Day: January 18, 2022

There has been great interest in the five incentive schemes by the Ministry of Labour, Welfare and Social Insurance for hiring unemployed people, since 1,319 applications were submitted by January 17, an indication that the target set for 1,450 applications would be met.

At the same time, in addition to the incentive schemes of the Ministry of Labour, more than 3,000 asylum seekers` contracts for employment have already been approved by the Department of Labour.

Director of the Ministry’s Department of Labour, Alexandros Alexandrou told CNA that currently, five schemes are running, with a total budget of €14.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Cyprus Foreign Minister, Ioannis Kasoulides, travels on Tuesday evening to Greece where he will pay his first state visit after assuming his duties.

According to a press release issued by the Foreign Ministry, bilateral relations and their further deepening in a broad spectrum of sectors, the Cyprus problem, the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean and the broader Middle East region, the multilateral schemes of cooperation, as well as other regional and European issues of common interest are expected to be, among others, the focus of the talks which Kasoulides will have with his Greek counterpart, Nikos Dendias.

Kasoulides will have a private meeting with Dendias to be followed by extended deliberations in the presence of officers of the two Foreign Ministers, who will afterwards make statements to the press.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Cyprus President, Nicos Anastasiades, has warmly congratulated Roberta Metsola over her electoin as the new President of the European Parliament.

Anastasiades said in a post on his Twitter account: “Warm congratulations Roberta Metsola on your election as new President of the European Parliament. Best wishes for your success as you are taking up the responsibilities and challenges of your high office.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Newly elected President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola (Malta, European Peoples Party) referred to the need to reach a solution of the Cyprus problem and on the role that Europe can play due to its historic experience, in her speech delivered right after her election on Tuesday morning.

“Europe has a legacy of war, but also of healing. We can put this experience to use in helping efforts to end the separation in the EU’s last divided country – Cyprus – under the auspices of the UN plan,” Metsola said.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

The majority of hospital admissions for Covid-19 last week concerned people who were not vaccinated, according to data released by the Health Ministry on Tuesday.

According to the data on last week’s hospitalisations, 78% of patients were not vaccinated, 2% were fully vaccinated (two doses or one dose for JJ), 12% were fully vaccinated but five months and two weeks had passed from the date of receiving the second dose or their first dose in the case of the JJ vaccine, while 1% was partially vaccinated.

The Ministry also said that 1% of patients admitted to hospital last week due to Covid-19 got ill less than 14 days since the date they were administered the third dose.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

The ‘test to stay’ measure will be introduced in schools from Monday, according to an announcement by the Health Ministry after a meeting between Health Minister Michalis Hadjipantela and the Advisory Scientific Committee on the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Ministry said that further clarifications would be issued after the Ministerial Committee in charge of updating the health protocol in schools, convenes.

In addition, a proposal for the reduction of the self-isolation period for close contacts who are not vaccinated from 14 to 10 days is to be submitted on Wednesday to the Council of Ministers for approval.

Source: Cyprus News Agency