Businesses and consumers have criticised the Bank of Cyprus for slapping increased charges on services offered and all transactions. Bank of Cyprus clients have voiced disapproval over significant increases in charges on transactions introduced from 1 August. The array of fee hikes follows those of Hellenic Bank implemented in March. BoC is believed to be

The government on Thursday defended its decision to build a reception centre for unaccompanied children in Zygi after the village leader took to Facebook to oppose its operation. Zygi Community Council leader Georgia Michael posted on the authority’s official Facebook page a message haranguing the Labour Minister Zeta Emilianidou for snubbing the locals in deciding

Legal hurdles to the new repossession law have arisen after local courts put the brakes on the supposedly faster process for banks to reduce non-performing loans (NPLs). Just weeks after legislation was approved to speed up the repossession processes, pathing the way for the banks to reduce their bad loans, legal complications have arisen. Two

Nicosia has called on the OSCE and the EU to defend free speech by supporting two Turkish Cypriot journalists being prosecuted by Turkey for defamation. Government spokesman Prodromos Prodromou said Nicosia sought the intervention of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to defend freedom of expression and freedom of the press in

Interest rates for household deposits with up to one-year notice dropped to 0.95% in June, declining to a new historic low, according to data released by the Central Bank of Cyprus. Deposits rates have been declining steadily as Cyprus banks – burdened with bad loans – try to reduce costs, prompted by the low interest

A housing construction boom is blossoming with the number of building permits approved by local authorities in the first five months to May increasing 9.6% on the same period of 2017. Building activity is on the rise in most areas of Cyprus except the Paphos district which has seen a 11.71% decline since last year,

Speed cameras are to be re-introduced on Cyprus roads a year earlier than planned after the recent increase in road-related deaths. While speed cameras were expected to be in place sometime in 2020, after recent cabinet decisions the first cameras are to be installed by the end of 2019. The changes are believed to have

With heatwaves likely to last longer and become more frequent the number of people dying in such extreme conditions will only get worse unless something is done to buffer the effects of climate change. The number of killer heatwaves is likely to rise sharply in some regions by 2080 if policymakers fail to improve climate