Tag: economy

Bill Clinton in Cyprus

The former president of the USA, Bill Clinton is visiting Cyprus.  Cyprus Mail reports that he will be giving a lecture on the economic crisis:

FORMER president of the United States Bill Clinton will give a lecture on the economic crisis, at European University Cyprus on Saturday.

Clinton is the Honorary Chancellor of Laureate International Universities, which the European University is connected to, and he offers advice on social responsibility, youth leadership and increasing access to higher education.

“President Clinton will share his ideas with our students, faculty, administration, alumni and the community in the (university’s) Cultural Centre at 4pm, in a public address on ‘The Current Global Economic Situation”, the university announced.

Clinton is due to exchange views and ideas with the audience.

The website of European University Cyprus also has some information, as well as the map.

Update (July 22, 2012): If you missed the event, read this Cyprus Mail coverage.  And this.

Update (August 12, 2012): There’s now also a YouTube video (via Economists of Cyprus).

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zkJS_egIYM]

The hardworking Greeks

Now this is actually funny.  According to a recent poll in a number of European countries, asking which countries in EU are most and least hard working, and most and least corrupt, Greeks came out thinking that they are the most hard-working country in the whole of EU.

Yeah, right.

Greek police is available for rent

There are many signs of a country’s economy in trouble, but I think this one is the most obvious one – renting out the services of police officers and their equipment to private citizens.  And that’s exactly what Greece is doing now, according to PolicyMic, which is quoting a Greek newspaper Proto Thema.

As reported by the newspaper Proto Thema, for only 30 euros an hour, Greek citizens could now use police officers as personal bodyguards. For 10 more euros they can get a patrol car and for an amount of 200 and 1500 euros per hour respectively, they can have patrol boats or police helicopters. The minister, nevertheless, warned that the services offered will be limited to legal activities only.

It would be hilarious, if it wasn’t so sad…

Strike cure found by Cyprus government

Air-traffic controllers were striking way too much recently.  Cyprus government took an unusually fast and serious action.  They found a cure.  Cyprus Mail reports:

The government bill, fast-tracked by the executive and the legislature working in rare unison, makes it a criminal offence for any ATC to refuse to work when required, and provides for penalties of up two years in prison and/or a fine of €2,550. The penalties are provided for under an existing law.

Given the economic downfall, unemployment rates, and the dependency of Cyprus on air traffic (being an island and a tourism attraction), I think this is reasonable and much needed.