President Demetris Christofias yesterday became the first president in the history of the republic to not to seek a second term when he formally announced he would not stand in the presidential elections next February.In an address to the public, Christofias cited the lack of progress in finding a solution to the Cyprus problem, which he blamed on Turkey and current Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu. He said the failure meant he would stick to his pre-election pledge to stand down if he failed to find a solution to the Cyprus problem... 40 comments

THE GOVERNMENT is in talks with the new Central Bank governor to launch an in-depth investigation into how the once robust Cypriot banking system has ended up in such dire straits, President Demetris Christofias said yesterday. Speaking at a conference of bank workers union ETYK in Nicosia, Christofias said the government was “greatly concerned” by the negative impact of the economic crisis on the banking sector. Noting that the government was already in contact with the CB governor, the president said: “There must be an in-depth investigation into how we got to this point. We must see transparently how we got here and what measures we will take collectively to tackle this unacceptable situation.” ... 9 comments

THE unprecedented rise of the far right in Greece in last Sunday’s election has succeeded in raising enough alarm here in Cyprus to prompt President Christofias to comment that the economic crisis is strengthening radical parties across Europe.Fears of a rise in nationalism locally have been heightened by the potentially explosive mix of economic recession, rising unemployment and increasing racism, with local immigrant support groups saying that they fear foreigners will be on the receiving end of any nationalist surge. ... 15 comments

PRESIDENT DEMETRIS Christofias said there will be no new checkpoints opening on the island until the Turkish side shows some reciprocity and finally agrees to open a crossing at Piroi in the Athienou area. Speaking during the inauguration of the ‘Elias Pastos’ football court, Christofias accused the Turkish Cypriot leadership of persistently refusing to open the crossing in Piroi, which has been on the agenda for years, adding that no other crossing will be opened unless reciprocity is shown and a Piroi crossing opens.Last month, Athienou mayor Demetris Papapetrou said Athienou residents would only need about 10-12 minutes to go to work or to the Nicosia general hospital with the opening of a crossing in the area, whereas currently it takes around 45 minutes... 7 comments

TWO men, 25 and 30, admitted insulting President Demetris Christofias by jeering at him and shouting ‘Christofias (you are a) coward’ on Thursday night in Paralimni outside the premises of the Association of Panathnaikos Fans.At the time of the incident the president and his entourage were passing by.The men were brought in for questioning and released, and will be charged at a later date, said police sources.According to police the incident was reported to Famagusta police headquarters and following an investigation the two men were located and asked to go down to the station for questioning.However they were both released after the 25-year-old admitted to jeering and the 30-year-old to insulting Christofias... 20 comments

PRESIDENT Demetris Christofias yesterday sharply criticised  Greece's ultra-nationalist Golden Dawn party, calling its election gains a pillaging of modern Greek history.Cyprus, Greece's closest ally, usually avoids involvement in Greek domestic politics but inroads made by the nationalists touched a raw nerve on the island, ethnically split between the Turkish north and Greek south for almost four decades.Golden Dawn, which won seven per cent of votes in Sunday's inconclusive election, is the first far-right party to enter parliament since the fall of the Greek military dictatorship in 1974. That dictatorship instigated a coup in Cyprus which triggered Turkey's invasion... 8 comments

PRESIDENT Demetris Christofias welcomed a group of Libyan children at the Presidential Palace yesterday, accompanied by the embassy’s chargé d'affaires Salah Abourgigha.“Recently your people have suffered a civil war and I hope that after this war democracy will prevail and you will never have to live through war again,” said Christofias, speaking to the children. Christofias also reassured them that they were in close contact with the Libyan government so as to help them restore the country... Read on

THE REVELATIONS about the complete breakdown of communication between the Governor of the Central Bank and the President reflected rather negatively on the latter. President Christofias and Athanasios Orphanides, who vacates his post today met for the first time in over a year last Friday when the latter was officially informed that his term as governor would not be renewed. ... 8 comments

MEETINGS BETWEEN the leaders of the two communities in Cyprus are “a waste of time” given the stance of Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu, said President Demetris Christofias yesterday.Asked to comment on the UN’s decision last Friday to downgrade the talks, end leaders’ meetings and initiate a round of shuttle diplomacy between the two sides to decide the way forward, Christofias said: “There is no issue of changing the process. The process will not change.”“The Turkish Cypriot leader does not want any meetings between the two leaders. In any case, such meetings are a waste of time. I have told Mr Eroglu that talking to him is like trying to bring down a wall by throwing eggs at it,” he added.   ... 12 comments

CYPRUS MUST run a successful EU presidency to counter Turkey’s claims that a “half state” can’t handle the six-month rotating presidency, said President Demetris Christofias yesterday.Speaking during a visit to Cyprus’ EU presidency Secretariat yesterday, Christofias said Cypriot officials had to see to the tiniest detail in their preparations to ensure the presidency is a success: “Because our country is small, and because the occupying power tries in every way to instill the suspicion both within and outside the EU that we are not capable, because Mr (Tayyip) Erdogan and Mr (Egemen) Bagis say we are supposedly a half state... 7 comments