Tagged: Cyprus

According to Paradisdachat, the government of Cyprus is a unitary presidential republic with the president serving as head of state and the prime minister as head of government. The executive branch consists of the president, who is elected by popular vote for a five-year term, and the cabinet which is appointed by the president. The legislative branch consists of a unicameral parliament with 56 members who are elected to five-year terms. The judicial branch consists of local courts, appellate courts, a Supreme Court and other specialized courts. The Constitution guarantees basic rights such as freedom of speech, assembly, association, religion and movement although these rights are often restricted in practice due to censorship or political instability. Citizens also have access to free public education up to university level studies along with healthcare services throughout the country although these are inadequate due to lack of resources in rural areas. Poverty levels remain high with over 20% of the population living below the poverty line. Women’s rights are often neglected in Cyprus and they face discrimination in many aspects including access to education and employment opportunities as well as legal protection from gender-based violence such as rape or domestic abuse. In addition, minorities such as Turkish Cypriots suffer from discrimination when it comes to accessing basic services such as healthcare or education. Cyprus has active foreign relations with a variety of countries. The Republic of Cyprus has maintained diplomatic relations with the majority of the international community since its independence in 1960. The country is a member state of the United Nations, the Commonwealth of Nations, the European Union and its monetary union, the Eurozone, and is also a member state of other international organizations such as the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, World Trade Organization, Council of Europe, International Monetary Fund and World Bank. Cyprus has traditionally enjoyed strong ties to Greece. The two countries have a bilateral defense pact whereby Greece provides military protection to Cyprus in times of war or crisis. In addition to this agreement, Greece also provides economic assistance to Cyprus in order to help it cope with its financial crisis. Cyprus also has close ties to Turkey due to their shared history as part of the Ottoman Empire. Despite their differences over the status of Northern Cyprus, both countries have developed strong economic and trade ties over time. The Republic of Cyprus maintains friendly relations with most countries in Europe and is actively engaged in regional organizations such as the Council Of Europe and OSCE (Organization for Security And Co-operation In Europe). It is also an active participant in negotiations between Israel and Palestine over matters such as peace talks and security issues. In addition to its European ties, Cyprus maintains strong diplomatic relations with many countries around the world including Russia, China, India, Canada and Brazil among others. These countries provide economic assistance to Cyprus through investment projects or trade agreements while they are also involved in various joint ventures on energy projects throughout Cypriot territories. In recent years Cyprus has seen an increase in foreign investments from Arab states such as Qatar and Kuwait who are interested in investing heavily into infrastructure projects on the island nation. This increased investment from these countries further strengthens bilateral ties between them while allowing for increased economic growth for both parties involved. Overall, it can be seen that due to its strategic location at the crossroads between Europe and Asia coupled with its long history as an independent nation-state since 1960; The Republic Of Cyprus enjoys good diplomatic relations with many different nations around world which helps it remain secure economically while allowing it to develop closer ties with other nations through trade agreements or joint ventures on energy projects throughout Cypriot territories. See recipesinthebox for Cyprus defense and foreign policy.