The Ministry of Communications andWorks is following a policy to promote Open Skies, says Minister Tasos Mitsopoulos, noting that such agreements apply to Cyprus' two airports facilitating an increase in tourist arrivals.

After a delay of two decades, Cyprus will at last start a gradual adoption of the national health scheme half-way next year with its full implementation by 2016, subject to the state of the economy.

Energy consumption has fallen in Cyprus in the period 2006-2012 Cyprus, according to data released recently by Eurostat.

Cyprus' economy has been proved more resilient than expected, says VP of the European Commission Olli Rehn, expressing his confidence that the authorities will continue to ensure that it remains so.

Organizations involved in commercial activities cannot continue to operate as an extension of the state, says the Finance Minister, as parliament starts discussing privatisation legislation that is opposed by unions.

President Anastasiades allocated great political significance to his visit to the Vatican as a proxy to promoting national interests, especially on the resumption of negotiations and confidence-building measures.

Rakuten, Inc., a Japanese e-commerce giant announces that it has acquired Viber Media, a Cyprus-registered popular messaging and VoIP startup, for US$900 million.

Lending to Cypriot households and businesses has frozen and may lead to further liquidity shortages and worsening of macroeconomic conditions, data from the Central Bank suggests.

Outstanding Central Government Debt increased by €3.1 bln in 2013 to reach €18.15 bln from €15.04 bln at the end of 2012, according to provisional figures in the quarterly bulletin of the Public Debt Management Office.

The beginning of a dialogue aimed at strengthening relations and including the expansion of activities by Lebanese banks in the Cyprus market was announced recently by Central Bank Governor and his Lebanese counterpart.