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511. Over a thousand employees choose Co-Op buyout

Over a thousand employees at Cyprus Cooperative Bank signed up for a voluntary severance package, well above the target of 900 set by the bank ahead of a takeover by Hellenic Bank...

512. Shadows loom over government’s ‘clean exit’ scenario

Greece’s bailout exit has been eliciting condescending and bitter commentary on the country’s beaches and in its near-deserted cities, as few Greeks believes their lives are going to improve or that the country’s prospects will be akin to those of other bailed-out eurozone states. Greece’s “return to normalcy” and “clean exit,” much touted by the government, appear to be happening somewhere else....

513. Regling says Greece will remain linked to ESM

Greece will be monitored more closely by the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) and the other institutions after its bailout ends six days from now compared to other countries that emerged from rescue programs, according to ESM chief Klaus Regling....

514. Manafort lawyer blames Cyprus accounts on oligarchs

Prosecutors described Paul Manafort as a “shrewd” liar and accused him of misleading his tax preparers, banks, and US authorities in claiming that secret accounts did not exist...

515. Unions okay with CCB severance package

Union employees at Cyprus Cooperative Bank have agreed to sign up on a severance package plan this summer, ahead of a takeover by Hellenic Bank, saying it can contribute to labour peace...

516. Unions to discuss CCB severance offer

The Cyprus Cooperative Bank is making another effort to strike a deal with unions in order to get 900 employees agree to walk away...

517. Moody’s says BoC better off after UK sale

Rating Agency Moody’s has described the sale of Bank of Cyprus UK as credit positive, noting that the sale would place Bank of Cyprus in a better position to focus on reducing its domestic high stock of problematic loans...

518. Government exploring ways to suspend pension cuts

The government is hoping that surpluses at the Single Social Security Entity (EFKA) will allow the non-implementation of pre-legislated pension cuts on January 1 next year....

519. President thanks parliamentary caucus for Sunday votes

President Nicos Anastasiades praised the ruling and opposition parties for approving state guarantees for Hellenic Bank as well as passing new foreclosure and bankruptcy laws, adding he would not respond to criticism...

520. House approves state guarantees in co-op deal

The House passed legislation Sunday night in favour of providing state guarantees to Hellenic Bank in its acquisition of Cyprus Cooperative Bank’s healthy portfolio...

521. House shifts into gear with Sunday bad loans session

It will be a long weekend for the House finance committee, which will hold emergency sessions ahead of a crucial Sunday vote on bad loans and state guarantees for Hellenic Bank...

522. Cabinet okays homeowner plan ahead of crucial House session

The Cabinet approved on Tuesday the “Estia” scheme aimed at addressing the high volume of non-performing loans in the Cypriot banking sector, but time is running out as a crucial legislation package on bad loans is also up for a vote on Friday...

523. House prepares to define good and bad borrowers

The distinction between responsible and irresponsible borrowers is at the forefront of heated debate this week, with Presidential Palace and Parliament scrambling to strike balance ahead of a crucial vote...

524. Government welcomes Diko support on bad loans

The Cyprus government says it can work with opposition centrist party Diko to pass much needed comprehensive legislation on bad loans that would also pave the way for a co-op deal to go forward...

525. Bad loans revive MP financial disclosure debate

A ruthless debate is picking up steam among members of parliament following public discussion and media coverage that raises the issue of conflict of interest ahead of a crucial vote on bad loans...

526. AG names investigators to comb though co-op

A former judge, an economist, and a banker will make up the executive committee that will investigate any suspicious dealings that took place in the troubled Cypriot co-op...

527. Co-Op deal with Hellenic still up in the air

The government is running against the clock with bad loans legislation, which would include a bill approving state guarantees for Hellenic Bank to absorb potentially high-risk loans in co-op takeover...

528. Cyprus co-op bank freezes accounts with bad loans

The Cyprus Cooperative Bank on Friday froze accounts of customers who keep their loans delinquent on purpose, as the bank makes an effort to force them to seek refinance terms...

529. ESM warns Cypriot banks of quick fixes

The European Stability Mechanism warns Cyprus that despite a recent decline in non-performing loans (NPL), the banking sector remains vulnerable due to weak profitability and a still high NPL ratio...

530. Probe countdown begins for Cyprus Co-Op debacle

Attorney General Costas Clerides is moving forward with the launching of an investigation into possible offences at the Cyprus Cooperative Bank, in connection with bad loans worth €7.5 billion...

531. Co-op bankers plead not guilty in loans scandal

Senior co-op executives pleaded not guilty to fraud charges in connection with a banking scandal where loans worth millions were given out without due process...

532. Government throws Co-Op ball in Hellenic’s court

The Cyprus Cooperative Bank will examine Monday a final offer from Hellenic Bank to acquire the troubled state-owned institution, with government seeing the buyout as a good step while critics saying tax payers are unfairly picking up the tab...

533. Hellenic moments away from CCB offer

The privatisation deal for Cyprus Cooperative Bank could be moments away, with Hellenic Bank putting the finishing touches on the final makeup of its new shareholder base...

534. Audit report on CCB made public amid negotiations

An audit report on the Cyprus Cooperative Bank (CCB) was made public on Friday, amid negotiations between the Co-op and its two bidders, making recommendations for improvement but also criticising the institution on a number of decisions...

535. Greece cannot afford policy reversal after bailout ends, says EU's Costello

Greece is on course to complete its third international bailout program but cannot afford to backtrack on adopted reforms after its expiration in August, the European Commission’s mission chief to Greece said on Thursday....

536. Government and Co-op begin consultations with bidders

537. IMF, Berlin still divided over Greek debt but progress in sight

A meeting of the so-called Washington Group – representatives of Greece’s creditors as well as the governments of Germany, France, Spain and Italy, the biggest eurozone economies – failed to break a deadlock over the Greek debt as the International Monetary Fund and Berlin remain divided on the length of an upfront extension on bailout loans....

538. Cyprus forecasts high GDP growth of 3% plus until 2021

High growth rates exceeding 3% of the GDP and high primary surpluses are projected until the year 2021 in the Strategic Fiscal Policy Framework (SFPF) 2019-2021, which was approved by the cabinet...

539. Tsipras says Greece will meet fiscal targets with no fiscal gap in 2018-9

Greece and its foreign creditors agreed that the country will meet its fiscal targets in the coming years and there will be no fiscal gap in 2018 and 2019, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras told his cabinet ...

540. Non-performing loans in banking system spike by €1.5 billion

Non-performing exposures (NPEs) in the Cyprus banking system jumped up by €1.5 billion in January, as International Financial Reporting Standard 9 entered in to force...