political leadership

Tales from the Coffeeshop: Auditor-general far too popular to do anything wrong

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Tales from the Coffeeshop: Auditor-general far too popular to do anything wrong

– The opposition proceedings in the case brought against auditor-general Odysseas Michaelides by attorney-general George Savvides were filed by Odysseas’ team of lawyers.
– The opposition is based on two points: the application of the AG to the constitutional council is groundless and the AG does not have the authority to seek the sacking of an independent state official.
– Odysseas’ camp is applying pressure on the president to publicly side with him.
– The head of the anti-corruption authority demanded criminal charges against the drug squad chief, possibly linked to the Odysseas-Savvides clash.
– Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah urged Syrians to head for Cyprus and Europe to pressure Brussels to give Lebanon more funds for Syrian refugees.
– Parents were upset over the difficulty of questions in modern Greek exams for secondary school students.
– State hospital nursing unions are threatening industrial action if more nurses are not hired.
– The president announced the decision to appoint two criminal investigators before the cabinet approved it.

Nurses , ‘often treated with contempt’

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Nurses , ‘often treated with contempt’

Nurses in Cyprus are often treated with contempt despite being the cornerstone of the health system. There are significant shortages of nurses and midwives in the country, and efforts are being made to attract, recruit, and retain them. The government has expressed support for nurses, but there are concerns about reducing the number of training hours for nurses, which could endanger patient safety and infringe upon their human rights. Cypriot nurses’ EU freedom of movement may be jeopardized if the directive is discarded.

Former Labor minister calls for major tax shake-up

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Former Labor minister calls for major tax shake-up

David Bradbury, the OECD’s departing tax executive, believes Australia needs a new review of tax and spending across the federation to implement difficult reforms.

Government seeks EU support for Lebanon migration deterrence

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Government seeks EU support for Lebanon migration deterrence

Cyprus seeks to secure a package similar to Egypt for Lebanon to deter illegal migrant trafficking. President Christodoulides plans to involve Ursula von der Leyen in negotiations with Lebanon, following discussions with the EU Commission President. The Cypriot government’s focus is on coordinating with the EU to address increased migration flows, with efforts continuing to designate safe areas in Syria.

Tax review to avoid an ‘intergenerational tragedy’

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Tax review to avoid an ‘intergenerational tragedy’

Former Treasury secretary Ken Henry is calling for a foundational tax review to address the lack of grip on tax reform by the political class, warning that the rising share of income tax and government spending will burden younger working-age Australians.