Day: November 17, 2021

The Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP) rose by an annual 4.4% in October, following an upward trajectory for the eighth consecutive month in 2021 pushed upwards mainly by energy prices.

According to data released on Wednesday by the Statistical Service of Cyprus (Cysat), compared with September 2021 the HICP rose by 0.9% compared with a reduction of 0.5 in the previous month.

For the period January – October 2021 the HICP recorded an increase of 1.8% compared to the corresponding period of last year, Cystat said.

Compared to October 2020, the largest changes were recorded in Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels and Transport with percentages of 15.5% and 13.0% respectively, while in terms of economic origin both in annual and a monthly basis came from Energy with increase of 27.1% and 4.4% respectively.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

The high growth rates confirm the strength of the Cypriot economy, reinforcing expectations for the continuation of the positive outlook in the 4th quarter of 2021, the Ministry of Finance notes in a press release regarding the GDP growth rate in the 3rd quarter of the year.

According to preliminary estimates of the Statistical Service of Cyprus, the growth rate of the economy in the 3rd quarter of 2021 is positive and is estimated at 5.3% compared to the corresponding quarter of 2020, following a very high growth rate of 13.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

The first griffon vultures will arrive in Cyprus from Spain in the coming days in order to strengthen the extremely diminished Cypriot population, BirdLife Cyprus said in a press release on Wednesday.

In total, about 25 griffon vultures will be brought to the island from Spain in the context of a four year “LIFE with Vultures” project between 2019 and 2023, in an effort “to tackle the main threats facing the Griffon Vulture and prevent Cyprus’ most threatened bird of prey from going extinct.”

It is a joint project undertaken by BirdLife Cyprus, the Game and Fauna Service, Terra Cypria – The Cyprus Conservation Foundation and the Vulture Conservation Foundation,

Today, the press release reads, griffon vultures number about 18 to 20, of whom only 2 to 3 couples are successfully reproducing.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

As of November 22, SafePass validity scan via the CovScan application will become mandatory in Cyprus following a decision by the Council of Ministers.

According to an official press release the application quickly and safely certifies the validity of the European Digital Certificate (EUDCC) for SafePass purposes.

Therefore, citizens should issue the European Digital Certificate by 22 November, via the website https://www.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

The number of people who have had the COVID-19 booster shot administered until today has reached 171,121 the Ministry of Health has said, adding that on Wednesday alone until 13:00 hours 3,094 people had received their third vaccine shot.

According to the Ministry of Health, 103 people aged under 40 were vaccinated with the booster shot, noting that they were health professionals and vulnerable groups of the population.

Another 251 people aged between 40 and 49 and 2,740 of people over 50 received the booster shot.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

High Representative Josep Borrell presented the Commission’s draft of the Strategic Compass, which will guide the EU for the next 5 to 10 years, to the EU’s Foreign and Defence Ministers on Monday night, the first day of the meeting of the latest Foreign Affairs Council. During the second day, Tuesday, the Ministers of Defence discussed issues pertaining to the European Defence Agency and the EU’s training missions.

On Tuesday night, Ministers of Defence were meeting NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg to discuss EU – NATO relations.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Cyprus and France have signed a Memorandum of Understanding in the fields of Educational, Linguistic and Cultural Cooperation for the period of 2021 – 2025.

According to a press release issued by the Ministry of Education, the signing took place in the context of the official visit of Cypriot Minister of Education, Culture, Sport and Youth, Prodromos Prodromou, in Paris and his meeting with French Minister of National Education and Sport Jean Michel Blanquer.

During the meeting, Prodromou informed his French counterpart on Cyprus’ recent decisions concerning the teaching of French in public schools, as well as the return of French as the second mandatory modern language in the last two years of High School, as well the inclusion of French in the certification of secondary education through the DELF exams.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Minister of Agriculture Rural Development and the Environment Costas Kadis attended on Wednesday the first ever production of the traditional Cypriot halloumi cheese bearing for the first time the certificate of product of protected designation of origin (PDO).

The first badge of halloumi bearing the PDO certificate was produced in the “SOMIS Dairy Industry” in Frenaros.

In statemetns to the press, Kadis said “today is a day of great satisfaction seeing the efforts aiming to consolidate our national product, the traditional halloumi, bearing fruit.

Source: Cyprus News Agency