Vehicle sales fell 5.2% in 2019, the first drop after five consecutive years, the statistical service said on Friday.

A total of 25 plans to rejuvenate and improve the mountain areas were discussed by agriculture and environment minister Costas Kadis and mountain development commissioner Costas Hambiaouris on Friday.

More than 5,400 people have now applied for the state mortgage debt relief scheme, representing some 50% of those eligible, Finance Minister Constantinos Petrides said on Friday.

The value of bounced cheques issued in Cyprus during 2019 declined to €1.41 mln marking a new all-time low since 2003 when the Central Bank’s Central Information Register (CIR) for bad cheques commenced operation.

Rates on deposits and loans followed mixed trends in November in the Cypriot banking system, data released by the Cyprus Central Bank show.

Cyprus’ Residential Property Price Index recorded an increase of 0.5% in the second quarter of 2019, compared to the previous quarter and an increase of 2.8% annually.

Momentum in the Cyprus real estate market will continue to grow fostered by renewed local and foreign investment recorded, President Nicos Anastasiades said.

Prices of residential properties continued to climb during the second quarter of 2019, despite a dip in demand for high-end properties from foreign buyers as a result of tightened eligibility criteria in the citizenship-by-investment scheme, the Central Bank of Cyprus (CBC) said.

State hospitals will be close to being fully autonomous by the end of the year, the House health committee heard on Thursday, as MPs expressed concern over the course of the endeavour.

Health Minister Constantinos Ioannou said Friday the state intended to ensure private hospitals would remain viable inside the national health system (Gesy), a day after they accepted a framework agreement for joining.