ECONOMY

Anastasiades has talked to two countries about a loan

Leading presidential candidate in the Cypriot election, Nicos Anastasiades, revealed on Friday night that he has been in talks with two countries for the supply of a short-term emergency loan as bridge funding until the eurozone lends Nicosia some much-needed cash.

Speaking in the televised debate ahead of Sunday’s run-off, conservative Anastasiades said he has been negotiating with one country within the European Union and one outside, it, obviously Russia, for the issuing of a three-month loan that would cover the basic cash needs of the island state.

The current government in Cyprus has already admitted its available cash will last only up to mid-March.

The eurozone has postponed any decisions about signing a bailout deal with Nicosia until next month at least.

Sixty-six-year-old Anastasiades is poised to win by a big margin in Sunday’s second round, given his 16.5-point lead over leftist Stavros Malas in the first round, and the decision by independent candidate Yorgos Lillikas against asking his voters to support either candidate, as he confirmed on Friday.

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