Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 11-03-11

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

CONTENTS

[01] PREDIDENT CING - CONGRATULATIONS

[02] GAROYIAN - SLOVAKIA

[03] CYPRUS NOBEL LAUREATE - EMPLOYMENT

[04] ELECTORAL ROLL RELIGIOUS GROUPS

[01] PREDIDENT CING - CONGRATULATIONS

In the letter, dated Wednesday, March 9, the President congratulates both the Director and the members of the research team on this great discovery.

He adds that this innovative method may acquire global significance and contribute eventually in the eradication of the Down Syndrome, through prevention.

The President also notes that this particular achievement makes us all proud and contributes to highlighting Cyprus as a center of research and innovation, a vision, he says, the government also ascribes to.

[02] GAROYIAN - SLOVAKIA

During his visit, Garoyian will be received by Prime Minister of Slovakia Iveta Radicova and will have separate meetings with Sulik, State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Milan Jezovica and Bratislava Mayor Milan Ftacnik

Sulik will host an official lunch for Garoyian, while the Ambassador of Cyprus to Bratislava Marios Kountourides will host a reciprocal dinner.

Garoyian will return to Cyprus on March 15.

[03] CYPRUS NOBEL LAUREATE - EMPLOYMENT

Speaking to the press, after having participated in a conference organised in Brussels by the European Commissioner on Employment Laszlo Andor, headed ``The future of European labour markets,`` Pissarides said that there are two reasons why the target of 75% might not be achieved. One is the incentives to retire early and the other incentives for women to come into the labour force. ``The gender dimension is much more complicated because it is related to culture and even religion in Europe. Unless we manage to increase the participation of women, that 75% might not be feasible`` he added.

Pissarides said the benefit of unemployment is that one is able to find a ``better match``, something that suits their skills and qualifications better. This, he explained, makes workers more productive and jobs will last longer. ``So in terms of durability and productivity in a job, some unemployment is absolutely essential`` he said, adding that this unemployment is usually short in terms of duration and it can last up to one year, but certainly not more than a year.

He noted that workers should be given about 6 months to look for a job. He added that if the economy is in depressed state, that would not be enough, but ``if it`s booming then one does not really have an excuse for not finding a job after six months``. At the same time Pissarides does not recommend the provision of unemployment benefit in case someone has been unemployed for over 12 months, under any circumstances, and in the absence of some program run by the government or at least without the government finding the reasons why the person remains unemployed.

Asked about low wages in the services sector, Pissarides said that in a flexible economy with high mobility of labour, wages for similar workers should eventually be equalized across the economy. ``The existence of short-term inequalities is caused by labour shortages in the sectors that pay more``. However if services pay low wages, that is a distortion in the labour market, he said, adding that there will be labour shortages in services now, ``so if anything, services should be paying more``.

[04] ELECTORAL ROLL RELIGIOUS GROUPS

In a press release issued on Friday, the Election Service notes it has prepared the current electoral roll for the voters of the religious groups which will be posted at District Administration Offices and at the Election Service offices from March 21 to March 31, allowing ten days for possible objections.

The final electoral roll to be used for the election of the representatives of the religious groups will be drafted after the completion of the next additional electoral roll on April 2, which will also include the new voters of the respective religious groups who will be 18 years old until the Election Day.

The Election Service calls on those who wish to be registered in the final electoral roll to submit their application no later than March 31.

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