Tassos Papadopoulos

Cyprus' justice minister has unveiled a host of measures to combat fan violence at sporting events, including pre-game drug and alcohol tests, increased body searches and tougher policing.

Former Cyprus President Dimitris Christofias died on Friday in Nicosia General Hospital. He was 72.

He was admitted to hospital in critical condition with respiratory problems. 

He led the communist-rooted AKEL party as its general secretary for more than two decades.

Trying to woo nationalists, fascists, religious fanatics and such segments of the Greek Cypriot society that delivered oaths on hand grenades to "drink Turkish Cypriot society," repeating at every opportunity that the "majority cannot succumb to the minority," and at the same time trying to fool Turks with some empty "we want federation" rhetoric must be a very tiring occupation.

The presidential elections in Greek Cyprus are ever more interesting for various reasons. Three camps have already formed.

With the question "When will they collapse this time?" occupying minds, the Cyprus negotiations left behind yet another crisis and resumed on April 11. In Turkey, meanwhile, only five days were left before a crucial vote that may be of existential importance for the future of the country.

This is a crucial week for the Cyprus issue. Both the Turkish and Greek sides seem to think that the talks in Geneva are "a last window of opportunity for a solution," but each party is still putting forward terms that the other side obviously cannot accept. Nevertheless, for some time now there has been strong optimism that this "last chance" will bring a solution.