Central Bank of Cyprus Governor Chrystalla Georghadji will engage in bilateral talks with commercial banks aiming at lower interest rates in the Cypriot banking system.

The cabinet has approved legislation that regulates the operation of casinos on the island, which will now be submitted to parliament for discussion and approval in the coming months.

Energy minister Yiorgos Lakkotrypis and his Greek counterpart Yiannis Maniatis met the Vice President of the European Commission for the Energy Union Maroš Šefčovič and discussed the exploitation of the natural gas resources of the eastern Mediterranean.

The Government believes that the privatisation of commercial services and the expansion of ports will bring economic growth, Minister of Communication and Works, Marios Demetriades has said.

Finance minister Harris Georgiades said the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) approved the disbursement of a €350 million tranche to Cyprus, after the international creditors froze Cyprus’s bailout three months ago.

Cyprus’ economy shrank a revised 0.3% in the third quarter of 2014, data showed recently, suggesting the grip of a three-year recession was easing.

With foreign investment flowing in and new company registrations increasing for the eighth consecutive month, Cyprus’ top-quality professional services sector continues to be in high demand.

For long the traditional approach of English courts had been to protect the sanctity of agreements between parties in the event a dispute occurred through the method of safeguarding an arbitration agreement against the threat of parallel proceedings launched in a foreign jurisdiction has been for the court to make an order for anti-suit injunctions.

Companies that filed for bankruptcy in Cyprus reached 139 by the end of November 2014, a number significantly lower than the 189 companies that filed for bankruptcy in 2013.

Investors should invest in Bank of Cyprus because its attractive share value and its board of directors, which guarantees world class governance, John Hourican, chief executive officer of the lender said recently.