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Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 09-03-20Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Cyprus News Agency at <http://www.cyna.org.cy>CONTENTS
[01] EU SUMMIT - ECONOMYThe EU Presidency and the European Commission has expressed certainty that the European Council would be adopting ambitious and substantive conclusions on Friday, which include the allocation of five billion euros for a recovery plan.Speaking after a dinner of the EU leaders, after the first session of the European Council in Brussels, Czech Prime Minister and President of the European Council Mirek Topolanek said the overwhelming majority of what is being proposed in the conclusions, apart from a few details, is able to be accepted. He said that five billion euros was on the menu on Thursday night and, if the conclusions are adopted on Friday, there will be agreement in principle on the allocation of this infrastructure recovery plan. Topolanek expressed certainty that a compromise everyone could subscribe to has been reached. The Czech Prime Minister said another issue on the agenda was the preparatory work for the G20 summit in London, as well as the potential contributions of the EU to increase the IMF guarantee capacities. President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso said the final decisions will be taken on Friday and expressed certainty that very good progress is being made. He added that regarding energy security there was broad consensus about the priorities and real determination for concrete action, noting that the great contribution to this is the programme concerning the five billion euros and that the member states agreed on a concrete list of projects. Barroso pointed out that on climate change, the members agreed on the strategy for the Copenhagen summit at the end of the year, and also discussed the G20 summit in London. He added that he was very hopeful that on Friday, very ambitious and substantive conclusions would be reached. Cyprus is represented at the summit by President Demetris Christofias. [02] PRESIDENT - INVESTMENTThe government will support the Cyprus Investment Promotion Agency (CIPA) to complete a project it has undertaken and to succeed in its mission, President of the Republic Demetris Christofias has said. In a speech read by Undersecretary to the President, Titos Christofides, the President said the serious economic crisis and the subsequent recession, logically, will have its repercussions on the local economy.No economic analyst can say for certain whether the economic crisis will get worse or how long it will last, the President said, adding it is clear that the international economy is facing unprecedented uncertainty and instability. In this negative climate, the Cyprus economy is called to stand up to its reputation, exhibit its advantages and resist, the President stressed. He recalled that the government has already announced a package of measures to boost economic activity and maintain at the highest possible level the development rate, as well as high levels of employment. Christofias said special emphasis was given on two critical sectors; tourism and construction, which contribute significantly to economic activity and development. At the same time, additional measures were taken to promote all productive sectors of the economy. On attracting foreign investment, President Christofias said they provide opportunities for immediate action to handle the consequences of the international economic crisis on the Cyprus economy. [03] AEL - EUROCHALLENGE - FINAL FOURCyprus basketball club, AEL of Limassol, has secured a spot in the final four of the Eurochallenge after an away victory with 83-72 over Dutch club Amsterdam on Thursday night. AEL won the first game of the quarter final, in Limassol with 82-72.AEL was trailing Amsterdam until the early stages of the third period, when with a 10-0 offensive it took the lead in the fourth quarter and pulled away, claiming an impressive victory over the Dutch team. [04] ARCHBISHOP - EP PRESIDENTPresident of the European Parliament Hans Gert Poettering has assured that he would exert pressure to solve the problems raised by Archbishop of the Church of Cyprus Chrysostomos II, during a meeting in Brussels. In statements after the meeting, the Archbishop said it was ``a very positive meeting,`` noting that ``we had the opportunity to tell him in every detail what the situation is, the cultural heritage, which does not only belong to us but to Europe and the whole world.````He listened attentively to our concerns that most of the monuments are derelict, and I called on him to intervene personally and dynamically, so that we can save what can be saved`` in the Turkish occupied areas of the Republic, he added. The Archbishop said he also explained to Poettering that the Turkish occupation regime would not allow liturgies to be held in churches in the areas under Turkish occupation, noting that the European Parliament President ``listened with attention and promised to exert pressure.`` ``The meeting was very successful,`` the Archbishop added. Replying to questions, he said the Church representation in Brussels would make an effort to contribute to preserving the values and ideals on which the EU is founded. Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |