Sex between minors is decriminalised
Latest News Report (translated from original in Greek)
The amendment of the Harmonised Legislation to Prevent and Combat Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children as well as Child Pornography is proceeding with the request of the European Commission (the European Commission). As noted in Brussels, some important provisions of the Harmonised Legislation (Directive 2011/93 / EU), according to which, inter alia, do not constitute a criminal offence, sexual activities between children are sufficient if they are 14 years old and above.
The Commission’s letter was sent on 13/9/2018 and it took eight months before the relevant amending bill was tabled in Parliament, which should be voted by the following month at the latest in order to avoid the risk of taking measures against the Cyprus problem Republic.
As stated in the Commission’s letter, when the relevant Harmonised Legislation was adopted in 2014, Articles 8, 17, 20, 22, 24 and 25 of the Directive relating to consensual sexual activities were not properly transposed into national law, jurisdiction and coordination of criminal prosecution, protection of child victims in criminal investigations and measures against websites containing or disseminating child pornography. Both the Ministry of Labor and the Police have admitted, following the Commission’s comments to the Legal Service in writing, that there is no complete compliance of national legislation with the articles of the Directive mentioned.
In particular, the amending Bill, which the House is expected to adopt to comply with the European Commission’s recommendations, provides inter alia for the following:
1 . Criminal offences under this Law do not constitute sexual offences as defined in paragraphs (1) and (3) of Article 6 when they are consensual among children who have not reached the age of consensus (in Cyprus the age of 17 is set, while in other EU countries range from 14 to 16 years) and the age difference between the two children does not exceed three years and provided they have a similar degree of psychological and physical development or maturity.
2. Sexual activities as defined in paragraphs (1) and (3) of Article 8 for the production, acquisition or possession of pornographic material involving children who have reached the age of sexual consent shall not constitute a criminal offence under this Law if the production and possession of such material is carried out with the consent of such children and for their own use only by the children concerned insofar as the acts do not include any abuse or even violence or exploitation or even extortion ting.
3 . This article does not apply to the above cases if any of the children involved is under the age of 14 years.
4. The courts of the Republic shall be entitled to prosecute offences provided for in this Law, namely offenses of sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children as well as child pornography if they are committed by a citizen of the Republic in any foreign country irrespective of the fact that they constitute or not criminal offences at the place where they were committed.
It is worth mentioning that the relevant harmonising legislation instituted for the first time the blocking of websites with child pornography material following a prosecutor’s order. Additionally, a new criminal offence was defined as a “pornographic performance” so that criminal prosecution could also be brought in cases of transmission of such material by mobile or skype.
It is worth mentioning that the relevant harmonising legislation instituted for the first time the blocking of websites with child pornography material following a prosecutor’s order. Additionally, a new criminal offence was defined as a “pornographic performance” so that criminal prosecution could also be brought in cases of transmission of such material by mobile or skype.
Voting by June or termination
On 15 March 2019, the Legal Service notified the Commission of the provisions it would incorporate into the existing legislation as it was its suggestions. At the same time, a commitment has been made to the Commission that the bill will be passed by the end of June 2019 in order to avoid the risk of taking measures against the Republic of Cyprus. Failure to pass the bill by the deadline will leave the Republic exposed to a conviction in the event of an appeal against it by the Commission to the European Court of Justice (ECJ) and possibly, at the discretion of the Court, and imposing
a periodic penalty payment or a periodic penalty payment until our national law fully complies with Directive 2011/93 / EU.
Marriage from the age of 17 years old
During the elaboration of the above-mentioned law, the Legal Service considered necessary the amendment of the Marriage Law, which is the responsibility of the Ministry of Interior, for the purpose of better transposition of article 8 of the relevant Directive, so as to prohibit marriage between a minor who is of the age of sexual consent an adult much larger than that. At the same time marriage will be permitted between persons who have reached the age of 17 or the age difference between the two does not exceed three years and have a similar degree of psychological and physical development or maturity.
COMMENT
There has always been a case for reviewing the law on sex between minors. It is not right that two people around the age of consent becoming intimate, which is perfectly natural, should result in one of them facing prosecution (or mandatory rape charge and their name on the sex offender’s register in the UK) just because one of them has not quite reached the age of consent.
Surely this is a simple matter to deal with, allowing some flexibility in the law to protect similar aged youths from falling foul of the law. However this law, has REALLY gone beyond the realms of morality. As it stands, this change in law will mean that sex with someone no more than 3 years younger than you will not be a crime, even if they are under the age of consent, that means that a 15 year old boy will be able to have sex with a 12 year old girl, yes that is correct A TWELVE YEAR OLD GIRL and it will not be a crime. Really? Is this where the moral compass of the Cypriot government is taking us?
This is at a time, when Cyprus is being FLOODED with migrants from cultures that would think nothing of having sex with a 12 year old. What is worse, is that in the tragic event that a young girl is raped, with convictions for rape being so low, the courts will have no other option but to allow the offender to walk free.
This is a bad decision for Cyprus, it has left the young more vulnerable than ever.
Entertainers in Cyprus not being paid
It has been reported that many of the migrants working in the entertainment industry in Cyprus are underpaid and some not paid at all.
Seasonal entertainers in Paphos hotels are complaining that the agencies that hire them are not paying their wages and in some cases threaten violence when they complain. The Sunday Mail has spoken to a number of singers, dancers and other acts that say that some agents are pocketing wages for themselves.
“It’s like the mafia. There are a couple of agencies in particular, one in Paphos and one that works island wide, that you don’t want to get on the wrong side of,” one entertainer told the Sunday Mail.
“They use their muscle to scare you and they are scam artists. I wish I was brave enough to give my name, but I just can’t.”
All but one of the entertainers requested to remain unnamed when they spoke to the newspaper, as they are fearful of possible serious repercussions, both financial and physical. Another professional performer said that the owner of an agency had actually threatened to kill his pregnant wife. He owed the pair money and was also angered when a hotel employed them directly, instead of using his agency. “We didn’t go to the police, as these people can be very volatile. There are many dancers that don’t want to come to work in Paphos as it has a reputation for not paying,” he said.
Paphos police spokesperson, Nicos Tsappis, told the Sunday Mail that no such instances have been reported so far. “If any threats are being made against people by employers, then the police will investigate and take the matter very seriously,” he said. “People should not be afraid to come forward.” Yet those that say they have been cheated clearly are scared.
They say they have been scammed in a number of ways: wage cheques issued and then cancelled before they can be cleared by the bank, and in some cases professional dancers and performers remain unpaid by the agents after they refused to give them any money at all. This can be hard to prove when no contracts have been issued or signed, just verbal agreements and a ‘gentleman’s handshake.’ Most entertainment agencies in Cyprus are well run and operate above board, but, as is the case in tourist hot spots all over the world, there are always exceptions.
Adverts such as this one found online appear on social media and entertainment sites and in publications aimed at performers: ‘Hotel entertainers (animators) with or without experience for seasonal contracts. If you are interested and, please send us a message for more information.’ Often, inexperienced youngsters will apply and can expect to be paid around 500 euros a month, plus accommodation and food. Higher amounts apply to those which don’t include these.
“I know of dancers and singers who are in their teens, who were hired in Paphos on contracts for the season and the agency failed to pay them anything,” one dancer said. “They can’t go to court as they have no money for a lawyer and they end up leaving Cyprus empty handed.”
She explained that venues and hotels are paying the agencies, but then some agencies are pocketing the money for themselves and not passing it on to the acts. The head of the hoteliers’ association of Paphos, Euripides Loizides, who has his own hotel and pays an agency for his performers, said that he is unaware of any such cases. If he found out performers at his hotel were not being paid by the agency that hired them, he would step in and pay acts directly the following month, he said.
“We (hotels) use agencies as we trust them to do the job better than us in this area, as it’s their profession, they have the experience and connections. I have used various entertainment agencies through the years.” Loizdes pays around 8,000 euros a month for his entertainment programme which includes a full time ‘animator’, and an animation team. They offer aqua aerobics, all sorts of day time activities, a kids’ disco and seven full shows every week.
“I am surprised to learn that this is happening. It’s down to each hotel to decide if they use individual performers directly or employ an agency. Some have limited budgets and make savings,” he said. “At my hotel, it is important for us to have entertainment and we always check that the agency has employers’ liability insurance.”
Giedre Sky arrived in Cyprus from Lithuania in 2010 after answering an advert. She underwent training in Ayia Napa. She speaks four languages. She has experienced both good and bad situations. One job saw her and three other girls, as well as their luggage, crammed into a single room. “Once, I worked in Paphos at a hotel doing all sorts of things like aqua aerobics, kids club and other stuff, It was nice and relaxed, but I received another offer from Ayia Napa which was more money and I explained this to the agency. They said they were fine with it and I gave two weeks’ notice and trained up another girl to take my place.” However, their attitude changed once she left.
“They kept making excuses and then said they would bring me my salary to Ayia Napa, but they never did. Then they stopped answering my calls. I complained to the authorities, but they didn’t do anything about it.”
“It’s better if you work for a hotel directly as you get paid directly from them. Agencies can always find a reason not to pay if they don’t want to and the system will ensure the hotels have to pay you.”
One performer said that after trying, and failing, to get paid money owed to him from a Paphos agency for work last year, enquiries uncovered that an entire group of entertainers were all owed more than one month’s wages, some an entire season, as they were told they would be paid at the end of the season.
“For a long time, these people have been issuing cheques and then cancelling them before they get paid into our accounts. Some of the venues and hotels know what they are doing but they keep on using them, they don’t care.”
No contracts were made in most instances, only agreements via text messages. He added that their calls and emails are now going unanswered.
Lawyer Tasos Coucounis urged unpaid performers to seek legal advice as soon as possible.
“It’s better to have a written contract,” he said. “But also text messages confirming terms of employment, pay and these sorts of things are also admissible evidence in court.”
But an initial consultation with a lawyer could be anything from 80 to 170 euros.
Tsappis said that if agencies are issuing cheques and purposefully cancelling them, there is a case and victims of such a crime can report it to the police or get legal advice.
“As the lawyer says, text messages are evidence and any cancelled cheques are exhibits. In fact this is the best exhibit to prove the charge,” he said.
Obviously, he added, a charge of non payment of cash is more difficult to prove.
He said that complaints can also be made to social insurance. Employers are afraid of this route, as very high fines can be imposed if the employer is not following the regulations.
But the fear of going to the authorities remains.
“We all know that this is a crime and must stop, but people are afraid to stand up for themselves and so this practice will just continue,” one entertainer said.
COMMENT
Just when we thought that we may have reached the bottom, in the realms of moral injustice, we are faced with yet another revelation that demonstrates the degree of moral bankruptcy that exists in Cyprus. I have no doubt that this happens, in the past we had ‘Cabarets’ which were glorified clubs for the purchase of favours from imported ladies, who had often flown to Cyprus under a misapprehension, which was not an accident, it was very much by design to get them there and them manipulate, pressure or even threaten them in to a life of prostitution.
I personally had a pub in Larnaca a few years ago and I made the strategic error of getting involved with a girl who had recently arrived and was being pressured by a Cabaret owner. After we got close she left and had to go in to hiding due to the threats while I entered the world of retribution by all those involved. I was suddenly being persecuted by the Police they came every day and found an excuse to give me a penalty, I gathered over 40 in a two month period!
We are also very much aware that many women who are brought in as domestic assistants suddenly find themselves actually made to maintain two or three homes, or they are forced to hand back some of their salary and if they do not, they are abused, threatened and the with the law being the way it is in Cyprus, they are conveniently at a disadvantage.
I believe that there is a real need for an anonymous helpline and an independent body designed to protect these workers. Independent, now that is an uphill task within the corruption of Cyprus, the only realistic way would be if the team were NOT Cypriot, there is no way that any group of Cypriots can be trusted to police anything!
Why we should leave the EU
On the 5th June, 1975, the British public voted in a referendum regarding membership to the EEC, The European Economic Community, which was founded on the 25th March 1957 by Benelux, France, West Germany and Italy and sold to the British nation as a free trade agreement between member states. The sinister agenda of the EEC was intentionally kept secret from the British public, by Prime Minister Edward Heath and Margaret Thatcher, as they were well aware, even then that the masses would not accept a policy of an “ever closer political union in Europe” which was the agenda from day one!
On the 13th March, 1979, the ERM, European Exchange Rate Mechanism was founded, with the intention of reducing exchange rate volatility in Europe and bringing the countries closer to economic union. The UK did not join at that point, as that was just after the ‘Winter of discontent’ and our economy was in pieces. We did however join the ERM in October 1990, but this was to prove catastrophic for the UK, it led to us being plunged in to a recession that lasted for 5 quarters, which was then followed by months without any growth, until one day, on the 16th September 1992, known as ‘Black Wednesday’ our currency was under attack by speculators, the Chancellor Norman Lamont doubled interest rates and was then left with no alternative but to leave the ERM.
That should have been a lesson in Geo-Economics, but it was not. Spurred on by the staggering cost of re-unification, Germany was determined to exploit the economies of other European nations, to save itself from bankruptcy. In the first instance, Germany continued to champion the ERM, which as this point was directly leading to the introduction of the Euro.
The first part of Germany’s plan was to champion the accession of Turkey as a European Union trading partner in 1995. This would allow Turkey to trade freely with Europe, without joining, this would give Germany a source of cheap goods and manufacturing, but also, without being restricted by EU bureaucracy, Turkey had a trading advantage over the European states. This was to become a major factor in the decline of many industries in southern Europe.
The Euro was introduced as an electronic currency on the 1st January 1999, with physical currency coming in to circulation on the 1st January 2002. This was good for Europe wasn’t it?
NO IT WAS NOT!
Germany was still struggling with the cost of reunification and therefore, on entry in the Euro, Germany pulled one of the greatest economic acts of deception on history, it entered the Euro, significantly undervalued, in terms of trading within the EU, this was HUGE. This meant, that the German people had a sense of poverty and needed financial prudence, whilst other nations that joined at a higher rate, suddenly had a false sense of wealth, that encouraged them to spend more. Also, due to the fact that Germany had entered much lower than it should, German goods appeared cheaper and therefore they outsold many other European goods. The other countries needed assistance to keep purchasing, but Germany was happy to lend to them and slowly, enslave them to debt.
Germany pulled one of the greatest economic acts of deception on history
Fast forward 2 decades and the southern European nations have lost most of their textile and light industries to Europe, they are in serious debt to Germany, they have lost control of issues that matter most, but worst of all, after 2 decades of left wing in-doctrine, many people now believe that we would be cast in to economic wilderness without the EU, this is simply not true.
European leaders who are not elected, not accountable to anyone and conduct their decision making in private, without even having minutes of their meetings recorded. People are under the illusion that just because there is a European Parliament, that the EU is a Democracy……..IT IS NOT! It is one of the most arrogant, authoritarian and corrupt institution in the Western world.
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker says ‘stupid nationalists’ are ‘in love with their country’ & hate foreigners
20 REASONS WHY WE SHOULD LEAVE THE EUROPEAN UNION
1. A QUESTION OF SOVEREIGNTY
Leaving the EU would offer a chance to put the UK in charge of our own destiny and laws again — and restore our status as a sovereign nation.
According to the Commons Library, up to 60 per cent of regulations originate from the EU and the 28-member Commission in Brussels — none of whom were elected. Britain’s Commissioner, Lord (Jonathan) Hill, is a former lobbyist and Tory researcher who has never stood for elected office in his life. Nor had his predecessor, Cathy Ashton, a Labour appointee and Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament official.
2. STRIKING GLOBAL TRADE DEALS
We’d be free to negotiate our own trade deals — especially with the world’s emerging new economies.
Since we import £89 billion of goods more annually from other EU countries than we sell to them, the EU stands to lose more than Britain if it seeks to impose tariffs post-Brexit. We are a crucial export market for Germany, the EU’s most powerful country, which would be the post-Brexit deal-maker.
3. JOB MARKET THAT WOULD STILL EXIST
There are an estimated 3.3 million British jobs ‘linked’ to our membership of the EU. By the same measure, there are more than five million jobs on the Continent that are linked to trade with Britain. This includes one million jobs in Germany, 494,000 in France, 309,000 in Italy and 421,000 in Spain.
4. THE BILLIONS WE GIFT TO BRUSSELS
We pay far more into the EU budget than we get back — making a net contribution of around £8.5 billion last year (£23 million a day), which is more than we spend on the police service or border controls.
The NHS costs £8.5 billion a month and the Health Service would get an extra £5 billion a year as a result of Brexit.
Also, almost £1 billion of British cash goes to the EU for international aid.
5. HOW TO CONTROL OUR BORDERS
Currently there’s no upper limit on migration and no proper control of our borders. More than three million EU migrants live in the UK — double the number in 2004 when the EU expanded to include Eastern European countries, who have sent more than a million people here (despite the last Labour Government saying it would be only 13,000 a year.)
Net migration from EU countries to the UK, according to official figures, is 184,000 a year — enough to fill a city the size of Oxford. David Cameron has never hit his target to reduce net migration to the tens of thousands — and most agree he never will if we remain inside the EU.
6. THE RIDICULOUS MIGRATION SYSTEM?
Under EU law, we must let in any EU citizen regardless of their qualifications. The result? Businesses can’t get work permits for highly skilled or educated people from the Commonwealth, U.S., Australia and elsewhere outside the EU.
Using a new points-system, every applicant to live here would be treated on their merit rather than on their nationality. Equally, we’d be able to accept more genuine refugees.
7. MEDDLING BY FOREIGN JUDGES
Parliament is powerless, under EU treaties, to defend itself against the rulings of the European Court of Justice — which has interfered in everything from the price of beer to the right to deport terror suspects.
The UK has lost three-quarters of the cases it’s challenged since 1973. This makes a mockery of the idea that the UK’s Supreme Court is supreme.
8. FOREIGN RAPISTS AND KILLERS
Thanks to Brussels diktats, some of the EU’s most evil killers, rapists and drug-dealers have been allowed to remain here — because their right to free movement has been put ahead of keeping the British public safe.
A report by the Labour-led Commons Home Affairs Committee said the number of foreign criminals who had not been deported could fill a ‘small town’. British jails hold almost 10,000 foreign prisoners — including 1,000 Poles.
9. KEEPING OUT UNDESIRABLES
UK law stops anyone from outside the EU entering Britain if their presence is deemed ‘not conducive to the public good’, but Brussels says EU citizens can only be turned away if there is a ‘serious, credible and present threat’.
Thus the list of criminals able to come here include a Latvian who murdered his wife before moving to the UK, where he killed a 14-year-old girl. Over the past decade, UK officials have only been able to turn away 11,000 EU nationals.
10. PROTECTING US FROM TERRORISM
The EU’s Frontex border security agency has warned that jihadists are exploiting the Union’s open borders and the migrant crisis to sneak into the continent and plot atrocities. Two of the attackers responsible for last year’s outrages in Paris used exactly this approach.
The British head of Europol also said that as many as 5,000 Islamic State-trained jihadists are moving freely in Europe. And Sir Richard Dearlove, ex-head of MI6, said we could be safer outside of the EU as it would be easier to deport fanatics. Leaving the EU would still allow us to work with U.S. intelligence agencies — as the so-called gold standard ‘Five Eyes’ intelligence-sharing partnership consists of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the U.S. and the UK.
11. WILL TURKEY BE ALLOWED TO JOIN?
David Cameron has repeatedly refused to drop his government’s support for Turkey — which has 77 million citizens — joining the EU.
Yet he’s said that at the current rate it won’t join until the year 3000 — despite the European Commission announcing last week that Turkey’s membership application was being ‘accelerated’.
Before the referendum campaign, the PM said his wish was to ‘pave the road from Ankara [Turkey’s capital]’ to Brussels. Turkish citizens are already being given visa-free access to mainland Europe after a deal that saw the Turks getting £4.6 billion in aid.
Campaign group Migration Watch has warned an extra 100,000 Turks would flock to Britain every year if the predominantly Muslim country joined the EU.
12. THE CORRUPTION OF EU OFFICIALDOM
Last year — for the 21st year running! — the EU Court of Auditors admitted that Brussels expenditure was compromised by irregularities, with ‘a persistently high level of payment errors, which means too much money is still not spent in accordance with the EU’s financial rules’.
13. THE ROTTEN EUROPEAN ECONOMY
By the end of last year, the UK economy was 6.8 per cent larger than it was at the start of 2008, whereas the EU economy was only 1.9 per cent bigger (France’s grew by 2.9 per cent and Italy’s is 8.8 per cent smaller than in 2008)).
Also, unemployment in the UK is five per cent — less than half the 10.2 per cent jobless rate in the eurozone. (In Greece, it is 24 per cent — with youth unemployment at a desperate 51 per cent — and 20 per cent in Spain).
14. BUSINESS TIED UP IN RED TAPE
Treasury research has shown that the EU’s ‘single market’ rules could impose costs of seven per cent of GDP on the UK economy. At £125 billion a year, that’s the equivalent of £4,639 per household. Only 6 per cent of British companies export to the EU — but all must comply with EU ‘single market’ legislation.
Small businesses — the lifeblood of our economy — suffer most, whereas big firms can lobby Brussels.
15. PROTECTING PUBLIC SERVICES
Freedom of movement rules mean we have no idea many foreigners settle here — which means it’s impossible to plan the necessary health, education, transport and housing requirements for them. This has led to intense pressures for anyone trying to get a school place for their child or a GP appointment.
Rents are rising and first-time buyers struggle to get on the housing ladder as prices soar and supply diminishes.
With five more nations — Turkey, Serbia, Montenegro, Albania and Macedonia — hoping to join the EU, this will only get worse.
16. CONTROLLING ASYLUM SEEKERS
According to its own statistics, 1.3 million people claimed asylum in the EU last year. Some 363,000 came from Syria. Applicants who get EU citizenship are free to move to the UK.
17. THE FARMING BUDGET SCANDAL
Despite contributing 12.5 per cent of the overall EU budget, the UK sees just 7 per cent of the Common Agricultural Policy budget spent here. By contrast, France gets 16.4 per cent, Spain 11.6 per cent, Germany 11.3 per cent, Italy 10.1 per cent and Poland 8.8 per cent.
The EU’s farm subsidy system meant that prior to 2003, the so-called Single Farm Payment was linked to how much farmers produced — leading to massive over-production and waste.
Now, farmers don’t have to produce a set amount — they are paid automatically for keeping land in ‘agricultural condition’. As a result, it’s been reported wealthy landowners absurdly get Brussels payments for having pony paddocks.
18. THE BARMIEST GREEN LAWS
Following the EU’s ban on incandescent light-bulbs, many people suffered epilepsy from the flickering, supposedly eco-friendly fluorescent bulbs. Equally controversially, vacuum cleaners sold in the EU have been limited to an output of 1,600 watts. This directive is expected to be extended to kettles, toasters, hair-dryers and other domestic appliances.
19. THE TRUTH ABOUT VAT RATES
Under EU rules, once a product is liable for VAT, any EU member government is not allowed to abolish that tax without Brussels’ approval. Thus, the lowest VAT Westminster can impose is 5 per cent — which imposes hardship on some British families with VAT charged at 5 per cent on energy bills. (Our Government even had to seek permission to scrap the levy charged on tampons.) Brussels pockets around 0.3 per cent of VAT paid.
20. LOSING CONTROL OF OUR SEAS
EU membership has devastated our fishing industry — halving the number of fisherman to fewer than 12,000 since 1975. Under international law, each nation enjoys an ‘Exclusive Economic Zone’ extending 200 miles from its coast. However, the Common Fisheries Policy pools the zones of member states into a single zone.
The first 12 miles is restricted to a nation’s own fishermen, but the area from 12 miles to 200 miles is open to the fleets of any EU member state.
Spanish vessels last year got a quota of 15,546 tonnes of hake for a large area of the Atlantic off Scotland while UK vessels were allowed just 7,131 tonnes. Leaving the EU would allow us to fish our own waters — and breathe new life into harbour towns.
These are the words of Jean-Claude Juncker, basically saying that his is not concerned with Europeans, he is more concerned about the migrants pouring in from Asia and Africa, which is part of the bigger plan of course.
They don’t like those coming from far away, I like those coming from far away… we have to act in solidarity with those who are in a worse situation than we are in. Jean-Claude Juncker
As we have seen from the behaviour of EU officials as well as Pro-EU campaigners, they cannot construct a logical argument and in true cultural Marxist fashion they resort to abuse, insults, name calling and labels. Racist, Fascist, Xenophobe and many more. Leavers have been making an argument to leave, why they want to leave and what they would want, the remainers on the other hand, have revealed their contempt for Democracy, for the Nanny-state, for thought control which has always been the same. There has never been a period in history when so many people are using their democratic right, to vote for an end to Democracy!
WE MUST LEAVE ASAP