Cyprus Mail: News Articles in English, 01-04-20

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From: The Cyprus Mail at <http://www.cyprus-mail.com/>

Friday, April 20, 2001

CONTENTS

[01] Marathon health scheme debate

[02] 64 bills in three and a half hours

[03] 23 gypsies go back north

[04] Bases ponder legal action over Matsakis claims

[05] Government condemns new Turkish threats

[06] Hundreds turn up in search for bone marrow donor

[07] Rival union demands could plunge CY into new crisis

[08] Singing in a wheelchair

[09] News in Brief

[01] Marathon health scheme debate

DEPUTIES were last night locked in debate over the contentious National Health Scheme (ESY) as the final, all-day, session of the current House of Representatives plenum dragged on past midnight.

The plenum was expected to eventually approve the ESY, but deputies were still slugging it out over last minute amendments proposed by main opposition party AKEL at 00.30 this morning.

Deputies had left the debate on the government-proposed universal health plan, the most contentious of the 90 bills on yesterday's agenda, till last. The relevant debate began just after 8pm but deputies appeared unwilling to approve such a controversial bill in the absence of unanimity.

The scheme was backed by governing parties DISY and the United Democrats and by opposition party KISOS. DIKO were against, while AKEL were believed to be making their approval conditional on adoption of their amendments.

The ESY, which has been in the pipeline for over a decade, was vehemently opposed by civil servants' union PASYDY and other unions, which feared it would strip them of benefits they enjoy under their own schemes. A series of government compromises over the past few weeks eventually convinced the unions to drop most of their objections.

Under the government plan, all employees will contribute two per cent of their wages to the scheme. The employer will contribute a further 2.55 per cent and 4.5 per cent will be footed by the state. The government will not take any public contributions to the scheme until it is ready to deliver services, in approximately five years' time.

Earlier yesterday afternoon, deputies unanimously approved a bill changing shop hours. The new law will mean shops closing at 8.30pm in the summer and 7pm in the winter on weekdays, and at 5pm on Saturdays in the summer and 3pm in the winter. Wednesday closing will remain at 2pm in summer and winter. Afternoon closing will be from 2-5pm in the summer, from June 15 to the end of August.

The plenum also approved a bill granting political parties a £1 million subsidy each. Deputies also unanimously approved a law establishing a new post of Controller of telecommunications and postal services, an EU harmonisation measure seen as a precursor to liberalising the two sectors.

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2001

[02] 64 bills in three and a half hours

A PACKED House of Representatives managed to vote on 64 of the 90 bills on the agenda of one of the longest Plenum sessions ever in the first three and a half hours of its meeting yesterday.

One of the most important bills to gain House approval during the morning session of the Plenum allows investors to buy shares on credit.

The House dissolved yesterday after voting on 90 bills in a marathon session, which started at 9.30am and finished at around midnight with a three-hour break in the afternoon.

The House ended its five-year term in office ahead of the May 27 Parliamentary elections.

Many bills were summarily passed unanimously without deputies even having to raise their hands to vote.

Acting House President Nicos Anastassiades of DISY rushed through dozens of bills following an unusual but practical procedure: he read aloud the main provisions of the bill, asked whether anyone had any objection, and without pausing declared the bill passed. With Anastassiades' voting system, many bills took less than a minute each to pass. And reporters, who lost count of how many bills had passed, made a lot of noise as they kept asking each other about which bills had passed and which had not.

One deputy was overheard saying: "Anastassiades' method is unique. He is really talented."

The Plenum's morning session approved a proposal allowing jet skis to operate without interruption from 10am to 7pm, changing a law forbidding the operation of the pleasure craft between 1 and 4 pm.

Deputies also approved a bill reverting a recent vote that stipulated that investors had to put money down before purchasing shares.

According to the new law, which will be implemented on July 12, investors can buy shares on credit.

Another bill that deputies passed unanimously provided that the Securities and Exchange Commission would be authorised to penalise brokerages, financial advisors and investment organisations found to have breached Stock Exchange regulations.

The Commission will also have the right to request information from any party in suspect transactions.

The morning session passed a bill providing for the admission of all children with special needs into normal schools by the next academic year in September.

The bill also calls for the speedy detection of mentally and physically disabled children as well as their special training.

Another unanimously passed bill forbids the publication of election poll results in the last seven days before the elections.

The House also passed many harmonisation bills to bring Cyprus into line with EU standards.

Yesterday's morning session was an intense and exhausting one: Deputies as well as reporters kept walking in and out of the Plenum's amphitheatre. At some point, a group of deputies returned to the meeting after a coffee break, just on time to vote on a bill and had to raise their hands to vote as they were walking to their seats.

At another point, Anastassiades told off a deputy who had stretched his arms: "You are not allowed to do that while in the Plenum," he said.

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2001

[03] 23 gypsies go back north

LESS than 24 hours after the Attorney-general's stern warning that Cyprus could find itself in trouble with the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) over the treatment of Turkish Cypriot gypsies arriving from the occupied areas, 23 of them - 13 adults and 10 children - yesterday returned to the north after 18 days in the government controlled areas.

They were among 45 gypsies who had been staying in a purpose-built facility within the central prison compound in Nicosia.

But on Wednesday Attorney-general Alecos Markides issued a strict warning to the Justice and Interior Ministries that the conditions under which the gypsies were held could constitute a violation of their rights since they were Cypriot citizens and had to enjoy the same freedom as everyone else.

The legal services immediately submitted an amendment before the House, to make illegal the detention of any person without a court order.

Detention that would deprive people their freedom would be punishable with a year in jail.

However, the amendment could not be adopted during the Plenum's last session before its dissolution because of procedural reasons.

Yesterday, five gypsy families who opted to return to the occupied areas, made their way slowly towards the Ledra Palace checkpoint with what little they owned stuffed in duffle bags, and crossed to the north.

The group, aged from eight months to 45 years old, carried no identification and spoke Turkish, apart from two - a man and a woman in their forties - who acted as liaisons with the press and police at the checkpoint.

Rasvan Topaloglulan, 45, told reporters they decided to return because they had not been taken to Paphos and did not have any homes, money or jobs.

They had been hoping to join a further 92 gypsies who crossed over earlier this year and were relocated in Paphos.

The House Human Rights Committee held an extraordinary meeting yesterday morning to look into the issue and decide if in fact the gypsies were being held against their will.

The committee asked the Justice Ministry to clarify the conditions at the central prison holding facility.

The Justice Ministry promptly replied that the gypsies were given lodging at the facility and were told that if they wished to remain there they would also be provided with food.

But the ministry's explanation did not satisfy committee members, who decided to see for themselves the gypsies' living conditions.

But the gypsies had left the installation before the committee members had the chance to see what was going on.

Out of the 45 gypsies, 23 returned to the north, 10 were reportedly given lodging at a closed-down hotel in Nicosia, while the rest - seven -- remained at the prison facility.

Three are currently in custody for illegal entry into the Republic, while four, of which three underage children were allowed to stay because they were family.

The members of the committee nevertheless visited the facility and found the conditions there to be acceptable.

"It is not a five-star hotel but it is not inhuman either," committee Chairman AKEL deputy Yiannakis Agapiou said after the visit.

He added: "I think that conditions here could be better from their actual living conditions (in the north)."

DIKO deputy Marios Matsakis agreed.

"The Republic's behaviour does not constitute a violation of human rights," he said.

In a statement issued yesterday, the Legal Services pointed out that it was technically impossible for the 45 gypsies to have free movement because the facility where they were staying was inside the prison compound and free access for them could pose serious security problems concerning the inmates.

"All problems have to be handled with strict adherence to the law because Cyprus is a just state," the statement said.

"Should there be people treated outside the legal parameters, the dangers and problems created would be worse than the cost that a correct and efficient handling of the problem within the law would have."

Meanwhile problems have emerged in Paphos with the 92 gypsies who were already been given accommodation there.

Reports yesterday suggested the gypsies had left the designated facilities in several Paphos villages and moved to other areas of their choice.

Those staying at the village of Fasoula have moved to the Mouttalos neighbourhood in the town, while those at Makounda and Pelathousa villages in the Polis Chrysochous area have moved to Polis.

This has thrown the authorities' plans into disarray because it hampers plans for the gypsies' accommodation.

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2001

[04] Bases ponder legal action over Matsakis claims

THE BRITISH Bases are considering legal action over allegations made by DIKO deputy Marios Matsakis about the management of the SBA Employees' Provident Fund.

The politician made the claims on Sigma television on Tuesday night.

A statement from the SBAs said yesterday that the management committee of the provident fund vehemently denied the "defamatory" allegations and were seeking legal advice.

The statement said it was "regrettable that so much distress is caused to the fund members by such irresponsible reporting."

"The Committee are seeking legal advice to investigate all avenues of redress against those concerned," it concluded.

Matsakis said yesterday that the Bases could do what they likes and accused them of conducting a witch-hunt to prevent him from getting re-elected.

"The Bases are fighting against me so that I don't get re-elected as an MP for Limassol and they will do their best to that effect," Matsakis told the Cyprus Mail.

The row is the latest in a history of conflict between Matsakis and the Bases since he was elected to Parliament five years ago.

All 2,400 civilian employees on the Bases contribute to the Employees' Provident fund on a monthly basis.

When they retire, they get a one-off payment in lieu of a pension.

The current balance of the fund is £44 million. Bases spokesman Rob Need said the fund had to grow 18 per cent annually in order to replenish itself.

He said the MoD met the difference if the 18 per cent growth target was not reached. If a surplus growth is achieved, then the extra goes into financial speculation.

The fund has invested in the Cyprus Stock Exchange, banks and venture stocks and has permission from the Central Bank to invest anywhere in the world.

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2001

[05] Government condemns new Turkish threats

THE GOVERNMENT yesterday condemned Turkey's threat of unlimited retaliation if a divided Cyprus joined the European Union as "unacceptable".

Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem told a news conference in occupied Nicosia on Wednesday that the Turkish reaction were Cyprus to join the EU ahead of a solution "would have no limits".

"Mr Cem and Turkey repeated positions that can solve no problems in the region. They can only create problems," Government Spokesman Michalis Papapetrou told the Cyprus Mail yesterday.

"Turkish diplomacy is obviously trying to increase its pressure and threats on the EU, hoping that they will block Cyprus' accession at the last minute, " he said.

But chief EU negotiator and former President George Vassiliou told the Cyprus Mail that Cem's comments should be taken "with a pinch of salt" and doubted their sincerity.

"It's possible that these statements are intended for internal consumption to show their public, 'you see we have threatened, we have said what we should say and so on'. I don't think Turkey can really implement any serious action. I don't see Turkey attacking Cyprus. I don't think that it will benefit her if they were to annex the occupied areas. It would simply keep Turkey out of the European Union forever," said Vassiliou.

"We have to maintain our sang-froid and avoid any kind of statements that are inflammatory in one way or another, pointing out the desire for a solution and continuing the negotiations."

Party politicians launched an immediate flurry of outspoken criticism following Cem's statements, but Vassiliou dismissed the rhetoric as part and parcel of the pre-election period.

"Mr Cem's best advice would have been to ask Mr Denktash to come back to the negotiating table and hopefully to reach a solution prior to succession. But if there is no solution before, then Cyprus will join. That is the best motivation for Turkey to recognise that something must be done."

"Greece has convinced everybody in Europe and in Turkey that she is genuinely interested in improving relations. It has turned the so-called Greek-Turkish differences into Turkish-European Union differences and strengthened the role of Greece in the Union and in the Balkans. [So] it is even more difficult for Mr Cem to behave like that, because the public sees the difference. On the one hand you have Greece trying to reach out and on the other, old-style nationalistic statements from Mr Cem," said Vassiliou.

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2001

[06] Hundreds turn up in search for bone marrow donor

THE FAMILY of a three-year-old boy suffering from a rare bone marrow condition yesterday expressed surprise and gratitude at the public response to an appeal for donors who might be compatible for a life-saving transplant.

Roads surrounding the Lakatamia Amphitheatre outside Nicosia were filled on Wednesday night as hundreds of volunteers queued up to donate blood in the hope of finding a bone marrow match to help three-year-old Sofoclis Frangou.

The boy's father, Demetris Frangou, said yesterday he was surprised and delighted after over 600 people turned up to donate blood, queuing between 7pm and midnight. Another collection was due to take place last night.

Sofoclis' family hails from Dikomo in the occupied north, and Demetris Frangou yesterday appealed to fellow villagers to come forward, as a match is most likely to be found amongst them.

Sofoclis is suffering from Myelofibrosis, a disorder in which bone marrow is replaced by scar tissue. It is usually found in people over the age of 50. Sofoclis is the first child in the world to be diagnosed with the disorder. His symptoms include anaemia, which occurs when bone marrow does not produce sufficient platelets necessary for normal blood clotting cells.

"This disease needs a long follow-up," said Dr. Loizos Loizou, the doctor looking after Sofoclis. Loizou and a colleague from Israel will be watching Sofoclis carefully while he undergoes blood transfusions.

The Karaiskakio Transplant Centre in Nicosia has asked that only people from Dikomo step forward to be tested for a match. Anyone wanting to become a donor can contact the Transplant Centre on 02-772700 for further information.

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2001

[07] Rival union demands could plunge CY into new crisis

A SERIES of tit-for-tat demands by Cyprus Airways (CY) and Eurocypria pilots could plunge the national carrier into a new crisis, unions warned yesterday.

Both Eurocypria-SEK and CY pilots' union PASIPY said they would react if the company gave in to the other's demands for more captain promotions.

The trouble began when, in order to avert a strike by Eurocypria pilots, Labour Minister Andreas Moushiouttas proposed they be given two captain promotions as a gesture of good will, separate from existing and contentious agreements. Each union has a separate deal with the company that the other does not accept.

The Eurocypria collective agreement says captain vacancies should go to co- pilots with three years' experience in the charter firm, while PASIPY reached a deal for double the number of promotions to go to CY pilots. Eurocypria says this violates their agreement.

Moushiouttas' interim compromise, which was accepted by Eurocypria, also included a proposal for compensation to those co-pilots who would lose out on promotion due to captain vacancies being given to CY pilots transferred to the charter firm.

However, PASIPY has now told the company that if two Eurocypria co-pilots are promoted, they expect four more captainships in the charter firm for CY members, plus compensation for the CY co-pilots who have lost out on promotions because of Eurocypria.

"What we are saying it not really new," a PASIPY spokesman told the Cyprus Mail. "If Mr Moushiouttas promotes two co-pilots in Eurocypria, then they have to promote four of us. The agreement is that, for every one of them who is promoted, two of us will be promoted, and the company knows that."

The spokesman said PASIPY had given a lot of concessions last year to reach this agreement with the company, and he said the new deal had been reached between the Minister, the company and the Eurocypria pilots.

He also warned that if the compensation deal went ahead it would lead to a large number of claims for similar treatment from CY co-pilots. "They (CY) have to think about this before they do anything. If they go ahead, we will be mad and tell them to keep the agreement. If they don't, then there will be a problem," the spokesman said.

Sources in Eurocypria-SEK said yesterday there was "no way" they would accept the PASIPY demands. "The Minister made his proposal because CY violated the agreement they had with us on promotions," the source said. "The deal was only a way to keep us quiet as a compensation for the violation of our collective agreement. There is no way we will accept any more pilots from Cyprus Airways."

CY officials could not be reached for comment yesterday.

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2001

[08] Singing in a wheelchair

IN RECENT days, a German traveller named Hans-Georg Lindenau has enlivened Old Nicosia's Ledra and Onasagorou shopping streets, singing a unique combination of traditional German melodies and opera.

Wheelchair bound, he pushes himself over to the old town's pedestrian shopping district every day from the nearby Astra hotel to perform for small donations, always eager to speak to passers-by about social and political issues.

Lindenau says music is a form of therapy: "Singing is the way to reconstruct my inner stability. Because I'm disabled, I'm isolated by contact. By singing, I get communication ? I get rehabilitation in a two- legged society. They accept me and talk to me."

A Berlin-based activist, Hans-Georg, has come to Cyprus for the fifth time since 1999 to champion two political causes: an end to the division of the island and rights for the disabled.

He has no sponsorship or government help, travelling independently on donations from singing and what he earns from a shop he owns in Berlin that sells political newspapers, pamphlets and other accessories, like T-shirts.

"I escape sometimes from my narrow situation in German and go to the south, " he says.

Hans-Georg says he has also made recent trips to Spain, Italy, Greece and the United States.

Born in Bavaria in 1959 to a mother who had recently fled from East Germany, Hans-Georg began singing in the choir at the age of 10.

He has had several run-ins with German law enforcement dating back to 1978 for his outspoken political views. In fact, he attributes his crippling injuries to a beating he received in 1989 that he claims was in retaliation for his activism.

He carries with him a multi-lingual sign in English, Greek and German reads: "I organised an escape of 200 people across the Berlin wall in 1988 and because of this I was injured and have been in a wheelchair since 1989."

As a Berliner, Lindenau feels a special affinity for Cypriots who live with their divided island. As in his own country, though, he feels that the biggest obstacle to the island's unity is the mentality of the people, who he feels are not motivated to accept their compatriots on the other side of the Green Line.

He also feels that in Cyprus there is a frightening lack of concern for the disabled and a shortage of services accessible to wheelchairs, especially with regard to public transport.

Next week he will leave for Greece and return to Germany shortly afterwards, but says he would like to return two to three times before the year is out.

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2001

[09] News in Brief Fags haul

Drug Squad officers searched the containers, which arrived from Alexandria two weeks ago, after receiving a tip-off from Interpol that illegal narcotics were to be shipped through the port.

The search began at 9.30 am yesterday. "So far, instead of drugs, police have found three containers containing stolen cigarettes worth over £2 million," police said in a 6pm statement.

Police said they believed the cigarettes had been stolen from Alexandria port. Documents accompanying the three containers name an Egyptian as recipient, but police believe the man named is fictitious.

Bad road

The investigation showed that poor quality materials were used for the section of motorway between Latsia and Limbia and blamed both the contractor and government inspectors.

Communications Minister Averof Neophytou yesterday vowed tough action against those responsible. "This state and this government will not let off any who fail to respect the money they enjoy from public coffers either for completion of works or in overseeing them," the minister said.

Captian held

The captain and two-man crew of the Santoriny were arrested on Wednesday and were yesterday remanded for four days by the Limassol District Court. Police say the three sailors have admitted to using the vessel to move illegals, charging up to £1,000 a head.

Illegal immigrants have become an increasing problem for authorities in recent years.

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2001

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