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1501. Vaccinations 'main economic tool' in managing Covid crisis

Vaccinations have turned into the main economic tool for the management of the coronavirus crisis and the prospects for recovery, Minister of Finance Constantinos Petrides said, stating that he foresees a strong recovery in 2021 ranging from 3.5% to 4.5% of GDP, depending on the development of the pandemic....

1502. Coordination for green digital transition needed, Kokkinos says

Deputy Minister of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy, Kyriakos Kokkinos stressed the need to coordinate actions and investments at national and European level to achieve the EU's goals "for a sustainable, digital and green transition, empowering businesses with an emphasis on the SME and start-up ecosystem, and ensuring EU technological dominance", during his intervention at the informal teleconference of the Competitiveness Council for Research, under the Portuguese Presidency....

1503. Peter Piot: Vaccination passports a one-way street

Professor Peter Piot, advisor to the Commission President, speaks to ‘K’...

1504. R&I ecosystems of Cyprus and Israel exchange expertise

Stakeholders of the Cyprus Research and Innovation ecosystem had the opportunity to gain a comprehensive view of Israel’s experience and expertise in the field of innovation and entrepreneurship, through a series of digital lectures that took place in January – February....

1505. Defying clampdown, Cyprus activists to protest again over graft

Anti-corruption campaigners in Cyprus will protest again on Feb. 20, they said on Tuesday, after a violent clampdown by police at an event on Feb. 13 drew widespread condemnation....

1506. When the lights of the Palace begin to dim

The testimonies of 2013, say that in those critical days of the savings levy, there was a crowd of people on the hill of the presidential palace....

1507. Emails from Cyprus connect dots on Jho Low

New information published by OCCRP suggests that Henley & Partners identified Jho Low as a high-risk client but worked with him anyway through a Cypriot company to get him a golden passport...

1508. Former AG says he cautioned over passports

The state’s former attorney general says his department had cautioned the government years ago that the country’s golden passport scheme might have been incompatible with European law, essentially contradicting the executive branch's position that nobody had said anything...

1509. President blames CIP failure on recklessness

Cyprus’ disgraced Citizenship by Investment Programme took a heavy toll after it was 'recklessly promoted' overseas, according to President Nicos Anastasiades, who testified on Tuesday before an independent committee, while telling reporters later that he would not revisit the matter until after probe findings are concluded...

1510. Anastasiades takes the stand in passports probe

Cyprus’ citizenship by investment scheme will not be revived but other incentives will be given to attract investments, excluding citizenship, President Nicos Anastasiades said on Tuesday, following a 3-hour-long testimony before the investigative committee probing Cyprus’ nixed citizenship-by-investment scheme....

1511. Cyprus president testifies on golden passports

Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades is expected to testify on Tuesday before the independent committee probing corruption allegations in the country’s golden passport scheme, just days after he lashed out at critics during a national address on the fight against corruption...

1512. Cyprus unveils plan to tackle corruption

Cyprus’ fight against corruption is based on three pillars, President Anastasiades said Friday, announcing the eagerly-awaited steps the government will take in a bid to restore credibility to the Republic after its reputation was shattered by revelations of corruption through the nixed Citizenship-by-Investment Program (CIP)....

1513. President lashes out at critics

Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades in a televised address on Thursday rejected allegations of corruption within his office and administration, accusing the opposition and media of singling out his former law firm for being involved with golden passports and appealing on the political parties’ patriotism to support a new strategic plan to fight corruption...

1514. Policy priorities unaffected by pandemic, FinMin says

Despite the crisis of the Covid-19 pandemic Cyprus’ economic policies remain the same, targeting macroeconomic and financial stability, prudent fiscal policies, and establishing a competitive, business-friendly regulatory environment of high standards, Minister of Finance Constantinos Petrides said on Thursday....

1515. 15 law firms being audited for involvement in 'golden passports'

Interesting new details on the involvement of law firms in the island’s disgraced citizenship-by-investment programme were presented before the Investigative Committee by the head of the Cyprus Bar Association, Christos Clerides....

1516. Lawyer says Al Jazeera took him out of context

Cypriot attorney Andreas Pittadjis, who was targeted in an Al Jazeera undercover investigation into allegations of corruption over golden passports, took to social media to reiterate his position he did nothing illegal, accusing the foreign network of being dishonest...

1517. The key to a successful investment lies in… behaviour?

1518. EU asks AstraZeneca to publish contract

The European Union is asking AstraZeneca to publish the contract it signed with the bloc on Covid-19 vaccine supplies, an EU official said on Wednesday, in an escalation of the row over delivery delays...

1519. Dueling small parties help pass budget

The House in the Republic of Cyprus approved a revision of the government’s 2021 state budget on Thursday, following a month of consultations between the administration and small opposition parties that offered additional amendments to the bill...

1520. COVID-19 is adding new impetus to finance transformation

1521. Former FinMin tells passport probe he shares part of blame

Former Finance Minister Harris Georgiades told the independent investigative committee probing the citizenships by exception granted via the Republic’s nixed ‘golden passports’ program that “as a member of the Council of Ministers, I have a portion of the blame”. ...

1522. Reporters to sit in on golden passport hearings

A number of reporters will be allowed from now on to attend ongoing probe hearings into alleged corruption in connection with Cyprus’ disgraced Citizenship by Investment Programme, with journalists being asked to commit in advance not to breach data privacy laws...

1523. Cyprus aiming for full absorption of EU funds

Finance Minister Constantinos Petrides said Cyprus wants to achieve an absorption of 100% of the maximum of €968 million it could receive from the European structural and investment funds, but this requires that Cyprus invests in projects amounting to €1.8 billion....

1524. Your gateway to global investment opportunities

In the past, having resolved to ‘save for a rainy day’ financial well being, for many, took care of itself and your life’s goal was aided by interest earned on those monies, which saw your money working for you but the equation today is not so simple...

1525. Cyprus, Portugal agree to take ties to next level

Cyprus Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides paid an official visit to Portugal’s capital on Thursday for a tête-à-tête with his Portuguese counterpart Augusto Santos Silva on the occasion of Portugal’s assumption of the presidency of the Council of the European Union on January 1....

1526. Kalogerou probe fails to impress opposition

The chair of the ad hoc committee that looked into allegations of wrongdoing last year as Cyprus’ golden passports scandal was unfolding defended the choice to go after high profile cases, following criticism from opposition parties that say the focus was too narrow...

1527. Report says ministry was shuffling papers

An initial redacted report on golden passports made public in the Republic of Cyprus on Tuesday painted a picture of an Interior Ministry serving as a “filing office” without ability to examine cases in any meaningful way, with opposition crying foul over the committees’ selective method...

1528. Redacted report on golden passports published

A redacted version of the Kalogerou report on golden passports is expected to be made public on Tuesday afternoon, amid criticism of the government from opposition parties calling for transparency in probing corruption allegations...

1529. Britain and EU publish Brexit trade agreement

Britain and the European Union on Saturday published the text of a narrow trade agreement just five days before the United Kingdom exits one of the world’s biggest trading blocs in its most momentous global shift since the loss of empire ...

1530. Report on passport scheme to be released, President says

President Anastasiades said the report of the investigative committee spearheaded by Securities and Exchange Commissioner Demetra Kalorigou on the island’s disgraced citizenship-by-investment program will be released next Tuesday....