Cyprus Lawyers A&G Kouzali Cypriot Law Firm Paralimni

It is very easy to pass by the cultural places to visit inCyprusdue to the beautiful beaches, hot climate and many dining and clubbing venues and also many leisure facilities.  Cyprus is full of wonderful and interesting history and for those who can take a little time out to visit these places you will be very surprised just how much the culture, artefacts and monuments will take your breath away.

NICOSIA (Lefkosia)  The Capital Of Cyprus

• CyprusMuseum
• St. Johns Cathedral
• Venetian Walls
• Laiki Geitonia
• Handicraft Centre
• LeventisMuseum
• The Archbishopric

Limassol ( Lemesos)

• Limassol Castle
• Kolossi Castle
• Municipal Gardens and Museum
• Temple of Apollo
• Ancient Amathus
• Phassouri Vineyards
• Cyprus Wine Museum

LARNACA (Larnaka)

• Church of St. Lazarus
• The Salt Lake
• LefkaraVillage
• Pierides Museum
• Church of Panagia Angeloktisti
• KornosVillage
• Stavrovouni Monastery
• Choirokoitia Neolithic Settlement
• Hala Sultan Tekke

PAPHOS (Pafos)

• The Harbour
• The Castle
• Tomb of the Kings
• TempleofAphrodite
• Paphos Forests
• St Pauls Pillar
• The mosaics – Petra tou Romiou

FAMAGUSTA

• AgiaNapaVenitian Monastery
• SeaCaves-CapeGreko
• AgiaNapaHarbour
• Paralimni old shopping centre
• Thalassa Museum

And of course not forgetting the truly amazing Troodos Mountains where you will see the whole ofCyprus and meet some very culture and historcail villages upon the way.

PUBLISHED BY A&G KOUZALI LAW OFFICE ON 22ND NOVEMBER 2011

Lane 1 – This lane is the lane to the far left. It is used to drive as normal as you would on any road or highway. National speed limit applies.

Lane 2 – This is the middle lane on a 3 lane highway. This lane is used to overtake cars in lane 1.  This lane is not to be used to drive normally for long distance. It is used only for over taking and then you must manuver back into lane 1.

Lane 3 – This is predominatly called the fast lane. It is used for over taking cars that are going at a slower pace in lane 1 and 2.  It is also used for when there are traffic queues to overtake in a bid to ease conjestion. This lane is again only used for over taking as in lane 2 not for normal driving as in lane 1.

DO NOT

Do not stay in lane 2 and 3 all the way to your destination these are for overtaking only to ease congestion.

If someone is driving too slowly or using lane  3 as their normal driving lane do not overtake by going into lane 2 on the inside  this is very dangerous. It is better to indicate with your lights that they must manuver  to lane 1 or 2 in order for you to overtake.

Do not drive to slowly on a motorway even in lane 1 there is a national speed limit which not only applies to speed but also to lack of speed. The speed limit is 100kilometers even if you are driving in the fast lane.

If you require further information on how to use the highway look this up on the internet or visit your local police station.  For citizens travelling on the new 3 lane motorway in Cyprus they have been given a 2 week grace period anyone caught not abiding by national motorway laws will be penalized in accordance with Cyprus laws.

PUBLISHED BY A&G KOUZALI LAW OFFICE ON 18^TH NOVEMBER 2011.

Lawyers in Cyprus- Review – Cyprus Villages

There are many magical villages in Cyprus that we are sure many do not pay quite so much attention too and we are positive tourists will know nothing about.

One in particular is a small quaint village by the name of PACHNA.  It may be a small village but it has very big attributes to the Cyprus culture and heritage.

Pachna is high in the hills off the highway in between Limassol and Paphos.  This quaint village is home to little under 1000 hectares of vineyards producing some ofCyprusmost famous wines.  The vineyards here having been in operation for well over five decades and this is only the first attribute this village is home to.

Pachna has 7 churches not all in use but all very well taken care of and preserved. The newest church to the village is the church of Agios Georgeios the older chapels include Agia Marina, Agios Andronicos< Agios Nikolas<Agios Epiphanios, 12 Apostles and Agious Stephanos.  The village of the 7 churches how amazing is this.

The village of course has modern amenities for everyday use but on a whole the village is very Cypriot and very well preserved.  There are traditional Cypriot taverns restaurants and what would a village be without the coffee shops for the men to sit out side playing their games and socializing.

This village produces the best halloumi not to be missed and you will see many of the farmers moving their goats from pasture to pasture.  And the water here is so pure that all the forestry flourishes

This really is a traditional treat for every one of all ages to visit.  So for the best tasting wine and halloumi cheese and a perfect unspoilt traditional day out Pachna is the place for you.

PUBLISHED BY A&G KOUZALI LAW OFFICE ON 24TH NOVEMBER 2011.

Lawyers in Famagusta – Reviews – Cyprus Forst 3 Land Motorway

Cyprus offcially has its first completed 3 lane highway accommodating thousands of cars each day travelling into Nicosia.  However, citizens do not actually know how to use a highway.

This is quite funny when you think we are in the 21^st Century!

The 3 lane highway has taken little under 2 years to complete and was devised to help the long queues of traffic travelling into the islands capital everyday.  Previously  it would be very common to sit in queues for quite awhile and now hopefully the highway will prevent this.  The main reason for this new highway is the hope that it will cut down the amount of road traffic accidents. This wont take affect until citizens actually know how to use it properly.

The police however, have issued a warning to car travellers to do their homework on how to use a motorway as they are only allowing a 2 week grace period for those who are not using it correctly.  Anyone  caught not using the highway correctly after the 2 week period will be penalized in accordance with the traffic laws.

To be fair the UK has had motorways since before time and people still dont know how to use them so for the Cyprus Island to get used to it in 2 weeks is asking alot. It is very simple to use but some travellers either one can not be bothered and drive how they like or two really do not know and drive where they feel more comfortable.

The new motorway starts from the Larnaca/Limassol highway connect straight through to Nicosia.  The whole project costed around over 30 Million euros and was actually completed beofre schelue wow thats a first also for Cyprus!

Congratulations for the first 3 lane motorway in Cyprus!

Check out our article on how to safely and correctly use the new 3 lane motorway.

PUBLISHED BY A&G KOUZALI LAW OFFICE ON 18^TH NOVEMEBR 2011

Lawyers inCyprus- Review -CyprusDeficit – Completed on 21st November 2012

It is thought very unlikely thatCypruswill reach the EU directive on the country’s deficit in the given timeframe.  This means further sanctions and more pressure on the public to cover the sanctions we are sure about that!

The targeted percentage to reach by 2012 is below 3% however thoughts are we will be lucky to see below 5% which could means instant fines toCyprus.

Austerity measures proposed have been repeatedly discussed and rejected and the government have yet to agree on such austerity measures that will help the deficit.  Very little has been done to cut expenditure especially when it comes to the state payroll its self.  And who will this fall on the public!

The government are now on a tightrope to secure tough austerity measures to make sure the deadline and targeted percentage are met.

Its is all fine and dandy the EU forcing states to make sure this happens but by enforcing more sanctions as we have said before only bears more pressure on us the tax payer.  Can the EU not add a clause with the sanction that the public must not pay for the governments mistakes and the government must carry the burden alone…yes this is a dream of course!

It is thought that 2013 will be the year to see positive growth whereas 2012 will remain stagnant and the key to keeping 2012 turn into a negative year will be the hope of another good year for tourism.  The rise in VAT to 17% if passed is expected to see the country’s deficit drop 1% which is a big figure so doubt this will be rejected.

Well all we can say is 2012 will be a hard year for the Cyprus public if such harsh austerity measures are needed to avoid an EU bailout but will it be such a hard year for government staff members lets wait and see?

PUBLISHED BY A&G KOUZALI LAW OFFICE ON 21ST NOVEMBER 2011.

Law firm on the East Coast Cyprus – Review – UK Financial Crisis

If we think we have it bad inCyprusmaybe we should take a trip to theUKand see how bad they have things at the moment.

When the government inCyprustalks about new austerity measures they have maybe a 2-3 year plan in mind.  But theUKis talking about a 10 year plan. We always think the grass is greener but is it really?

The UK nationals already give 50% of their salaries to the government, They pay poll tax, they pay tax on the weight of their rubbish the dustbin men take away, they pay TV licence fees, infact as soon as you buy a new TV in the UK your name and address must given to register the new TV with the licensing office.

Banks are pretty much in the same boat asCyprus,Britainused to offer high loan to value mortgages those days are very much a thing of the past and mortgages are very hard to come by. Therefore getting on the property ladder unless you are a cash buyer is virtually impossible.  The only reprieve the housing market has is the given tax advantages of renting out theUKproperty

The list goes on and on.  Employment is strife in theUK, many are homeless and even though they have stricter laws, drugs, guns and gangs are the norm. So once again we reiterate is the grass really greener on the other side?

It is thought that a 10 year austerity plan will benefit Britain a lot more than a short sharp austerity plan so UK nationals I don’t know what the government can actually now tax you on as it seems they get the majority of your cash already but it seems you have a long 10 years a head of you!

PUBLISHED BY A&G KOUZALI LAW OFFICE ON 28TH NOVEMBER 2011.

Lawyers inFamagusta- Review – 20/20 Youth Federation

Efforts for reunification of the Cyprus Island are taking place throughout the younger generations in a bid that they will actually influence their elders and the politicians.

This is a great idea…Where better to start! The younger generation are the future and they are the ones we must educate from early to stop those taking already very set views from the older generation.

Feelings inCyprusare very mixed. The older generation of Cypriots that lived through the Turkish invasion find it very hard to naturally digress.  Their experiences of themselves and their parents through this time are concrete in their memories but the younger generations have fresher memories and only hear second hand so there is more of chance that feelings on the situation can be overcome!

An event recently took place from young individuals from both sides of theIslandnamely the 20/20 youth conference. The event gives all the youngsters the opportunity to work peacefully together and put forward their ideas for a harmonious reunification.  There were 3 different workshops which allowed them to create posters and videos and declarations which can be used to promote the islands reunification.

The project is organized by both Greek and Turkish Cypriot volunteers of which will be a continuous project and we hope it will bring many more of the younger Greek and Turkish Cypriot generation together and further the relationship island wide between the two sides.

As we have said before it is in the peoples hands more so than the politicians.  The politicians deal with the formalities the people deal with the realities!

PUBLISHED BY A&G KOUZALI LAW OFFICE ON 28TH NOVEMBER 2011.

Famagusta Lawyers – Review – Energy costs affecting Christmas

We have Christmas round the corner once again and sorry to say this year may not be so bright and festive. Why is this?….simply because the cost of energy in Cyprus will make many companies and households think twice about using such high amounts of power.

How sad have things become here that we are now having to cut down on Chrsitamd lights to save on electric bills.

On the good side citizens are also taking into consideration the energy saving factor not just relating to financial costs but also to the general energy saving issue. Especially after the Mari blast explosion.
Many municipalities are only decorating main buildings and many road sides will not be decorated as per usual. Many new types of energy saving lights have been bought. And some municipalities will have time restrictions.
Its a sad state of affairs when Chrsitams comes around and we have to think about energy costs instead of the festive season to be had. But thats how it is folks with regards to the electric here. Every mistake thats made comes to us through our electric bills.

Evem after Chrsitamd we are expecting another increase in energy costs thats a great start for the new year.

Wecan over come this by buying low consumption lighting and having them the lights on at the most convenient times of the day when they will be the most visable.
Many business owners are weary that not lighting up their business will drop the level of Chrsitmad spirit hence drop the level in comsumer activity.
This is a fact of life we just have to deal with at the moment until the government and departments get their house in order!
PUBLISHED BY A&G KOUZALI LAW OFFICE ON 19TH NOVEMBER 2011.

Lawyers in Famagusta – Review – Greek lessons

As it is now becoming a major issue for non-Cypriot citizens to learn Greek we did some research and found a great Greek speaking course for the East Coast residents.

It is Government run and the teacher is a lady called Maria who is absolutely charming and will put all you scaredy cats at ease.  The course is free of charge but you must have your yellow slip which you can apply for at the local immigration service.

The course starts beginning of November so you must hurry.  You can contact Maria on …….

The course actually runs for 3 years but each year starts November and completes in May which is excellent for the seasonal workers here in Cyprus.

This course is open to all persons over the age of 15. Maria is a qualified teacher and goes through every exercise very slowly in order for you to fully comprehend.  It is very nerve racking to start a new language and then to find a teacher who teaches at speed lightening is even worse as you tend just to pack up. Maria understands this and teaches at the pace suitable for you.

After signing up to this course and being the mature age that I am, after meeting Maria I am actually very excited to start my first lesson.

This course is run in every city in Cyprus and it is highly advised to start seriously thinking about learning Greek to be able to obtain a job here.  It also gives you more opportunities to really get to know the Greek people and their culture and make many more contact on the island.

The Greek people I feel will respect you a lot more if they can see you’re trying.

Once again If you would like further information call Maria on …….. It is also a lot of fun so give it a go and enhance your job prospects, knowledge and associates.

PUBLISHED BY A&G KOUZALI LAW OFFIC E ON 29^TH OCTOBER 2011. http://www.lawcyprus.org/

Lawyers in Cyprus – Review – Organic Coffee- Completed on 29^th October 2011.

Coffee is one of the biggest selling products after petrol I bet you did not know that?  Well we here in Cyprus knew that of course as coffee is a major part of our lives and our culture you could say!

Cypriots are one of the biggest drinkers of coffee! Yet we all know coffee is not good for us it is not good for our bodies and our and most definitely not good for our sleeping patterns.

So when I was invited to a coffee tasting evening I just had to go as I myself must drink at least 8 cups of coffee per day and no I do not sleep very well!!

I was very intrigued to hear it was a new organic coffee that has pure ingredients and is actually very good for you.  Ok so there had to be a catch but after tasting the coffee and listening to the presentation I was wonderfully surprised.

This coffee which is called ORGANO GOLD is 100% organic and tastes absolutely beautiful.  It goes down so smooth and it is totally healthy.  The ingredient is Ganoderma which is a mushroom grown in China.  I would never have believed it but for those who take coffee seriously this is the coffee for you.

Usually I choose which ever coffee is on offer of course with Nescafe being my favourite but I am totally hooked.

It is also exclusive in Cyprus and con not be found in the stores which also makes this new concept a profit making opportunity.  I feel once you have tasted this coffee you will want to go a step further and promote it yourself.

Check out the ORGANO website at www.organocoffeecompany.com and see for yourself.  Promoting products is not a usual practice of ours but this was a must as I absolutely love it and it is a new healthy way of drinking coffee and now we can do that without feeling guilty and it helps you sleep what could be better.  Give it a try and lets us know what you think.

PUBLISHED BY A&G KOUZALI LAW OFFICE ON 29^TH OCTOBER 2011. http://www.lawcyprus.org

Property Lawyers on the East Coast Cyprus – Review – Cyprus Development

Larnaca new Marina and Port was due to be agreed and signed upon in midsummer 2011, we are now approaching winter and soon to be 2012 and still no deal as discussions are taking place between the government and investor group as yet there is no signed agreement 100% concrete!

Construction was due to begin the end of 2011 but with any luck it will now start some time in 2012.  It is reported the discussions are going at a fast pace to conclude all the details so as to get the Port and marina started as soon as possible.

But once agreed ….fingers crossed…Larnaca will then be the new in place to be and Limassol can take a back seat for a while.  Larnaca not only will benefit from the chicness of the marina lifestyle but has many up and coming developments such as chic and modern luxury 5* start hotels, Professional racing car track, Golf resorts, Theme Park it’s all in the pipe line for Larnaca of which we are very excited about.

However, we would like to hear some good news for the Famagusta area we here all the time about the projects in Nicosia, Larnaca and Limassol but what about us?  Many thanks for the new road in Paralimni but we really would like something exciting that we can shout about.

The construction at the Agia Napa Marina actually did get underway but what is happening there we are a little confused about and we are waiting to find out the progress and when or if this project will be completed. It is also the same story with the Paphos marina which is also on hold at the moment let’s get moving people we are wasting valuable time.

Cyprus on a whole is undergoing great development and many exciting projects are underway and on their way.  The Island of Cyprus is really gravitating towards chic, modern, very up to date yet at the same time still keeping the history and culture alive with its beautiful little towns and taverns and places of great importance and history making this island a place for everyone of all ages and interests we love it!

PUBLISHED BY A&G KOUZALI LAW OFFICE ON 21ST OCTOBER 2011. http://www.lawcyprus.org/

Legal Consultants in Cyprus – Review – Casino on East Coast

Well who would have thought it … Paphos is quick on the draw and looking to obtain licenses to hold casinos in their town!

One village in Paphos known as Kritou Terra was actually the only area in Cyprus ever to have a casino and they want the same building which has been preserved to some extent to be restored and reopened as a casino once again.  The village will be first in line to apply for a license.

Although the building has not been used as a casino since the 20th century it was a place where the affluent visited including kings and the wealthy Egyptians. The village would like to revive the area once again and have taken it a step further and are already talking with the ministries for the license.

The interest in the casinos is very high and the Paphos municipality are also on the list to apply for a licence hoping it will bring in major revenue and keep the Paphos area and all year round destination.

Hotel owners are very excited at this opportunity and hope to take advantage but it is not clear how many licences the government will grant or even if the legislation will go ahead, however, we feel with the islands current financial situation they really have no choice.

This type of venue would be ideal for the East coast who up until now has received very little in development. It would bring in employment to the area and maybe all year round visitors it really depends on the extent of the project. We should apply for a license by all means it’s a great opportunity and great asset to offer the tourists and would 100% bring in extra revenue.

We will continue to follow this issue and any progress being made.  Let us know your thoughts and how you feel on casinos and the government now discussing new legislation.

PUBLISHED BY A&G KOUZALI LAW OFFICE ON 22ND OCTOBER 2011. http://www.lawcyprus.org/

Lawyers in Cyprus – Review – Karma Hotel Development

Due to the winter season being so slow here in Cyprus hotels are now thinking of ways to keep their establishments open all year round and turning them into residential resorts, with apartments for long term rental and for investment purposes.

This type of project is aimed more at the older generation than the young which is a great concept as it is the older generations who have the cash to splash so to speak.

One hotel imparticular in the area of Pernera on the East Coast has renovated their hotel with a certain number of apartments for sale and the rest for long term renters.  They have included facilities such as bowling grounds, fitness club, and bridge club and also have the added benefit of a woman’s health clinic and a doctor visiting on a certain day of the week.

There are dining and bar facilities and many other facilities and clubs and arranged trips making it a complete lifestyle with everything you need in your own back garden. You have everything and is also has the security aspect which is excellent in this day and age.

It is a fantastic idea and also brings all year round employment to an area which really is like a ghost town during the winter so to have all year round residents is a blessing.

Even though this is an excellent idea and we wish huge success to the karma hotel who has worked very hard in achieving the high level standard of living on offer we must reiterate the need for all year round promotion for the Cyprus Island.

This island does not have to stop once November come around, the sun is still shining, and the venues can still operate people still love to holiday in the winter months even more so to get away from their cold countries.  We must start campaigning and organising all year round Cyprus for all the coastal areas the East Coast imparticular which comes to a sudden holt it’s drastic when we have so much to offer.

Well done to the Karma hotel we need more projects like this.

PUBLISHED BY A&G KOUZALI LAW OFFICE ON 22ND OCTOBER 2011. http://www.lawcyprus.org/