Central Bank clarifications on Cyprus Banks
The Central Bank of Cyprus has issued on Saturday clarifications for the better understanding of the resolution measures implemented under the Resolution of Credit and Other Institutions Law, 2013 at the Bank of Cyprus and Laiki Bank. In its press release, the CB says “for the better understanding of the resolution measures implemented under the Resolution of Credit and Other Institutions Law, 2013 at the Bank of Cyprus and Laiki Bank, following the agreement of the Eurogroup with the Cyprus Government on 25 March 2013, the Central Bank of Cyprus (CBC) would like to clarify the following points:
1. Laiki Bank
The resolution measures already adopted are: (a) The sale of Laiki Bank’s branches in Greece to Piraeus Bank in Greece (b) The sale of Laiki Bank’s business in Cyprus (excluding the bank’s subsidiaries and branches abroad) to the Bank of Cyprus. As a result of the above, all contracts are transferred to either the Bank of Cyprus or Piraeus Bank. Furthermore, all branches of Laiki Bank will resume as normal on Tuesday, 2 April 2013 together with their staff, but under the ownership of the Bank of Cyprus. Moreover, the following points are clarified: All insured deposits (individuals and legal entities) up to €100.000 have, as of 26 March 2013, been transferred from Laiki Bank to the Bank of Cyprus. In addition, the entire amount of deposits belonging to financial institutions, the government, municipalities, municipal councils and other public entities, insurance companies, charities, schools, educational institutions, and deposits belonging to JCC Payment Systems Ltd have been transferred to the Bank of Cyprus. All other deposits exceeding €100.000 remain in the ‘bad’ Laiki Bank. All loans and credit facilities to Laiki Bank customers are transferred to the Bank of Cyprus, apart from the amount which is attributed to the deposits that remained in the ‘bad’ Laiki Bank, as mentioned above. In other words, there will be a set off between loans and deposits.
2. Bank of Cyprus
The resolution measures are:
(a) The sale of Bank of Cyprus’s branches in Greece to Piraeus Bank in Greece.
(b) Adopting a bail-in rescue plan.
For the purposes of the above measure, if the aggregated deposits a customer (individual or entity) held on 26 March 2013 at the Bank of Cyprus exceed €100.000, then for the amount higher than €100.000 the following apply: (a) Total loans and credit facilities of the customer on 26 March 2013 at the Bank of Cyprus are deducted from the deposits exceeding €100.000. If the sum of the balances of loans and credit facilities is greater than or equal to the amount of deposits exceeding €100.000, then the resolution measures are not applicable to this client. If the sum of the balances of loans and credit facilities is less than the deposits exceeding €100.000, then the following apply:
(b) 37,5% of this difference is automatically converted into Class A’ shares of the Bank of Cyprus, with voting rights and dividends.
(c) 22,5% of this difference is temporarily ‘frozen’ and possibly part or the whole of it, will be converted into Class A’ shares of the Bank of Cyprus with voting rights and dividends for the purposes of the bank’s resolution. In that regard, an independent valuer will be appointed for the valuation purposes of the Bank of Cyprus. Not later than 90 days from the completion of the valuation, all or part of that percentage might be converted into shares and the remainder returned to the depositor. To the extent that the 22,5% will be re-deposited, the interest will be calculated retrospectively together with a small increment.
(d) The remaining 40% of the difference is temporarily ‘frozen’ for liquidity purposes. However, the interest continues to be calculated for this deposit based on the existing interest rate, plus an increment of 10 basis points. This amount will be ‘unfrozen’ in a short period of time and will not be used for resolution purposes. The current capital of the Bank of Cyprus (shares, securities convertible into shares, bonds) is converted into new shares as explained below: The existing ordinary shares are converted into new shares of Class D’. The existing securities which are convertible into shares are converted into new shares of Class C ‘. Existing bonds are converted into new shares of Class B ‘. Voting rights and dividends for the above-mentioned new classes of shares (B’, C’, D’) may be exercised only if the total dividends to be given to holders of Class A’ shares reach the original contribution plus interest at an annual rate of EURIBOR-3 months plus 10%. Class A’ shares have full voting rights and dividends. As a result of these resolution measures, the Bank of Cyprus has essentially absorbed the largest part of the operations of Laiki Bank in Cyprus and continues to provide services to the customers of both banks, through the branches of the Bank of Cyprus and the branches of the former Laiki Bank. Customers are encouraged to continue using the branches with which they previously conducted their business until the extended network is able to serve all customers from all points. It is important to note that the above resolution measures do not apply to the former customers of Laiki Bank and do not apply to any amounts deposited with the Bank of Cyprus, either by a client of the Bank of Cyprus or by a client of the former Laiki Bank, after 26 March 2013. 3. In relation to the implementation of resolution measures for Laiki Bank and the Bank of Cyprus, the following principles apply:
3.1. Treatment of joint accounts: According to the Regulations for the operation of the Deposit Protection Scheme and the Resolution of Credit and Other Institutions Law, 2013, each of the joint account holders is considered to have a separate deposit, and hence the total deposit is divided by the number of persons who are co-owners, unless there are specific contractual terms or elements which differentiate the above. 3.2. Treatment of multiple deposit accounts per customer: If a customer has more than one deposit account, then the deposit amount with respect to the measures referred to in points 1 and 2 above is considered to be the sum of all accounts up to €100.000. 3.3. Deposits (a) of persons acting as trustees or nominees, (b) persons who are beneficiaries in clients’ accounts: Amounts relating to the above categories, are ‘frozen’ until the presentation of appropriate evidence to the respective banks for the beneficiaries of the account holder. 3.4. Series of Conversion deposits into equity per customer at the Bank of Cyprus: In the case of multiple accounts per customer, the conversion of deposits into equity is in the following order of priority: (a) accounts with a longer period until maturity (longest maturity date), (b) accounts with larger account balances. It is important to note that the relative Decrees may be modified by new Decrees issued by the resolution authority, if the need arises.
For all major political events there has always been the democratic choice of holding an election . For something as major as potentially losing all your money over 100000 in the laki and 60% of your money over 100000 in the bank of Cyprus, you would expect a referendum on whether the people and there businesses want to stay in Europe. We know what is going to happen if we stay in the Euro ‘our country is going to be sent back to the dark ages. As once the public has lost their money to Europe you can not get it back it is gone.
In my opinion if we leave the Euro and return to the Cyprus pound the currency would be worth in the region of 1cy pound to 50 European cents . The key here is of course that the people would still have there money all be it in cy pounds, but at least they would have an opportunity of the cy pound appreciating in value . So if they do not take their money out of Cyprus they have not lost anything. Secondly in the short term there would be inflation, as goods that are imported in to Cyprus would be more expensive this would with the governments help encourage Cypriots to start businesses that would provide Cypriot products. The same way we were, before we joined the Euro and the common agricultural policy which have basically destroyed Cypriot products and services. This would probably take up to two years to get started and start producing those things that have been handed to European countries to sell back to to Cyprus at very expensive rates . Again the most important thing is that the Cyprus banking system and peoples money is still safe. Thirdly because of the devaluation of the Cyprus pound, tourism would take off again not just for the large hotels but for the small hotels and apartments , restaurants , novelty shops etc in fact all the tourist ancillary industry would take a massive boost as Cyprus would be cheaper than our biggest competitors I.e.. Turkey and Egypt. Fourthly the construction industry would take off again ( providing the developers don’t double there prices and leave them at the same preexisting price of the Euro ) because if there properties are reduced by 50% keeping them in line with the Cyprus pounds devaluation. There will be an influx of money as the properties would be relatively cheap. An example would be an 250000 Euro home would be worth 125000 cy pound this would encourage people to come and buy properties . And lets be honest in the last few years the Cypriot property market has dried up. The important thing to note is that on the subject of tourism and construction there would be massive amounts of foreign currency coming into Cyprus.
Our exports over the next five years would be cheaper so any thing we produce and sell abroad would be highly competitive and hence sell better than a European equivalent at twice the price.
The most important thing to remember is that Cyprus would have no debt as we would be starting again, and most importantly the people would not have lost 60% of there money in the bank of Cyprus and lost all of there money in the laki. So the only time it would affect Cypriots in the short to medium term is when they go abroad , but they would at least have there money to spend as opposed to losing it and still have there economy and banking system destroyed.
So it would be hard for the first 5 years , but surely this is better than struggling for the next 25 years under the Draconian rules that are being arbitrarily imposed on Cyprus by the eu.
The last thing to mention is of course the oil and gas which would start being supplied in the next five years. This would of course bring in masses of foreign currency and ensure that our public services would once again improve at a very rapid pace.The important point is that we would be in control of our own destiny. We would of course have security because we would be protected by the 3 guarantor powers and in addition the US, Israel and Russia.would all have stakes in our oil and gas.
Two examples of countries who have gone bankrupt in the last few years and are now flourishing are Argentina and Iceland
The most important thing in any industry is confidence. At the moment there is none in Cyprus and we need our people to trust the government and our banking system again. If the naive politicians think that there wont be a run on the banks the moment the credit controls are lifted then they are completely out of touch with the people in the street.
We need a referendum to let the people decide.