AUTHORITIES URGE HUNTERS TO RESPECT HUNTING ETIQUETTE ON FIRST DAY OF HUNTING SEASON

Cyprus Mail - article by Evie Andreou 4 November 2018

The Game and Fauna Service urged hunters on Sunday, the first day of the new hunting season, to respect the law, unwritten codes, their colleagues and the property of other people and warned that offenders face steep fines.

Hunters, as of Sunday and up to the end of December will be able to hunt hares, black francolins  and partridges. The quota for each hunter is one hare, one black francolin and four partridges. They are allowed to hunt on Wednesdays and Sundays.

This year, the Game and Fauna Service said, hare and partridge populations are slightly better than in 2017. The growth of the fox population, however, has had an inhibitory effect on further growth of the game population, it said.

It added that hunters ought to show the necessary hunting etiquette and not form large hunting groups that use a large number of dogs “so that the prey has an increased chance of escape.”

Hunters were also urged not to tolerate those poaching during the night time, those who exceed the quota “as well as those who do not understand the role of game-reserve areas.”

The Game and Fauna Service said that persons caught hunting without a permit or in a game-reserve area are subject to on the spot fines starting from €2,000. Penalties rise depending on the severity of offence, it said. Those found night poaching face a €25,000 fine.

Lighting fire in non-designated areas is forbidden, it said, adding that hunters ought to know before their outings in which areas hunting is allowed.

They must also carry on them their permits for hunting, firearm possession and for the hunting dogs they plan on taking with them.

It also said that those wishing to report offences may call the police or 1414.

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SNAKE GEORGE DISCOVERS NEW CYPRUS SNAKE

Cyprus Mail - article by Bejay Browne 5 November 2018

It’s very thin and just 11 centimetres long, but long-time snake enthusiast hopes it might be a new species

By Bejay Browne

A Paphos-based Austrian snake and reptile expert has found a rare type of dwarf snake that could even be a totally new species.

Hans-Jorg Wiedl, ‘Snake George’, 75, is well known in the field of herpetology and has a string of triumphs to his name including rediscovering the Cyprus grass snake, which was believed extinct, and proving that the blunt nosed viper lays eggs and doesn’t give birth to live young as had previously been thought.

He told the Sunday Mail that after the third sighting, he believes the black headed dwarf snake to be an endemic sub species of the Rhynchocalamus Melanocephalus, or perhaps even a totally new find.

The tiny, thin, non-venomous snake was found around a month ago by a British couple in a stone wall in their garden in Peyia. They contacted the herpetologist through his daughter, Demetra, as he was abroad.

“We were very lucky, I have had to wait five years to see this snake again and it’s thanks to them. They saw it three or four times but were not able to catch it, because it’s so fine and delicate, you can’t just take hold of it as you don’t want to hurt it,” said Wiedl.

He has thoroughly researched the tiny snake and discovered that a similar one is endemic to the East Mediterranean and has been found in Turkey, Syria and Israel.

“I checked and looked to see if the markings and the colour are the same and recognised that it is similar to the one from Israel.”

But what excites Wiedl is that there are some small differences, such as the colour of the body and markings on the head. So could it be a new species?

There need to be three sightings of a snake alive to be able to prove its existence, a single example is not evidence. To prove that this is a new species, DNA identification, research, findings and examples of the snake must be identified and then it can be registered as a new species in Cyprus.

“I am very excited, this could be a completely new snake or sub species,” he said. “We need DNA samples which unfortunately I cannot do and I hope that they can be taken and that Cyprus will get in touch with the university in Israel to see if they have some examples to compare DNA.”

What’s needed is a scientist to come forward to further research the snake.

“There are so many questions that need to be answered, how did it come to be here? The snake is so tiny that this could be a reason why it wasn’t found. It mainly lives in small cracks in rocks as it is safer for them, not even a mouse can get inside,” he said.

Wiedl is stumped as to how the dwarf snake, measuring about 11cms had ended up in Cyprus, as he believes that it is practically impossible that the creature was transported to Cyprus in someone’s luggage or by other means as she was so young.

Five years ago, he discovered the first tiny snake after he was contacted by a British resident in the Paphos district, who had examined a book on snakes in Cyprus that Snake George had written and hadn’t been able to identify the creature.

The second one was found by a British tourist last year, who sent photos to the local media and wrote that he found it in the Paphos district. But he released it after taking the photographs, so Wiedl was unable to view it himself.

The third snake was found around one month ago and was looked after by Demetra until her father could return from Austria.

“I have no idea how old it is, but it’s growing bigger.”

Wiedl is also keen to establish a new snake and reptile park in Paphos. He previously operated a successful venture in Peyia for many years, which saw thousands of locals and tourists visit each year.

In recent years he has mentored a young man, Andreas, to take on the snake mantle and has passed on to him his vast knowledge. The young man then went on to study in Greece.

But the men’s hopes to open a new snake park were dashed recently when the ministry of agriculture refused permission for the young Cypriot to start a Paphos park, stating instead that there are plans to build an amphibian park in Neo Chorio.

His supporters are hoping the new snake, at least, will be named after Wiedl.

“I am very excited about this latest discovery, this is my life,” he said.

Snake George: 99 987685

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BRITISH HIGH COMMISSIONER ANSWERS EXPAT QUESTIONS ON BREXIT

Cyprus Mail - 4 November 2018

By Stephen Lillie, British High Commissioner

Stephen Lillie

Thank you once again for the questions received around Brexit. We received lots of questions this week covering similar issues so rather than replying to each one individually we are providing advice on the different themes covered.

Before I do so, I want to repeat a point that I made in a speech on Brexit last week in Nicosia.  Speaking at the English School Old Boys and Girls Association, I expressed confidence about the progress we are making in our negotiations with the EU. Ninety-five per cent of the deal to secure our withdrawal from the EU (known as the Withdrawal Agreement) is already agreed. This includes the deal on Citizens’ Rights, on the financial settlement with the EU and on the Implementation Period: the period between March 30, 2019 and December 31, 2020 which will allow the UK and EU time to prepare our new partnership.

The prime minister has secured broad agreement on the structure and scope of the future relationship. Despite all the speculation about the possibility of a ‘No Deal Brexit’, the finishing line is in sight, and a deal is not far from being struck. This will give you all more clarity on the future.

Over the last three weeks, we have covered residency issues but I appreciate that there is still some uncertainty. So this week we are providing a little overview of the Ministry of Interior’s Residence Rights policy for those people that are still unsure.

Some of you wrote in with very detailed questions about the application process for residency rights. Those questions are tricky for us to answer as we do not own the process.

We have passed them onto the Civil Registry and Migration Department who we hope will be able to provide more clarity through their website. We also answer some questions on the future relationship with the EU, which we received both last week and this week.

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PART 1: How will Brexit affect me? Ask the High Commissioner

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Securing your residency before December 31, 2020

As the residence guide from the Civil Registry and Migration Department of the Ministry of Interior states: the EU has reached an agreement with the UK on Citizens’ Rights, ahead of the UK leaving the EU on March 29, 2019. This agreement will become legally binding once it is set in force.

Under the agreement, UK nationals who are eligible for residence rights along with their family members, will be able to stay and continue their lives in Cyprus. In order to be covered by this legally binding agreement and to ensure that you can enjoy the same rights as you do now as an EU national living in Cyprus, you will need to be registered with either an MEU1 (registration card) or if you are eligible an MEU3 (permanent residence).

If you have any other form of residency (including an old stamp in your passport) this should be changed to either of the above by the end of the implementation period of December 2020.  Otherwise you risk not enjoying the same level of rights as you do now.

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PART 2: How will Brexit affect me? Ask the High Commissioner

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New Residency Document from January 1, 2021

After the end of the Transition Period, i.e. from January 1, 2021, holders of residence documents (MEU1 or, if eligible MEU3) will have the right to receive a new type of residence document issued by the Cypriot authorities. This new document will include a statement that it has been issued in accordance with the Withdrawal Agreement and protects your rights as citizens – even after we have left the EU. The Cypriot authorities have also confirmed that holding an existing residence document such as a MEU1 or MEU3 also means the process for applying for a new residency permit, from January 2021, will be more straightforward.

Future Mobility

This week, we also received questions about the future relationship with the EU, particularly on travelling in and out of Cyprus and other EU countries post-Brexit.  Future mobility arrangements between the UK and EU have yet to be agreed but Britain has made it clear, through the Government’s Brexit White Paper : that we expect to have straightforward arrangements for tourists, business visitors and students, and we very much hope European countries will reciprocate.

If you are a resident of Cyprus, we believe you may need to carry your residency permit with you, along with your passport, when you leave or enter Cyprus, to smooth your passage through immigration controls. So all the more reason to make sure your residency papers are in order.

We have also been asked about how many days UK nationals will be allowed to stay in Cyprus if you have a holiday home or are just here for a visit.

During the Transition Period (March 30, 2019 until December 31, 2020), UK nationals will be able to visit Cyprus and other EU countries broadly under the same rules as they do now. We hope this continues after 2020 so UK nationals will be able to continue to visit Cyprus and other EU states for a maximum of ninety days as is currently the case. But this will be subject to further negotiations between the UK and EU.

Pensions

We also received some questions on the payment of pensions and how that would operate in the future. The Citizens’ Rights agreement allows for the current framework of EU rules and regulations to apply during the Transition Period and this includes social security coordination rules and the right to an uprated state pension. This means that many of you who have worked in Cyprus and paid social insurance here can continue to claim your full pension including any UK element from one location.

Customs, Duties and Taxes

Another specific question we received related to whether people in Cyprus will have to start to pay duty on goods bought from Amazon UK but not, for example, Amazon Germany. There will be no change during the Transition Period to December 31, 2020.  And the government’s ambition is to ensure free trade in goods between Britain and Europe from 2021, so again that would mean no change.

But of course this is still subject to negotiation. HMRC’s recently published Brexit Partnership Pack helps explain potential changes to customs, duties and VAT in the unlikely event of a “No Deal.” A few of you wrote in with very specific tax enquiries and questions relating to your tax residency. We cannot give individual tax advice and would always recommend that you seek the advice of a tax professional either in Cyprus or the UK.

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PART 3: How will Brexit affect me? Ask the High Commissioner

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First Outreach Event: November 7

Next week, we are on the road as we begin our series of outreach events starting in Larnaca on November 7.  If you are interested in attending, the meeting will be at Oroklini municipality at 10am. There is no need to register beforehand. If you are unable to attend we will be summarising the key topics discussed and providing any further clarity to questions we receive either at the event or through emails sent to the Cyprus Mail (brexit@cyprus-mail.com)

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POLICE LAUNCH TRAFFIC LIGHT CAMPAIGN wef 5 November

From Cyprus Mail - article by Staff Reporter 5 November 2018

Police launched a week-long campaign on Monday on traffic lights, to stamp down on those driving through red lights and creeping over lines.

This will be the sixth such campaign this year, police said, as part of efforts for the prevention and reduction of road accidents, but also raise road safety awareness among drivers.

The campaign will continue until Sunday.

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Ivan Quek

Ivan Quek

Underwear Selfies Summer/Fall 2018