Chinese interested in Cyprus holiday houses

NICOSIA -- Chinese investors are showing an increasing interest to acquire holiday houses in Cyprus, Cypriot Commerce and Tourism Minister Neoclis Sylikiotis said on Tuesday.

"Many Chinese have bought a holiday home with a view of obtaining a permanent residence permit," Sylikiotis said.

He added that there have been dozens of such cases recently.

Sylikiotis said this interest by Chinese people in buying houses in Cyprus will help the recovery of the construction sector, which is now in a deep recession that has sent unemployment rate to an unprecedented level of 10.8 percent in May.

He said that the Cyprus Investment Promotion Agency was in China recently to promote real estate in Cyprus.

Cyprus tries to attract foreign investments to help it face an economic crisis which has forced it to apply for emergency funds from the European Union and the International Monetary Fund.

EU and IMF technocrats will continue consultations with appropriate Cypriot authorities through August in an effort to hammer out an agreement on an austerity bailout program which will open the way to urgently needed funding for the public sector and for recapitalizing the banking system.

An estimated amount of up to 11 billion euros ($13.5 billion) is needed just to help the country's two largest banks raise their core tier 1 capital to a 90-percent level required by the EU.

Finance Minister Vassos Shiarly acknowledged on Tuesday that there are deep differences on certain aspects of the austerity package as the international negotiators are asking for deep salary and pension cuts.

However, Shiarly said he hoped discussion on the adjustment program will be completed in September or October at the latest.