Cyprus Mail: News Articles in English, 01-04-28

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

Saturday, April 28, 2001

CONTENTS

[01] Tsiakourmas release could open way for Tekogul to be freed

[02] Crime tops agenda at Cyprus conference

[03] Last farewell to Eleni Tsiakourmas

[04] Védrine backs Cyprus' EU accession efforts

[05] Greek experts advise CSE privatisation as essential to competitive survival

[06] Hotel strike threat over conditions

[07] Labour calls in PASOK to woo Cypriot voters

[08] Markides says no criminal investigation into Pittokopitis

[09] Appealing for the protest votes

[10] They're queuing up for civil weddings in Paphos

[01] Tsiakourmas release could open way for Tekogul to be freed

Although the government yesterday categorically denied there was any connection between the two cases, neither Attorney-general Alecos Markides nor Government Spokesman Michalis Papapetrou ruled out the possibility of early release for Tekogul, aged 42.

"The President of the Republic has not informed me of any intention on his part to execute his constitutional right and pardon Tekogul. At the same time, he has not said anything to the contrary either. I have no authority to comment on this issue," Papapetrou told his daily briefing.

"The only thing I can categorically repeat is that the two cases are not connected."

Markides told the Cyprus Mail that reports that Tekogul might now be released were speculative and inappropriate. Asked whether this meant Tekogul would not be released, Markides merely repeated his comment that such reports were speculation.

It is thought the Turkish Cypriot side expects Tekogul to be freed in return for Tsiakourmas` release on Thursday, two hours after being convicted of trafficking in 1.1 kilos of cannabis. He was sentenced to six months in jail, but the four and a half months he spent in detention were counted as time served.

The Greek Cypriot contractor was abducted from British Bases territory last December, two weeks after Tekogul was arrested on charges of possessing two kilos of heroin.

Following Tekogul's arrest, which the Turkish Cypriot side insisted took place within the UN-controlled buffer zone village of Pyla, where Greek Cypriot police have no jurisdiction, the Turkish Cypriot authorities threatened a Greek Cypriot would be kidnapped if he was not released.

Tsiakourmas, 39 and diabetic, disappeared on the morning of December 13 on the Pyla-Pergamos road as he was driving to pick up some Turkish Cypriot workers. Investigations by the British bases concluded he had been abducted. Bases police found no trace of drugs in his abandoned vehicle.

Britain was angered both by the abduction from its territory, and by the fact that all the evidence it submitted to the 'court' in the north relating to the kidnapping had been ignored.

It is believed the Turkish Cypriot side came under heavy pressure from the British government to release Tsiakourmas, both because the charges were bogus and because his mother suddenly fell ill. She died early on Thursday, only hours before he was freed.

Papapetrou said yesterday the government welcomed the efforts made by Britain to have Tsiakourmas released. "The British authorities essentially provided evidence to the claims we were making, that is about this being a kidnapping and that the charge of drug possession was bogus," Papapetrou said.

Sources in the north said that, in the end, the Turkish Cypriot side had found itself backed up against the wall.

"They were looking for a way out," the source said. "This way was good for them. They were happy to get a conviction and they don't have to ask themselves questions about whether their own police were lying."

Several newspapers in the north supported Tsiakourmas' innocence, but were careful in their commentary yesterday, as criticising a 'court' decision in the north is a punishable offence.

Opposition Avrupa said: "It is true that the judges have the right of judicial discretion but this does not mean that they can ignore the evidence. In the court of our conscience we found Tsiakourmas innocent from the beginning. We still believe he was innocent."

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2001

[02] Crime tops agenda at Cyprus conference

The conference, "Ways of dealing with crime in Cyprus: a comparative approach", is organised by the Justice Ministry and the university and will finish this evening.

In his opening speech yesterday, Justice Minister Nicos Koshis said the conference was being held in tandem with efforts to form a complete, national, anti-criminal policy.

"The aim is to reveal the true dimensions of crime and compare them to those in other countries. On top of that, we will look at ways of combating crime," Koshis said. The minister stressed the importance of upgrading the role of the police "to maximise their effectiveness and efficiency".

He also referred to the creation of the Anti-Narcotics Council earlier this year to prevent drug use. More than 100 academics and experts from Britain, Greece, Malta and Cyprus are taking part in the conference.

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2001

[03] Last farewell to Eleni Tsiakourmas

Hundreds of people turned out for the funeral at the Ayios Ioannis church in Larnaca, including party leaders, local deputies, government and town officials, and representatives from the British High Commission and the British bases.

President Glafcos Clerides, Archbishop Chrysostomos and outgoing House President Spyros Kyprianou sent wreaths to the grieving Tsiakourmas family.

Eleni Tsiakourmas, a diabetic like her abducted son, suffered a stroke on April 19 brought on by the stress of her youngest son's kidnapping and detention in the north. Complications arose early this week when she contracted pneumonia and high blood pressure and slipped in and out of unconsciousness. Reports on Thursday said she died whispering her son's name.

She was buried yesterday at the Ayios Georgios cemetery alongside her husband Kyriacos, who died on April 25, 1988 and her other son, Christodoulos, who died seven years ago.

When he returned home on Thursday, Tsiakourmas, who had not been told earlier in the day that his mother had died, said: "She died to give life to her son."

In an interview with the CyBC yesterday, Tsiakourmas spoke briefly of his five-month ordeal.

He said he had reached desperation many times, but did not criticise the Turkish Cypriots.

"It would be a shame to lie and say the Turkish Cypriots treated me badly," he said. "They tried to give me encouragement all the time and make me smile."

He said that throughout the time he spent in the north he did not feel abandoned by the Greek Cypriot side.

"My family was organising many events and people were attending so I felt their support," he said.

Government Spokesman Michalis Papapetrou said yesterday the state would support any move by Tsiakourmas to take his case to the European Court of Human Rights.

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2001

[04] Védrine backs Cyprus' EU accession efforts

"Everyone hopes that when we reach accession all necessary factors will be there to facilitate a solution of the Cyprus problem," Védrine told reporters at a joint news conference with his Cypriot counterpart Yiannakis Cassoulides.

The French Foreign Minister said his country always supported a settlement of the Cyprus problem under UN auspices and had backed the UN Secretary General's efforts during the latest round of proximity talks.

But although Védrine said a solution to the Cyprus problem was not a prerequisite to EU accession, he did note that the 15 member states considered it wise to examine their position on the issue again once accession talks were completed. He added this did not mean there was a hidden formula, nor that there was any bad intention on the part of the EU.

"We want to see the EU's enlargement", he insisted.

Védrine said he was saddened by Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash's withdrawal from the UN-sponsored proximity talks that opened in December 1999 and his insistence on recognition of his regime before they could resume.

"We hope this decision is not final and that he re-engages in negotiations."

Asked to comment on recent statements by Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem that there would be "no limits" to Turkey's reaction if Cyprus joined the EU, Védrine said he was not here to "give a lecture on Turkey," but because Cyprus was an EU candidate and France attached great significance to the island's accession course.

Cassoulides said they had also discussed other issues of mutual interest such as culture and commerce, as well as the situation in the Balkans and the Middle East.

Védrine's visit was the first time a French Foreign Minister has come to Cyprus since independence in 1960.

He flew on to Lebanon later in the day and was also due in Syria before returning to Paris.

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2001

[05] Greek experts advise CSE privatisation as essential to competitive survival

Over the past year, the CSE has fallen around 700 points since its 1999 peak, representing some £6 billion in value, with the government hard- pressed to seek ways of resurrecting the market and appeasing angry investors.

Parliament has already adopted number of measures aimed at boosting the market, but to little effect.

Over the past week, however, investors seemed more confident, with the CSE all-share index breaking the 200-mark.

The 750-page report, which took a team of Greek experts two months to complete, focused on the CSE's workings and recommended lifting "restrictions hindering the bourse's growth."

Dr. Demetris Tsimbanoulis, who heads the team, told a news conference yesterday that the CSE needed "to keep up with global developments in the capital market that are rapidly moving along. "This is an ongoing process," he added. "Three years from now, perhaps an entirely different approach will be needed. That is why we need to move fast."

Among the proposals made to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the CSE's watchdog body, were the need to pass legislation regulating which companies are allowed to offer investment services and regulations relating to the issuing of listed companies' prospectuses. Another major issue was the need for full computerisation of the CSE's activities, ensuring smooth operation.

"It is very important that the SEC be given increased powers to issue sanctions on investment companies, because that will truly discourage foul play," Tsimbanoulis noted, adding that currently investors who have a grievance have to go through an arduous and time-consuming legal process to gain redress.

Small investors have long been complaining their lifetime savings have been squandered away by schemes orchestrated by some investment companies. Recently the Attorney-general started taking legal steps to force companies to return money to investors wanting to pull out of pending listings.

Finance Minister Takis Klerides yesterday clearly backed the experts' recommendations, noting that "now we are faced with the hard part - instituting legislation governing the functioning and control of companies offering investment services." The Finance Minister denied suggestions the move was an election campaign gimmick.

He said new laws would be passed on mergers and acquisitions, private placements and public offerings, prospectuses and, possibly, setting up a secondary market for trading in shares from neighbouring and Mediterranean countries. The minister did not, however, elaborate on how these might be implemented.

Klerides added that the report would help identify the CSE's problems and compare it to bourses in other countries. "Cyprus is, after all, acceding to the EU, and ultimately the CSE will face fierce competition."

Despite conceding there was "a lot of work to be done," Tsimbanoulis said he was optimistic about the market's future, "provided there is the will to go ahead with substantive changes."

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2001

[06] Hotel strike threat over conditions

The unions say the Limassol strike could be the first on a series of industrial actions across the national tourism sector if hoteliers continue to ignore their demands for better treatment.

The Secretary General of SEK, Nicos Epistethiou told the Cyprus Mail yesterday that hotels were refusing to honour agreements with employees.

Some of the most serious violations are lack of employee provident funds, and no discussion about compensation for working on Sundays and public holidays.

The workers accuse hotels of keeping the 10 per cent extra charged to all customers for service, when the money should be distributed to members of staff.

The exact number of hotels failing to measure up is not yet known and complaints vary from hotel to hotel.

Unions SEK and PEO have sent letters to the Hoteliers Association and to Minister of Labour Andreas Moushiouttas informing them of their complaints and their collective decision.

Moushiouttas replied that any hotel that failed to distribute the 10 per cent service tax would be severely reprimanded.

If employers make no move to honour their agreements before May 10, then the two-hour walkout will go ahead.

Industrial action, coming as pace in the hotel industry hots up for the busy summer season, could be come as an embarrassment for hoteliers.

The Director general of the Hoteliers' Association, Zacharias Ioannides, was yesterday unavailable for comment.

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2001

[07] Labour calls in PASOK to woo Cypriot voters

PASOK is to donate staff and organise political meets in north London to persuade the Greek Cypriot community to re-elect Labour Party MPs, after their landslide win in 1997.

A string of north London seats -- Enfield Southgate, Finchley and Golders Green, Hendon, Enfield North and Edmonton -- all have substantial Greek and Greek Cypriot populations.

North London has been a Conservative Party stronghold in previous years and the Labour-PASOK deal was also instrumental during Britain's last general election.

Labour MP Stephen Twigg defeated possible Tory-party leadership contender Michael Portillo with a majority of 1,433 in 1997. Some seats have more Greek Cypriots than Labour's winning margin in the last election.

The Labour Party-PASOK deal was brokered between Margaret McDonagh, general secretary of Labour and Costas Skandalides, her opposite number at PASOK.

"We are offering donations in kind rather than money. Last time we were able to organise meetings and distribute leaflets among the Greek community, particularly in north London," Skandalides told The Guardian newspaper.

North London Labour MPs have taken regular trips to Cyprus during their term in Parliament, and have been vocal in their support of Greek Cypriot interests.

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2001

[08] Markides says no criminal investigation into Pittokopitis

"There is no call for a further investigation in the form of a criminal investigation," Alecos Markides said in a statement released yesterday afternoon.

The Cabinet asked Markides to rule on the issue on Wednesday after a state- appointed committee charged with probing goings-on at the Paphos co-op identified only disciplinary, and not criminal, offences.

The probe committee's remit was to investigate claims that Pittokopitis, who is chairman of the Paphos co-op, and other top officials at the establishment had vastly exceeded their overdraft allowances at the bank.

Given the probe's findings, Markides' ruling comes as no surprise, but will nonetheless be a relief for Pittokopitis, who is running for re-election in next month's parliamentary polls.

Pittokopitis has always maintained his complete innocence, saying he paid back in full all the money he drew from his co-op. He has also claimed that guidelines on how much cash co-op members can draw from their own establishments are unclear.

He has refused to bow to calls for his resignation.

Though it only found disciplinary offences, the probe did suggest that the actions of the co-op members in question constituted an abuse of trust punishable with sacking.

New Horizons leader Nicos Koutsou yesterday became the latest among Pittokopitis' political rivals to demand that the DIKO heavyweight call it a day.

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2001

[09] Appealing for the protest votes

Costas Tsangarides' yesterday launched his campaign under the motto: 'Turn your blank vote into a voice of protest'.

Voting in Cyprus is compulsory so they only way to express dissatisfaction is by casting a blank vote. However, blank votes are counted as spoiled ballots.

Tsangarides studied Economics in France and says he has been involved in several committees and parties in London, France and Canada.

He said yesterday he was targeting those people who were planning not to vote for any party because they did not agree with any of those up for election.

He unveiled the planks of his campaign at a news conference held yesterday, saying he would like to see the immediate implementation of a horizontal voting system, allowing voters to cast preference votes across party lines.

He was also vocal about the plight of the Cyprus Stock Exchange, which he described as a comedy that should be investigated with those found responsible severely punished.

He added he would like to see a committee of experts put in place for better supervision of military affairs so that money spent on equipment could be properly justified.

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2001

[10] They're queuing up for civil weddings in Paphos

Nine hundred and sixty weddings were held Paphos town hall last year, while an additional 360 permits for weddings were issued for other sites other than the town hall.

Trailing Paphos were Larnaca with 900 weddings, Ayia Napa with 800, Nicosia with 395 and Limassol with 250.

Paphos' success has aroused the jealousy of other municipalities and has caused a few local problems as well. On many occasions the mayor himself is forced to interrupt meetings or postpone appointments in order to preside over the wedding ceremonies.

The peak months are May, September and October where there are many marriages on a daily basis.

Because the ceremonies are so popular, a special wedding hall has been set up at the town hall to accommodate the droves wanting to tie the knot.

The best customers of the Paphos municipality are the British, followed by Israelis, who are not allowed civil weddings back home. Council member Savvas Heracleous told Politis that the British and the Israelis seemed to prefer Paphos because the town was connected to the legend of Aphrodite. He said that currently, this aspect of Paphos as a wedding location, had not been advertised abroad, but reports that the municipality intended to start doing so soon.

A spokesperson for Ayia Napa Municipality informed the Cyprus Mail yesterday "a lot of weddings were held in the year 2000 because of the millennium." However, she added that "all the bookings for 2001 are not in yet, but they expect around the same number this year," suggesting that civil weddings are a rising trend.

Tourism also benefits from a high volume of weddings, since many couples bring along their friends and relatives, while the majority of those who get married in Paphos return there for their anniversaries. According to reports, officials working in some municipalities have contacted tourist agencies abroad offering attractive packages for holiday weddings.

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2001

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