VOA标准英语2013--Cyprus Poses Fresh Crisis as EU Questions Russian Investment

 

Cyprus Poses Fresh Crisis as EU Questions Russian Investment

In Cyprus the banks may still be closed, but lines at cash machines are still growing. Alongside the Cypriots withdrawing their savings¹ are many foreign nationals.

With a corporate² tax rate of 10 percent, Cyprus has long attracted foreign investors³. But this Mediterranean⁴ island has other attractions, says International Finance Professor Kate Phylaktis, of London's Cass Business School, a former consultant⁵ to the Cypriot government.

"It is not just because of tax," said Phylaktis. "We speak English, I mean the English language is very well spoken in Cyprus. Our legal system is based on the English legal system so our institutions are very good and well understood by everyone so that is very attractive to foreign investors."

The ratings agency Moody's estimates there is $31 billion of Russian money in Cypriot bank accounts. Phylaktis says close links between the two countries go back to the break-up of the Soviet⁶ Union.

"We have had very long links and close relationship with the Russians," she said. "There are about 20,000 Russian families living in Cyprus, so obviously these Russians have property, have deposits, have businesses, which bring a lot of money to Cyprus, there is no doubt."

In recent weeks German media have published leaked intelligence reports that allege⁷ Cyprus is used by corrupt⁸ Russians to launder⁹ money.

Kate Phylaktis says that suspicion is driving the European Union to insist on tough measures in return for a bailout.

"With the German elections coming up very soon, I mean they have not got a lot of leeway, they have to convince the taxpayers¹⁰ in Germany that they are not going to fund the Russian oligarchs," she said.

But the accusations¹¹ leveled at Cyprus are exaggerated, says one-time Cypriot resident James Ker-Lindsay, who is an expert on southeast Europe at the London School of Economics.

"There is no doubt that there has been dirty Russian money that has gone through Cyprus," said Ker-Lindsay. "But we know that dirty Russian money has gone through a lot of places."

Ker-Lindsay says many foreign nationals have seen Cyprus as a safe haven¹².

"Throughout the Middle East for example, North Africa, Eastern Europe, plus also there is a very large British population that lives in Cyprus," he said. "Cyprus was a safe haven at the height of the Lebanese civil war, so you had a lot of people who were coming over and setting up new lives in Cyprus. A number of them have stayed. From southeast Europe, from the Balkans during the wars in the 1990s."

Britain, which has military bases on Cyprus, has sent a plane carrying a million euros to the island in case servicemen and women have any problems with their banks. Analysts¹³ say it is a measure of how seriously Cyprus's European partners view the crisis. 

1 savings   

n.存款，储蓄

参考例句：

• I can't afford the vacation,for it would eat up my savings.我度不起假，那样会把我的积蓄用光的。
• By this time he had used up all his savings.到这时，他的存款已全部用完。

2 corporate   

adj.共同的，全体的；公司的，企业的

参考例句：

• This is our corporate responsibility.这是我们共同的责任。
• His corporate's life will be as short as a rabbit's tail.他的公司的寿命是兔子尾巴长不了。

3 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

4 Mediterranean   

adj.地中海的；地中海沿岸的

参考例句：

• The houses are Mediterranean in character.这些房子都属地中海风格。
• Gibraltar is the key to the Mediterranean.直布罗陀是地中海的要冲。

5 consultant   

n.顾问；会诊医师，专科医生

参考例句：

• He is a consultant on law affairs to the mayor.他是市长的一个法律顾问。
• Originally,Gar had agreed to come up as a consultant.原来，加尔只答应来充当我们的顾问。

6 Soviet   

adj.苏联的，苏维埃的；n.苏维埃

参考例句：

• Zhukov was a marshal of the former Soviet Union.朱可夫是前苏联的一位元帅。
• Germany began to attack the Soviet Union in 1941.德国在1941年开始进攻苏联。

7 allege   

vt.宣称，申述，主张，断言

参考例句：

• The newspaper reporters allege that the man was murdered but they have given no proof.新闻记者们宣称这个男人是被谋杀的，但他们没提出证据。
• Students occasionally allege illness as the reason for absence.学生时不时会称病缺课。

8 corrupt   

v.贿赂，收买；adj.腐败的，贪污的

参考例句：

• The newspaper alleged the mayor's corrupt practices.那家报纸断言市长有舞弊行为。
• This judge is corrupt.这个法官贪污。

9 launder   

v.洗涤；洗黑钱（把来路可疑的钱弄得似乎合法）

参考例句：

• She wore a freshly laundered and starched white shirt.她穿一件刚刚浆洗熨烫过的白色衬衣。
• The gang launders the steal money through their chain of restaurants.这帮匪徒通过他们的连锁饭店洗赃款。

10 taxpayers   

纳税人，纳税的机构( taxpayer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Finance for education comes from taxpayers. 教育经费来自纳税人。
• She was declaiming against the waste of the taxpayers' money. 她慷慨陈词猛烈抨击对纳税人金钱的浪费。

11 accusations   

n.指责( accusation的名词复数 )；指控；控告；（被告发、控告的）罪名

参考例句：

• There were accusations of plagiarism. 曾有过关于剽窃的指控。
• He remained unruffled by their accusations. 对于他们的指控他处之泰然。

12 haven   

n.安全的地方，避难所，庇护所

参考例句：

• It's a real haven at the end of a busy working day.忙碌了一整天后，这真是一个安乐窝。
• The school library is a little haven of peace and quiet.学校的图书馆是一个和平且安静的小避风港。

13 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。