The 52nd Cyprus International Rally takes place this weekend, featuring 30 crews from eight countries.
The event is the fifth and final round of the FIA Middle East Rally Championship.

Cyprus’ flagship rally, organised by the Cyprus Automobile Association since 1970, will decide this year’s Middle East Rally Championship title. Among the contenders is Qatar’s Nasser Al-Attiyah, the event’s most successful driver with nine victories. A 20-time champion, most recently in 2025, Al-Attiyah leads the standings with 70 points and will compete in a Škoda Fabia.

Saudi Arabia’s 22-year-old Hamza Bakhashab, driving a Toyota Yaris, is second with 66 points. Qatar’s Nasser Khalifa Al-Atya, driving a Ford Fiesta, has 61 points, while Oman’s 2024 champion Abdullah Al-Rawahi, driving a Škoda Fabia, has 56 points.

Top local crews will also be competing for victory, including multiple-time Cypriot champion Simos Galatariotis in a Škoda Fabia and last year’s Cyprus champion Panagiotis Yiangou in a Hyundai i20.

The ceremonial start will take place today at 18:00 at Europe Square on the Larnaca seafront (Phinikoudes). The finish ceremony will also be held there on Sunday at 17:00, followed by the crowning of the 2026 Middle East Rally Champion.
The Service Park is located next to the Mall of Cyprus, opposite the E-CARS showroom, and is open to the public.

The scrutineering took place yesterday This morning, the official shakedown and qualifying stages will be held in Tseri, with qualifying determining the starting order for the first leg of the rally.
Tomorrow, the mountain stages at Agios Epifanios, Kapouras and Kourdali will be run twice, once in the morning and again in the afternoon.

On Sunday, the stages at Doryforikos, Vavatsinia and Stavrovouni, near Pyrga, will take place. The second run through Stavrovouni, scheduled for 15:13, will serve as the rally’s Power Stage.
The rally covers a total distance of 657.74 km, including 183.92 km across 12 gravel special stages

EVENT SCHEDULE
Friday, October 23
· 08:30 – Free Practice, Tseri
· 11:00 – Qualifying, Tseri
· 18:00 – Ceremonial Start, Larnaca – Europe Square

Saturday, October 24
· 09:33 – SS1: Agios Epifanios (14.42 km)
· 10:31 – SS2: Kapouras (19.99 km)
· 11:29 – SS3: Kourdali (21.22 km)
· 14:42 – SS4: Agios Epifanios 2 (14.42 km)
· 15:40 – SS5: Kapouras 2 (19.99 km)
· 16:38 – SS6: Kourdali 2 (21.22 km)

Sunday, October 25
· 08:33 – SS7: Doryforikos (12.40 km)
· 09:26 – SS8: Vavatsinia (13.40 km)
· 10:29 – SS9: Stavrovouni (10.53 km)
· 12:57 – SS10: Doryforikos 2 (12.40 km)
· 13:50 – SS11: Vavatsinia 2 (13.40 km)
· 15:13 – SS12: Stavrovouni Power Stage (10.53 km)
· 17:00 – Finish, Larnaca – Europe Square

For the full schedule, maps and further information, visit www.cyprusrally.com.cy.

No timetable has been set for the next stages of the Limassol-Saittas road project, despite the government acknowledging delays and reaffirming that the road remains a priority.

The issue was discussed on Thursday at the House transport committee, where Transport Minister Evie Tsolaki stressed the need for coordination between ministries and government departments, noting that sections of the planned road pass through protected Natura 2000 areas.

The environment department told MPs that it expected to issue its assessment by December.

According to Stockwatch, Tsolaki declined to provide a timetable for the next stages of construction, pending the completion of the necessary environmental studies.

MPs and representatives of Limassol’s mountainous and semi-mountainous communities expressed concern over the delays, warning that inadequate road infrastructure was making commuting difficult, posing safety risks and hampering development in rural areas.

Responding to criticism over the order in which construction had begun, Tsolaki said priority had been given to the most heavily used sections of the road.

She added that the government was dealing with longstanding problems concerning the project that predated its term in office.

Despite assurances from the environment department that its assessment would be ready before the end of the year, Tsolaki did not commit to launching a tender in the first half of 2027.

MPs also raised concerns about funding, seeking assurances that the necessary resources would be available.

The finance ministry said it did not anticipate difficulties in releasing funds, provided the project moved forward.

The commissioner for mountainous areas said the Limassol-Saittas road was included in the national strategy for the development of mountainous communities, as it would improve access and strengthen connections with Limassol.

A representative of the union of communities expressed disappointment over the delays, highlighting the difficulties faced by residents, including traffic congestion and lengthy commuting times.

Meanwhile, a representative of the Troodos community complex described completion of the road as essential for the region’s development, arguing that improved accessibility would help retain the population of mountainous communities.

Disy MPs questioned the reasons for the delays and argued that rural areas contributed more to the economy than they received in public investment.

They stressed that infrastructure projects should not be assessed solely on their economic viability, but should also take into account the needs of local communities.

MPs also questioned the effectiveness of coordination between the ministries involved.

Akel MPs challenged the reliability of government timetables, pointing out that residents of mountainous communities faced disproportionately high commuting costs because of long travelling distances and rising fuel prices.

They said a 3.5km section had saved commuters ten minutes and called on the finance ministry to commit to releasing funds.

Road safety was another concern raised during the discussion, with MPs saying nine people had lost their lives in accidents on the road.

Elam argued that Limassol was lagging behind in major public infrastructure projects despite its strong economic activity and private sector performance.

Direct Democracy, meanwhile, warned that it would not vote in favour of the budget unless the Limassol-Saittas road project was included.

The issue is expected to be discussed again at the House transport committee’s next meeting.

Hadassah Medical Centre Limassol said on Thursday that it operates legally with the required licences and has never performed plasmapheresis on a patient.

In a statement, the centre said an earlier report made by Politis gave “misleading impressions that require immediate correction”.

It denied that specific complaint was pending, and it had not been informed of any finding that questioned its current operation.

Politis had reported that the health ministry was examining new complaints and that the centre holds only an imaging centre licence.

Deputy permanent secretary Elisavet Constantinou told the paper it has no hospital licence or other licence to operate as a healthcare facility, though Politis clarified that this in itself did not make any other activity unlawful.

Hadassah said a separate medical centre licence is not required for its current activities beyond professional and individual requirements, and that the licence for its radiology department had been secured.

It said a possible upgrade to a day care unit would be a separate licensing process and did not mean it was waiting for a licence for its current services.

On plasmapheresis, Politis reported that ministry inspectors had found the equipment during an inspection.

Hadassah said the equipment “was not concealed” and that a list naming the plasmapheresis system and an ozone therapy unit was sent to the ministry on August 26 as part of the final file for the imaging centre licence.

“The purchase of equipment for a planned service does not constitute proof that the service was provided,” it said.

Politis had also pointed out that only three doctors appear on the centre’s website.

Hadassah said it had already given the paper a list of 15 doctors and two clinical dietitians, and that it employs five licensed nurses and seven physical therapy and exercise professionals.

A further 15 doctors are under discussion with Hadassah but have not been announced as according to the centre “approvals are incomplete”, and it is not presenting them yet as partners.

Politis reported that some examinations or treatments may have involved doctors in Israel taking part by telephone or video link, a claim it said had not been independently verified.

Hadassah called this a misrepresentation of its second opinion service, expanding that the local doctor reviews the file and, if a second opinion is warranted and the patient agrees, prepares a report with specific clinical questions for a specialist at Hadassah in Jerusalem.

The process “does not involve tele-guidance” of a procedure in Cyprus by a doctor in Israel, it insisted.

Chief executive Dr George Zachariadis had earlier given Politis no direct answer on teleconference participation.

The centre said it “accepts the audit and responds with evidence” but would not tolerate publications that harm its reputation through “inaccuracies and insinuations”.

The centre, based in Ayios Tychonas, has no operating theatres or inpatient beds and advertises its offering being imaging, cardiac assessment, neurological rehabilitation and physiotherapy.

In Israel, news outlet Calcalist reported that the health and finance ministries were not informed of the project beforehand.

Hadassah said it “did not invest a single shekel” in the centre, which is financed by Cypriot investors.

From November 21, all referrals from Cyprus to Hadassah in Jerusalem will go through Limassol.

The Cyprus Mail approached the Hadassah medical centre, as well as both the Cypriot and Israeli health ministries for comment.

Customs officers seized 28,000 suspected counterfeit condoms during an inspection of a sea shipment arriving from Greece on Thursday.

The container was selected for scanning and a physical inspection following a risk assessment.

According to customs, the products appeared to infringe the intellectual property rights of a well-known brand, based on the accompanying documents and invoices.

The owner of the company involved reportedly admitted that the condoms were counterfeit.

Procedures for the confiscation and destruction of the products are expected to follow in the coming days.

Customs warned that counterfeit condoms could pose serious health risks, including unwanted pregnancies and the transmission of sexually transmitted infections.

Larnaca interest groups as well as MPs were stunned to hear on Thursday that management of the marina cannot be directly assigned to the Ports Authority, throwing a spanner into redevelopment plans.

Up until now, management of the town’s port and marina, for the purposes of redevelopment, had been understood to be under the Ports Authority (CPA).

But in parliament, it emerged that management of the marina cannot legally be assigned directly to the CPA, as it is the property of the state. As such, said an official from the attorney-general’s office, the only option is to launch an open tender – in which the CPA could bid.

By contrast, the port itself is the property of the CPA, and therefore the authority may continue managing it.

Transport Minister Evi Tsolaki acknowledged the legal quagmire, but assured attendees of the government’s intention to proceed with the project overall.

She recalled that in 2024 the government terminated the €1.2 billion port and marina concession agreement with Kition Ocean Holdings due to the consortium’s failure to renew a mandatory financial letter of guarantee.

A representative of the CPA noted that the road map for the redevelopment concerns both the port and the marina.

Nevertheless, he argued, completing one of the components does not depend on completing the other – suggesting that the planned works for the port could go ahead in the meantime.

Weighing in, the head of the Larnaca district local government organisation (EOA) called for legal clarity on the status of the project.

Angelos Hadjicharalambous said that during a prior meeting with President Nikos Christodoulides and the former transport minister, the government had given the impression it was committed to the project.

Likewise, the deputy mayor of Larnaca complained about the legal confusion, which would create more delays for a project that is hugely significant for the coastal city.

Nikos Gregoriou, a representative of the PEO trade union, said the port must remain under state management, warning against any thoughts at privatisation.

Opposition MPs also asked why the government had not come clean earlier on the legal aspect.

In July this year, the CPA had unveiled a roadmap for a €415 million redevelopment programme for the port and marina envisaging phased investment over the next two decades.

The overall programme extended to 2045, with the master plan expected to be completed by 2029.

The largest component concerns the port, where investment of around €205 million is planned through to 2045.

A further €190 million has been allocated for redevelopment of the marina land and adjacent areas between 2027 and 2036.

The roadmap envisaged hotels, restaurants, office space, recreation facilities and a conference centre, with most commercial projects expected to be undertaken by private investors.

The CPA would undertake responsibility for infrastructure, maintenance and strategic management, while commercial and tourism developments would be financed largely through private investment under the overall planning framework.

According to the roadmap, the strategic objective is to bolster Larnaca’s role in shipping while reconnecting the waterfront through continuous public access between the marina and port.

That roadmap now appears to be in limbo.

The European Consumer Centre Cyprus handled 864 cross-border complaints and 557 requests for information in 2025, resolving approximately 53 per cent of enquiries and cases successfully, according to its annual report.

The centre said cases were resolved in cooperation with European Consumer Centres in other member states, with the aim of reaching out-of-court settlements that satisfied the parties involved.

Only 4.8 per cent of cases were referred to other alternative dispute resolution bodies, the report found.

Consumer satisfaction with the centre’s case-handling services reached 95.24 per cent, a level the report described as a long-standing achievement.

The European Consumer Centre Cyprus operates within the Consumer Protection Service of the Ministry of Energy, Commerce and Industry.

It provides free advice and practical assistance to consumers experiencing problems with cross-border transactions within the European Union, as well as in Norway and Iceland.

As part of its public information and education activities, more than 1,114 primary school pupils took part in the “Safe Online Shopping” educational programme during 2025.

Centre officials also appeared on television and radio programmes to inform the public about consumer rights, with particular emphasis on air travel and online shopping.

The centre additionally participated in surveys, consultations and questionnaires organised by the European Commission and the European consumer network.

Through these contributions, it provided evidence-based responses and helped strengthen consumer information and protection across the single market.

The report highlighted the centre’s work in handling cross-border complaints, educating consumers and contributing to wider European efforts to protect consumer rights.

MPs on Thursday called for tighter controls on property purchases by foreign nationals, warning that legislation restricting individual buyers could prove ineffective unless companies and other corporate structures were also covered.

The House interior committee continued examining proposed amendments to legislation governing the acquisition of property by foreigners, with discussions expected to resume in a fortnight.

The committee is awaiting the government’s next steps towards drafting a comprehensive legislative proposal regulating property acquisitions by foreign nationals.

Committee chairman and Akel MP Aristos Damianou said efforts to introduce the legislation were gathering pace, expressing hope that the process could be concluded by the end of the year.

He said consolidated drafts had been prepared in April, but the process was interrupted by the parliamentary elections in May.

Damianou described the issue as “particularly serious”, saying it concerned national security, the economy and the country’s future.

“We are a partially occupied state, part of whose territory is occupied by Turkey, whilst part of its territory is under the control of British bases,” he said, stressing the need to establish clear criteria and restrictions on property acquisitions.

He also raised concerns about property transactions conducted through contracts that, he said, were often not made public, allowing foreign interests to acquire property through companies and other intermediary arrangements.

Damianou warned that legislation focusing exclusively on individuals would be insufficient.

“If issues concerning natural persons, companies, funds and all those who purchase property in Cyprus in a concealed manner are not also regulated, then regulating natural persons alone will be insufficient,” he said.

Disy MP Nikoletta Konstantinou also called for a comprehensive approach, saying the proposed legislation concerned the Republic’s strategic interests and national security.

She expressed concern that restrictions applying only to individuals could undermine the effectiveness of the legislation, arguing that both natural and legal persons should be covered.

“There is little point in discussing whether a natural person will be unable to purchase a property, be it 1,000, 2,000 or 4,000 square metres, if the beneficial owner themselves will ultimately be able to acquire property through a corporate structure,” she said.

Konstantinou argued that the government should have presented a comprehensive proposal taking into account European law, the property market and Cyprus’ investment policy.

“Our aim must be a framework that genuinely protects national security and the Republic’s strategic interests, without creating unjustified or disproportionate restrictions that ultimately cause problems for the country’s economic and investment activity,” she said.

Meanwhile, Diko MP Panikos Leonidou called for immediate action to regulate land purchases by third-country nationals.

He said the situation had reached “uncontrolled proportions” and was causing concern among citizens.

Leonidou urged Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou and his ministry to take the initiative and introduce comprehensive legislation.

“The ministry of the interior must immediately table a bill covering all aspects of this problem,” he said.

The construction of a tramway in Limassol could cost as much as €95 million per kilometre, the city’s mayor Yiannis Armeftis said on Thursday, as he evaluated the prospects for a tramway to be built in Cyprus’ second city.

“Preliminary estimates vary significantly depending on the technology to be used, with the cost ranging from €25m to €95m per kilometre,” he told television channel Sigma, though he did stress that “such an investment should not be evaluated solely based on construction costs”.

Instead, he said, “the equation should take into account the benefits which could arise from upgrading transit areas, increasing the value of land and real estate, and improving people’s quality of life”.

On this front, he made reference to “the economic cost caused by traffic delays through lost working hours and people’s travel time”, with Limassol frequently subject to long rush-hour tailbacks on its road network.

He said that Cyprus is “excessively dependent on the private car”, and that that makes his own city’s traffic issue “particularly difficult to deal with”.

“No city has solved its traffic problem when dependence on the private car reaches around 90 per cent. Traffic can be managed properly when public transport is also used,” he said.

Govt currently spends €100m per year on public transport

At present, he said, the government spends around €100m per year on public transport, of which around a quarter is spent on Limassol.

However, he added, “despite these significant expenditures, the use of buses remains limited”. To this end, he pointed out that only three to five per cent of journeys undertaken across Cyprus involve a bus, and said that “long delays and time-consuming routes discourage people” from using the bus to travel.

“It is not convenient because it has also lost its credibility,” he said, though he did stress that on the other hand, when a bus route is both reliable and useful, the public may take to it.

He gave the example of Limassol’s number 30 bus route, which runs along its coastal road, and said that “frequent and fast routes are a basic requirement for people to choose the bus instead of the car”.

On the matter of the possibility of constructing a tramway, he said that he had attended a meeting at the transport ministry on Monday, during which “the first steps of the studies were presented, as well as preliminary data on the possibility of installing a tram in Limassol”.

“The aim of the process is to examine whether this is a realistic and sustainable option, which could function complementarily to other means of public transport,” he said.

Availability of space ‘one of the main challenges’

Asked how a tramway could be installed in a city where “available road space is already limited”, he said that “this is one of the main challenges of the project”.

Nonetheless, he pointed out that bus lanes have already been installed in Limassol, and that they could be “used as tram corridors”.

He also pointed out that “other European cities” with “even smaller populations or dense construction” have also managed to build tramways.

“Behaviour changes when there are appropriate routes and when there is appropriate infrastructure,” he said.

Prountzos had called for tramway in Nicosia

His comments come after Nicosia mayor Charalambos Prountzos had last month renewed his call for a tramway to be built in the capital, saying that the Nicosia municipality had initially prepared a study for a 14-kilometre tram line, and that after he took office in 2024, the length of the planned line grew to 20km.

Regarding how the plans could be financed, pointed out that the European Union’s next multiannual financial framework – the bloc’s budget for the period covering the years between 2028 and 2034 – enters force “in about a year”, and said that as such, discussions about a tramway “should have already started” with a view to securing EU funding.

“What exactly are we waiting for to intervene?”.

A couple of weeks ago LOEL celebrated 30 years of its Zivania, which has reached iconic status among lovers of this grape marc spirit. Zivania is a traditional alcoholic beverage, which has been produced for centuries in Cyprus by distillation, playing an important role in the everyday life of Cypriots.

Zivania is produced by distillation. A strong drink, it is high in alcoholic content, which according to tradition is made only from grapes. Since 2004, Zivania has been protected under EU regulations as a product unique to Cyprus and as such cannot be produced in any other country or marketed under that name. In 2008 it was classified with Protected Geographical Indication.

Zivania is characterised by its typical taste and aroma. It is colourless with a pleasant alcoholic content with light aroma of raisins. The typical alcohol content is 45% by volume. It is a pure drink that contains no sugars and has no acidity.

From tradition to protected status

Historical references to Zivania are few, probably because travellers and writers focused on the excellent Cyprus wine. Giovanni Mariti in the late 18th century tells of a drink which he names Acquavite with a description that perfectly resembles Zivania. He also mentions that this drink was exported to Syria.

Evidence of its continued production during the Ottoman and British occupation of the island comes from British writer Samuel Baker, who in 1879 reported: “…the refuse of skins and stalks is laid upon one side to ferment for the manufacture of raki, or spirit, by distillation…”

Until 1949, wine producers used to sell Zivania to wine and spirit merchants. In that year a colonial decree made the distribution of Zivania by the wine producers illegal (because the government found it too difficult to collect excise duties), thus sending production underground.

The above-mentioned colonial decree was abolished in 1998 and since then the production of Zivania has been legal, allowing producers to market it under its proper name. Quality control is ensured by the Vine Products Commission according to the Rules and Regulations of 1998 for the control of Zivania.

Zivania can only be produced in industrial units which have received approval from the Customs Department, and its distillation apparatus approved by the agriculture ministry. As a result of the new regulation, Zivania quality improved significantly.

How Zivania is produced

Zivania is produced from pomace, the residue of grapes pressed during the winemaking process mixed with high-quality dry wines, all produced from the local grape varieties of Cyprus. It is exclusively produced by the distillation of the two indigenous varieties Mavro and Xynisteri.

The process adopted for the fermentation is the one which is used for red wine making, irrespective of the grape varieties, but fermenting the whole grape mass.

The bouquet of Zivania is ensured by the volatile compounds which are transferred from the grape residue during distillation. The pomace/wine mixture is distilled in special distillation apparatus which was traditionally named ‘lambkins’, an ancient Greek word that was paraphrased by the Arabs.

Traditional distillation, as known by villagers, has today given way to modern technology and Zivania is produced in large distillation tanks made from stainless steel where the wine is mixed with the grape mass and heated up in steam. All approved Zivania producers have in-house chemical labs for analysing the final product before this reaches the market, checking that methanol levels are within the specified limits.

What makes Zivania unique

There are similar products from other countries. In mainland Greece the distillate is called tsipouro, on the island of Crete tsikoudia, in Arab speaking countries arak, in Bulgaria rakea, in Romania tsuica, in Italy grappa, in France eau-de-vie, in Slavic states vinovice and so on. Not all these drinks are made exclusively from grapes.

The authentic taste and aroma (which is a Greek word, meaning pleasant smell) of Zivania is due to its unique chemical composition and it is ensured by the volatile compounds which are transferred from the grape residue during distillation. It is believed that the differentiation between Zivania and other alcoholic beverages is related to the unique geological and climatic conditions existing in Cyprus, the methods of production and distillation and the type of grapes.

Climate of course influences the quality of both grapes and Zivania. Cyprus has an intense Mediterranean climate, with hot, dry summers and short spring and autumn seasons. Average temperatures during ripening strongly influence potential wine and Zivania style. Sunlight duration is also very important, and it acts mainly by controlling the sugar in grapes. The most critical period for quality of the grapes is around the start of ripening. Good conditions ensure an ample reserve of sugar in the grape and flavour and aroma compounds in Zivania. Wind intensity and relative humidity and evaporation affect both quantity and quality of grapes and Zivania.

Zivania LOEL ABV 45%

Distilled from a mixture of local Xynisteri and Mavro grape pomace and dry wines. Crystal-clear appearance with a light raisin aroma, clean alcoholic warmth, and a dry finish. It contains zero sugar and zero acidity. Usually served ice-cold as an aperitif or digestif, paired with Cypriot meze, nuts, dried fruits, or savoury snacks. 20cl €4.30, 37.5cl €7, 70cl €12.50, 100cl €17.50

The Association of Cyprus Banks (ACB) is taking part for the sixth consecutive year in the ASPIS awareness campaign, urging the public to remain vigilant against online scams and protect their personal and banking information.

The campaign is being run in cooperation with the Office of the Commissioner of Electronic Communications and Postal Regulation and the Cyprus Police, with the aim of protecting citizens from electronic fraud and strengthening security in digital transactions.

In an announcement, the association urged people to be “particularly careful” when dealing with suspicious text messages, emails and telephone calls requesting personal or banking details, passwords or transaction verification codes.

“A sense of urgency, suspicious links and requests for immediate confirmation of details are warning signs that should raise concerns among citizens,” the association said.

“As electronic transactions and digital communication become an integral part of everyday life, the methods used by fraudsters are constantly evolving,” it added.

“Awareness and prevention are therefore essential tools for protecting citizens and their property,” the association said.

The banking association stressed that the security of data, information and transactions remains a constant priority for the banking sector and the association itself.

“Banks invest in the security of their systems and transactions, while informing citizens about risks and protective measures remains crucial,” it pointed out.

The ASPIS campaign also underlines the importance of cooperation between the relevant authorities and the active participation of the public in efforts to create a safer digital environment, the association said.

Information on avoiding online scams, together with key warning signs that can help people identify attempted fraud, is available on the association’s website.

The association added that raising awareness and adopting simple digital security practices could make a substantial contribution to preventing fraud.

“Protection against online scams is everyone’s responsibility,” the association stressed.

“Awareness, vigilance and the responsible use of digital services are the first line of defence,” it concluded.

Workers across all education ministry support programmes – such as educational and technical courses – will strike for 24 hours on Friday, citing the government’s failure to meet commitments and resolve employment issues.

In a joint statement, SEK and PEO demanded written responses and practical solutions and warned of another strike – possibly indefinite – and protest outside the presidential palace on November 2 if their demands were not met.

The unions said they had postponed planned action on October 5 for a fortnight at the education minister’s request, but no significant progress had been made.

They said hundreds of workers have been without income since May, with others losing jobs to permanent teachers working overtime.

Their key demands include a summer allowance backdated to June-August 2026, filling fixed-term positions for the 2026-2027 schoolyear and lifting restrictions on additional employment, provided the 48-hour legal limit is adhered to.

The unions stated that any escalation of the situation rests with the government, emphasising the workers’ need for employment, a fair income and their rights respected.

Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman has said that he will “immediately” accept the opening of formal negotiations with the aim of resolving the Cyprus problem if his counterpart, President Nikos Christodoulides, unconditionally accepts that there be a rotating presidency in a post-solution Cyprus.

He said the issue had most recently been raised during the United Nations’ high-level week last month, when both he and Christodoulides were in New York, with Christodoulides having requested a tripartite meeting with him and either UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres or Cyprus problem envoy Maria Angela Holguin.

With Christodoulides pushing for a meeting before both men returned to Cyprus, Erhurman said that Holguin had informed him that “the Greek Cypriot side was ready to accept the rotating presidency”.

In response, he said, he had said that “I am ready to sit at the negotiating table if the Greek Cypriot leader, Nikos Christodoulides, explicitly and unconditionally accepts the rotating presidency”.

However, he said, he “received no response” to this, and as such, no meeting was held before both men returned from New York.

“Our stance is consistent and stable. We are ready for all kinds of negotiations, but the preparation must be done properly. We are pushing for a result,” he said.

In the absence of this commitment, he said, “I did not want a token meeting” or a “photo opportunity meeting”, but instead, “I want to get work done.”

Christodoulides said Erhurman wishes to set ‘preconditions’

Those comments come after Christodoulides had accused him of attempting to set “preconditions” on the resumption of negotiations to solve the Cyprus problem in reaction to his insistence on a rotating presidency.

“It is clear that the Turkish side … is setting terms and preconditions for the resumption of talks. They are demanding that we accept, in advance, specific positions of interest to the Turkish Cypriot community, while showing absolutely no willingness to discuss or accept our own positions on other significant aspects of the Cyprus problem,” he said.

He added that “it is for this reason that I have repeatedly stated that all these issues must be discussed at the negotiating table”.

“In my view, setting terms and preconditions prior to the resumption of negotiations is a tactic which does not facilitate progress,” he said, before adding that the Turkish Cypriot side’s view is “particularly revealing” as it “sheds light on why the talks have not yet resumed” and “highlights one of the primary reasons for this continued delay”.

Dana: Rotating presidency an indispensable component of political equality

The rotating presidency has long been viewed by the Turkish Cypriot side as being fundamental to the political equality between Cyprus’ two major communities which is stipulated by United Nations resolutions.

Erhurman’s undersecretary Mehmet Dana had told the Cyprus Mail that it is an “indispensable component” of political equality, saying that “political equality forms the foundation of a structure requiring the joint exercise of a limited number of specific powers, shared competences, and this is not open to negotiation”.

He added that the “primary reason” for the collapse of previous rounds of negotiations on the Cyprus problem, and “specifically” those between Nicos Anastasiades and Mustafa Akinci at Crans-Montana in 2017, was that “political equality was made a subject of negotiation and subsequently used to cause a deadlock in the process”.

Therefore, he said, “guided by the [United Nations] secretary-general’s approach that ‘this time must be different’, acceptance of this issue in principle must occur prior to the commencement of the negotiation process”.

“Naturally, once the rotating presidency is accepted in principle, the specific terms, such as the duration of the respective tenures and other details, would be negotiated once the talks actually begin,” he said.

Police on Thursday summoned a woman for questioning after she allegedly attempted to enter the Limassol district court carrying a knife.

Speaking to the Cyprus Mail, the police could not confirm that the woman had been arrested as suggested in other media reports but said that she had been taken to the police headquarters in Limassol to be summoned.

Investigations into the case are ongoing.

The police urged motorists to avoid Nicosia’s arterial Digenis Akritas Avenue on Thursday afternoon, with trade union PEO set to stage a march from its offices to the labour ministry at 5pm.

“Police officers will be in the area to take the necessary security and traffic measures, as well as to facilitate the flow of traffic. The public is urged to avoid, where possible, traffic in the affected areas, to show patience and to comply with the instructions given by police officers,” the police said.

PEO has said the protest will be held “for health and safety at work”, with the protest being organised after three construction workers fell from a height of nine metres at a building site in the Nicosia suburb of Strovolos earlier this month.

That incident came after a 52-year-old man died on a building site in the Paphos district village of Peyia last month, with unions as such questioning the levels of safety and the safeguarding measures taken at building sites across the country.

The compensation payments for foot and mouth (FMD) affected livestock units remain pending, Panagrotikos chairman Kyriakos Kailas said on Thursday, pointing out that the delayed payment had prompted concern about the reactivation of the affected farms.

Kailas said that if the reactivation process did not begin within 20 days, the association would request that the compensation for lost income begin without further delay.

“On the issue of compensation, we had mentioned in the meeting held two weeks ago with the authorities that the amount was not satisfactory, the sectors are not benefiting to the extent we would like. The amount of €4.6 million coming from European funds could have been increased by 200 per cent, which was not done. There was a different opinion from the finance minister,” he said.

Kailas explained that this could have made it possible to provide more substantial support and to include sectors that are currently being excluded.

“We are seeing the primary sector wither away day by day. The measures were a step in the right direction; we welcomed them, but they should have been somewhat more generous,” he said.

With regard to the payment of FMD compensation, Kailas said that payments for a total of four units remained outstanding.

“The decision is that everyone should be paid, without exception. You cannot promise someone before their execution that they will be compensated and then find some justified or unjustified reasons not to pay that amount,” he said.

He insisted that the compensation must be paid, and that any irregularities must be investigated, adding that he was concerned about the resumption of operations at the affected livestock units.

“You cannot tell someone after seven or eight months that they won’t be working and then expect them to wait. We understand the difficulties, but on the other hand, those in charge must also understand that people need to get back to work,” he said.

Kailas also expressed his disagreement with the government’s plans for subsidised agricultural diesel.

“We disagree on that point as well. At the end of the day, certain safeguards are being put in place: if some producers have exceeded €5,000 in subsidies, then the scheme is capped; there is a ceiling,” he said.

He said that there is also disagreement regarding the timing of the measure’s announcement.

“Now is when farmers will buy fuel, now are the months of sowing and cultivation. How is it possible to lock it at the end of October? We have suggested to the ministry to leave it open until December,” he said.

Agriculture ministry permanent secretary Andreas Gregoriou had earlier in October announced that outstanding compensation payments would proceed once the culling of a further 2,000 animals had been completed.

Cypriot member of the European Parliament Giorgos Georgiou, of Akel, likened the European Union to Pontius Pilate, as the Strasbourg plenary session discussed preparations for next month’s Cop31 climate summit, which will be held in the Turkish Mediterranean city of Antalya.

“The climate crisis is here. Wildfires, heatwaves, drought, catastrophic floods, a state of constant emergency. It is the European peoples, of course, who pay the price,” he said, before adding that The Left, the European grouping to which he belongs, is “demanding the obvious” from the Cop31 summit.

He said that what must be achieved is “action, not new promises”, as “we have already been burned and drowned by promises”.

“The battle against the climate crisis is, of course, not merely an environmental one. It is a struggle for social justice and equality, free from exclusion, yet, regrettably, Turkey has sought to obstruct the participation of the Republic of Cyprus and to weaponise the conference,” he said.

In this, he said that Turkey is “aiming to politically promote the illegal secessionist entity in the occupied territories” through its hosting of Cop31, and that this alleged aim is “consistent with the illegal Turkish-Libyan memorandum”, the maritime jurisdiction deal which was ratified by the Libyan parliament on Tuesday.

“As for you, shall I say it? I shall. You are acting like Pontius Pilates regarding Turkey, and perhaps even regarding the climate,” he said.

Pontius Pilate was the fifth governor of the Roman province of Judea and is best known in the contemporary era for being the official who presided over the trial of Jesus and ordered his crucifixion. His name has become a metaphor for refusing personal accountability for a harmful decision and moral cowardice.

Climate change ‘even more pronounced in Europe’

Diko’s Costas Mavrides also spoke during the Cop31 debate and stressed that “climate change is, in fact, not an ideology”, and that it is “even more pronounced in Europe, and particularly in the Mediterranean”.

He stressed that “such global problems … require global approaches and international cooperation”, and on this front stressed the need for “concrete, measurable targets aimed at closing the gap between stated objectives and their practical implementation”.

In addition, he, too criticised Turkey for what he decried as “weaponising” the summit, saying that this has come “once again to the detriment of the Republic of Cyprus”, and that the Turkish government has “attempted to block the president of Cyprus’ participation”.

As such, he called on the European Union’s institutions to “stand firmly in defence of this member state of the European Union and the United Nations”.

Christodoulides, Erhurman to attend summit in Antalya

Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides had announced last week that he will “of course” attend the summit, adding that, “I am pleased that, thanks to the decisive contribution of our partners, and following our diplomatic and political efforts conducted away from the public eye, we have achieved a result”.

His participation had initially been in doubt as the Republic of Turkey does not recognise him as a head of state.

Asked whether he may also be expecting “unpleasant surprises” during the summit, he said that “we are preparing for any eventuality, and I must tell you that we do not rule one out”.

“At the same time, there will also be reactions from the Republic of Cyprus’ side, a member state of the European Union, of the EU which has 27 member states,” he said.

Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman, too, said he will attend the summit, saying that “we received an invitation from the president of the Republic of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan” and that “we will be in Antalya”.

He added that he has “learned from the press” that President Nikos Christodoulides “has also announced that he will be there, as is customary”.

“As we always say, diplomacy and dialogue are always beneficial,” he said.

Turkey has been designated as a co-host for the summit, alongside Australia, with Turkish Environment Minister Murat Kurum designated as the chairman of Cop31 and Australian Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen set to preside over negotiations between political leaders at the Antalya summit.

While Turkey does not recognise Christodoulides as a head of state, a host country does not have the right to unilaterally exclude any United Nations member state from the negotiations which take place during the 12-day summit.

The Supreme Court has ordered the release of an Iranian national who was held in custody for 12 months pending deportation, finding that the length of time he had spent in detention was unlawful.

In its decision, the court explained that the man had first arrived in Cyprus in 2000, and that in the years which followed, he submitted “various applications” for residence permits and work permits, while the government initiated procedures to deport him back to his country of origin.

Detention and deportation orders were issued in September last year, but in February this year the man applied for asylum, with a new detention order then being issued.

His application was rejected in May, with the Cypriot authorities stressing that throughout this time, “the detention was regularly reviewed” and “efforts were being made to obtain a travel document from the Iranian embassy to enable his return”.

On this front, the authorities had told the court that the man “did not have a valid travel document and was not cooperating with the authorities for his repatriation”.

However, the court stated that the Cypriot authorities’ position was “general” and “not accompanied by any specific evidence”, before adding that they were formulated “in complete generality and vagueness”.

It stressed that the detention of an individual who has applied for asylum “must last as short as possible” and “must continue only as long as the legitimate grounds for it still exist”.

“Given that the competent authorities’ reports regarding their actions are unclear and indefinite, without it being demonstrated with certainty that they are acting with due diligence and without any prospect of the applicant’s deportation being foreseeable, it is considered that the total time of his detention is unlawful,” it said.

As such, it ordered that the man be immediately released.

Labour Minister Marinos Mousiouttas expressed hope on Thursday that the pension reform bills would be discussed at the next cabinet meeting.

Speaking at the beginning of the labour advisory body meeting, Mousiouttas said the legal review by the Law Office was expected to be completed by Monday and that, following the review, the reform would be brought to the next meeting of the cabinet to be approved and subsequently forwarded to the House of Representatives.

“We are entering the final stretch,” Mousiouttas said, adding that “the final measures are the most difficult.”

Furthermore, he said that the positions of the parties on the technical committee dealing with the second pillar of the pension system, the provident funds, appear to be taking shape, and that the discussion is expected to be moved to the labour advisory body.

According to the minister, employers’ federation OEV and chamber of commerce Keve have already submitted their positions in writing.

Deputy general secretary of trade union SEK Panikos Argyrides said the union would be submitting its positions on the matter by the end of the day.

Meanwhile, PEO general secretary Sotiroula Charalambous said that the trade union would be submitting its own positions by Monday.

The health ministry is examining complaints about the Hadassah Medical Centre in Limassol, which holds only an imaging centre licence despite advertising cardiology assessments and rehabilitation programmes.

Health ministry deputy permanent secretary Elisavet Constantinou told Politis that new complaints about the centre had recently been received.

She said it has no hospital licence or any other licence to operate as a healthcare facility.

Politis clarified that this does not make any other activity unlawful, and that the key question is which services are provided and under what regulatory framework.

The centre opened in Ayios Tychonas, and at present has no operating theatres or inpatient beds, offering imaging, cardiac assessment, neurological rehabilitation and physiotherapy.

Politis said the centre promotes neurosurgery, orthopaedics and cardiology, yet only three doctors appear on its website.

The medical register lists a recognised specialty in General Medicine for one of them, and the newspaper could not clearly identify recognised specialties for the others.

After being contacted, the centre supplied Politis a list of 15 doctors and two clinical dietitians.

It remains unclear which are based permanently in Limassol, which attend occasionally, which only give second opinions from abroad and who is the supervising radiologist for the licensed imaging work.

Politis also reported that some examinations or treatments may have involved doctors in Israel taking part by telephone or video link, though such reports have not been independently verified at time of publishing.

Chief executive Dr George Zachariadis said the centre is backed by Cypriot investors and acts as a bridge for patients seeking second opinions or treatment in Jerusalem.

He said more than 2,000 people have visited and that it works with more than 15 doctors. He gave no direct answer on teleconference participation.

He denied that invasive treatments are carried out on the premises or that the centre works with another medical centre or hospital in Cyprus.

In Israel, the Calcalist newspaper reported that the health and finance ministries were not told of the project beforehand.

The Israeli health ministry said the plan “has not yet been conveyed to the ministry”. Hadassah said it “did not invest a single shekel” in the centre and that its role is limited to professional and advisory support.

From November 21, all referrals from Cyprus to Hadassah in Jerusalem will go through the Limassol centre.

The Cyprus Mail approached the Hadassah medical centre, as well as both the Cypriot and Israeli health ministries for comment.

Cyprus’ audit oversight authority has no power to investigate events that predate its creation in 2017, but it is still collecting evidence on Deloitte Cyprus as it expects to answer to European bodies, its director general said on Thursday.

The Public Auditing Oversight Authority for the Auditing Profession (Adeelep) Panos Prodromitis informed that the body was gathering and assessing information on the firm’s role in the Roman Abramovich affair.

The matter came to light after a BBC Panorama and Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) investigation published on October 12.

The report alleged that Deloitte Cyprus signed off backdated paperwork for Abramovich companies.

Deloitte Cyprus has said it “acts in compliance with applicable laws”.

Abramovich has insisted he took independent professional tax and legal advice and acted on it, and his lawyers have denied any role in alleged tax evasion.

Andreas Zachariadis, who chairs the authority and is the finance ministry’s permanent secretary, told the House institutions committee on Wednesday that the authority had contacted the firm and received “its own interpretation”.

The case dates from 2003 to 2006, and obtaining information on it “is not easy”, he said; Deloitte has committed to passing on any new information.

Zachariadis said the authority had “no jurisdiction over events before it was established” and held disciplinary rather than criminal powers.

Prodromitis said that for conduct after 2017, the authority’s board would assess the matter and appoint an independent investigating officer if a breach appeared likely.

The officer’s findings go to a disciplinary committee, which can impose penalties ranging from a fine or reprimand to removal of the audit firm.

Any suspected criminal offence can be reported to the attorney-general, who decides whether to prosecute.

Police told the committee they had opened an investigation into the management of Abramovich’s assets through Cypriot companies.

Spokesman Andreas Anastasiades said it would be carried out with other competent bodies and was expected to take about six months.

Police said the passage of time did not remove the legal basis for investigating.

Committee chairman and Disy MP Demetris Demetriou said the session was a supervisory review.

“We are not here merely to endlessly discuss that these things happened years ago,” he said.

The Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Cyprus said it could not give absolute assurance that similar cases would not recur.

Its representative said the licence of the person named in the BBC report was revoked in 2023.

The anti-money laundering unit (Mokas) said it had received no report on the case.

Tax Commissioner Soteris Markides said there were time limits on the tax years that could be examined.

Akel MP Christos Christofides, who appeared in the documentary, said tax cases completed in 2016 remained within that period.

The Central Bank said it was examining whether any Cypriot bank was involved, though none had yet been identified.

Former independent MP Alexandra Attalides, who had originally pressed the tax department to act, said it was “unbelievable that the supervisory bodies were so incompetent”.