ombudswoman

Ombudswoman, ’s investigation on Bangladeshi man’s death ‘on hold’

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Ombudswoman, ’s investigation on Bangladeshi man’s death ‘on hold’

Anisur Rahman, a 24-year-old Bangladeshi national, died on April 10 after jumping off a fifth-floor balcony during a police raid on the Limassol apartment he was living in with 10 other individuals. The ombudswoman’s independent investigation into his death has been put on hold as the police file was denied to her and is being investigated by an independent authority following a complaint by Kisa NGO. The other individuals found living in Cyprus illegally are detained for possible witness testimony. The landlord of the apartment where Rahman lived has not been found at fault and other tenants continue to live there. Rahman’s death sparked protests in Limassol and Nicosia against racism faced by third-country nationals in Cyprus.

Social welfare dept takes years to reply , – ombudswoman

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Social welfare dept takes years to reply , – ombudswoman

Members of the public have been waiting for up to three years to hear back from the social welfare department, which takes an excessively long time to address appeals and requests, according to Ombudswoman Maria Stylianou Lottides.

MPs struggle to implement EU directive on loans

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MPs struggle to implement EU directive on loans

Fact: Legislators in Cyprus discussed government bills to harmonize current legislation on loan transfers with an EU directive on credit servicers and credit purchasers.

Anisur Rahman, ’s body repatriated back to Bangladesh

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Anisur Rahman, ’s body repatriated back to Bangladesh

Fact: The body of 24-year-old Anisur Rahman was being repatriated to his native Bangladesh.

Veterinary services must investigate dog importation, says ombudswoman

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Veterinary services must investigate dog importation, says ombudswoman

Ombudswoman Maria Stylianou-Lottides criticized the veterinary services for failing to address complaints about uncontrolled dog importation into Cyprus.

Probe launched into death of Bangladeshi worker

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Probe launched into death of Bangladeshi worker

Ombudswoman Maria Stylianou Lottides has started an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of 24-year-old Anisur Rahman.

Our View: State bureaucratic inefficiency is a running joke

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Our View: State bureaucratic inefficiency is a running joke

– Bureaucratic inefficiency in state services leads to delays in processing citizens’ applications.
– Almost 20,000 applications are pending at town planning authorities and 100,000 cases are open at Lands and Surveys offices.
– Applications for benefits and pensions take months to be processed.
– Deputies are spending 80% of their time dealing with citizens’ application delays.
– Interior Minister attributes delays to incomplete forms, understaffing, and poor digitalization.
– Evaluation of public employees is unrelated to deliverables and meeting targets.
– Government has failed to improve service to citizens due to fear of Pasydy, lack of service culture, and slow digitalization.
– Christodoulides government has not taken significant action to improve service to citizens.

MPs focus on making online state services more accessible

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MPs focus on making online state services more accessible

The House ethics committee discussed making online state services more accessible for digitally illiterate individuals. Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou aims to simplify procedures to reduce delays and improve communication between departments and the public. Changes have been made to speed up processes at the urban planning department and Land Registry. The Department of Road Transport is expected to be fully digitized by June 2025. Measures are being taken to assist citizens who have difficulty with online applications. Labor Minister Yiannis Panayiotou highlighted improvements in streamlining services, such as faster pension payments and increased call center efficiency.

Police holding cells , ‘should be abolished’

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Police holding cells , ‘should be abolished’

Fact: Holding cells in police stations should be abolished, according to trade union Isotita’s police branch chairman Nikos Loizidis.