- Title: CYPRUS: Protesters jubilant after Cyprus lawmakers reject bank tax
- Date: 19th March 2013
- Summary: NICOSIA, CYPRUS (MARCH 19, 2013) (REUTERS) DEPUTIES OUTSIDE PARLIAMENT AFTER VOTE (SOUNDBITE) (English) PRESIDENT OF PARLIAMENT, YIANNAKIS OMIROU, SAYING: "The house of representatives for the Cyprus republic rejected with a great majority the decision of the Eurogroup for the haircut of the deposits in the Cypriot banks and the international banks which are functioning in our country. We are looking forward, for the solidarity of our partners, this solidarity which is the fundamental principle of the European family." (Reporter asking: "What's plan B?) "Tomorrow we shall have a meeting at the presidential palace with the president of the republic and we will discuss the next steps. What I want to say is that this decision of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Cyprus is protecting all the peoples of the member countries of the European Union, this is the main message I want to send tonight to all European citizens." CAMERA FILMING (SOUNDBITE) (English) COMMUNIST PARTY MEMBER YANNIS THOMA SAYING: "The problem in front of us is quite big, but we shall fight and we shall not give the sovereignty of our country in order to have some money for a small period. We shall strike, we shall collect all the political forces and we shall apply to our people to our friends, to all democratic people all over the world in order to save our country." RIOT POLICE HEADING TOWARDS PROTESTERS CELEBRATING POLICE IN FRONT OF DEMONSTRATORS PROTESTERS SHOUTING "Cyprus will not yield" PROTESTERS SHOUTING PLACARD WITH ANGELA MERKEL READING "get out of our country" COMMUNIST PARTY LEADER ANDROS KYPRIANOU ARRIVING AT PROTEST (SOUNDBITE) (English) LEADER OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY, ANDROS KYPRIANOU, SAYING: "I continue to be deeply concerned and we shall try very hard to overcome the difficulties. What we did now at the parliament it was just to reject an unfair and unjust proposal which was presented in front of us. Now we have very hard work to do in order to overcome the difficulties." VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS SINGING (SOUNDBITE) (Greek) MARY NIKOLAOU, GRAPHIC ARTIST, 55, SAYING: "I am not afraid, we will go on. If this had taken place, we would have gone over a cliff. We will carry on dynamically." (SOUNDBITE) (Greek) ANDREAS NAPOLEON, TYPOGRAPHER, 60, SAYING: "We are a people that want to have the reigns in our hands. No one can impose on us whatever they want." (SOUNDBITE) (Greek) SANDY ANTONIOU, SOCIAL WORKER, 29, SAYING: "We were a strong example not only for this country but for Greece, Italy, Spain. The people can resist. We are many they are the few, and they cannot decide for our future. I have mixed emotions, because of course you know that the future may be uncertain, but at least we have our dignity and we are not servants." PROTESTERS CHEERING AND CLAPPING
- Embargoed: 3rd April 2013 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Cyprus
- Country: Cyprus
- Topics: Economy,Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA9B69HYYJUWV2REZ78AUTF5NHA
- Story Text: Protesters in Niscosia were jubilant after Cyprus's parliament overwhelmingly rejected a proposed levy on bank deposits as a condition for a European bailout on Tuesday (March 19), throwing euro zone efforts to rescue the latest casualty of the debt crisis into disarray.
Members of Parliament had strongly signalled that they would vote against the plan, and the vote ended with 36 votes against, 19 abstentions and one absence.
Despite bringing the Mediterranean island, one of the smallest European states, to the brink of financial meltdown, deputies said they would work to reach a solution but had safeguarded other EU countries and they sought the solidarity of friends and allies.
"The house of representatives for the Cyprus republic rejected with a great majority the decision of the Eurogroup for the haircut of the deposits in the Cypriot banks and the international banks which are functioning in our country. We are looking forward, for the solidarity of our partners, this solidarity which is the fundamental principle of the European family," President of Parliament Yiannakis Omirou told reporters.
"Tomorrow we shall have a meeting at the presidential palace with the president of the republic and we will discuss the next steps," he said.
"What I want to say is that this decision of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Cyprus is protecting all the peoples of the member countries of the European Union, this is the main message I want to send tonight to all European citizens," he added.
The deputies of the Communist Party joined the demonstration outside the Parliament and warned of the hard times ahead.
"The problem in front of us is quite big, but we shall fight and we shall not give the sovereignty of our country in order to have some money for a small period. We shall strike, we shall collect all the political forces and we shall apply to our people to our friends, to all democratic people all over the world in order to save our country," said Communist party member Yannis Thoma.
"I continue to be deeply concerned and we shall try very hard to overcome the difficulties. What we did now at the parliament it was just to reject an unfair and unjust proposal which was presented in front of us. Now we have very hard work to do in order to overcome the difficulties," added Andros Kyprianou, leader of the Communist party.
Cypriots broke out in cheers and songs after learning the result of the vote. Some said although the future was now uncertain, Cyprus did not succumb to the demands of the European Union.
"I am not afraid, we will go on. If this had taken place, we would have gone over a cliff. We will carry on dynamically," said 55-year-old Mary Nikolaou.
"We are a people that want to have the reigns in our hands. No one can impose on us whatever they want," said protester Andreas Napoleon.
"We were a strong example not only for this country but for Greece, Italy, Spain. The people can resist. We are many they are the few, and they cannot decide for our future. I have mixed emotions, because of course you know that the future may be uncertain, but at least we have our dignity and we are not servants," said social worker Sandy Antoniou.
Europe's demand over the weekend that Cyprus break with previous EU practice and impose a levy on bank accounts sparked outrage among Cypriots and unsettled financial markets.
A revised draft bill would have exempt savings under 20,000 euros from the planned 6.75 percent levy on deposits of less than 100,000 euros, leaving a shortfall, but that was not enough to sway lawmakers, even in the ruling party, to accept the tax. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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