014-2020, as part of a larger operational program for fisheries and aquaculture with a budget of €54.7 million.
The Biden Administration released a budget proposal for the 2025 fiscal year that includes tax proposals generating .3 trillion over the next decade. The most significant proposals include increasing taxes on corporations and high-income taxpayers.
The text discusses the Base Erosion and Anti-Abuse Tax (BEAT) and its purpose to address profit shifting by multinational enterprises. The fact described in the text is that BEAT is intended to address a legitimate problem, but its execution leaves room for improvement.
Fact: Candidacies are being submitted for local elections for the Kyrenia district, with the elections set to take place on June 9.
The House plenum approved extending government grants to cover Okypy’s deficits until May 31, 2025.
The National Betting Authority warned the public about the proliferation of illegal betting activity, especially online. One example cited was the website https://parimatchcyprus.com.cy, which redirects to https://n1bet.com/en-CA?modal=signUp, providing illegal betting services without a permit. The NBA advised the public to be cautious and check which companies are lawfully licensed by visiting its website at www.nba.gov.cy.
The first major forest fire of the year was started by a flare that was accidentally thrown into a quarry and flew out, igniting the surrounding area. The Mines Service took responsibility for the mistake. The summer forest fire fighting period has been extended to eight months to address the expanding high-risk periods due to climate change. The government plans to gradually purchase ten fire-fighting aircraft in the next five years. During the recent forest fire, only one fire-fighting aircraft was deployed, highlighting the need for more resources. The police are investigating the relationships of individuals involved in recent violent incidents. Despite efforts to combat organized crime, leaks to journalists are a concern for some officials.