Lawmakers want to include banks in a law banning usury and profiteering but the Central Bank said Cyprus must first ask the EU.

President Nicos Anastasiades has said the economy of Cyprus is on the road towards full recovery, whilst addressing the Cyprus Investors Summit in Limassol.

Hellenic Bank, resting on its high liquidity, aims to grow its loan portfolio in the medium term and explore ways to invest its liquid assets, the bank's Chief Executive Officer Bert Pijls has said, noting that the bank aspires to more than double its new lending in 2015 compared with the previous year.

Major investors and developers will be in Limassol for the Cyprus Investors Summit 2015 aimed at attracting funds for projects and boosting the foreign direct investments beyond the €3.2bln raised in the past two years.

The Finance Ministry maintains its 0.4% economic growth forecast for 2015, following three years of economic contraction in a challenging environment both at home and abroad.

Nine schemes worth €75 million will be announced in 2015 by the Commerce Ministry in an attempt to boost liquidity in the economy, said Yiorgos Lakkotrypis, the Commerce Minister.

Cyprus and Ireland could and will cooperate further on issues of agriculture and the environment, Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment Minister Nicos Kouyialis said recently.

Minister of Energy George Lakkotrypis has participated in a high level EU conference on the Energy Union organized by the current EU presidency, Latvia, and the European Commission.

Cyprus saw its trade deficit widen to almost €3.7 billion in 2014 from €3.2 billion in 2013, on increased imports and declining exports, the statistical service said recently.

President Nicos Anastasiades has expressed his wish to see the implementation of the long-pending National Health Scheme (NHS) during his tenure, noting that the NHS has been the subject of study for several years and the relevant legislation was approved in 2001.