Cyprus Mail: News Articles in English, 02-04-07

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

Sunday, April 7, 2002

CONTENTS

[01] Who will succeed Afxentiou as Governor of the Central Bank?

[02] Radars 'lock on to Turkish F-16s'

[03] Ministry checking pharmacists for fake degrees

[04] Man killed in city crash

[01] Who will succeed Afxentiou as Governor of the Central Bank?

CENTRAL Bank Governor Afxentis Afxentiou is unlikely to be given an extension in his term of office, which runs out at the end of this month, government sources said yesterday.

Afxentiou, 70, was first appointed as Central Bank Governor in 1982 and has served four five-year terms since. With only three weeks to go, President Glafcos Clerides, who has the sole prerogative to appoint a new Governor, has remained tight-lipped on his plans, sending the rumour mill working into overdrive.

Top of the speculation list for new governor is Interior Minister Christodoulos Christodoulou, who has also served in the Clerides government as Finance Minister.

Reports also suggest that current Finance Minister Takis Klerides had also expressed an interest, while others still suggested Afxentiou would be given a short extension. However, government sources told the Sunday Mail this was “very, very unlikely” to happen.

Afxentiou said he had not yet discussed the issue with Clerides.

“I hope that my replacement will be announced soon to give some time for the handover,” he said. “I think it may happen soon.

Government Spokesman Michalis Papapetrou told the Sunday Mail he did not know whether Afxentiou would be given an extension or who would replace him in the event he retired.

“This is not an issue for the Cabinet,” he said. “It's a decision taken by the president and it's one of the issue he does not share his views with anyone else on.”

A leading economist, who wished to remain anonymous, told the Sunday Mail he hoped Afxentiou's replacement would be a technocrat and not a politician, particularly in the run up to EU accession

“Europe needs and mandates actually that the Central Bank should be independent and it's scary to think of having anyone that is more politically inclined than technocratic,” he said.

“Can imagine the consequences in a pre-election period like this of them saying: 'let's lower interest rates'?”

Asked if he could think of a suitable new governor, the economist said he could not “think of anyone”.

“It's a difficult job. There were some names mentioned, including Christodoulou but it's mostly rumours on the grapevine,” he added.

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2002

[02] Radars 'lock on to Turkish F-16s'

THE GOVERNMENT yesterday refused to confirm or deny reports that National Guard Radar at the Paphos air base had locked on to two Turkish F-16s on Friday.

Government Spokesman Michalis Papapetrou said yesterday he could not comment on security issues.

Reports in Phileleftheros yesterday said the radar had locked on to the two F-16s at around 11am on Friday as they flew over the Andreas Papandreou air base in Paphos. The planes were flying at 3,500 feet, the report said, adding that as soon as they realised what was happening the two planes left the area and flew back to their bases in Turkey.

State radio CyBC later reported that Defence sources had confirmed the incident had happened.

It was the second such incident in 18 months. In October 2000, opponents criticised the Defence Ministry for not shooting down the violators, who flew over the air base during a farewell ceremony for Greek Defence Minister Akis Tzohatzopoulos at the closing of the annual Greece-Cyprus joint military exercise Toxotis-Nikiforos.

Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash said at the time that what had happened was an act of war and that the Greek Cypriot side risked a dangerous escalation of tensions on the island.

It was the first time that the National Guard's radar had actually locked on to Turkish aircraft.

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2002

[03] Ministry checking pharmacists for fake degrees

THE HEALTH Ministry is investigating the possibility that five pharmacists may have fraudulent degrees to practise, Health Minister Frixos Savvides said yesterday.

The case came to light when a 25-year-old man from Nicosia was arrested for trying to obtain the right to practise pharmacy using a false degree from Moscow University, he said.

Giorgos Ttooula applied to the Pharmaceutical board for a licence in December last year. In his application he included a photocopy of the apparently dud degree.

“But,” Savvides told the Cyprus Mail, “He made some sort of mistake with the dates. They just didn't add up. The time he was allegedly studying and the time he was practising coincided, so our suspicions were piqued and led to the ensuing investigation.”

A member of the Pharmaceutical board contacted the University in Moscow and discovered that although Ttooula had been enrolled at there for a period of time, he had never actually completed his studies.

“When we found out he did not have a degree authorising him to practise pharmacy,” the Minister said, “we reported him to the police”.

The young man was arrested and questioned, and admitted he had committed forgery, using a false document and attempting to use the document for professional purposes.

“It seems he paid for the degree with cash and it was posted to him,” said Savvides.

The 'original' degree turned up during a search of Ttooula's home and car. He was charged in writing and released.

Although the Health Minister did not know what penalty this carried, he said it was serious offence and that the court would decide what punishment to impose.

Savvides added that the five pharmacists practicing at the moment with degrees from the University of Moscow were not necessarily guilty of any wrongdoing.

“Because it has come to our attention that such phoney degrees exist, claiming to be from this particular institution, we thought it would be better to safe than sorry,” he said.

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2002

[04] Man killed in city crash

Soteris Stylianides from Acropolis in Nicosia was driving towards the Demosthenis Severis-Santa Rosa crossroads when he lost control of his vehicle, under circumstances that are being investigated.

Police said he crashed into the pavement's railings, hit a lamppost and proceeded to swerve into oncoming traffic, where he collided with another 21-year-old's car.

Stylianides and his passenger Michalis Christoforou were seriously injured and taken to Nicosia General Hospital. Stylianides died soon after.

The driver of the second car and his passenger were only slightly injured and after receiving first aid treatment in hospital were released.

Police said none of the four youths appeared to be wearing seatbelts.

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2002

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