A low-level explosive device damaged the front of a shop in Limassol in the early house of Sunday, police said.

The blast occurred shortly after midnight outside the premises, which was undergoing refurbishment.

It caused minor damage to the facade of the shop, police said. Investigations are continuing.</s>UK media reports about ‘terrified Britons’ ready to ‘flee Cyprus’ in the run-up and immediate aftermath of air strikes on Syrian government targets from the RAF base at Akrotiri early Saturday were described as scaremongering by officials on Monday.

British tabloids spoke to a number of potential holidaymakers and people who have relatives living in Cyprus who appeared to fear Russian retaliation against the bases over the airstrikes.

UK Prime Minister Theresa May had called President Nicos Anastasiades on Saturday, hours after the strikes to brief him on the military action in Syria and to reassure him that there was no question of any danger to Cyprus.

Cyprus has been seeing record tourism arrivals over the past three years and is looking forward to another bumper year in 2018. The UK is Cyprus’ biggest source of the three million tourist arrivals last year, followed by Russia.

Authorities and British residents themselves in Cyprus were at pains to stress on Monday that there would be no impact from the limited strikes and that it was a one-off message to the Syrian government on its alleged use of chemical weapons.

Neither the UK nor the US has changed their travel advisories for Cyprus this month. The UK advisory was last updated in March and remains current as of Monday. The US advisory is a year old.

A British High Commission spokesperson told the Cyprus Mail: “The fact of the matter is we have not changed our travel advice for Cyprus and have no plans to do so. The tone of the articles in the British press is not right. It’s scaremongering.”

British bases spokesman Sean Tully said they had seen no evidence of British residents or tourists wanting to flee Cyprus. “It’s very safe to come to Cyprus. The PM [May] stated her case clearly at the weekend. We stand by the PM’s comments. Cyprus is a very safe place,” he added.

Local tourism authorities said the same on Monday. Cyprus Tourism Organisation (CTO) acting director general Marinos Menelaou told the Cyprus Mail there had been no cancellations and no flight delays due to the airstrikes.

“We keep monitoring the situation. We have a PR firm in London monitoring the [UK] tabloids. We’re on top of the situation,” he said.

In a written announcement later, the CTO referred to official statements, from the government, the foreign ministry and civil aviation authorities as the situation unfolded last week culminating in the military action.

“Cyprus remains the safe holiday destination it has always been,” the announcement said.

“The number of enquiries has been minimal. It comes as no surprise that the UK, foreign office has not issued any advice about travel to Cyprus. In fact, one popular UK tabloid referred to Cyprus as being the 36th safest country in the world, according to the World Economic Forum (WEF),” it added.

The director general of the Cyprus Hotels Association (Pasyxe) Zacharias Ioannides told the Cyprus Mail there was no reason to worry. “Our planning remains unchanged and we are eager to get back to work as normal with UK tourists. The British prime minster said it herself. We don’t have any indications whatsoever of cancellations and booking are not affected.

Ioannides said there had been a slowdown in bookings in the run up to the air strikes but that was a global phenomenon “not just Cyprus” and was related to concerns over a wider third world war. “It was a normal reaction for people to ‘wait and see’,” he added.</s>Results from the Cyprus football championship on Saturday:</s>AKROTIRI, Cyprus (Reuters) - Cyprus distanced itself on Saturday from Britain’s air strikes on Syrian targets, saying it had no prior briefing or involvement in the action launched from a British sovereign air base on the Mediterranean island.

Four Royal Air Force Tornado jets from the Akrotiri base in Cyprus fired Storm Shadow missiles at a military facility near Homs where it was assessed that Syria had stockpiled chemicals, Britain’s Ministry of Defense said.

“Cyprus did not have any participation in this operation and conditions of full security exist in our country,” Cypriot government spokesman Prodromos Prodromou said in a statement.

“The Authorities of the Republic of Cyprus have been monitoring the situation from the first moment, however, Cyprus did not receive any prior briefing,” he said.

Neither the airspace of Cyprus, or its flight information region - a huge swathe of eastern Mediterranean airspace - was used, he said.

“We hope that it will subsequently be possible for military operations to be avoided in Syria and that sources of danger in this neighboring country will be addressed with peaceful means and through dialogue.”

Britain retains two sovereign bases in Cyprus, a colony until independence in 1960. There are about 3,100 British troops on the island.</s>The government of Cyprus is facing strong criticism after use an RAF base on the island in US-led airstrikes against Syria, with protestors demonstrating outside the facility before a “mass anti-war” rally in Nicosia.



More than 350 people gathered on Sunday in Akrotiri, south-west Cyprus, to call for the airbase to be closed. Some sprayed “Nato killers go home” in red paint on a wall outside the enclave’s entrance.

Shortly after the airstrikes, the Nicos Anastasaides administration was forced on the defensive.

“We do not want Cyprus to be involved in any military operation and that includes using the British bases as a lunching pad for strikes against Syria,” Stefanos Stefanou, a spokesman of the main opposition Akel party, told the Guardian. “In our view the bases are an anachronism and their role should be raised with the British government.”

Four Tornadoes took off at 3am local time on Saturday with eight storm shadow missiles for a strike against a chemical weapons factory west of Homs. RAF Akrotiri is Britain’s main forward mounting base for overseas operations in the Middle East and has been used frequently to carry out airstrikes on Islamic State targets in Syria and Iraq.

The facility is part of the 99-sq-mile area retained by Britain in 1960 when Cyprus became independent. Eight Typhoons and six Tornados are stationed there.

Sunday’s demonstration came after staunch criticism over Britain’s failure to give Cyprus advance warning about the strikes. Theresa May called Anastasiades several hours after the operation to inform him. “The [Cypriot] government should have acted pre-emptively so that the base wasn’t used,” Stefanou said.

Despite occasional outbursts of anti-British sentiment over the facilities, the UK enjoys what has been described as “excellent cooperation with the Republic of Cyprus”. Prodromos Prodromou, the Cypriot government spokesman, said that while Nicosia had not been forewarned, May had reassured Anastasiades that the Cyprus would not be endangered by what she described as “limited use of the bases”.

Speaking before the strikes, Prodromou said London was not obliged to inform Nicosia.

“What the British authorities decide to do on the sovereign bases is not within the control of the Republic of Cyprus,” he said. “They are not obliged to give information to us. We have no say in what goes on in them, although unofficially, as a matter of courtesy, lets say, they will often inform us.”

Given Cyprus’s traditionally strong ties with Russia – about 40,000 Russians live in Limassol, the nearest seaside town to Akrotiri – analysts said it would have been nonsensical to let Nicosia know in detail about strikes targeted at a regime whose closest ally is Moscow.

Opposition over the bases is expected to mount when an anti-war rally is staged outside the US embassy. Appealing to all “peace loving residents” to join Monday’s protest in Nicosia, the Cyprus peace council, an NGO with strong links to Akel, also demanded that the bases be dismantled. The strikes have spawned fears of Russian retaliation. The Russians hold key positions in Syria, which is just 70 miles from the airbase.

In the sleepy village of Akrotiri up the road from the base, locals said security fears were a common concern. “Everyone worries, especially those with children, that there could be some kind of punishment,” said Bambos Charalambos, 44, a public works employee. “They just prefer to keep quiet because most in Akrotiri work at the base, and in some way, are dependent on it.”

Local residents recall a Tornado losing two missiles midair in July 2015 as it prepared to land. “Lucky for us the missiles didn’t explode,” said Charalambos. “It was really frightening. Russia could react one day and miss the base and target us instead.”</s>Cyprus distanced itself on Saturday from Britain’s air strikes on Syrian targets, saying it had no prior briefing or involvement in the action launched from the British base at Akrotiri.

Four Royal Air Force Tornado jets from the Akrotiri base in Cyprus fired Storm Shadow missiles at a military facility near Homs where it was assessed that Syria had stockpiled chemicals, Britain’s ministry of defence said.

“Cyprus did not have any participation in this operation and conditions of full security exist in our country,” government spokesman Prodromos Prodromou said in a statement.

“The authorities of the Republic of Cyprus have been monitoring the situation from the first moment, however, Cyprus did not receive any prior briefing,” he said.

Neither the airspace of Cyprus, or its flight information region (FIR) – a huge swathe of eastern Mediterranean airspace – was used, he said.

Cyprus essentially has no say in the British bases being used for military operations in the area but authorities are usually informed whenever missions will be undertaken.

The air strikes did not affect any flight schedules to and from Cyprus, said the spokesman of Hermes airports, Adamos Aspris.

Aspris said on Saturday morning that the flight schedules of both the Larnaca and Paphos airports were running smoothly.

“There are no cancellations or flight delays,” he said.

The Civil Aviation department also reiterated that the air strikes had not affected “the safe and smooth air traffic management” of the Nicosia FIR.

“The situation in the Nicosia FIR was completely controlled during (the Syria) operations and service provision continued smoothly and as normal and no incidents were observed,” it said.

The transport ministry, it said, was in constant contact with both European organisations and the competent authorities of neighbouring states.

Prodromou said earlier in the week that Nicosia had received no requests by other countries to provide facilities for military operations against the Syrian regime.

On the possible use of the British bases in Cyprus, Prodromou had said that the status of the bases “is known”.

But main opposition, Communist Akel, was highly critical of the government which it said had allowed Cyprus, “a victim of similar machinations”, to be used as a base for such attacks.

The administration of Nicos Anastasiades was not entitled to involve Cyprus in any way “in the crime against the people of Syria”.

The party said it was not legitimate for the UK government to use the British bases and the airspace of the Republic of Cyprus for any military operations against neighbouring states and peoples.

It described the air strikes on targets in Syria as illegal and a “violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria”.

Akel called for a mass anti-war rally on Monday outside the US embassy in Nicosia organised by the Cyprus Peace Council to protest over the strikes.

Justice Minister, Ionas Nicolaou, said on Saturday that police for precautionary reasons have stepped up security measures in places “relating to countries involved in the Syria crisis”.

He gave reassurances that Cyprus faces no risks.

Nicolaou said that patrols had intensified around these places on Friday and additional measures were taken following the air strikes. This concerns embassies, schools, companies, residences and other areas concerning interests of the countries involved, such as the US, Russia, the UK, France and Israel, he said.

“What we are basically seeking through these measures is to protect the interests of these countries, which may be at risk from the acts of some people who are in Cyprus,” Nicolaou said.

He stressed there was no information of an external threat and no danger from such a thing.</s>AKROTIRI, Cyprus – Despite widespread reports that a United Kingdom military base on the island would be a launching spot for airstrikes on Syria for using chemical weapons, the Cypriot government said it knew nothing.

Four Royal Air Force Tornado jets from the Akrotiri base in Cyprus fired Storm Shadow missiles at a military facility near Homs where it was assessed that Syria had stockpiled chemicals, Britain’s Ministry of Defense said. “Cyprus did not have any participation in this operation and conditions of full security exist in our country,” Cypriot government spokesman Prodromos Prodromou said in a statement, the news agency Reuters said.

That came three days after Kathimerini said Tornado bombers at RAF Akrotiri were on standby and ready to strike against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, just days after a US missile destroyer left Larnaca port.

A lot of activity was taking place at Britain’s Tornado base in Cyprus, according to the British press but apparently the Cypriot government didn’t know, given the response from President Nicos Anastasiades’ government.

“The Authorities of the Republic of Cyprus have been monitoring the situation from the first moment, however, Cyprus did not receive any prior briefing,” Prodromou said. Neither the airspace of Cyprus, or its flight information region – a huge swathe of eastern Mediterranean airspace – was used, he said without explaining where the jets flew when they took off from the island.

“We hope that it will subsequently be possible for military operations to be avoided in Syria and that sources of danger in this neighboring country will be addressed with peaceful means and through dialogue,” he said even though that path has failed utterly. Britain retains two sovereign bases in Cyprus, a colony until independence in 1960. There are about 3,100 British troops on the island.</s>The impressive turnaround in the relations between Turkey and Russia between November 2015, when Turkey brought down a Russian warplane on the basis that it violated Turkish airspace for a period of 17 seconds, and their present almost fraternal relationship clearly reaffirms the rule that nations shape their foreign policies based exclusively on self-interest.

That relationship extends well beyond the political sphere and includes long-term economic and military links, such as the construction and maintenance of the nuclear power plant, which the Russians are building near the southern town of Mersin, and the supply of the Russian S-400 surface-to-air missile systems, scheduled for delivery in July 2019.

It is already readily apparent that Russia is seeking to redefine the political equilibrium prevailing in the “Near East”, compared to what was so far accepted as representing the agreement reached amongst the great powers many years ago. To a certain degree, this objective has already been attained with the dominant presence of Russia and Turkey in Syria, despite their initially conflicting positions concerning the Assad regime.

These developments underline the volatility of the political conditions prevailing in the wider area surrounding Cyprus. For a small country such as Cyprus, this volatility gives rise to difficult dilemmas for its leadership.

Under these circumstances, the doctrine founded on the belief that retaining Cyprus’ neutrality and detachment would help attain “the best of all worlds” is a fallacy, likely to result in a lose-lose situation. The nightmarish scenario of Cyprus becoming an extension of Syria (with an equivalent carnage of victims, refugees and levelled towns and villages) is looming in the air.

The available space for manoeuvring is limited and tight. To cope with the difficulties that will be encountered, it may prove necessary to treat the issue of hydrocarbon explorations as a matter of secondary importance. Giving top priority to the urgent need to resolve the Cyprus problem is the obvious thing to do. The emphasis should be placed on cutting the umbilical cord linking Cyprus to Turkey and Greece, the withdrawal of the bulk of the Turkish troops currently stationed on the island and the attainment of a climate of cooperation and mutual trust between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots.

To achieve this goal without further ado, the two Cypriot leaders need to restore the climate of understanding and cooperation between them, while isolating the incoherent, extremist elements, which unquestionably exist within the two communities.

At their forthcoming meeting on Monday, the two leaders will have to demonstrate that they do in fact posses leadership skills and have the vision and generosity that make real leaders stand out from the crowd. In this process, they may find it helpful to remind themselves that reaching a “just” solution on paper is of lesser practical importance than implementing the solution agreed upon in a fair and equitable manner. This is, indeed, what went seriously wrong in 1962 when it was felt appropriate to attempt to change the agreement reached in 1959 and implemented in 1960, while the ink used to reduce the agreement of establishing the Republic of Cyprus in writing had hardly dried.

I do not wish to be a prophet of doom. But, if the Greek and Turkish Cypriots fail to reach a mutually acceptable understanding on the way forward, the smoke, the dust and the war clouds currently covering Syria could easily move westwards over the island of Cyprus. This is what Anastassiades and Akıncı should focus on at their upcoming “social” encounter.

Christos Panayiotides is a regular columnist writing in the Cyprus Mail and Alithia</s>RENTS in Limassol have gone up by around 25 per cent in under two years, way higher than other cities in Cyprus and leaving ordinary Limassolians increasingly priced out of the market.

According to real estate consultant Antonis Loizou, an average two bedroom flat two years ago cost €400 a month. By 2017, it was averaging €460. It is now €500.

“If we’re talking about flats near the coast – add another 30 per cent to these prices,” he told the Sunday Mail.

A post on a Facebook group from someone looking for a decent flat for €300 near the beach drew a series of exasperated ‘good luck’ comments and pictures of someone looking far into the distance with binoculars.

Online searches show rents at staggering figures – anywhere between €1,000 and €2,500 for a two-bedroom apartment.

Contrary to other cities which attract foreigners, Limassol is an upmarket destination, Loizou added.

“It isn’t like Protaras which has people visiting only for the summer,” Limassol is attracting people for more than just entertainment but work.

“New hotels are being built, the casino is going to be there, cruises are arriving at the port – all these investments bring money,” Loizou said.

Also home to shipping companies, forex companies and international banks Limassol has attracted foreign nationals with a lot more cash in their pocket whose demand for a place to stay is bringing up prices, clashing with those on average Cypriot wages.

“A German for example working in the shipping industry in Cyprus, doesn’t get a salary of €1,500. He gets anywhere between €2,000 – €3,000 reflecting the income he would have in Germany. He therefore can afford to pay more rent.”

This pushes prices up, pricing out those on an average Cypriot salary.

The university in Limassol, Tepak, coupled with other commercial activities have all contributed to the increasing demand.

According to Loizou, a two bedroom flat in Engomi, near the University of Nicosia costs around €600. Near Tepak, however, the average rent for a similar flat is about €750.

Limassol has also become a major magnet for those taking advantage of the citizenship-for-investment scheme. This has had a knock-on effect on the rental market even though the main focus is property sales.

“The passport scheme has 100 per cent contributed to the increased demand,” said Loizou.

The investment needed for citizenship in Cyprus is for €2 million if the investment is made solely in residential real estate, at least a quarter of which must be spent on a residence for life. If not, the threshold is €2.5 million, at least €500,000 of which must be spent on a permanent residence.

A lot of this money stays in Limassol, Loizou said.

“The developer will make profit, the construction company, the land owner, the builder,” they then have more purchasing power.

Chairman of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Thomas Dimopoulos put forward another reason for the increase in rents in general: the difficulty of obtaining loans to purchase a house.

“Although the situation has greatly improved lately (particularly after the 2013 crisis), criteria for loans are quite strict and restrict many (potential) property buyers,” he told the Sunday Mail.

“Those without capital, cannot buy property. Demand for rentals increases and rent prices go up.” This is also seen in figures that show between 2007 and 2017, 80 per cent of residential purchases were apartments and 20 per cent were houses.

“The majority of developments in Limassol have historically been apartments blocks, while the new developments are also high-rise apartment buildings who take advantage of the building coefficient incentives.”

Chairman of the Cyprus Scientific and Technical Chamber (Etek), Stelios Ahniotis, said the effects this is having on society are becoming increasingly visible.

“Before, we used to see our youth wanting their independence, moving out and living together when they were in a relationship,” he said.

“Now, they’re starting to move back in with their parents,” living with one or the other’s in-laws.

Christos Antoniou, 26, began renting his own flat a year ago. He was lucky to find one at a great location – near the ‘five road’ area – at €300 for one bedroom. It is very old and he had to pay to buy some furniture, but he was happy with the independence it offered him.

However his contract is coming to an end and his landlord recently approached him to tell him he wants an extra €50.

“I don’t know what I’m going to do. I really can’t afford this. I make €800 with my job so I’d have to pay €350 for rent plus all the other expenses – electricity, water, food, insurance and petrol. How do I have a life after this?”

Although €50 might not sound like much, on his income, it matters.

Though not much of a spender, he enjoyed having the ability to maintain a normal social life and pay his monthly gym membership. It seems impossible to him however to maintain all of that and have his independence.

The idea of moving back in with his parents, however, as he approaches his 30s and is in a long-term relationship, isn’t appealing.

“Cypriots are becoming accustomed to things that were a norm abroad but were looked down on here years ago,” Ahniotis said.

For instance, it was unheard of a decade ago to have a family with two children live in an apartment.

One cleaner, who lives in Asomatos near Trachoni village – an expensive location because of its proximity to the mall – says she pays €680 per month for a one-bedroom apartment. She makes €800 per month.

“I make just enough to get by. No more, no less.”

Those who are struggling to afford to rent in Limassol proper are being forced to move further towards the west in areas such as Ypsonas, Polemidia and Kolossi or to the eastern part of the city, according to Dimopoulos.

“This is increasing the suburbanisation effect,” he said, referring to how populations shift from central urban areas to suburbs.

Moving further out of the centre, however, likely means extra spending on travelling expenses.

Exasperated and frustrated, some are finding solace in humour. A post on Facebook of a decrepit barn-type house, comes with the caption: “house for rent in Limassol. Only €1,780.”
An improvised explosive device damages a shopfront in Limassol, Cyprus.