Daily Press Review - 2/9/2019

NBG to sell NPL portfolio worth €400m to APS

Phileleftheros reports that the National Bank of Greece is very close to selling its entire NPL portfolio in Cyprus. The bank’s management, announced further NPL sales along with its semester results. This includes a €400m portfolio in Cyprus, with business and retails loans. The deal is expected to be finalised within the last quarter of the year. At the same time, the Group will sell a) a shipping portfolio worth €300m (8 loans by shipping brands) within Q3 2019, (b) a collateralised NPL portfolio worth €900m by SMEs and small businesses in Q4, c) an NPL portfolio worth €200m in Romania with real estate collaterals, within Q4 2019. According to the paper’s sources, the Czech servicer APS, will buy the portfolio. A few months ago, it was announced that APS acquired loans from Bank of Cyprus, of a total worth €34m. Essentially, APS will acquire NBG’s NPLs in Cyprus, which have for a few months now been transferred to a separate company, which is part of the Group and registered in Cyprus (CAC Coral Limited). The article notes that the APS is managing Hellenic Bank’s NPLs, through a consortium with the latter, while it has also purchased loans in the Greek market.



Barometer

Politis reports on AKEL’s statement about the closure of HB’s branch in Pelendri: “We express our deep sadness, as well as despair, about Hellenic Bank’s decision to close down another one of its branches, in Pelendri”. The author comments on the statement, asking whether the new Co-op movement is underway or not.



AKEL: “Hellenic Bank’s branch in Pelendri must stay open”

Haravgi reports that Hellenic Bank’s decision to close down the bank’s branch in Pelendri on 6 September without previously informing the public, has caused the despair of the local authorities, residents in other affected communities as well as various organisations. Specifically, AKEL’s District Committee in Limassol discussed the matter expressing its sadness and despair about this behaviour, saying it has decided to collaborate with the local authorities and the communities, by communicating with the government and Hellenic Bank, with a view to cancel the decision. The Secretary of AKEL’s Committee in Limassol said that if they don’t manage to achieve this result, all the stakeholders will support every action and mobilisation in Pelendri that will take place in the coming period, in coordination with the community itself. He added that the Cypriot society and especially the rural areas, suffer from the catastrophic consequences of a criminal deal – a gift from the state to Hellenic Bank. AKEL calls on the government to find ways and means to support people living in rural regions.



BoC one of Europe’s best digital banks

Haravgi reports that the renowned magazine Global Finance has listed Bank of Cyprus as one of the best digital banks in Western Europe for 2018. Commenting on this development, the Bank said in an announcement that this international recognition reconfirms that the Bank’s continuous efforts and investments for digital transformation have bared fruit. The magazine announced the first set of winners for the World’s Best Digital Banks Awards for 2019, listing the Bank of Cyprus as the winner in Cyprus. The awards honour credit institutions for their achievements in digital banking. The winners were chosen among many candidates that were evaluated by judges from Infosys, a global leader in consulting, technology and outsourcing solutions. Winners were selected based on strength of strategy for attracting and servicing online customers, success in getting clients to use digital offerings, growth of online customer base, breadth of products offered, evidence of tangible benefits gained from digital initiatives, and web site design and functionality.

 

Liquidation for Laiki?

Phileleftheros’ comments on leaked information that Laiki Bank is heading to liquidation, saying that this means that the lawsuits against MIG’s Vgenopoulos have been abandoned. The author asks, why did they spend millions in legal fees to prepare the lawsuits. Moreover, the author reports that up until now, no one has dared sign the financial results for 2011-2013. As such, the author wonders how will the country’s biggest bank be liquidated if its statements aren’t signed.



Unemployment in Cyprus further declines to 7.0% in July 2019 

Unemployment in Cyprus further declined to 7.0% ( 6.5% for men and 7.5% for women, or 31 000 individuals) in July 2019, down from 7.2% (32 000 individuals) in June 2019 and 8.3% (36 000 individuals) in July 2018, according to Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.



Central Bank working on foreclosures

It may be that the House found a compromise on the foreclosures legislation, but the Central Bank is already working on an alternative proposal, a monitoring tool for debt restructuring schemes. The head of the Central Bank Constantinos Herodotou had reassured the House Finance Committee that they would present an alternative solution for a monitoring tool, that will comply with the regulations of the SSM and the ECB, while at the same time serve to the aspirations of the MPs. To that end, the Central Bank put forward an express procedure in order to hire consultants, that will examine all the sides of the issue so that they are able to present a solution that doesn’t face legal issues in October, finding a tool that works and is in accordance with ECB and SSM obligations.



Audit Office completes inquiry on late tax returns by officials

The Auditor-General, Odysseas Michaelides found that there are dozens of cases of current and former high-ranking officials, who submitted their tax returns late, as well as a few cases of officials that didn’t submit tax returns for specific years. Michaelides completed his investigation with regards to the compliance of specific officials as it comes to tax returns. His findings will be handed to the Parliament within the coming days, along with their names. The Audit Office of the Republic investigated a total 154 current and former officials. The investigation focused on whether the officials in question were submitting their tax returns on time, and whether the Tax Department imposed penalties when their submission was overdue.

 

172 thousand persons haven’t paid their taxes

Almost 172 thousand taxable persons haven’t fulfilled their obligations to the Tax Department and as a result, they owe a total €2.53b in the first quarter of 2019 (January-March). The average overdue amount for each taxpayer stands at €14.5 thousand. According to the Tax Department, 142.710 taxable persons owe €1.94b in direct taxes and 29.132 natural and legal persons owe €582.4m in VAT. According to the analysis of the Tax Department, overdue taxes recorded a €190m increase compared with last year. On the other hand, overdue taxes recorded a slight decrease when compared to the last quarter of 2018 (October-December). According to the quarterly progress report of the Tax Department on the status of the amounts due, persons with a total €1.62b of overdue taxes have difficulties paying them.



Estia scheme comes into force tomorrow

Following month-long deliberations, the Estia scheme is entering into force tomorrow. The scheme aims to protect the primary homes of borrowers with red loans. The submission of applications start tomorrow and will last until 15 November. 10 thousand borrowers are expected to participate in the Scheme. The Ministry of Finance estimates that the gross value of the loans that will be incorporated in the Estia scheme will amount to €3.4b, while it is estimated that the scheme will cost €815m for the state over the scheme’s 25-year life-cycle (€33m per year). The Bank of Cyprus estimates that 4 thousand of its clients, with 10 thousand NPLs worth €840m can participate in ESTIA. At KEDIPES, the clients meeting the requirements of ESTIA are about 7.300 and they have €1.3b worth of loans. Hellenic Bank has sent out around 1.050 letters to its clients, for loans worth around €250m.



The banks are starting anew

Phileleftheros reports that Cyprus’ two biggest banks are embarking on a new start. The Bank of Cyprus has a new Chairman and CEO, while Hellenic Bank elected a new Board of Directors, after lengthy deliberations. Both of them, each one for their own reasons, will face many challenges ahead, the article argues. Apart from the well-known issues, such as “red loans”, the strategic defaulters and their weak profitability, they have to face long-standing issues such as their high operational and maintenance costs, their anachronistic structure and in general, their inconsistent culture. Indeed, the Banks, although we went through a lot throughout the financial crisis, they didn’t pay enough attention to their own firms. Due to the fact that they came under increased pressure to chase down their borrowers, they only focused on that, and didn’t try to figure out how they could reduce their expenses, how they could become more effective and efficient, how they could take advantage of new technologies and mainly how they could become more flexible and useful for their clients. The author also argues that they even lagged behind in terms of new schemes and programmes, whereas they had been pioneers in similar schemes in the past. The author argues that if they had promoted the right solutions on time, they would have been able to more effectively tackle their NPL issues. Unfortunately, they are forced to begin all over again. The new management teams have to solve their internal problems, and then handle the new challenges that emerge caused by eitehr internal or external factors. What matters is that the new management teams renew their structure and way of operation. They should reduce their operational and maintenance costs and effectively handle all current issues. They should correct the mistakes of the past, prepare for new challenges because the economy will continue engendering needs. If they don’t manage to move towards this direction, they will be caught in a vicious cycle and unfortunately if the banks are wounded, the economy will not be able to function. The banks’ role and mission are important and this is why new management teams should restart with increased chances for success.



Return to normalcy contingent on NPL sales

Politis reports that the two biggest banks of the country, BoC and Hellenic Bank (now both led by Cypriots), are called to turn a page and return to full normalcy. The issue is how they can go about this. After the election of a new BoD at Hellenic Bank, as well as the official appointment of Panikos Nikoalou as the new CEO of BoC, they have to end their NPL problem. Maintaining strong economic growth, will definitely help in the repayment of loans. The same goes for debt restructurings and debt-to-asset schemes implemented by the banks. The implementation of the Estia Scheme as of tomorrow, will help restructure loans worth €3b, as the government initially estimated. The reality is however that the banks can achieve their ambitious goals (single-digit NPL rates) solely by selling loan portfolios. Both banks are well aware of this. As it has been leaked to the press, the Bank of Cyprus will implement a Helix 2, as the group aims to get rid of NPLs. The question is the cost of this move. In August 2018, the group announced it would sell off a €2.8b loan portfolio, known as Helix. This sale was accompanied by the issuance of a €220m-bond that boosted the group’s capital base. Helix 2 may also need a similar reinforcement. The shareholders may even receive dividends in 2021, for the first time in a decade. Hellenic Bank is also obliged to examine a loans sale, according to its CEO, Ioannis Matsis. Hellenic was the first bank to proceed with a loan sale in Cyprus in January 2018 to B2Kapital Cyprus. The portfolio that was sold off stood at €145m. The bank is now discussing selling off a much larger NPLs package, and this could affect the bank’s capital base. In his speech, Matsis gave reassurances, stressing that the strong capital base of the group offers “more flexibility and choices so as to further reduce NPLs”. The author argues that reducing NPLs to a single-digit number, will mark the return of the two banks to full normalcy as the Bank of Cyprus and Hellenic Bank will finally be able to pay dividends to their shareholders. It’s possible that shareholders will receive dividends in 2021, for the first time in a decade.



EU campaign raises awareness on consumer rights relating to bank accounts

DG Just (The Commission's Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers is responsible for EU policy on justice, consumer rights and gender equality) continues implementing the ‘YOUR RIGHT’ (#YourEUright) awareness campaign to inform consumers of their bank account rights. With harmonised legislation in all member states, the EU aims at providing consumers with clear policies and directives, which promote transparency, so that they can make informed decisions and defend their rights. The ‘YOUR RIGHT’ (#YourEUright) campaign reminds consumers that they have the right to easily switch banks as well as the right to have access to the banking fees that apply. More specifically, before opening an account, the bank should provide the consumer with a “fee information document” showing the fees related to most common services. In addition, the bank should present every customer with a “statement of fees”, at least annually, displaying all expenses incurred as well as the information regarding the interest rates linked to an opened account. The 2014/92/ΕU Directive guarantees that the banks communicate their fees using a standardised terminology. This way consumers can evaluate their options, compare the different deals and therefore make informed decisions based on their needs. Consumers in Cyprus can use the ‘fees comparison tool’, displaying the fees and interest rates of different banks, which is available on the Ministry of Finance website.



REMU sells €1b-worth of properties with profit

BoC’s Real Estate Management Unit (REMU) managed to sell €1b-worth of properties, in only three and a half years, aiming to rejuvenate investment in the real estate sector and attract FDI. Over the first six months of 2019, the bank sold €92m-worth of properties, compared with €126m in the first six months of 2018. The bank made a profit of €17m. Furthermore, they completed SPAs worth a total contract value amounting to €110m (258 properties), not including Cyreit’s sale. Moreover, the bank signed SPAs for properties, with a €89m contract value. In the same period, REMU took up properties worth €126m, through debt-to-asset swaps. At the moment, REMU manages the following properties: Residential Properties: 194.167 in Cyprus and 27 in Greece; Offices and other commercial properties 283.33 in Cyprus, 40 in Greece and 10 in Romania; Industrial properties: 116.79 in Cyprus, 37 in Greece; Hotels: 26 in Cyprus; Plots and fields: 927.917 in Cyprus, 7 in Greece και 3 in Romania; properties under construction: 2 in Cyprus.



Bank of Cyprus enters a new era

It’s the start of a new era for Bank of Cyprus today, as the new CEO of the bank, Panicos Nicolaou has officially assumed duties. The appointment of Mr Nicolaou in the position of CEO and executive member of the Board, was approved by the ECB on 26 August 2019. This appointment is also valid for the Board of BoC Holdings. The CEO of the bank has assumed duties, expressing enthusiasm for the opportunity that was given to him, while at the same time saying that he is grateful for the heritage of the departing CEO of the Group John Hourican. On his part, Hourican looks back on his time at the bank, saying he is proud for the bank’s progress over the past five years.



Bank lending to eurozone firms steady in July

Bank lending to businesses in the Eurozone remained steady in July, but lending to households accelerated, according to the European Central Bank. Lending to non-financial corporates in the Eurozone grew by 3.9% in July, unchanged from June. Lending to eurozone households accelerated to an annual rate of 3.4% in July compared with 3.3% in June, the ECB stressed. Economists consider bank-lending data as a key indicator of economic healthy as the eurozone’s economy is dependent on funding. The European Central Bank has indicated recently that it was considering a stimulus package in September, which could include a cut to the deposit rate, currently at minus 0.40%, and possibly also to restart the bond-buying program to support the eurozone economy facing external threats like trade tensions and Brexit





Government focuses on inconsistent borrowers instead of the consistent ones

Phileleftheros’ author reports on the entry into force of the Estia scheme, which will contribute in protecting the borrowers’ primary residences. Applications start being accepted tomorrow, while the procedure will be completed on 15 November. Through the scheme, the government will write-off 1/3 of the borrower’s debt, while it will pay 1/3 of the instalment. The author argues that the scheme underestimates our intelligence, since it is especially unfair for consistent borrowers. Recently, a reader contacted the paper asking whether paying their loan, while being substantially financially challenged for all these years, was the right move. The reader wondered whether he should also stop paying his instalments, with the hope that the government will issue another Estia. The author argues that Estia has set a precedent. She argues that the consistent borrowers, who kept the banks going during the financial crisis, must now be rewarded. The banks should impose different and lower charges for consistent borrowers.



First day for ESTIA with 1.200 applications

As above, Haravgi reports that applications have opened today for the Estia Scheme. It is expected that 15.000 applications will be submitted, while no more than 10.000 will be selected. The article reports that Bank of Cyprus and Hellenic Bank have already prepared 1.200 applications. The article reports that the majority of loans that will be incorporated in the scheme concern borrowers of Bank of Cyprus, Hellenic Bank and KEDIPES. Specifically, KEDIPES has identified 7.300 potential beneficiaries with loans amounting to €1.3b, the Bank of Cyprus has identified 4.000 potential beneficiaries with loans amounting to €850m and Hellenic Bank has identified 1.200 potential beneficiaries with loans amounting to €298m. According to the paper’s sources, Bank of Cyprus has prepared around 700 applications, while Hellenic Bank has prepared around 500 applications. The loans that will be incorporated in the scheme will be restructured on the basis of a standard formula, which will include among others, a reduction of the interest rate to 2.5% and an extension of the repayment period up to 25 years.



New “lifting” for Cyprus passport scheme

The government has proceeded to reform its investment programme, due to increased criticisms from international organisations that the country is involved in money laundering. The new decision of the Cabinet, which was published in the Government Gazette on Friday, 30 August and has to do with the exclusion of 11 categories of people that are considered to be “high-risk”.



KEVE promotes Cyprus in Shanghai

KEVE has announced three seminars in the coming period, with a view to promote Cyprus abroad as well as train entrepreneurs. The Cyprus-China Business Association, in coordination with the Ministry of Labour, Commerce and Industry, are organising a trip to Shanghai between 12-16 October. A seminar under the name “One Country, One Seminar: An Amazing Business Destination; The Future”. The meetings will focus on the fields of investments, banking, citizenship, professional services and in general will promote Cyprus as an International Service Centre. At the same time, the Ambassador of Israel in Cyprus will present three new seminars on Innovation and Entrepreneurship in 2019. These seminars have been designed for participants from Greece and Cyprus.



When will we get an ESTIA scheme for vulnerable borrowers?  

According to the estimates of the Ministry of Labour, around 15.000 borrowers will apply for ESTIA. However, only around 10.000 will be selected. This means that one in three applications will be rejected, mainly because the borrowers will be found to be non-viable for debt restructuring. It should be noted that the government, due to pressure from the opposition, has promised to prepare a second scheme for the vulnerable borrowers who will not be included in ESTIA. However, up until today, the government hasn’t presented anything yet. It should be noted that ESTIA, was approved by the European Commission on December 2018, but it took 9 months for it to be implemented. What remains to be seen is when will the government prepare an ESTIA scheme for vulnerable borrowers, and what will happen until this is implemented.



September a definitive month for 2020

September will be a key month for the tourism sector. Many decisions are expected to be made regarding 2020, with the newspaper describing the month as a landmark for Cyprus tourism. Almost a year after the Deputy Ministry of Tourism was established, a number of future actions on all levels are being streamlined. Deputy Minister Savvas Perdios will be going on a number of trips abroad this autumn, for contacts and to participate in various foreign expos. Furthermore, Hermes Airports is expected to announce its new flight schedule in September, which will indicate whether contracts that have taken place with tour operators have been a success. Also, in September, the ministries will submit their views so that the National Plan for tourism can be finalised and actions can start being implemented. The deputy ministry is expecting to have all the responses within the next few days. As regards reinforcing cruise tourism, the deputy ministry aims to provide touristic information to service all cruise ships and sponsor welcoming events for passengers at the ports. Furthermore, it will cooperate with DP World Limassol and the Cyprus Ports Authority (promotional material, participation in specialised expos etc.), while it will also collaborate with foreign tour operators who run cruises to Cyprus. It will also host journalists, cruise ship representatives etc., while it will hold contracts with international cruise companies (European and American) with the aim of them incorporating Cyprus in their schedules.



Limassol: Alternative transportation method

Limassol municipality has carried out a sustainability study into the possibility of setting up sea taxis and buses in the town; and it appears at first view that the project is viable. The study’s findings are expected to be discussed by the Municipal Council soon, and once approved (which is considered a certainty), the municipality will open tenders to bring in private investors to implement the project. Among other, architect and municipal engineer Stelios Stylianides tells Haravgi that the sea taxis and busses will link the new Limassol port with other coastal areas in Limassol, all the way up to the Amathounta area, while it will operate from March until October, when there are the most tourists.



On edge

In a commentary, Kathimerini writes that the summer holidays have come to an end and there is strong talk of a government reshuffle. Besides the Finance Minister, there is another member of government who is convinced he will be shown the exit door. And to imagine this particular individual used to be one of President Nicos Anastasiades’ favourites just a year ago. If his fears are confirmed, this will send a message to those who will remain. It looks like Marios Demetriades made the best decision; he denationalised Limassol port, launched the procedure for Larnaca port and then departed with his head held high.



Trips have increased ten-fold since 1980

The arrival of travellers to Cyprus increased ten-fold between 1980 and 2018, with the number going from 528,288 to 5,535,797. Departures have increased from 526,586 in 1980 to 5,521,515 in 2018, while in the category “other travellers” (immigrants, temporary workers), they went from 3,230 to 60,032. As for one-day visitors, the number in 1980 was 50,045 at the ports and just 4,845 at the airports. In 1995 the number increased to 60,000, which has remained steady up until this year.



Tender for Health and Wellness Tourism

The Deputy Ministry of Tourism has launched a tender for the selection of the European Destination of Excellence in Cyprus with the theme: “Health and Wellness Tourism”. The tender in Cyprus is part of the deputy ministry’s initiative to participate in the European programme COSME 2019 “European Destinations of Excellence” (EDEN), which is co-funded by the European Commission and can be joined by all 28 EU member states but also candidate members.



Interest in tourism from the US

An event was held in Florida on 22 August with the aim of promoting Cyprus as a tourist destination for the US market, due to its historical and cultural value. The event was attended by the American Society of Travel Agents – South Florida Chapter. Besides a detailed presentation of all aspects of Cyprus tourism, participants also had the opportunity to attend a traditional Cypriot evening, with traditional food and music.



Concern in Paphos over tourism

After a two-year period where tourism in Paphos reached an all-time peak, the town was shocked to see a considerable drop in tourist arrivals this year. Paphos stakeholders are concerned about the downward trend, which looks set to continue into 2020. The uncertainty surrounding Brexit, the Russians’ decision to turn to destinations such as Turkey and Egypt instead of Cyprus, as well as the unexpected closure of Germania Airlines, have affected and continue to impact on Paphos.



Ayia Napa mayor inaugurated C2 Ayia Napa

Giannis Karousos inaugurated the C2 Ayia Napa, the third licensed satellite casino to open its doors in Cyprus, after the C2 Nicosia and C2 Larnaca, saying it was an important day for Ayia Napa. Beautiful People published photos from the event.



Can the Greek passport scheme contend with Cyprus?

Phileleftheros’ article reports on the Greek government’s economic policies, which focus on attracting FDI and specifically, a Greek passport scheme, similar to the Cypriot scheme, that will be ready in the beginning of the first quarter of 2020. At the same time, the Greek government focuses on reducing specific taxes, like the corporate tax, over the next couple of years, while it aims to develop projects such as casinos and private universities. The article further reports on the development of a casino-resort in Greece, at the Hellinikon area. One of the companies that has expressed interest in the project is Hard Rock. The company was formerly part of the consortium that assumed the development of the casino-resort in Limassol.



The turnover and revenue of Greek groups in Cyprus

Philenews presents the turnover and revenue of the biggest Greek groups operating in Cyprus, including Hellenic Petroleum, Fourlis Group (IKEA, Intersport), Olympia Group (Public and other activities), Sklavenitis (supermarkets, wholesale trade), Autohellas (car rentals), Vardionogiannis Group (oil), Interamerican (insurance), OPAP (games of chance), Pangea (real estate investments), GEK TERNA (developers). OPAP Cyprus and OPAP Sports Ltd are two of the group’s companies, operating in Cyprus. OPAP Cyprus is active in the field of games of chance, offering games such as Joker, Lotto, Proto etc. In June 2018, they paid their shareholders dividends amounting to €4m, while one year later they paid dividends amounting to €6m. The article also mentions GEK TERNA, which has taken up the development of the Ayia Napa marina with a €161m-contract, while it most recently took up the construction of the casino-resort in Limassol (jointly with Avax), with a €108m-contract (GEK TERNA’s share).



Greece aims to attract investment

Phileleftheros reports on the Greek government’s economic policies, which focus on attracting investment and creating new job positions. Kyriacos Mitsotakis has showed his intentions but he will be facing many challenges. The new government will have to tackle bureaucracy, a slow judicial system and speed up privatisations. The article focuses on the Hellinikon casino-resort, saying that the government acted swiftly and unblocked the investment in Hellinikon. Another huge step was taken for the development of the casino-resort on Wednesday, with the signature of the first two Joint Ministerial Decisions, launching the competition for the casino license (lasting 30 years). The deadline for the offers is the 30th of September. The two contenders for the casino license are Hard Rock International (HRI) and Mohegan Gaming Entertainment (MGE), who are currently preparing their offers. The Chairman of Hard Rock, Jim Allen, said in a presentation that the investment will stand at around €1b and will create around 3.000 jobs within the casino. The CEO of Mohegan, Mario Kontomerkos, said that Athens will become a leading tourist and entertainment destination upon the completion of the Hellinikon project.



State pharmacies no more after 2 September

The Ministry of Health (MoH) issued a press release, clarifying the details of how citizens can retrieve their medication following the change starting 2 September. They inform citizens on which state pharmacies have shut down, and which pharmacies in isolated or rural areas will remain open. Pharmacies in state hospitals will only give out prescribed medicines that are included in the Ministry-approved catalogue which can be found on their website. It should be noted that prescriptions will only be carried out, if they have been issued by doctors registered with the GHS.





Mentally ill patients left to God’s mercy

Relatives of mentally ill patients, who take medication to lead normal lives, are now in a state of despair. These patients were taking specific medicines for a long period of time, and their body had gotten used to them. However, over the past few months these medicines vanished from the market. Due to shortages, patients were prescribed similar or exchangeable medicines but have an increased risk of relapsing. A psychiatrist spoke to Phileleftheros, and explained that each patient is genetically unique and depending on their unique characteristics, their body may accept or reject a particular medicine. In order to achieve a prescription where the medicines work best for the patient and the patient’s body responds best to them, the doctor must monitor the patient for – usually – a long time and then alter their dose until the patient is stable. Beyond the consequences on the patient’s body, the psychiatrist also spoke about the fact that many mentally ill patients refuse to take medication, and getting them to a point where they willingly accept their prescriptions is a great accomplishment. Thus, changing their prescription due to shortages, may negatively impact them in terms of behaviours as well result in relapse.



CyMA’s complete proposal for the GHS  

Kathimerini reports that, CyMA has prepared a complete proposal for the GHS in order to bridge the gap between the MoH, HIO and the local medical community. According to the newspaper’s sources, this proposal will be presented on 12 September during a meeting with the President of the Republic (PoR). The proposal will bridge the differences observed between private doctors and HIO, which negatively affect the GHS. It is based on three main pillars and was prepared by Deloitte. CyMA highlights the fact that their proposal does not alter the GHS’ philosophy, but strengthens the main aspects of the current scheme.