THE ACHNA local council voted on Tuesday to withdraw support for the creation of a crocodile park in the community following public opposition to the project.
Six members of the council voted for the move while two were against it.
According to a press release, the decision was greeted with great relief by the local residents who had opposed the park.
The local committee for the struggle against the crocodile park warmly thanked the council for listening to the concerns of the Achna inhabitants and the general public.
They also thanked a number of other fellow-fighters in their struggle, the ecologists, members of the House environment committee, the Animal party, Terra Cypria as well as agricultural organisations Eka, Pek, and Panagrotikos and the University of Nicosia which pointed out the health implications of the project.
The committee called on the government to respect the decision of the community council and to reject any other request for the opening of a crocodile park in Cyprus.
Israeli company TSA Crocopark had approached Achna community in the Famagusta district over creating a crocodile park after their proposal was rejected by the Psematismenos and Athienou communities.
The community council had said they would not object if the company decided to file for a permit but said later it might reconsider following strong reaction by area residents and environmentalists.
The proposal concerned a theme park hosting around 100 crocodiles, with a souvenir shop, a canteen, and walking paths. The company proposed its creation between Achna and Vrysoules near the old Larnaca to Famagusta road.
The matter was discussed at the House environment committee after the initial decision by the community council to allow the park.
MPs heard that it would need 80 tonnes of water per day and there was also a danger of spreading disease to humans.
The head of the health ministry’s infectious disease surveillance unit told MPs that the crocodiles could be infected with the West Nile virus, which could be transferred to humans through mosquitoes.
The THIRTY-THIRD publication of the RICS Cyprus Property Price Index reports that the average price of residential apartments and houses across the island rose by 0.8% and 1.4% respectively over the fourth quarter of 2017.
RICS Cyprus monitors apartment and house prices in non-coastal areas. Price increases in these areas could be due to a domino effect caused by the demand for properties in the coastal areas of Limassol and Larnaca by overseas investors wanting Citizenship or Permanent Residency.
It will be interesting to see what effect the recent decision by the Council of Ministers to limit the number of citizenship applications to 700 a year will have on house and apartment prices.
Quarterly property price changes
Compared with the third quarter of 2017, prices of houses and apartments rose by 0.8% and 1.4% respectively. Larnaca recorded the largest quarterly increase in apartment prices (up 2.7%), while Limassol reported the largest rise in house prices (up 1.5%).
Prices of holiday homes also rose over the quarter by 0.4% for apartments and 0.3% for houses. The highest increase in holiday apartments was recorded in Paphos (up 1.33%), while Paralimni recorded the largest rise in holiday homes (up 0.9%).
Annual property price changes
Compared to the fourth quarter of 2016, prices of houses and apartments rose by 4.3% and 7.1% respectively. Limassol recorded the highest increase in both house and apartment prices, up by 12.6% and 11.1% respectively.
Meanwhile prices for offices, warehouses and retail over the year rose by 8.3%, 4.4% and 3.1% respectively.
Rental values
On a quarterly basis, rental values increased 2.9% for apartments, 1.9% for houses, 0.6% for retail, 2.5% for offices and 0.2% for warehouses.
On an annual basis, rental values increased by 13.7% for apartments, 8.2% for houses, 5.9% for retail, 19.2% for offices and 1.8% for warehouses.
Gross rental yields
At the end of the fourth quarter of 2017, average gross rental yields stood at 4.3% for apartments, 2.2% for houses, 5.5% for retail, 4.3% for warehouses, and 5.1% for offices.
The gross rental yield is a useful yardstick as to whether property is over-valued, under-valued or priced correctly. Here is a set of rules of thumb for the housing market from the Global Property Guide:
THE DEPARTMENT of Lands and Surveys will soon invite tenders from private property appraisers to take part in efforts to reassess the value of some two million properties in Cyprus at current prices.
Limited interest was expressed after the first tender invitation last March. The move is part of ongoing efforts to update property values, at 1st January 2018 prices. The only other evaluation was carried out in 1980, and the authorities often refer to property values at 1980 prices.
Director of the department, Andreas Socratous, said it was decided to entrust part of the general property valuation process to the private sector.
He said that a limited number of private appraisers expressed interest during the tender competition announced last March, but that another competition will be announced soon, “to give the opportunity to more private appraisers to participate”.
One of the main reasons for the low interest shown was that most of the private offices were very busy with loan restructurings, he said. Another reason, was that “some of the terms we had originally set and which related to experience or previous work were a bit strict and we will change them now”.
Socratous told the Cyprus News Agency that until the entire bidding process was completed, “the Department of Lands and Surveys carries on with its own work in a way that the general appraisal process would be completed as soon as possible”. He added that the contribution of the private appraisers would be complementary to the work carried out by the department.
At the moment, local government was assisting the department to fill in some gaps as regards the area of real estate in square metres while the private sector would then assist in efforts to assess the value of real estate per square metre, per area and age of the properties.
THE MINIMUM fee regulations for lawyers in Cyprus, which are set by the Cyprus Bar Association (CBA), will soon be a thing of the past thanks to a successful challenge by ‘Fairness in Fees‘, a London-based organisation founded by Greek Cypriot George Lambis, which submitted a formal complaint to the European Commission in 2016.
Fairness in Fees claimed that the rules mandating the minimum lawyers can charge for out-of-court cases were in clear breach of the price-fixing and cartel provisions of Article 101 of the European Treaty and therefore of European law.
The European Commission has upheld their complaint, which has forced the Ministry of Justice to submit a bill to parliament abolishing the power of the CBA to set minimum fees for out of court work.
The soon-to-be-abolished minimum fee regulations set out formulas for calculating lawyers’ fees irrespective of the time spent on the matter or the complexity of the case.
Under the regulations, a straightforward out-of-court execution of a will in which property of €1 million is to be distributed among the beneficiaries would incur €56,000 in legal fees. Similar work in the UK, for example, would likely incur no more than €5,000 in fees.
The bill should be discussed at the next plenary session of parliament; it will replace the minimum fee regulations with the power to regulate the manner and procedure for resolving any disputes arising with regard to lawyers’ fees for out-of-court work.
The changes must be implemented as the Commission will start infringement proceeding against the Republic of Cyprus, which could result in the EU Court of Justice imposing substantial fines on the Cypriot state if it fails to act.
It’s also worth noting that there is no upper limit on the amount lawyers charge for out-of-court work. This enables disreputable lawyers to plunder estates when executing wills. In one case brought to my attention beneficiaries who were left three apartments in their aunt’s will had to give one of the apartments to a lawyer who was appointed to act as the executor of her estate.
Anyone wishing to appoint a lawyer as the executor of their estate MUST AGREE THEIR LAWYER’S FEES beforehand and have these written into their will to avoid the risk of their estate being plundered.
THE EUROPEAN Commission has once again urged Cyprus to take measures to ensure reliable and swift systems for the issuance of Title Deeds, speed the reduction of non-performing loans together with a number of other measures by next year.
The measures are contained in a report issued by the European Commission on Wednesday setting out its economic policy guidance for Member States over the next 12 -18 months.
Cyprus, together with Croatia and Italy, are experiencing excessive economic imbalances and the measures set out for each country are designed to enable them to achieve sustainable, inclusive and long-term growth.
The specific recommendations for Cyprus are as follows:
Adopt key legislative reforms to improve efficiency in the public sector, in particular as regards the functioning of the public administration and the governance of state-owned entities and local governments.
Step up efforts to improve the efficiency of the judicial systemby revising civil procedures, increasing the specialisation of courts and setting up a fully operational e-justice system. Take measures to fully operationalise the insolvency and foreclosure frameworks and ensure reliable and swift systems for the issuance of title deeds and the transfer of immovable property rights.
Accelerate the reduction of non-performing loans by implementing a comprehensive strategy, including legislative amendments allowing for the effective enforcement of claims and facilitating the sale of loans. Integrate and strengthen the supervision of insurance companies and pension funds.
Prioritise the implementation of key elements of the action plan for growth, in particular fast-tracking strategic investments, and take additional measures to improve access to finance for small and medium-sized enterprises. Improve the performance of state-owned enterprises including by resuming the implementation of privatisation projects.
Complete reforms aimed at increasing the capacity and effectiveness of the public employment services and reinforce outreach and activation support for young people who are not in employment education or training. Complete the reform of the education and training system, including teacher evaluation and actions to increase the capacity of vocational education and training. Take measures to ensure that the National Health System becomes fully functional in 2020, as planned.
British High Commissioner to Cyprus Stephen Lillie
BRITISH HIGH COMMISSIONER Stephen Lillie publishes a letter to UK Nationals living in Cyprus about the UK´s departure from the EU and its implications:
First of all let me introduce myself as the new British High Commissioner to Cyprus. I feel immensely honoured to have been appointed to this role, which I began on 30 April. A very important element of my job and of the British High Commission’s work in Cyprus is engagement with the British communities around the island. I look forward to meeting as many of you as possible.
I know that the implications of Brexit are a matter of particular interest and concern to Britons in Cyprus. My predecessor Matthew Kidd travelled around the island meeting many of you. We will be holding more of these open meetings after the summer. Ahead of that, I thought it would be helpful to provide a written update, including on some of the top issues of concern at previous open meetings.
What has happened in the negotiations between the EU and the UK?
In December last year the UK and the European Commission reached a comprehensive agreement on reciprocal protection of UK and Union citizens’ rights. In March this year, the Commission and the UK announced that the commitments made in December had been translated into legal text. We also agreed the terms of a time-limited implementation period until 31 December 2020 which will give you more time to make any preparations. This marks an important step towards finalising the full Withdrawal Agreement.
What does that mean in practice?
The agreement means that UK nationals living in Cyprus will be able to carry on living, working or studying in Cyprus for as long as you want to. Your rights to remain in Cyprus will be protected now, during the implementation period and beyond. You will continue to be able to access social security on the same basis as Cypriot citizens living in Cyprus. You will be entitled to have your social security contributions made before and after exit in the UK, or in another member state, count towards a future UK or EU member state pension. Your children will continue to enjoy access to education on the same basis that Cypriot children do.
What is still to be agreed?
We have secured the right for you to continue living your life in Cyprus as you do now. But we would also like to discuss with the EU27 future life choices. These include the right to onward free movement should you wish to move to another EU member state; provisions for posted workers; and mutual recognition of qualifications. Arrangements for travel between the UK and EU beyond 2020 are also being discussed during the second phase of the negotiations.
But we already know that up to 31 December 2020 you and your EU family members will continue to be able to travel to the UK as you do now. In some cases where you have resided in an EU member state for at least three months, your non-EU family members may also travel with you to the UK.
Some UK nationals have raised concerns about what happens if an overall deal between the EU and the UK is not reached. I should emphasise that we do not want or expect a no deal outcome. The UK Government and the Commission have both stated that providing certainty for citizens is a priority. We believe it would be very unlikely for any agreed deal on citizens’ rights to be reopened.
What preparations should you make for the future?
The British Government has been clear that we will leave the European Union in March 2019 and that there will be a time-limited implementation period until 31 December 2020. We have agreed with the Commission that you will have a further 6 months after that period (i.e. until 30 June 2021) to make any necessary preparations according to what is required in the final Withdrawal Agreement.
If you have not done so already, I would strongly urge you to register as a resident with the Cypriot authorities. All UK nationals who have been residing in Cyprus for more than 90 days and wish to continue to live here should legalise their status by registering. Further information on how to do this can be found here.
We will continue to work closely with the Cypriot government to ensure information is provided to UK nationals in a timely manner on any new administrative procedures that may be implemented for British nationals post-Brexit.
Your questions
As a High Commission we are often asked about three areas of specific concern to British residents.
What if I/my family decide to move back to the UK?
If you wish to move back to the UK, you and your family members (both EU citizens and in some cases non-EU citizens) will be able to do so until 31 December 2020. After that date, the UK Immigration Rules will apply where a family member is not a UK national. The Government will be setting out initial proposals for our future immigration arrangements in due course. The UK’s departure from the EU does not change nationality law and therefore the processes for registering children and applying for British passports remain the same. UK nationals are able to travel or return to the UK at any time, including after 31 December 2020.
Will I have to pay tax in two countries?
The UK’s exit from the European Union will not change existing double taxation arrangements. Double taxation agreements ensure that any individual (not just a British citizen) who is living in a country which has a treaty with the UK will not pay tax in two countries on the same income/gain and determines which country has primary taxing rights. The UK has a double taxation agreement with all EU Member States, which will continue to apply on withdrawal. You will have read that a new Double Taxation Agreement was signed by the UK and Cyprus recently and more information on this can be found on the Cyprus tax treaties page.
Will driving licences still be valid after exit day?
The validity of UK driving licences in the EU and other Member States’ licences in the UK forms part of the negotiations on the future UK-EU relationship. As such we cannot answer this yet. We will let you know when we have more information.
The online ‘Do I Need a Visa‘ tool will be useful for those who are thinking of going on holiday to the UK with family members who are not British or EU citizens.
For those thinking about returning to the UK with family members who are not themselves British or EU citizens, the following guidance may be useful.
If you are unsure if your family member is a British Citizen, more information can be found here.
You can also find out more information about processes while in Cyprus including applying for a British passport or naturalisation here.
Our contact with UK nationals has shown that some of you are not sure what your entitlements and obligations are as EU citizens living in another member state. It is impossible to put in writing detailed information that would reflect all of your individual circumstances and situations. I would, however, encourage you to use the resources of the European Union’s website, which has a whole range of easy-to-follow explanations of how pensions, social security payments, driving licences, education and a whole range of other topics in the EU work.
The “Your Europe” website is available in all community languages. Among other things it includes information on how state pensions are calculated, particularly where you have been making contributions in more than one member state, for example both in the UK and in Cyprus. HM Revenue and Customs also have an online portal that allows you to check your National Insurance record.
And the UK Government’s International Pension Centre provides more information on pension entitlements while overseas.
Finally, as more information is released, we will update you through our social media channels on Facebook and Twitter. I would also recommend that you subscribe to Brexit e-mail alerts which will be the quickest way to get up-to-date information.
I hope this is useful. I look forward to discussing these and many other issues with you at forthcoming “road-show” meetings which we will be organising.
THE ACHNA local council voted on Tuesday to withdraw support for the creation of a crocodile park in the community following public opposition to the project.
THE EUROPEAN Commission has once again urged Cyprus to take measures to ensure reliable and swift systems for the issuance of Title Deeds, speed the reduction of non-performing loans together with a number of other measures by next year.