By Andria Kades

With the arrest in Greece of Efi Irodotou, Cyprus’ most wanted woman, six years after a warrant was issued against her for the death of Emilios Ioannou, the courts can no longer avoid confronting the allegations of nepotism and corruption that have accompanied the case from the start.

Irodotou’s parents were also arrested on Sunday and now face charges of perverting the course of justice. All three fled to Greece in 2011 after a successful appeal by Ioannou’s family against the original 2009 court case into his death.

On December 27, 2007, 20-year-old Irodotou was involved in a hit and run that killed 17-year-old motorcyclist Emilios Ioannou. Although he had been wearing a helmet, it did not protect him after she, three times over the alcohol limit, drove through a red light at Mesa Gitonia in Limassol and hit his motorbike.

Emilios was just 17 when he was killed in the hit and run accident

The blow was fatal but she continued to drive on. A witness at the scene sped after her, forcing her to stop. The police were notified but from that moment on, the Ioannou family not only had to deal with the grief of losing their son but they also became the victims of one injustice after another.

After the accident, the case went to court where Irodotou faced four charges – causing death by careless driving, abandoning the scene of the accident, driving under the influence of alcohol and violating the traffic code (driving through a red light).

To anyone, the case seemed straightforward. Ioannou’s father, Pambos Ioannou, in a rare interview back in 2015 said “people would ask us what lawyer we had and we said, ‘We don’t have a lawyer, this is such a clear case’.”

Nevertheless, on July 3, 2009, the very day Emilios should have been celebrating his 19th birthday, three of the charges against Irodotou were dropped.

She was found guilty only of abandoning the scene, charged with €120 court expenses, forbidden to drive for the next two years and received a two-month prison sentence, suspended for three years.

Only a few days before the decision, Ioannou’s family received a letter from their son’s insurance company with a request from Irodotou’s defence team, seeking damages for their client’s vehicle and physical injuries.

At the time, Ioannou would have been content with an apology but then enough evidence was found to appeal the decision in 2011.

“I have to say, the police chief (at the time, Michalis Papageorgiou) was the first and only official, from the top ranks of such procedures, that told us ‘something bad has happened in this case’,” Ioannou said.

In a stroke of luck, for example, it was found that one of the witness statements had been tampered with to change the whole meaning of a sentence. The version submitted to court read “I asked her if he was wearing a helmet and she said he (Emilios) was not (wearing a helmet).”

However the version the state lawyer appealing the case had in his hands read “he was wearing a helmet.”

To further prove the word ‘not’ had been added afterwards, the defendant’s lawyer had a version similar to the previous but was missing a letter to say “he was no wearing a helmet” (translated from Greek).

Efi Irodotou

There were also questions raised about the credibility of one of the witnesses who was suspected of tampering with evidence. He was employed at the company of one Irodotou’s circles and was, according to Ioannou, promised legal documents to live and work in Cyprus as he was a Serbian national.

“Whether he eventually got it or not, I don’t know.”

The key witness to the case, the woman who followed Irodotou in her car on the night of the accident was completely discredited after records of her clock in and clock out hours at her work were used to dispute that she had ever gone to the police to give a statement.

There were serious concerns that the system monitoring clock in and clock out hours had been tampered with to discredit her testimony.

Crucially, evidence to prove Irodotou had been drink driving with her alcohol levels at 70mg instead of the legally permitted 22mg were never submitted to court.

“What was missing was a piece of paper that said the equipment was operating properly,” Ioannou had said in the interview. “She (the state prosecutor) had three chances to submit it and never did.”

Two years later, in 2011 the state prosecutor, Efi’s lawyers and the Serbian witness were arrested. The case went to court and although none were found guilty, the state prosecutor was forced to resign. Sources say she now operates her own legal office in Limassol. The Sunday Mail could not verify this information as the name, as it was written in the court papers in 2011, is not registered with the Cyprus Bar Association.

Although the witnesses were found not guilty, enough serious questions had been raised for the judge to reopen the case.

It was at this point Efi Irodotou and her parents fled the country to Greece where they have been living ever since despite European arrest warrants issued against them in 2011.

Unofficially, it was an open secret they were in Greece, although there had been some speculation they were in England a few years ago.

During Ioannou’s interview in 2015, the presenter asked police spokesman Andreas Angelides how it was possible the family had just disappeared.

“Is there no movement in their bank accounts? Do they not communicate with people in Cyprus? Because information we have says there is communication,” the presenter said.

Of course, no official answer as to how the family could live in Greece undetected for so long has yet been given. And this week police continued to stick to the official line that following a tip off from Nicosia to Interpol, Greek police proceeded to arrest the parents whilst they were in a church in Greece on Sunday. On hearing the news, Efi then handed herself in.

The proceedings against Efi will have to do with the three charges that were dropped in 2009 while her parents face a number of charges including perverting and obstructing the course of justice.

Tribute to Emilios Ioannou at the scene of his death

One source told the Sunday Mail that Ioannou has exercised pressure on a ‘high ranking person’ who then collaborated with authorities in Greece to arrest the three, but the Sunday Mail could not confirm this.

Over the summer, however, there had been increased activity related to Europol announcements and her ‘wanted’ status.

“I hope and believe proceedings will be impeccable and impartial. I repeat, impartial,” Ioannou said earlier this week, after expressing his certainty that political figures had assisted the Irodotou family in evading arrest for so long.

“This time, it will be harder for us because we know a lot more about what happened. We hope we will be able to go through with it. We have the support of the people,” he said.

“We’re not waiting for Emilios to come back. We’re waiting for justice to do its job. Whatever that may be.”

Since news of the arrest was published, Ioannou’s’ Facebook profile has been flooded with words of support.

He said Emilios’ friends have been a pillar of support who regularly visit the family and “take Emilios with them to football games.” An ardent Omonia supporter, the team often posts news about him and even other Limassol teams Ael and Apollon have waved flags with his name.

Every year, Emilios’ friends make a tribute at the scene where he was killed with the motto ‘only the forgotten are truly dead’.

In his 2015 interview Ioannou quoted one of his wife’s comments.

“It could have been our son that caused an accident. But we would have never treated the family the way we have been treated.”

A 33-year-old Limassol man was caught driving under the influence of alcohol at a speed of 199 km/h, more than twice the legal speed limit.

Police stopped the driver for speeding at around 1am on the bypass road from Nicosia to Limassol near Mesa Gitonia. The speed limit at the particular stretch is 80km/h

The driver was arrested after he underwent a breathalyzer test which indicated 45 microgrammes (μg) per 100 millilitres of blood instead of 22μg which is the legal limit.

The trial in Limassol of a man charged with triple murder was interrupted by relatives of the victims who started shouting after he made a reference to God.

Judges in the trial of Christakis Thoma left  the courtroom after a fracas broke out while the defendant was being cross examined.

Thoma has been charged with the murders of siblings Paraschos, 19, and Constantinos Ntorzi, 21, as well as their friend Emilios Miltiadous, 24, who were all fatally stabbed with a knife in Limassol in November 2015.

The shouting started when Thoma denied suggestions put to him by prosecutors, saying “for God’s sake.” At that point, Miltiadous’ father shouted “do you have a God?”

Thomas’ father responded, “yes he has a God,” while the defendant himself said “if only I would die so that they could come back.”

The shouting forced the judges to leave the room while Thoma was led back to the holding cells of the Limassol Criminal Court.

Thoma denies the premeditated murder of the three youths on the night of November 24 after which he fled the scene. He was arrested two days later.

The defendant chased the victims and stabbed them to death one by one before returning to his father’s restaurant at Platia Heroon.

The case continues on February 22 with the closing arguments.

A 15-year-old boy was remanded for seven days in Limassol on Monday to facilitate investigations into the mugging of two girls at knifepoint.

Limassol police said they arrested the boy, who faces charges of conspiracy to commit a felony, robbery and carrying a knife, in the early hours of Monday after the girls, aged 13 and 15 reported the incident the previous day.

Police said the girls claimed that, at around 6.30pm while at a park, they were approached by two youths who threatened them with a knife, demanding anything of value they had on them.

One of the suspects snatched the 13-year-old’s handbag but she managed to take it back. He then snatched the 15-year-old’s bag and fled the scene.

The girl chased them in a bid to take back her bag and mobile phone, asking other people for help. Bystanders also chased the teen but failed to catch him.

The 15-year-old, who is known to the police, was arrested by a patrol at around 2.15am. He was taken in for questioning where he was said to have admitted to the offence.

Police have identified the second suspect for whom an arrest warrant has been issued.

A 29-year-old woman who had been on the top of the island’s most wanted list for years, pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to two charges relating to the road death of a 17-year-old boy in Limassol in 2007.

Efi Herodotou denied causing Emilios Ioannou’s death through reckless driving and failure to stop at a red light.

The case was scheduled for February 8. Herodotou will remain in custody until then.

Herodotou’s defence had objected to her remaining in custody, arguing she was not a flight risk. Her lawyer claimed his client had not been hiding, nor did she know that she was wanted by the authorities.

He claimed that psychological problems caused by the incident led her to Greece where she continued her studies “a free citizen.”

The defendant left the island legally, her defence said.

To back their arguments, the defence submitted a number of documents, including a tax record, social security number, the university diploma she received in 2011, as well as a thank you letter from the Nea Ionia Bishopric for her work as a teacher at a Sunday school.

In 2014, the court heard, Herodotou had been hospitalised with psychological problems.

The prosecutor argued that the family knew about the arrest warrant and their appearance before court was not by choice. He said the defendant was a flight risk because her bonds with Cyprus had weakened after living in Greece for the past several years.

Relatives of the victim were present at the hearing, held amid strict security. Only a certain number of people were allowed in the courtroom, after they were frisked by police officers.

Herodotou had been wanted by police since 2011 over the hit-and-run that happened in December 2007.

She was apparently living in Greece with her parents since.

Her parents face charges including fabrication of evidence, forgery, perjury, and bribery. They also denied the charges during the hearing held in the Nicosia district court.

The prosecution requested their detention pending trial, while the family lawyer objected, pointing out that there was no risk of them absconding.

The court ordered their detention until Wednesday afternoon when it would announce its decision.

Herodotou had been acquitted in the first trial in 2009, but state prosecutors preparing for an appeal discovered that evidence submitted in her trial had been forged and tampered with, and at least one defence witness had perjured himself.

During the trial, an eyewitness testified that Herodotou had caused the crash by running a red light, and then fled the scene.

The eyewitness reported chasing after her into a dead-end road, at which point Herodotou asked her to lie to police that the light had been green when she crossed the intersection.

But these claims were countered by contradictory witness testimony and evidence, the validity of much of which was later challenged.

Once a retrial was ordered by the Supreme Court in 2011, police probes into allegedly falsified evidence submitted in court led to the arrests of the 34-year-old state prosecutor who tried the case and two lawyers who had defended Herodotou. The prosecutor later resigned.

False evidence included witness testimony contradicting the timeline reported by the eyewitness who had chased Herodotou after the accident, which was challenged after prosecutors discovered that the time stamps on the electronic attendance register at the eyewitness’ place of work had been tampered with.

Another witness, who had identified himself in court as the man who had installed the system and knew how it worked turned out to have been an employee of herodotou’s father and had neither installed the system nor had any knowledge of how it worked.

Lastly, the police report prepared by one of the investigators also appeared to have been forged.

Suspicion immediately fell on Herodotou’s parents, who appeared to have been implicated in orchestrating the forgeries by those questioned over the discrepancies, but, like their daughter, they too had vanished.

Limassol police were on Wednesday looking into a car arson that caused substantial damage and a fire in a second vehicle that had been immobilised by the owner.

“Extensive damage to the front part of a car, property of a 52-year-old woman, was caused by a fire, which broke out at around 3am today (Wednesday) in Limassol,” police said.

The fire service, which was called to put out the blaze, said the car was parked outside the house of a 50-year-old man currently using it, on Imvros street, in the Mesa Gitonia area of the city.

They responded with two vehicles from Ayios Nicholas fire station.

Later on Wednesday police said the cause of the fire, which caused around €2,000 worth of damage, was arson.

Firefighters were also called to a blaze, this time in an immobilised car parked under a shelter in an open area on Tzelar Bayar street, a little before 7.30 pm on Tuesday.

Two vehicles from Ayios Yiannis fire station responded putting out the blaze which again caused extensive damage to the vehicle.

Limassol CID are investigating the incident.

Police said Thursday they have arrested a second boy on suspicion of robbing two girls at knife-point in Limassol last weekend.

Another 15-year-old boy is already in custody following the incident last Sunday.

Limassol police said they arrested the boys, who face charges of conspiracy to commit a felony, robbery and carrying a knife, after the girls, aged 13 and 15, reported that at around 6.30pm last Sunday while at a park, they were approached by two youths who threatened them with a knife, demanding any valuables they had on them.

One of the boys snatched the 13-year-old’s handbag but she managed to take it back. He then snatched the 15-year-old’s bag and fled the scene.

The girl ran after them in a bid to take back her bag and mobile phone, with bystanders also taking part in the chase, but the teen got away.

The first boy apprehended, who is known to the police, was arrested by a patrol at around 2.15am on Monday morning, after which he was taken in for questioning where police said he admitted to the offence.

It was then that the second suspect was identified, and an arrest warrant issued.

New restaurants popping up while you are out and about in the town are always a delight, especially when they represent a cuisine that is underrepresented in Limassol. I’m talking about Beer & Beer, not necessarily a newcomer in the tourist area, but a newcomer to the city centre with the opening a new place in the heart of Saripolou square.

Beer & Beer offers the culinary delights of German cuisine, which not many restaurants are able to pull off. Situated in a prime spot and paired with décor that brings to mind a little Bavarian hut in the middle of Germany, albeit the touristy version of it, is a refreshing break from the overdone minimalism of the area.

The stone walls and wooden furniture create a cozy and warm atmosphere regardless that the weather outside might be 10 degrees or 35. What was also a nice touch were the picnic benches used for the outside seating area; the informality of it all made the atmosphere even friendlier. Going there is not about seriousness, it’s about a friendly meal with good food and having a nice time.

The menu is simple and, you guessed it, quite German. I have often professed my like for restaurants that do not list endless pages of food and that has come to mean a better and mostly ‘fresher’ quality to all the meals. There is one thing on Beer & Beer’s concise menu that you have to go for and that is the German sausages! Offered both as a starter and as a main, you can adjust your meal according to how hungry you are. The Beer & Beer meze starter is a great way to begin your meal if you want a taste of the sausages but don’t want to settle on them as a main. It includes a small selection of sausages, peppers and cheese, presented on a stacked platter that aims to please.

Yet, I was drawn to the Octoberfest platter. Simply put, a collection of German sausages with the accompanying mustard, that were all delicious to the very last bite. Cooked to perfection, you had the typical German sausage, one topped with cheese, a delightfully spicy one and more. They were incredible and left us wanting more. What I would have wished for though was that the server explained what was each sausage rather than each bite being a surprise; albeit a delightful one.

Another great option that cannot be missed? The pork schnitzel. There are many places that offer this; yet few offer a good-tasty-lip-smacking schnitzel, and it gives me great pleasure to say that Beer & Beer ticks this box quite successfully. The delicate taste of the perfectly breaded, crisp pork fillet delighted all the taste buds and the portion was so plentiful it could satisfy even the fussiest customers.

On the most pleasant note of all, especially for beer lovers, the name of the restaurant really does describe what is in the tin. The menu is beer galore, having so many beers you won’t be able to make a choice. The German cuisine has it right, sausages and a good, richly flavoured beer are the ultimate laid-back dining experience.

All in all, either you try the restaurant in Saripolou, or in the tourist area, the dining pleasures it offers can be enjoyed anywhere. My night there was a great way to spend a cold winter’s night and I’m sure it will be the same for you too.

VITAL STATISTICS
SPECIALTY German food, especially sausages
WHERE Beer & Beer, Georgiou A, Yermasogia and Saripolou 66-68, Limassol
CONTACT 25 013164, 25 379800

Limassol has been a foreign investment magnet for decades, transforming itself into a large city with landmark buildings, high rents and lots of trade, and its success allowed it to survive the recent crisis comparatively unscathed.

Home to a strong shipping sector, forex companies and international banks, Limassol will also be home to the island’s first official proposed casino.

Ciba general secretary Chris Koufaris

“Cyprus’ tax incentives, combined with a number of competitive advantages Limassol has, make it a very attractive destination for international business. It is on the coast, cosmopolitan, safe, clean, with friendly local people,” the Cyprus International Business Association (Ciba) general secretary Chris Koufaris told the Sunday Mail.

Today, each business sector in Limassol seems to be associated with specific countries. Shipping is dominated by German names, forex is comprised of many Israeli companies and several banks are Middle Eastern or Russian.

In recent years, there has also been a small but growing sector of fund management firms, mainly from Russian and European markets, Koufaris added.

But what is it that brings these investors to Limassol? Although the coast may be pleasing to the eye, it’s not enough of a reason to attract foreign investment. It also isn’t Cyprus’ only city with a beach.

The bigger picture includes Cyprus’ legal framework based on UK law that international businesses are already familiar with.

And then there are Cyprus’ tax incentives and what was admittedly lax oversight, one business person said on condition of anonymity. And for decades Cyprus’ name was closely linked to money-laundering.

However, since the 2013 banking crisis and the arrival of the IMF and EU lenders, oversight and regulations have become far, far tougher.

“There’s plenty of forex companies but they pop up one after the other. They keep shutting down as of late because Cysec (Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission) has started getting tougher,” said Koufaris.

“Banks now have a ‘know your customer policy’ where it’s not easy to open a bank account. We’re also seeing more action taken such as fines being imposed on banks – FBME for instance,” the Limassol chamber of commerce (Evel) said.

“Cyprus’ image has improved towards the better. We were just used to the easy way. One of our members was saying if the bank could give him the money he would fare brilliantly but the bank wouldn’t give him the loan. Because banks now want proof that things will be brilliant. We’re just doing correct procedures now.”

But none of that explains why it is Limassol in particular that attracts the business. After all, both Paphos and Larnaca boast coasts of their own yet have nowhere near the same competitive edge.

Evel says a major reason is that the city is just far more cosmopolitan, with a very skilled workforce.

But for Koufaris the recent example of Larnaca’s municipality refusing to extend energy giant Total’s logistics and hydrocarbons services base there explains it all.

“After that decision, Limassol stepped in and said we are here,” he said. Sure enough, Total, Eni and Noble have agreed to use Limassol for their logistics base once the drilling for hydrocarbons off the coast gets underway.

Paphos too offers little competition.

“The one thing that Paphos has and Limassol doesn’t is Chinese investors buying property. However, if you actually go to Paphos you’ll see that these homes are empty and they’re being bought for other purposes – citizenship for instance. In Limassol though, everything is full,” said Koufaris.

The Oval building has become a new Limassol landmark

The construction of landmark buildings such as the Oval building, the ONE and, of course, Limassol’s marina is evidence of a city going from strength to strength when it comes to attracting international business says Evel.

Limassol’s reputation as an international business centre started with the influx of Lebanese nationals fleeing their civil war in the late 1970s and was followed by the Gulf War which saw years of Middle Eastern nationals emigrating to Cyprus. The breakup of Yugoslavia in the 1990s led to many Serbs arriving on the island, quickly followed by the influx of Russians. This is all an obvious statement to Limassol’s attraction, Evel told the Sunday Mail.

The 1970s were also when the shipping industry really started in Cyprus with a tax regime at 4.25 per cent, according to Koufaris. After joining the EU the figure went up to 10 per cent to comply with European tax regulations and it was raised again to 12.5 per cent a few years ago.

“This is still a very competitive rate. But back when it was 4.25 per cent you can see why it became so quickly attractive.”

According to Evel, shipping constitutes seven per cent of Cyprus’ GDP. “With a solution to the Cyprus problem we expect it to become stronger,” as currently ships with a Cypriot flag or even a foreign flag registered to a Cypriot company are banned from calling at Turkish ports.

Another key move towards a more attractive business environment that has also benefited Limassol was an amendment introduced in July 2015 that specified any non domiciled persons or companies who have not been a Cyprus tax resident for more than 17 out of the last 20 years, are exempted from paying the Special Contribution for Defence, comprised of 30 per cent interest income and 17 per cent dividends income, according to Koufaris.

This, in combination with around 50 double tax treaties with countries from around the world “form an attractive package which can be very interesting especially to the financial services sector”.

For non EU countries, such as Russia and Israel, working with Cyprus as a base allows them to offer their services of products to the EU with much greater ease.

Corporate tax rate in Cyprus is at 12.5 per cent, compared to Germany at 30 per cent, or Spain at 28 per cent. Some countries like Bulgaria have a cheaper rate at 10 per cent but this is where all other criteria an investor will look at come into play.

The building known as ONE

“An investor wants to know there’s a history and network of business and very importantly, a skilled workforce. Cyprus has a number of graduates that are qualified to work in financial markets,” said Koufaris.

Narrowed down to the city, then Limassol, with its growing business activities, accounting and legal firms ready to offer up their services combined with a beautiful location for people to live in, make this coastal city a prime choice, Evel said.

Asked if Limassol could keep moving forward at the same pace, Koufaris said “I think the city has a good future to look forward to. Apart from the financial sector it will also be offering more medical services, rehabilitation centres. Anyone who will visit Limassol will see new projects on the horizon.”

This year, a new oncology clinic is set to open in Limassol and plans are currently being made for a Bank of Cyprus oncology centre in the city. A rehabilitation centre is set to open in Moniatis.

“If and when it becomes a reality, oil and gas exploration will have an immense impact. There will be new opportunities for employment,” Koufaris stressed. “Once it kicks off you need a place to service this industry – the regional industry which means Egypt, Israel and Cyprus.

“These guys – Eni, Total, they need to take care of this business from somewhere. Where will they have their support and service centre? Cairo? Tel Aviv? Limassol?

While oil and gas may be surrounded with question marks for now, Limassol’s next big thing is the casino, expected to offer 4,000 jobs for its construction and 2,500 operating staff, according to Evel.

That’s not all however – there’s also the technological park set to operate in Pentakomo, Limassol which will inevitably boost the tech scene. “All of this, makes Limassol a hub of development,” Koufaris said.

Limassol marina

“If we are careful and don’t do anything silly and take care of international businesses providing the support we need to, then we are on the right path.”

Akel said on Wednesday it intended to ask for a recount of ballot papers for December’s local elections in Limassol and Famagusta, despite initially dropping the issue.

Party parliamentary spokesman Giorgos Loukaides said it was their intention to ask for a recount in the two municipalities where the party’s candidates lost the election by just nine votes in Limassol, and by a few dozen in Famagusta.

“We want a recount, we believe there is a possibility of having a recount, and we hope to have a result that would justify this effort, having in mind that the difference is so small that a small mistake, could reverse the final result,” Loukaides said.

Asked whether the two candidates, Andreas Christou in Limassol, and Simos Ioannou for Famagusta, agreed with the decision, Loukaides said it was an initiative by Akel and the people who supported their candidacy.

Following the poll, Christou, who had been running for a third term, said he was not interested in a recount and that such calls were made by his associates and Akel members.

Christou ran as an independent in the elections, but was backed by Akel.

A man discovered the decomposing body of a friend he was hosting after returning to his Limassol flat following a week’s absence.

The Polish man told police on Wednesday evening that he found his friend, also a Pole, unconscious in bed, saying he had been staying at the apartment for the past two months.

The man immediately called an ambulance and the police, who rushed to the scene only to find out that the dead 52-year-old’s body was in an advanced state of decomposition.

The possibility of the death being a criminal act was ruled out. An autopsy is due to be carried out on Thursday.

Reports say the deceased had alcohol related problems.

I have frequented this newcomer on the Limassol bar scene for the simple reason that it is something different. Though it is right in the middle of the city centre it has managed to escape the ‘minimalism’ meets traditional architecture overdone trope in the most unique way. It is based in a former mansion and walking in almost feels like walking into a stonewalled cave that is separated into rooms and arches.

To say there is nothing like it anywhere near it, is part of its appeal. Just by the looks of it for some, it is an enticing experience. Regardless of the permeating stone walls, the earthy tones and warm lighting make the customer feel welcome and at ease with the surroundings. Adding to that is the warm and friendly staff. To me it is the ideal post work place to kick back and have a nibble and a relaxing drink.

As far as drinks go, I kept my choices simple. I wasn’t blown away by the cocktail I had the first time I went so I stuck to beer and wine. Why? This place does not need a flashy cocktail to carry it; what it calls for is for your comfort drink to wash down all your woes and worries. And usually my go to comfort drink is a nice glass of white or red depending on the weather, therefore the adequate wine list really pleased me. There is a decent selection of Greek and Cypriot wines and some from Italy and France to cover everyone’s taste buds. Prices are not overly unaffordable, especially if you aim for the Cypriot gems of white or red.

At Algevra, the Greek music accompanying the buzz of people also helps create the perfect combination that is further complemented with the Greek based fusion edible selections. Whether it’s a meal, or a snack, the pairing guarantees a great night out. As far as the beer collection goes, it wasn’t groundbreaking. It offers the usual collection of local and exports.

All in all, the place is mostly about the place. It is something unique and its uniqueness allows you to take in your usual comforts in a different and original way. It is a bar that should be tried at least once just for the whole premise of it all. It’s also worth adding that until 9pm some nibbles are on the house!

Algevra
Where: Agiou Neophytou & Kitiou, Limassol
Contact: 25 828282

The Limassol port, which was handed to private companies a couple of weeks ago, has yet to reach satisfactory levels of operation, the transport minister said on Friday, as he rejected suggestions that denationalization had failed.

Marios Demetriades told MPs that operational problems had emerged because of the transition, as was the case in other ports.

“But It is ridiculous to say that denationalization failed,” he said. “There is plenty of room for improving productivity, which I expect the company to achieve in the next few days.”

The government has been heavily criticised by the opposition over the delays, especially by communist Akel.

Briefing the House transport committee, the minister said he expected things to improve soon though certain issues could only be resolved through dialogue.

The first days of the port’s operation by private companies saw huge delays in unloading containers, mainly due to the lack of gantry cranes and change in procedures.

Demetriades said the process has yet to reach satisfactory levels.

The minister said three out of four cranes were now in operation – only one was in operation the first few days – and the fourth one was expected to be ready soon.

Four more cranes have been ordered, he said, the first two expected in October 2018.

Also, the company, Eurogate, will hold talks with hauliers in a bid to expedite certain procedures and resolve problems.

Concerning complaints over charges, the minister said 90 per cent were regulated but the unregulated ones could also be controlled. The companies have been asked to convey their charges to the government for inspection.

Internal audit commissioner Anna Christoforou said a preliminary inspection showed that both the state and the company have been covered as regards their revenues. Traders however, were not, and it had to be ensured that abuse of monopolistic power was avoided.

The minister reiterated that most charges were regulated and the state could intervene in the unregulated ones if it was determined that neighbouring ports were cheaper.

“So traders and consumers were not left unprotected in this sense,” he said.

Limassol police on Thursday arrested a Tunisian man, 47, wanted since 2009 in connection with attempted murder, after he stabbed another man in the throat.

The man, who was remanded in custody for seven days on Friday, was arrested after police officers stopped him on Grivas Dhigenis Street for an identity check.

It transpired that the man had been wanted since May 2009, after he allegedly injured a 33-year-old in the throat with a knife.

The suspect had fled the scene and had been sought by police since.

The 33-year-old had been rushed to hospital where he underwent surgery.

By Antonis Loizou FRICS

THE Famagusta region, especially the beach areas seem to have been left behind in terms of planning zones and densities adopted. The region that attracts the most tourists does not have demanding municipalities to promote its interests, whereas the technocrats in government must dismiss them as “villagers who don’t know anything”. The prevailing building density adopted for housing near the beach is now 20 per cent (it used to be 40 per cent) and for hotels from the original 70 per cent it is now 40 per cent. Yet for other beach regions, building density can reach more than 400 per cent; Limassol especially has made all the difference with its new generation of high tower blocks.

It is not by chance that Limassol has progressed – Limassolians are acting as one with the municipality and local chambers and other organisations for the benefit of the town. It is a fact that as the building density increases, so development is encouraged. The recent incentives regarding increased building density for hotels in the Famagusta region of 20 per cent has caused added beach hotel projects to come onto the market (approximately 2,000 beds), older buildings are being renovated, and numerous tourist project extensions are underway.

In addition to the low densities of the region approximately 50 per cent of the land available in the Famagusta region has no access, frustrating demand and new projects. Yet all of a sudden, a 30-floor tower block has been allowed for the Ayia Napa marina and despite that being a correct move, what about the others?

The region is set to show an increasing demand for the years to come, because it has the best beaches, Nicosia tourists and lower property prices than those of Limassol. In the Famagusta region villas to let is top the Cyprus market with average occupancy rate reaching around 60 per cent with returns of around 5 per cent pa.

It is time for Famagusta municipalities to undertake some sort of a ‘velvet revolution’ and come up with demands and be treated like the other beach areas/towns. New local councils seem to be quite imaginative and progressive but, the red tape of governmental is against this. The recent proposal by Ayia Napa municipality regarding its beach development (a long walkway near the beach, the construction of piers etc) was turned down to an extent because of migrating birds and disturbance of the seabed. But what about the effect of the proposed casino on the environment in Limassol?

It is inevitable that any development will upset the environment, but what is the alternative? Not build airports, marinas, houses, motorways etc?

We encourage some sort of ‘revolution’ by the area’s municipalities to press the government to have development in Famagusta in line with other areas. A few years ago Paralimni municipality employed an internationally known town planner who suggested (15 years ago) the region should have high rise buildings/hotels with large open spaces around. The then director of town planning told them to drop the project because “Cyprus should not become like Miami”. What is wrong with Miami? And look at Limassol now, showing what a huge mistake was made in Famagusta.

We need a law change for the prevailing procedure about the relative importance of development and the environment since the people who manage the Department of Environment do not seem to be going in the right direction.

Antonis Loizou & Associates Ltd – Property Valuers, Property Consultants & Estate Agents, www.aloizou.com.cy, ala-HQ@aloizou.com.cy

Following protests, a bank on Wednesday suspended an eviction order of a woman in Limassol, who reportedly owes around €80,000.

Representatives of the movement against foreclosures, single parent families, and politicians, gathered outside the house in Ayios Tychonas on Wednesday morning, to protest the bank’s intention to take the house.

Bank of Cyprus was planning to put the property, reportedly worth over €300,000, up for sale.

Lawyer Christos Poutziouris questioned why the bank didn’t sell land belonging to the deceased husband to collect the money and complained that the bank had charged excessive interest rates in recent months.

The house belongs to Elena Liliana Agathangelou who has a 22-year-old daughter. Her husband died in 2008.

“We have repeatedly asked to address the problem of the eviction of single-parent homes, without any response to date from the state. Note that most single parent families consist of women and children and most mortgage debts relate to loans by spouses for which the legislation does not provide any solution,” the Pancyprian Association of Single Parent Families and Friends commented.

The movement against foreclosures added that the move is totally unacceptable particularly as the widow and her family has a pension of €500 as their only source of survival.

The Cyprus Mail has learned however, that the woman only uses the two-storey villa with a swimming pool, for a few months every year and that she spends the rest of the time in Romania, her home country.

Bank sources said the bank was not even aware that someone lived in the house. The bailiff had to post the eviction order on the door because there was no one to receive it.

The house was acquired by the husband with a loan from BoC, which has not been services since 2009. With interest, the loan has reached €94,000.

The bank believes the affair was the result of differences between the woman and the deceased man’s daughter from a pervious marriage.

That daughter and two administrators of the man’s estate were in constant contact with the bank, discussing various ways to repay the debt. Liliana however, did not accept a debt for asset swap, nor a sale of the property.

Attending the protest, Akel parliamentary spokesman Giorgos Loukaides said a battle had been won, but not the war.

“The struggle against foreclosures, the main residence especially, continues and must continue so that we can offer a real safety net to all those families that found themselves in dire financial conditions because of the bank crime,” he said.

A 62-year-old man died while trying to help out workers placing metal roofing materials on his three-storey house in Limassol, police said on Thursday.

According police, Kyriacos Charalambous was killed when he lost his balance and fell about 10 metres to the ground.

The incident, police said, took place shortly after 10am in Kato Polemidia.

“Police are investigating an accident,” Limassol CID chief Ioannis Soteriades said.

“A 62-year-old man, who had been placing metal roofing sheets, died, when he lost his balance in circumstances still under investigation and fell from about 10 metres,”

Labour Inspection department officials and a state pathologist were called to the scene, to help ascertain the causes of the accident.

Located in the heart of Limassol’s old town, despite it’s dark exterior, The Noodle House is not difficult to spot – it’s a huge place and the interior lights will definitely make you look twice.

Don’t be intimidated by its modern, classy and chic appearance. The prices are actually affordable and the quantity of the portions are definitely filling.
With an open kitchen, the decor looks mainly western plus a few details that remind you of the Asian nature of this restaurant.

Before getting into the food itself though, the quirky way of ordering stood out. The notion of a menu that resembles a book has been thrown out and has instead been replaced by a sheet of paper with meals easily broken down in groups such as appetizers, wok noodle soups, noodles, specials and sides. It’s not a wide selection of options but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

A customer ticks the boxes of the items they’d like to order and hey presto, hand in your form.

There is also a section of sushi to choose from, a respectable wine list and cocktails at decent prices.

We started off with prawn crackers for appetizers that were served with sauce on the side. They were your typical, run of the mill prawn crackers served in a large white bowl.

Up next came the sushi – we ordered California Rolls and they came on a cute little plate. The texture was perfect and it was absolutely delicious. Our main course was Shanghai beef noodles and Yakitori prawns – a blend of teriyaki and soy sauce. Mouthwatering.

As mentioned before, the food was piping hot but that didn’t stop us from digging in. It felt like there was no end to the quantity of noodles no matter how much I kept eating. The sauce was tasty, the meat well cooked and the noodles were fantastic. What can I say, the perfect blend.

This was my first time trying Yakitori, which was served in sauce with some vegetables and I was thoroughly impressed. The prawns had a great texture to them and the flavours were explosive. Only keep in mind that if you’re hungry, you might want to get a bowl of rice on the side – to share though, the serving is huge.

Staff were extremely warm, polite and friendly – kudos to them because apart from the in house customers they were also taking orders for delivery. The chefs can’t have it easy but it doesn’t show in the quality of the food they serve or in the waiters’ manners. Everyone without fault was attentive, re-filling our water, asking if we needed anything and offering to help with inevitable struggles one might face at a new restaurant – what exactly is this dish? And how does one work this food ordering sheet?

Although we were pretty full something on the dessert menu caught our eye and we couldn’t resist – fried ice cream. Say what? That’s right. This was vanilla ice cream, wrapped in kateifi and cashew nuts and deep fried.

The calories were probably more impressive than the flavours – at least for me – but it was an interesting mix of the warm exterior of the kateifi and the cold ice cream inside. Although a fan of cashews, perhaps they didn’t blend great with the ice cream – a more conventional approach would have been pistachios I guess. But definitely worth trying for the experience.

The portion was large enough to share. There are also other delights to try such as lava cake, mango pudding and a whole page of options.

Overall, a pleasant place suitable for business and casual meeting.

The Noodle House also offers special lunch menus priced at €10 and fasting options in the run up to Easter.
VITAL STATISTICS
SPECIALTY Noodles
WHERE The Noodle House, Ayiou Andreou Street, Limassol
CONTACT 25 820282
PRICE per person between €10 and €25

The owner of a Limassol gentleman’s club has denied that an ambiguously worded sign outside his premises suggests that the women who work there are selling ‘half-price’ sex, and the police have been forced to agree.

Mirage Topless gentlemen’s club is located on the main coastal road in Limassol’s tourist area and has been brandishing a huge poster outside its front doors which reads “Come & See – 10 new beautiful girls & 1 ungly” (sic).

“Happy hour from 9pm-12 midnight. Everything half price. Showtime at midnight with Klito and Kati.”

According to the head of NGO Cyprus Stop Trafficking Androulla Christofidou, this is not the first time this has happened.

“A few years ago, a friend took a picture of a similar poster at Mirage and we sent it to the police chief. The next day the poster was gone, I think it had been ripped up, but after some time a similar one went up.”

Klitos, the owner of Mirage who did not want to share his last name, told the Sunday Mail nothing of the sort had ever happened.

“There’s nothing wrong with this,” he said.

Klitos said only the drinks, the show and the dances were half price during ‘happy hour’.

“Women here don’t sell their body.”

The wording has been cleverly phrased, as even a police spokesman, upon hearing what the poster reads said: “you and me understand there’s something offensive. The words themselves don’t imply something. Happy hour (everything at half price) could mean drinks.”

But Christofidou said the poster clearly implied that “women are sold here.”

According to Josie Christodoulou, a policy coordinator specialising in human trafficking at the Mediterranean Institute of Gender Studies, this advertisement sent a message that “women are for sale and promotes human trafficking”.

Klitos said this was not the case. “All our girls are European. They’re allowed to be here. The times have changed.”

He was referring to Cyprus’ dark history where until as recently as 2014, the island was on the Tier 2 Watch List of the US State Department’s trafficking in persons’ report. The last report in 2016, saw Cyprus bumped up to Tier 1.

“Since the artiste visa was scrapped, 90 out of 108 cabarets that existed in 2012 in Cyprus have shut down,” Christofidou said.

In 2009, the artiste visa which encouraged sex trafficking to the island was scrapped only to be replaced with the title of ‘performing artist’.

“But this doesn’t fix the problem” Christodoulou said.

Currently, the law in Cyprus stipulates that while prostitution is legal, profiting from prostitution is illegal thus targeting pimps.

Therefore if a women engages in prostitution on her own, she does not break any law. But if she has to share her profits with someone, then this is illegal.

According to Christodoulou, the law only punishes the perpetrator if they purchase services from someone they suspect may be a victim of human trafficking.

As this is evidently a grey area and proving whether someone may have believed the woman in prostitution was a victim or not may be difficult, a proposal has been submitted to parliament to make it illegal to buy services from a human trafficking victim – whether the purchaser was aware or suspected the woman’s conditions or not, Christodoulou added.

“I hope this article is going to be a comical one,” said Klitos, before launching into a description of another sign near his club.

“A few years ago someone posted on the internet a picture of a ‘drive through’ sign we have outside, and people found it really funny. They would ask if we had a drive through service.”

He had no qualms about discussing the 20-year history behind his business.

Six years ago, Klitos served a three-year prison sentence after he was found guilty of profiting from prostitution.

“They took me to court 11 times on those charges. The 12th time, they found me guilty and they put me in prison,” said. He insisted the case was a setup and the woman who testified against him had been bribed, but it ripped his family apart.

“I love and respect women. Why should the government impose what a woman can and can’t do with their body? A person has a right to do what they want if it’s their will.”

Finance Minister Harris Georgiades said Cyprus has proven wrong, those who thought the island would never again be an attractive investment destination following the haircut on deposits and the real estate bust four years ago.

Speaking at the presentation of the Limassol Del Mar construction project, Georgiades said the government managed, through reforms in the banking sector, welfare, fiscal management, and tax administration, to restore confidence and conditions of stability, and regain the trust of global markets.

“The presentation of such a large and important development project constitutes yet another confirmation that amid difficulties and challenges, we have managed to create a new prospect for our country,” Georgiades said, according to the emailed transcript of his speech.
Limassol Del Mar is a joint project of the Paphos-based Leptos Group and the Limassol-based D. Zavos Group.

“And I want to warmly congratulate Pantelis Leptos and Michalis Zavos and their associates who have managed through the systematic effort to push this project forward,” the finance minister said.

According to the Del Mar website, the project will be constructed on a 34,000-square metre plot.

“By purchasing a residence at Limassol Del Mar you will have the opportunity to obtain EU citizenship with a Cyprus passport,” the project’s official website says. “Based on the scheme for the naturalisation of investors in Cyprus, citizenship has countless benefits.”

By January 23, the project found buyers for more than 50 per cent of its “phase I,” the website said.

Georgiades said that he would not hesitate to say that thanks to this type of “entrepreneurial efforts” Cyprus has managed to exit the recession and assured that the government remained committed to maintain zero fiscal deficits.

“It was common sense policies that made significant tax relief and incentives possible, such as abolishing property tax, the reduction of transfer fees by 50 per cent, tax breaks on new capital, and of course the abolition of the levy on salaries,” the minister said.