Cyprus Mail: Press Review in English, 98-08-26

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

Wednesday, August 26, 1998

Police 'urge prosecution of bishop'

BISHOP Chrysanthos of Limassol and his alleged shady business dealings found their way on to the front pages again yesterday.

Simerini said police investigators, in a report submitted to the attorney-general, were recommending that the cleric be prosecuted for fraud.

Chrysanthos could face up to three years behind bars if convicted, the paper said.

It also "revealed" that the state was to hit the Church for almost £7 million in unpaid capital gains tax.

Machi reported that British police had issued an arrest warrant for Chrysanthos. London Metropolitan police had issued the warrant in connection with an investigation into a $3.7 million fraud in which the bishop was allegedly involved.

Following this development, Chrysanthos's lawyers had advised him not to travel abroad, Machi reported. This was the reason why the cleric had cancelled a planned trip to Egypt, the paper said.

Justice Minister Nicos Koshis had not confirmed the existence of such an arrest warrant but had said it would not be "wise" for Chrysanthos to leave these shores at the moment.

The S-300 missiles also took their customary place on the front pages yesterday.

Alithia reported that Greek Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos had thrown the S-300 ball into Nicosia's court by saying that decisions concerning the missile deal were taken by the Cyprus government alone.

Pangalos's statements had left Nicosia wondering what the Common Defence Dogma was all about, the paper claimed. The Greek Foreign Minister's statement flew in the face of the established principle of joint decision- making by Athens and Nicosia on defence issues.

Phileleftheros focused on the fact that the contentious statement had come just three days before President Clerides was due to travel to Athens for talks with Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis. These talks are expected to focus on the S-300 issue.

A number of papers also carried the bizarre tale of a refugee farmer who has been "re-united" with a tractor he left behind when he fled his village, Ayios Theodoros in the Karpas peninsula, as Turkish troops advanced in the summer of 1974.

A Turkish Cypriot from Pergamos village had been spotted by bases police driving the tractor near Strovilia within the Dhekelia base.

The tractor bore 'TRNC' number-planes but also the original plates issued by the republic. The vehicle was confiscated and returned to its rightful owner, 69-year-old Lazaros Petrou.

© Copyright Cyprus Mail 1998

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