Cyprus News Agency: News in English (AM), 97-02-17

Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

From: The Cyprus News Agency at <http://www.cyna.org.cy>

CONTENTS

[01] Police question Britons over "industrial espionage"

[02] House debate on Cyprus' 1997 budgets begins

1210:CYPPRESS:01

[01] Police question Britons over "industrial espionage"

A police spokesman told CNA today that Paul William Whylbro, 47, and Andrew Michael Flack, 53, holders of British passports, are being questioned over a burglary of documents from a Limassol-based customs clearing agency, last Saturday.

The Britons, claiming they are private detectives, were arrested prior to their departure to London, early Sunday morning, after being witnessed leaving the customs clearing agency in a hired car.

One was arrested on a Cyprus Airways plane and the other on the staircase of the aircraft, ready to take off for London.

Limassol District Court issued yesterday an eight-day remand order against Whylbro and Flack, who arrived in Cyprus last Thursday.

Police found that documents concerning the contents and mixtures for the production of pharmaceutical products, of leading European firms, such as German Bayer and French Bella Bianca, had been stolen from the Limassol agency.

An eye-witness informed the police about two persons leaving the scene in a rental car, an information which led to the arrest of the two suspects, believed to have acted on behalf of a British pharmaceutical industry.

Head of Criminal Investigation Department, Nathanael Papageorgiou, told CNA Monday the two suspects claim that the documents found in their possession were handed over to them by a person they refuse to name.

They claimed they are private detectives acting on behalf of a British firm, which they did not name, and that they were paid a "considerable" amount of money for the job.

Police have found in an open place of the Larnaca International Airport some other documents, belonging to the same agency but irrelevant to the case.

Papageorgiou told CNA that Cyprus police have already asked Interpol for more information about the identity of the two suspects.

CNA AP/GP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

1230:CYPPRESS:02

[02] House debate on Cyprus' 1997 budgets begins

According to the Finance Ministry, the state budgets aim at modernising the island's economy, increasing its competitiveness, and preparing it for its European Union accession.

Predicted overall revenues for 1997 are 1.087 million Cyprus pounds (2.174 m. USD) whereas public expenditure is expected to reach 1.476,3 m. pounds. The respective figures for 1996 were 1.007,8 m. pounds and 1.349,5 m. pounds.

Overall budget deficit for this year is expected to be 388,8 m. pounds, compared with the 341,7 m. pounds prediected in 1996.

Public debt, as defined by the Maastricht Treaty, is expected to represent 52,2 per cent of the Gross Domestc Productg (GDP), compared with 54 per cent, which was the corresponding percentage for 1996.

CNA GG/GP/1997

ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article