Cyprus to Accept New EU Inspections of its Finances
The Cypriot president elect, Nikos Anastasiadis, announced today that his government will accept new inspections by the European Union (EU) of its financial system, and denied accusations that his country was engaged in money laundering.
Anastasiadis, who obtained 57.48 percent of the vote last Sunday in the second round of elections, insisted that his country has nothing to hide in its financial system and called the aforementioned accusations of irregularities exaggerated and unjust.
“We are going to put our country in order and accelerate measures against the danger of money laundering,” said the conservative leader, as he promised to put Cyprus’s economic house in order, acknowledging that the country finds itself in a difficult economic situation.
At the same time, he expressed doubts about the effectiveness of a tax on financial transactions, often used in other EU countries, and said that tax increases in times of crisis would be counterproductive as they would only extend the recession.
In statements to the German publication Bild, cited by local press, Anastasiadis denied the existence of Russian oligarchs in Cyprus, as Western media have claimed.
One of the main tasks facing the new Cypriot leader will be gaining access to a 17.5 billion euro credit promised last July by the Troika (European Commission, International Monetary Fund and Central European Bank), but which has not yet been delivered to this country.
Authorities on this small divided island in the Mediterranean acknowledge that financial reserves may be exhausted by the end of March.
In the Cypriot electoral process, the subject of economic survival took precedence for the first time in many years over the matter of the division of the island, whose northern portion has been under Turkish occupation since 1974.
After a referendum in March of 2004, just the southern part of Cyprus, the only part to be internationally recognized, entered the EU.
Haruna Cyclone Wreaks Havoc in Madagascar
The winds and rains associated with Cyclone Haruna caused 18 dead, 16 missing, 81 injured and more than 22,000 people affected in southern Madagascar.
The weather phenomenon arrived on Friday morning to Morombe region, southwest, and left the Big Island 24 hours later, revealed the National Disaster Risk Management Office (BNGRC).
Haruna left villages flooded and destroyed several towns, including the city of Tulear, which was under water by the overflow of Fiherenana river.
The BNGRC said that after heavy rains on Friday and Saturday, on Sunday calm returned to Tuléar with falling water and the airport reopened.
Raymond Randriatahina, executive secretary of the National Disaster and Risk Management Office told reporters that the water service was restored and in the course of this week electricity will be restored too.
He explained that they are working to clean the town with help of partners, such as the World Food Program.
The data indicate that the cyclone destroyed nearly 1 000 homes, left 10,000 people unsheltered and over 6 000 hectares of crops were under water.
Malagasy Transition President Andry Rajoelina, yesterday visited the affected areas of Tulear to bring solidarity to the affected families, while 14 shelters offered were prepared for the victims, and supplies continue to arrive.
Unemployment to Increase again in France
The French state agency Pole Emploi will publish January’s statistics on the labor market on Tuesday, including an increase in unemployed workers between 10,000 and 30,000.
Last year, France reported 3,132,900 unemployed workers, accounting for 10.3 percent of the working population and very close to the country’s historic record in 1997.
A rise in unemployment in the first month of 2013 would pose a risk for one of the objectives of the Francois Holland government to reduce the unemployment rate by December.
The French president had to abandon two key goals for his administration: reducing the fiscal deficit to 3 percent and making the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grow 0.8 percent.
Although a new goal has not been set, the European commission predicted a GDP increase of 0.1 percent and a 3.7-percent unbalance between the State’s revenues and expenditures.
A new fiasco regarding unemployment would have serious consequences on the government, a year before municipal elections, in which winning in major French cities such as Paris, Marseille, Nice, Lyon and Lille is at stake.
Via PL