Cyprus Mail: News Articles in English, 01-08-25

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

Saturday, August 25, 2001

CONTENTS

[01] CY engineers want another week

[02] Woman, 49, killed in car

[03] Teachers announce measures in battle against ministry

[04] Welfare security fears after arson attempt

[05] MOT tests to start from September

[06] Papandreou to visit next month

[07] Cyprus antenatal screening programme 'one of best in the world'

[08] Matsakis Green Line march

[09] Man charged with bird-trapping

[10] Cypriot teams charge into UEFA cup draw

[11] EAC concern over Turkish Cypriot electricity tweak in Pyla

[12] Satellite deal gives Cyprus technology boost

[01] CY engineers want another week

CYPRUS Airways engineers will not be striking at least for the next week. Their union, ASYSEKA, yesterday asked for a week to decide on a proposal brokered by the Labour Ministry on which it had been expected to vote yesterday.

The union last week warned that if engineers voted down the proposal its members could go on strike immediately. But after a marathon meeting of the general assembly yesterday, ASYSEKA asked for another week before voting on the government proposal.

"The Labour Ministry has given us insufficient clarification regarding the proposal, therefore we need one more week so our members can take decisions based on the true picture," a union announcement said. The union vote is expected next Friday.

The ministry proposal was tabled earlier this month in a bid to resolve a promotions dispute pending since 1995.

ASYSEKA spokesman Nicos Malaos has said the union's intention was not to cause inconvenience, stressing that it was about time the company solved the employees' problems.

The engineers abandoned work for two hours on July 20, grounding CY flights and leaving some passengers stranded at the height of the tourist season.

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2001

[02] Woman, 49, killed in car

Police said that Eleni Iacovou, from Kato Deftera, was with her parents inside her car which was parked on the side of the Rizoelia to Dhekelia Road in Larnaca at around 4pm. A car driven by 70-year-old Andreas Antoniou collided with Iacovou's vehicle, killing her and injuring her parents.

Polic said that Antoniou was breathalysed and the results were negative. He suffered minor injuries.

Iacovou's parents, Koumis and Vassiliki Ioannou, aged 83 and 77 respectively, were admitted to Larnaca Hospital for treatment. Police are investigating.

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2001

[03] Teachers announce measures in battle against ministry

TEACHERS' union OELMEK yesterday announced that class supervisors would be denied access to secondary schools from next month, kicking off a protest at a government decision to go back on a promotions agreement.

After a marathon meeting of the secondary schoolteachers' union, its chairman Andreas Stavrou charged: "The 'magic tricks' that the Education Ministry applied are a scandal."

"There were 89 headmaster's assistants' positions to be filled but the ministry did everything in its power to make sure they were not filled, going back on the agreement it had sealed with us and acting against the law," he claimed.

Stavrou vowed that, "those who aim to downgrade public education and this country's institutions and values will face strong opposition by our union."

He warned that teachers were "really furious" but at the same time "united and determined as ever".

The OELMEL chief said that the union had decided to deny entry to class supervisors in schools from September 1, when schools reopen after the summer holiday.

"This is the first measure we are taking. Of course if the government implements the agreement in question then everything changes. But that would be impossible since parliament is in recess."

Stavrou also said OELMEL would not hesitate to make formal complaints to "bodies abroad".

The union leader also blamed the House of Representatives for the development.

"The government proposal ignoring our agreement has been approved by the legislature so we will see that they realise they are responsible too," Stavrou said, without elaborating.

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2001

[04] Welfare security fears after arson attempt

DISTRICT Welfare Offices all over the island are to have security systems installed, following an incident at the Limassol Welfare branch.

Chloe Koromia from the Head Office of the Welfare Department said yesterday that offices are considering protection from security firms and the installation of security systems to prevent any incidents.

The Department is deciding the best option available to protect welfare offices and is hoping to install the security system as soon as possible.

"We do have incidents but not many," Koromia said. "We deal with people who may sometimes get upset by decisions we have to make."

Concern was raised after an incident in Limassol on Thursday. An Egyptian man whose Cypriot wife had died and who had been deemed unsuitable to look after his children poured petrol all over the Limassol District Welfare Office when he heard the court's decision ruling the Welfare Department should put his children into foster homes.

Staff in the office managed to take a lighter away from him as he was trying to set the place on fire and immediately called the police, but the Egyptian managed to get away, threatening to return with a gun.

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2001

[05] MOT tests to start from September

ROADWORTHINESS checks on vehicles over four years old are to begin in September.

The tests will affect 240,000 cars.

Communications Minister Averoff Neophytou said yesterday that private vehicles over four years old would henceforth have to be checked every two years.

The Ministry has inspected private garages that applied to be able to perform the tests and has approved them as well as ensuring that the mechanics are qualified.

"Car owners are being encouraged to check their vehicles at the approved garages. If cars are not checked, they will be deemed unworthy and licences will be revoked," said Neophytou.

The head of the Public Transport Department, Tassos Kyriakides, said that the checks were not an excuse to fine motorists, but to ensure that vehicles are safe.

"If during a check a minor problem is discovered, the owner will be warned but the car will still be seen as roadworthy," he said.

Parliament adopted the law paving the way for the checks in April.

Individuals owning vehicles aged over four years will be notified by the Road Transport Department and will have a three-month deadline in which to comply.

A previous control on vehicles aged over 20 years found that 85 per cent were unsuitable.

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2001

[06] Papandreou to visit next month

The news is being taken as an ever-increasing sign of optimism in Athens and Nicosia that UN sponsored proximity talks will begin again as planned, on September 8 or 9 in New York.

Negotiations for a settlement to the Cyprus problem came to a standstill last December when Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash abandoned the talks over the refusal to grant his breakaway regime international recognition.

A delegation from the Turkish Foreign Ministry headed by new Turkish ambassador to the US Faruk Logoglu yesterday met Denktash in northern Nicosia, ahead of the Turkish Cypriot leader's meetings with European Union Commissioner for Enlargement Gunther Vergeugen and UN Secretary General Kofi Anan next week.

Both appointments, the first in Zurich on Monday and the second in Salzburg on Tuesday, are being interpreted as efforts to persuade Denktash to restart discussions.

Logoglu told journalists in Turkey on Thursday that Ankara would not accept any development that ran against the interests of the Turkish Cypriot people or Turkey.

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2001

[07] Cyprus antenatal screening programme 'one of best in the world'

CYPRUS women do not face the same problems as British women in terms of access to adequate anti-natal testing for Downs Syndrome - a disorder that causes physical and mental handicap in one out of 600 births worldwide.

A report published by the British Medical Journal yesterday suggested that better screening methods would result in fewer babies being born with the condition and fewer unaffected babies lost through miscarriage.

But gynaecologists and scientists said yesterday that the level of care on offer to Cypriot mothers was probably one of the best in the world and available free of charge, regardless of whether the tests were done in a private clinic or state hospital.

"I agree with everything they say and these facts are known to us as scientists," said director of cyber-genetics at the Institute of Genetics and Neurology Philippos Patsalis.

The report criticised cases in which the initial screening - a "double test" for two blood chemicals - is only carried out on women over 37.

In Cyprus, the age threshold was dropped from 35 to all mothers a couple of years ago. The test is run in the 10th or 11th week of gestation.

Screening is done at the Makarios Hospital and the Institute of Genetics, both in Nicosia.

On the basis of those results, a risk assessment analysis on the probability that the unborn baby has contracted Downs Syndrome is handed to the gynaecologist.

Those classed in the high-risk category can then opt for further tests that can tell parents almost certainly whether or not their child is ill.

The British research team criticised the NHS for not normally making alternative tests available - tests they said were more effective, resulted in few miscarriages and in some cases were cheaper.

"Judging by the thousands of calls we receive every year from pregnant women undergoing or considering antenatal testing, this element of antenatal care often leaves a lot to be desired," said a spokesman for the Down's Syndrome Association in Britain.

The report concluded that a "nuchal translucency" test, an ultrasound, is more effective than the "double test", resulted in 0.3 fewer affected live born babies and cost £13.

An "integrated" test that consists of an ultrasound and two separate blood tests resulted in 2.3 fewer affected babies despite being slightly more expensive at £20.76 per mother.

If you combine the double and the ultrasound, Patsalis estimates that up to 90 per cent of Downs cases can be identified.

"In Cyprus we're very lucky because we have the best system and as of the beginning of this year we're probably one of the few countries in the world that offers the combined tests free of charge," said Patsalis.

His opinion is supported by Dr Afroditi Elisseou, who studied at the Harris Birthright Centre, Kings College Hospital London, under Dr Kypros Nicolaides - one of the world's best authorities on foetal medicine.

But for parents who are told they may be expecting a Downs baby, the integrated test is just the beginning of an agonising decision.

"It's not just an issue of what is cost effective and how to eliminate Downs, it's a question of ethics. We must provide families with non- directive counselling to inform then but not to influence them (about whether or not to terminate the pregnancy)," said Patsalis.

He hopes that the current available care will continue under the government's planned national health scheme.

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2001

[08] Matsakis Green Line march

A SMALL action group from Limassol including DIKO deputy Marios Matsakis are today set to carry out a march along the Green Line, in commemoration of Greek Cypriots who fell during the second phase of the 1974 Turkish invasion.

The 35km-long walk from the village of Lymbia to the Mia Milia checkpoint in the capital, along the Nicosia-Larnaca highway, will get under way at around 6am today, but is expected to take a twist.

Matsakis yesterday told the Cyprus Mail that recently the UN peacekeeping force on the island had produced a map showing the Green Line to be different to the one defined by the Republic of Cyprus.

The UN map, said Matsakis, considered that the Green Line lies beyond the highway to Larnaca at some points. He insisted the marchers would be following the green line as defined by Cyprus, meaning they would cross over into areas marked as the buffer zone according to the UN.

An UNFICYP spokesman said the force was aware of the planned march, but did not have in mind "any difference of opinion" regarding the Green Line.

The DIKO deputy recently made the headlines after figuring in protests, which took a violent turn, against the antenna to be raised at the British bases in Akrotiri. The issue is still pending, as both the Cyprus and British governments are awaiting the results of a probe into possible radioactive emissions from the huge aerials. The probe is being carried out by a group of Cypriot scientists.

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2001

[09] Man charged with bird-trapping

The man was located by Game Department officers at around 6am at a favourite site for bird trappers near the village of Paralimni. Officers also found on the site two tape recorders with recorded bird-cry tapes, a loudspeaker, 84 lime-twigs, 23 dead birds, a time switch and a 38m stretch of cable.

This was the first arrest of the season, as the government has initiated a campaign to clamp down on the illegal practice, coming under pressure from European animal rights groups. An estimated 15 million birds on the island are killed annually in this way.

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2001

[10] Cypriot teams charge into UEFA cup draw

On Thursday, both Cypriot teams defied the odds to won the ticket to the Monte Carlo draw by overcoming first leg deficits to beat their opponents.

Olympiakos pulled the biggest coup, scoring four goals away against Hungary's Dunaferr SE during a fantastic performance.

In the first leg in Nicosia, the two teams drew two-two.

The Nicosia team took the field as underdogs on Thursday and did what only a handful of optimistic fans were hoping for.

Despite the Hungarian team keeping possession of the ball, it was Olympiakos who looked more likely to score.

Using fast counter attacks Toza Sampuric's team managed to surprise Dunaferr on the 25th minute when Marios Themistocleous' shot was punched away by Petry Zsolt only to land in the feet of Josef Kozlej who calmly tucked it in.

Twelve minutes later and with the Hungarian team struggling to get back into the game, a solo effort by Themistocleous ended with a nice pass to Randoslaijef who had an easy task of notching up Nicosia's team second goal.

But only a minute into the second half the Hungarians got one back to the disgust of Olympiakos' coach.

Hungarian hopes were resurrected, but 12 minutes later Themistocleous again with a solo effort from midfield managed to silence the crowd and his own team's nerves.

Dunaferr retaliated four minutes later when Roza scored from a direct free kick but the game was sealed two minutes later when Aristos Aristocleous put the ball past the Hungarian keeper after a pass from Kosleij.

In the other game, which was played in Nicosia, Apollonas found themselves in trouble with Albania's SK Tirana when Indrit Fortuzzi took advantage of some poor defending and managed to squeeze one past the Limassol team's keeper.

Tirana won the first leg at Tirana 3-2.

Apollon tried to recover from the shock with Iosiphides and Zubarev blasting chances wide.

It was the Albanians, however, who missed the clearest chance to go into the second half with a two-goal lead when Bulku with only the keeper to beat sent the ball wide.

Apollon fans jeered their players off the pitch while SK Tirana seemed confident the game was in the bag.

But half time substitute Georgos Kavazis gave life to his side and set up Miserdovski who levelled the game.

Kavazis however did not stop there and managed to tuck the ball at the back of the net after some skilful footwork.

Tirana tried to hit back but it was Apollonas' Milenko Spoljaric who hit the target with a direct free kick.

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2001

[11] EAC concern over Turkish Cypriot electricity tweak in Pyla

Greek and Turkish Cypriots live side by side at Pyla, which has been under a special status since the 1974 Turkish invasion.

The village is administered by UNFICYP and no other authority can interfere in the area.

According to a source in the EAC, none of the Turkish Cypriots in the village pay their electricity bills.

But the government continues to supply them with power on humanitarian grounds.

The restaurant, which is owned by a Turkish Cypriot, used to be managed by a Greek Cypriot who always paid his bill in time.

It was then rented to a Turkish Cypriot, who refused to pay his bill.

On Thursday morning, however, the Turkish Cypriot brought in a crew from the north and changed the single-phase installation to a three-phase one in order to get more power.

The crew then proceeded to connect the installation with the EAC's overhead power grid.

The EAC has asked the UN to help remove the meter and the overhead link, but to no avail.

The EAC warns the set up could prove dangerous since the facility had not been inspected to make sure it could handle the load.

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2001

[12] Satellite deal gives Cyprus technology boost

A LANDMARK agreement giving Cyprus the right to run a satellite would pave the way for rapid technological development, Communications Minister Averoff Neophytou said yesterday.

Cyprus came one step closer to realising a 20-year-old dream, Neophytou said after signing the agreement with the Hellas Sat Consortium in Athens on Thursday, giving Cyprus the right to run a satellite from August 21, 2002.

The deal is a bilateral agreement between the Cypriot and the Greek governments, which will jointly run two satellites.

The first satellite will start transmitting in 2002 and the second in 2004.

Neophytou said yesterday that apart from providing financial benefits, the deal would also bring about technological development.

"The plan will provide a great opportunity to upgrade telecommunication and Internet services," he said.

"It will also enable us to improve telemedicine, long-distance learning, commerce and digital television services," the minister added.

Neophytou said once the first satellite started transmitting in a year, the government would no longer have to pay £1 million a year for the transmission of television and radio programmes abroad.

"The service will cost nothing," he said.

Cyprus is expected to make £11 million in next 20 years from running the satellites.

Twenty-eight countries are expected to use the satellites, meaning that around 400 million viewers would subscribe to the services.

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2001

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