Day: February 15, 2022

The continued high growth rate in the fourth quarter of 2021 confirms the resilience and dynamism showed by the Cypriot economy and the soundness of our policies, boosting expectations for further growth in 2022, Finance Minister Constantinos Petrides said on Tuesday.

Petrides’ comments came in the wake of the flash estimate published by the Statistical Service of Cyprus (Cystat) showing that the economy grew by 6% seasonally adjusted in the fourth quarter of 2021 while throughout the year the economy grew by 5.7% year on year.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Cyprus Transport, Communications and Works Minister, Yiannis Karousos, said on Tuesday that the Republic of Cyprus is ready to charter flights to repatriate Cypriot citizens from Ukraine, if this is needed.

Asked after a meeting of the Council of Ministers, if the Ministry of Transport is ready to contribute in case flights need to be chartered for the repatriation of Cypriot citizens from Ukraine, Karousos said that “if it is needed we are fully prepared to charter flights for the repatriation of any Cypriot citizens.”

The Minister recalled that Cypriots were also repatriated during the lockdown period, noting that the Ministry played a very important role in coordinating and organising these repatriations, along with other Ministries, as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Health Ministry and the Deputy Ministry of Tourism.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Prospects for the upcoming tourist season are very positive, Transport, Communications and Works Minister Yiannis Karousos said on Tuesday.

Karousos was replying to a journalist`s question on the indications for the tourist season, after a Cabinet meeting, at the Presidential Palace.

“We believe that 2022 has started with the best possible omens for passenger traffic and tourism,” he said, adding that airline seats offered are similar to 2019 levels and that a number of airlines have increased available seats for 2022 compared to 2019.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

The belief that the strong ties between Cyprus and Britain will be further strengthened, was expressed on Tuesday by the President of the House of Representatives of Cyprus, Annita Demetriou, and the Speaker of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, Sir Lindsay Hoyle. The UK maintains unwavering support for the reunification of the island in a bizonal, bicommunal federation, Hoyle said.

During a special session of the House of Representatives, in the capital, Nicosia, on the occasion of Hoyle`s official visit to Cyprus, Demetriou said that this visit marks “the beginning of a new era in the relations between the two Parliaments, laying the foundations for enhanced dialogue and joint initiatives and actions, where necessary, to address the multiple challenges we are called upon to manage.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

The cabinet has approved on Tuesday the relaxation of public health measures in place due to COVID-19, to come into effect from Monday, 21 February, announced Health Minister Michalis Hadjipantela.

These include lifting the entry ban on those who have not completed their vaccination regime in restaurants, nightclubs, stadiums, theatre, cinema, weddings, christenings and hotels or tourist accommodations.

Entry is allowed by showing a SafePass in the form of a 24-hour rapid antigen detection test.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

The Council of Ministers decided the entry into force of the new action plan for the smooth operation of flights and airports from February 21, instead of March 1.

Between February 21 and 28, which will be a transitional period, all passengers arriving in the Larnaka and Pafos airports will have to undergo a PCR test upon their arrival.

In statements after the Cabinet’s meeting, Transport Minister Yiannis Karousos said that after March 1, the mandatory PCR testing of passengers arriving in Cyprus will be abolished.

Source: Cyprus News Agency