Cyprus Mail: News Articles in English, 98-04-09

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From: The Cyprus Mail at <http://www.cynews.com/>

Thursday, April 9, 1998

CONTENTS

[01] Chaos at Paphos airport

[02] Parliament delays gay debate till after Easter

[03] Court overturns police promotions for smuggling case

[04] Edek will leave government if missile deal scrapped

[05] 'Cyprus should be treated like other applicants'

[06] Diko rebels set up new movement

[07] Deputies hear Luna Park plea

[08] Pupils strike over exam changes

[09] Bingo halls on the way?

[10] Man killed in three-car crash

[11] EAC hails project for the millennium

[12] Union appeals to government over UN job losses

[01] Chaos at Paphos airport

A WILDCAT strike by Paphos airport staff yesterday caused chaos, with passengers lingering helplessly in the departure lounge as several planes were grounded.

Paphos airport cleaners and drivers downed tools at noon yesterday in a surprise strike demanding compensation for shift-work over the holiday period, as enjoyed by their colleagues at Larnaca airport.

They did not return to work until 8pm, after the intervention of union officials from Nicosia.

The drivers refused to transport luggage and passengers to waiting planes while cleaners refused to clean the cabins.

Twenty flights were disrupted with about 2,000 passengers stranded at the airport.

Some where bemused, others angry. Many were concerned about being unable to get to work the next day.

Eight planes were grounded -- six from the United Kingdom, one from Russia and one from the Eurocypria group.

Incoming charter flights had to be redirected to Larnaca airport.

The strike was finally called off just before 8pm, after a 40-minute afternoon meeting between Nicosia Sek and Peo trade union officials and strikers.

But workers threatened further action if the Labour and Finance Ministries failed to give in to their demands by Friday.

Sek workers' union representative Panicos Markides said yesterday the union had sought to avert such action, trying at earlier meetings to resolve the matter.

"The issue is now before the Finance Ministry," he said.

Things were returning to normal last night, with grounded planes finally able to take off, a Civil Aviation official told the Cyprus Mail.

[02] Parliament delays gay debate till after Easter

PARLIAMENTARY debate on decriminalising homosexuality will not begin until after Easter despite a May deadline from Europe, House President Spyros Kyprianou said yesterday.

Kyprianou said the first step would be a meeting of party leaders to make their positions clear to members who would be seeing through the changes at the House Legal Affairs Committee.

But reports yesterday said the Church -- which launched a scathing attack on Europe over the issue on Tuesday -- had sent letters to all deputies calling on them to vote against the changes.

The Council of Europe (CoE) has given Cyprus a last chance to comply with a 1993 European Court of Human Rights decision to decriminalise the island's gay laws.

Cyprus has only until next month to comply or face serious repercussions, which could include expulsion from the CoE.

Deputies have procrastinated over the issue for years in the face of public and Church opposition. Previous attempts to approve the bill were met by demonstrations outside the House and threats that parties would lose votes.

Further demonstrations are likely when the bill does come up for discussion after Easter.

The Holy Synod's letter to deputies is understood to call on them to resist the bill "as a matter of honour".

"The Church condemns homosexuality as a sinful act because it is contrary to the spirit of Scripture and of natural law," the letter is quoted as saying.

It is also believed to express "sorrow" for those "who have been dragged into the sad position of homosexuality", and calls on them to repent.

On Tuesday, Archbishop Chrysostomos said: "If we don't stand firm and tell Europe this does not correspond, not only with Christ's religion, but also the moral standpoint of our nation, eventually they will come and tell us to be homosexuals in order to be accepted into Europe."

Attorney-general Alecos Markides has told deputies that Cyprus has no choice but to comply with the European decision.

He has warned that failure to do so will have repercussions on outstanding cases in Europe brought by Greek Cypriot refugees against Turkey.

[03] Court overturns police promotions for smuggling case

THREE police officers rewarded in 1996 for the arrest of an alleged Turkish Cypriot smuggler have had their promotions overturned by the Supreme Court.

In its decision publicised yesterday, the court ruled to cancel the promotions of the three officers because it found no evidence of bravery or heroism in the case.

In all, five officers were promoted following the October 1995 sting operation in which Turkish Cypriot Yousouf Eimez was arrested.

Police claimed Eimez was a major player in smuggling between the two sides.

However, following allegations of severe brutality, Attorney-general Alecos Markides dropped the case against Eimez in early December 1995, and he was allowed to return to the north.

Just months later, the five officers accused of beating him up were promoted after receiving glowing reports from then deputy police chief Costas Papacostas.

Papacostas, now a deputy for the communist party Akel, who had resigned as deputy police chief earlier in 1996, said he made his recommendations acting on the advice of other policemen.

The Ombudsman accused police of a vicious attack against Eimez, who sustained scratches, marks and bruises to almost every part of his body.

The Supreme Court said it had accepted an application by two other officers challenging the promotion to Sergeant of three of the five involved in the Eimez case.

According to the court documents showed, there was no evidence the officers in question had risked their lives to such an extent or acted under such difficult condition that would justify promotion for bravery.

It concludes that their actions were not actions of bravery or heroism as stipulated under police regulations.

[04] Edek will leave government if missile deal scrapped

EDEK leader Vassos Lyssarides yesterday warned that his party would abandon government if President Clerides bowed to international pressure to have the S-300 missile deal scrapped.

"We have assurances from the President that policy on the missile issue will not change, I salute this, but if these assurances are not adhered to we will have no choice (but to leave the government)," Lyssarides said.

The US and Britain have made clear their opposition to the government's order for the Russian-made ground-to-air missiles, saying their deployment would heighten tensions on the island. Turkey has threatened a military strike against the S-300s should they be deployed. The missiles are due for delivery in the Summer, and the government, and Russia, insist the deal is to go ahead.

Socialist Edek secured the Defence Ministry when Clerides formed a broad- based government after his February re-election.

"The defence ministry is in Edek hands. I have assurances the S-300s will come. I am sorry to have to say that otherwise we cannot be in government," Lyssarides said.

He re-stated the government position that the missile deal would only be cancelled if a settlement was close or a demilitarisation deal agreed.

Lyssarides said defence issues should not even be discussed with "foreigners", who, he said, should keep their noses out and stick to pressuring Turkey to change her stance on Cyprus.

"We should not even be discussing this, I will not discuss the issues of defence and missiles with foreigners," the veteran socialist said.

"How can they talk to us against a small and non-substantial effort to upgrade our defence capabilities and not turn to Turkey, an all-powerful force that keeps an all-powerful army in Cyprus, which occupies Cyprus land using US weapons in contravention of international agreements," he said.

[05] 'Cyprus should be treated like other applicants'

Speaking after a meeting with President Clerides, Fassino said that although the political ideal would be for EU-accession talks with "the delegation representative of the whole of the island", Cyprus-EU negotiations should not differ from any "other (applicant) country".

His own country, he added, wanted the talks to "proceed speedily" and supported any actions that could help solve the Cyprus problem.

Asked whether Turkish Cypriot representation was a precondition for the conclusion of the Cyprus EU accession talks, Fassino said the issue was "a political one", not a "legal problem".

"As the schedule of these negotiations develops, efforts should be made to solve the problem of Turkish Cypriot participation," he said.

Fassino also commented on the controversy surrounding a delay in the delivery of Italian Aspide 330 ground-to-ground missiles to the National Guard, saying the issue "should not be dramatised", and hoping the matter would be settled to the mutual satisfaction of both countries.

The government in Rome has been reported as having misgivings over the sale.

On Tuesday, Fassino said Italy's only concern was "to avoid such a supply of missiles to be seen as contributing to a militarisation of the region."

The Italian Deputy Foreign Minister also met yesterday with Cyprus EU negotiating team head, George Vassiliou, who told him the EU should continue to pressure Turkey for a Cyprus problem solution.

Fassino left the island later in the day for Ankara.

[06] Diko rebels set up new movement

DIKO rebel Alexis Galanos and his supporters last night announced the formation of a new political movement at the end of a protracted afternoon meeting.

Galanos will be the leader of the new Democratic Renewal Movement.

Galanos and other top Diko members were expelled from the party after February's presidential elections, when they opposed the leadership's decision to back independent candidate George Iacovou. Galanos himself declared his own candidacy in the first round and threw his weight behind Glafcos Clerides in the second.

Speaking at a news conference earlier yesterday, Galanos said the intention was to provide a political voice to the many politically disillusioned Cypriots.

"We aim to provide for the great many people who currently feel they are without a (political) base and are not represented by the official Democratic party, but also to those who are politically active but feel they aren't represented by the (other) parties," he said.

The new movement would not be "antagonistic" to the centre-right or to Diko members, he added, describing them as "imprisoned" under Spyros Kyprianou's leadership.

Final decisions on the course of the new movement are expected be made in 15 days time.

If Kyprianou and the Diko leadership continued to "monopolise" the right of centre, Galanos said the new movement could become a fully-fledged party.

But another senior Diko rebel, Interior Minister Dinos Michaelides, opposed the new movement and called for "brave decisions" from the Diko leadership to find ways of giving all Diko members a say in the future of the Democratic party.

Meanwhile Diko member Kypros Chrysostomides has thrown his hat into the ring, announcing he would vie for Kyprianou's position in party elections at a three-day congress next month.

Chrysostomides said yesterday his candidacy would serve to "rejuvenate" and "unite" the party, but added he might forgo the challenge if certain "significant developments" took place.

"My candidacy is not based on dogma and I'm ready to discuss it," he said.

He stressed the need for decisive action, and said elections should take place in a "free and independent" atmosphere.

Diko leader Kyprianou for his part confirmed yesterday he would be running for re-election as party president and said Chrysostomides was exercising a right enjoyed by every Diko member.

"It is the democratic and respected right of every party member to declare his candidacy for any (party) position."

[07] Deputies hear Luna Park plea

They told the House Interior Committee that the 1996 law -- which raised the age to 16 -- was too strict.

"Our games appeal to children. We don't have teenagers of 16 riding on a carousel," said their president Thassos Thoma.

The request was one of a package submitted by the association for amendments to the law on amusement machines and other games. The law -- which banned machines that could be used for gambling -- also covers luna parks.

The association has challenged the ban on specific machines in the Supreme Court. If upheld, the current ban would mean machines that cannot be used for gambling are subject to regulation, while those that can are not.

Thoma told the Interior Committee that in Nicosia amusement arcades were not being given permits because of the way the municipality was interpreting the law. Other towns did not face such a problem, he added, and suggested the operation of arcades should not be linked to municipal laws.

The issue and a bill with proposals by the government to amend the existing law remain before the committee.

[08] Pupils strike over exam changes

The Ministry decision, made due to changes in the content of courses at the Pantion university, has been declared unconstitutional by the Attorney- general's office. The decision was also labelled "contrary to principles of good government" by Ombudsman Nicos Charalambous yesterday.

But disgruntled secondary school pupils later called off further plans to boycott school altogether today in an effort to get the Ministry to shift position.

The change of heart came after an emergency afternoon meeting of the Pancyprian Parents' Association, which advised students to call off the strike after being invited by the Education Ministry to a meeting to discuss the problem tomorrow.

"We make an... appeal to students to attend their lessons... despite (their) being in the right, because their absence... (would) serve only to harm them," said Association president Antonis Antoniou.

Pancyprian Student co-ordinating committee president Akis Georgiades said that, after further consideration, pupils had decided to forego measures that might "turn public opinion against us".

The Ministry had earlier issued a statement condemning the lyceum students' strike as "unnecessary, wrong and not in the interests of the students themselves."

"The Ministry would like again to reassure students and the general public that it is working closely with the Attorney-general's office on legal matters pertaining to the exams," the announcement stated.

The change in examination subjects means lyceum students, who have spent the past three years studying classics in the hope of entering the Pantion, are no longer prepared for all exam topics.

Meanwhile, at the Ayios Ioannis primary school in Limassol, students and parents staged a protest against what they say is the dangerous state of repair of the school-building.

The chairman of the school parents' association, Elias Karaiskou, said no maintenance work had been done on the school for the past 40 years. He said the school building now represented a safety risk for the students.

Yesterday's protest was only a warning and action would be escalated if the authorities failed to act swiftly to improve the school's condition, parents said.

[09] Bingo halls on the way?

CYPRIOTS, who already gamble some £110 million a year, could soon have another outlet for their habit -- bingo halls.

But there is concern from some quarters that organised bingo could serve as a front for foreign crime gangs.

At issue is a government bill to allow bingo at authorised bingo halls -- expected to generate £15 million worth of games.

The government, which currently rakes in nearly £34 million a year from legal gambling, expects to make another £3 million if bingo is introduced.

Under the bill, all games will be regulated by the state and held in approved premises. Bingo organisers will be allowed up to two licences each and must be Cypriot citizens. The state will take 20 per cent of the money played, another 20 per cent will cover organisers' costs while the biggest chunk -- 60 per cent -- will be shared out among the winners.

Legal gambling is already big business in Cyprus, even though the £110 million total pales in comparison to the $600 billion spent worldwide on games of luck -- including casinos.

Cypriots spend £38 million a year on the state lottery, £22 million on lotto, £35 million at the races, and £18 million in pools.

Together, these games generate some £34 million of revenue for the state -- £16 million from the state lottery, £8 million from lotto, £3.5 million from the race course and £6 million from the pools.

Yesterday's discussion of the bingo bill saw some deputies querying whether the influx of new lucky games would turn Cyprus into a huge casino.

There were queries too as regards the interest expressed by foreign companies -- Russian, Bulgarian and Spanish -- to open bingo halls in Cyprus.

Disy's Demetris Syllouris requested the views of the Justice and Public Order Ministry on the bill, and the extent to which it feared bingo could serve as a front for organised crime.

Deputy police chief Andreas Stephanou acknowledged that individuals given a bingo licence may be used as fronts for other "undesirable" situations. But he said he did not believe foreign organised crime would be able "take root", a view echoed by Himarides, but received sceptically by deputies.

Stephanou said one bingo hall had been set up in Nicosia and was ready to operate. Police preferred to have legal gambling it could control, rather than illegal gambling in various clubs, he added.

The police are also pressing for the right to be able to enter sports clubs and other associations without a warrant in their fight against illegal gambling.

The bill has been before the House committee before, with deputies expressing reservations about giving police such prerogatives.

But in view of the bingo bill, deputies yesterday indicated they may have second thoughts. They noted that a number of clubs or associations could be established, many with moral sounding names, and be used for gambling. One possibility suggested yesterday was for the bingo to be carried out in other premises -- not within the clubs.

Both issues remain before the committee.

[10] Man killed in three-car crash

Sotiris Voniatis was killed when the car carrying him was hit by another car, propelled onto the vehicle he was in by an earlier car-crash.

The incident occurred yesterday on the main Palekhori to Anthoupolis road at around 6.45 am when two cars collided, causing one of them to crash into a third car, driven by Themistoclis Aghathocleous, 50, with passengers Voniatis, Sotiroulla Korelli, 23, and Evangelia Thrakou, 43, respectively from the Nicosia suburbs of Lycavitos, Acropolis, Dhasoupoli and Tseri.

Voniatis and Aghathocleous and Thrakou were rushed to Nicosia general hospital critically injured. Doctors pronounced Voniatis dead at around 8.20am.

[11] EAC hails project for the millennium

THE Electricity Authority of Cyprus (EAC) announced yesterday that the new power station at Vassiliko would tackle all the island's increasing electricity demands for the 21st century.

Speaking at a news conference yesterday, the chairman of the EAC Board of Management, Costas Constantinides, said the construction of the new station was the crowning achievement in its 10-year development plan, spanning the period 1994 to 2003.

"The magnitude of this project is of such... great significance that it has justifiably attracted nation-wide interest," he said.

He stressed that all EAC development projects provided for the safety of the environment, and a series of expert studies showed the new Vassiliko plant would not disrupt the ecological balance of the area.

Subsidiary projects to the power station included the construction of four new windmills, each supplying 37.5 MegaWatts to the Moni power station.

The first phase of all developmental schemes would cost £140 million, according to all the contracts approved so far.

Constantinides also drew attention to the EAC's positive economic performance over the last two years.

"One of the EAC's greatest successes is to have managed to maintain stability and low electricity rates for all classes of consumers in comparison to other European countries," he said.

He added the EAC was giving £290,623 to communities in the Vassiliko area for development purposes. Such funding would amount to £8 million by the end of 1999.

Authorities in the occupied areas were also currently constructing a new power station, which would further reduce the EAC's supply of electricity to the north, allowing the Authority to continue its development programme without significant increases in electricity bills.

[12] Union appeals to government over UN job losses

A statement from the union asks the Foreign Ministry to make representations to the UN in New York over the planned redundancies.

Unficyp last week announced that some 80 local posts would be abolished by the end of the year.

The decision, due to cutbacks, is expected to affect about 50 people, from both Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities.

Unficyp's 1:4 ratio of local staff to military exceeds the acceptable UN level of 1:7.

© Copyright Cyprus Mail 1998

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