2012–2013 Cypriot financial crisis

Economic crisis in the Republic of Cyprus October 2020 thumb|300px|Cyprus bonds yield #004D80 solid 3px 10 year #61D836 solid 3px 7 year #929292 solid 3px 5 year #73FDEA solid 3px 3 year #FF2600 solid 3px 2 year The 2012–2013 Cypriot financial crisis was an economic crisis in the Republic of Cyprus that involved the exposure of Cypriot banks to overleveraged local property companies, the Greek government-debt crisis, the downgrading of the Cypriot government's bond credit rating to junk status by international credit rating agencies, the consequential inability to refund its state expenses from the international marketshttp://www.aljazeera.com/news/europe/2012/06/201262517189248721.html Cyprus asks EU for financial bailout – Europe Al Jazeera English http://thecypruslawyer.com/cypriot-banks-in-the-aftermath-of-the-greek-haircut/cyprus-news Cypriot banks in the aftermath of the Greek haircut The Cyprus Lawyer 26 October 2011 14 December 2012 25 March 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20130325064029/http://thecypruslawyer.com/cypriot-banks-in-the-aftermath-of-the-greek-haircut/cyprus-news dead and the reluctance of the government to restructure the troubled Cypriot financial sector.https://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/25/business/global/25iht-dixon25.html Cyprus Refuses to Learn From Its Mistakes The New York Times 2 April 2013 Hugo Dixon 24 March 2013 On 25 March 2013, a €10 billion international bailout by the Eurogroup, European Commission (EC), European Central Bank (ECB), and International Monetary Fund (IMF) was announced, in return for Cyprus agreeing to close the country's second-largest bank, the Cyprus Popular Bank (also known as Laiki Bank), imposing a one-time bank deposit levy on all uninsured deposits there, and seizing possibly around 48% of uninsured deposits in the Bank of Cyprus (the island's largest commercial bank). A minority proportion of those deposits was from citizens of other countries (many of them from Russia), who preferred Cypriot banks because of their higher interest on bank account deposits, relatively low corporate tax, and easier access to the rest of the European banking sector. This resulted in numerous insinuations by US and European media who presented Cyprus as a "tax haven" and suggested that the prospective bailout loans were meant for saving the accounts of Russian depositors.https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/cypriot-banks-to-reopen-amid-criticism-of-bailout/2013/03/27/dd56757c-96e1-11e2-b68f-dc5c4b47e519_story.html Cypriot banks to reopen amid criticism of bailout The Washington Post 27 March 2013 Max Ehrenfreund live 29 November 2014 https://web.archive.org/web/20141129133143/https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/cypriot-banks-to-reopen-amid-criticism-of-bailout/2013/03/27/dd56757c-96e1-11e2-b68f-dc5c4b47e519_story.html http://tv.msnbc.com/2013/03/26/cyprus-disaster-shines-light-on-global-tax-haven-industry/ https://web.archive.org/web/20130327212857/http://tv.msnbc.com/2013/03/26/cyprus-disaster-shines-light-on-global-tax-haven-industry/ 2013-03-27 MSNBC 26 March 2013 Cyprus disaster shines light on global tax haven industry 2 April 2013 live No insured deposit of €100,000 or less would be affected, though 47.5% of all bank deposits above €100,000 were seized.Jan Strupczewski Annika Breidthardt Last-minute Cyprus deal to close bank, force losses Reuters 25 March 2013 https://www.reuters.com/article/us-cyprus-parliament-idUSBRE92G03I20130325 https://web.archive.org/web/20130325042059/https://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/25/us-cyprus-parliament-idUSBRE92G03I20130325 2013-03-25 25 March 2013 live25 March 2013 Eurogroup signs off on bailout agreement reached by Cyprus and troika http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_1_25/03/2013_489702 https://web.archive.org/web/20130326124216/http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_1_25/03/2013_489702 26 March 2013 Ekathimerini Greece Nearly one-third of Rossiya Bank's cash ($1 billion) was frozen in Cypriot accounts during this crisis.28 June 2013 У петербургского банка "Россия" в кризис на Кипре завис миллиард долларов Petersburg bank "Rossiya" has a billion dollars in crisis in Cyprus https://neva.today/news/u-peterburgskogo-banka-rossiya-v-krizis-na-kipre-zavis-milliard-dollarov-49155/ https://web.archive.org/web/20180513081555/https://neva.today/news/u-peterburgskogo-banka-rossiya-v-krizis-na-kipre-zavis-milliard-dollarov-49155/ 13 May 2018 Neva.Today Russian Context thumb|upright=1.35|alt=Cypriot debt compared to Eurozone average|Cyprus's debt-to-GDP percentage compared to Eurozone average since 1999this graph appears to show projections for the post-2012 period, not actual data September 2019 The United States' subprime mortgage crisis in 2007–2008 led to a domino effect of negative consequences in the global economy including the European Union. The Cypriot economy went into recession in 2009, as the economy shrank by 1.67%,http://www.theglobaleconomy.com/Cyprus/indicator-NY.GDP.MKTP.KD.ZG/ Cyprus: Economic Growth, Cyprus GDP growth rate TheGlobalEconomy.com dead https://web.archive.org/web/20130225162301/http://www.theglobaleconomy.com/Cyprus/indicator-NY.GDP.MKTP.KD.ZG/ 25 February 2013 with large falls specifically in the tourism and shipping sectorshttps://kpfa.org/episode/89875/ Up Front – March 19, 2013 at 7:00am KPFA 94.1 FM Berkeley: Listener Sponsored Free Speech Radio 19 March 2013 which caused rising unemployment.http://www.indexmundi.com/cyprus/unemployment_rate.html Cyprus Unemployment rate – Economy Economic growth between 2010 and 2012 was weak and failed to reach its pre-2009 levels. Commercial property values declined by approximately 30%.http://www.joinricsineurope.eu/uploads/files/RICSIndexQ42012Final.ppt RICS Cyprus Property Index Q4 2012 RICS Europe 14 April 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20131231001156/http://www.joinricsineurope.eu/uploads/files/RICSIndexQ42012Final.ppt 31 December 2013 dead Non-performing loans rose to a reported 6.1% in 2011,http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/FB.AST.NPER.ZS Bank nonperforming loans to total gross loans (%) World Bank 14 April 2013 increasing pressure on the banking system. With a small population and modest economy, Cyprus had a large offshore banking industry. Compared to a nominal GDP of €19.5bn ($24bn)http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2012/01/weodata/weorept.aspx?pr.x=39&pr.y=3&sy=2009&ey=2012&scsm=1&ssd=1&sort=country&ds=.&br=1&c=423&s=NGDPD%2CNGDPDPC%2CPPPGDP%2CPPPPC%2CLP&grp=0&a= Cyprus International Monetary Fund 18 April 2012 the banks had amassed €22 billion of Greek private-sector debt with bank deposits of $120bn, including $60bn from Russian corporations. Russian oligarch Dmitry Rybolovlev owned a 10% stake in the Bank of Cyprus.Rates on Spanish Bond Soar https://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/13/business/global/daily-euro-zone-watch.html 12 June 2012 The New York Times 12 June 2012 Stephen Castle David Jolly Eurozone crisis live: Spain told to cut harder as Greek deal approved The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/business/2012/mar/13/eurozone-crisis-greek-deal-spain-austerity#block-2 13 March 2012 13 March 2012 London Graeme WeardenCyprus requests eurozone bailout http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/80320e0e-bed0-11e1-b24b-00144feabdc0.html 25 June 2012 Financial Times 25 June 2012 James Wilson Cyprus banks first came under severe financial pressure as bad debt ratios rose. Former Laiki CEO Efthimios Bouloutas admitted that his bank was probably insolvent as early as 2008, even before Cyprus entered the Eurozone. The banks were then exposed to a haircut of upwards of 50% in 2011,https://www.forbes.com/sites/timworstall/2013/03/31/theres-something-very-strange-about-the-cyprus-bank-haircut-very-strange-indeed/ There's Something Very Strange About The Cyprus Bank Haircut. Very Strange Indeed Tim Worstall 31 March 2013 Forbes during the Greek government-debt crisis,http://www.marketplace.org/2012/02/21/world/greek-debt-crisis/greek-bond-investors-take-big-haircut-bailout-deal Greek bond investors take big 'haircut' in bailout deal Marketplace.org 21 February 2012 http://neurope.eu/article/greek-debt-haircut-takes/ Greek debt 'haircut' takes off New Europe 4 February 2016 24 February 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210224014128/https://neurope.eu/article/greek-debt-haircut-takes/ dead leading to fears of a collapse of the Cypriot banks. The Cypriot state, unable to raise liquidity from the markets to support its financial sector, requested a bailout from the European Union. Progress on fiscal and structural reforms was slow. After a serious accidental explosion in July 2011 at the Evangelos Florakis Naval Base, the major credit rating agencies downgraded the country's rating in September. Yields on its long-term bonds rose above 12% and there was concern that the country would be unable to stabilize its banks. Response Emergency loan (2012) Since January 2012, Cyprus had been relying on a €2.5bn (US$3.236 billion) emergency loan from Russia to cover its budget deficit and refinance maturing debt. The loan had an interest rate of 4.5%, with no amortization/repayment until its maturity after 4.5 years, and no penalty if repayment at that point of time was delayed because Cyprus still lacked access to the normal funding markets.Cyprus nears €2.5bn Russian loan deal Financial Times http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/655a3fd2-de31-11e0-9fb7-00144feabdc0.html Andreas Hadjipapas Kerin Hope 14 September 2011 13 March 2012 Natalie Weeks Scott Rose https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2011-12-23/cyprus-russia-sign-2-5-billion-euro-loan-deal-in-moscow-1- Cyprus and Russia signed a deal for a 2.5 billion-euro ($3.3 billion) loan Bloomberg Business 24 December 2011 8 April 2015 The received loan was expected to cover all refinancing of maturing government debt and the amount needed for the government's continued budget deficits, until the first quarter of 2013. But the received loan did not include any funds for the recapitalization of the Cypriot financial sector. Looking further ahead, it was generally expected Cyprus would need to apply for an additional bailout loan. Later responses On March 18, 2013, Cyprus closed all banks due to concerns regarding a likely bank run with a reopening planned for after the scheduled 25 March holiday.18 March 2013 Cyprus banks stay closed – DW – 03/18/2013 https://www.dw.com/en/cypriot-banks-to-stay-closed-until-thursday-bailout-vote-postponed/a-16681979 2023-02-13 dw.com en Later that week, the Eurozone revived a previously offered alternative proposal that would require the merging of Laiki and the Bank of Cyprus, the creation of a new bank for all deposits under €100,000, and the creation of a bad bank. This plan would imply lower recapitalization costs. However, the plan was opposed by president Nicos Anastasiades, who dubbed the plan the "Icelandic solution", due to potential negative effects on the uninsured deposits that would be placed into the bad bankHope Kerin Hadjipapas Andreas Spiegel Peter 20 March 2013 Cyprus orders banks to shut until Tuesday https://www.ft.com/content/d35fb370-9183-11e2-b4c9-00144feabdc0 2023-02-13 Financial Times as it could wipe out up to 40% of their value.Spiegel Peter Peel Quentin Hope Kerin 2013-03-21 Pressure mounts on Cyprus Financial Times https://www.ft.com/content/13b48d34-924b-11e2-a6f4-00144feabdc0 2023-02-16 Anastasiades refused to agree to potential losses on large deposits, many held by Russians, in contrast to the Europeans who saw them as necessary haircuts. German negotiators in fact believed that Laiki and the Bank of Cyprus were already de facto insolvent and would need to be bailed-in by part of these large deposits. On March 19, his government shut down a parliamentary session that was due to debate a bank resolution law (i.e. the restructuring of a bank by an external authority to that preserves its critical functions and provides financial stability2016-03-18 What is a bank resolution? https://www.srb.europa.eu/en/content/what-bank-resolution 2023-02-16 www.srb.europa.eu en), as Cyprus did not have a legal structure to close failed banks. Infighting amongst politicians was blamed for the delay, although official sources claimed the legal department of the parliament had not finished drafting the laws. In response to the Eurozone plan, which was supported but not 'fully backed' by the European Commission, the Cypriot government proposed an alternative plan that would raise funds by nationalizing the state pension fund and issuing emergency bonds backed by future revenues. This plan, however, was rejected by the EU and the IMF. On March 21, the ECB announced it would stop emergency Eurosystem low-cost loans to Cypriot banks on the 25th. Additionally, the Financial Times reported that EU officials such as Olli Rehn, European Commissioner for Economic Affairs, and Jeroen Dijsselbloem, president of the Eurogroup, were now convinced that "massive capital flight" was unavoidable and thus overcome their previous opposition to the Icelandic solution. Criticism Irish MEP Nessa Childers, daughter of the country's former President Erskine H. Childers, painted a bleak picture. She described the efforts of the EU-IMF as an "incompetent mess" and said the Eurozone was more destabilised as a result.http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/mep-childers-cyprus-bailout-an-incompetent-mess-589407.html MEP Childers: Cyprus bailout an 'incompetent mess' Irish Examiner Thomas Crosbie Holdings 27 March 2013 27 March 2013 In its "Schumpeter" blog, The Economist called the Cyprus bail-out "unfair, short-sighted, and self-defeating".https://www.economist.com/blogs/schumpeter/2013/03/cyprus-bail-out The Cyprus bail-out: Unfair, short-sighted and self-defeating The Economist UK 16 March 2013 20 March 2013 Graeme Wearden Local reaction thumb|Members of ERAS outside of the House of Representatives in Nicosia Cyprus has seen a number of reactions and responses towards the austerity measures of the bailout plan. On 8 November 2012, the Cypriot far-left party Committee for a Radical Left Rally (ERAS) organized the first protest against austerity while the Troika negotiations were still taking place.BDigital Web Solutions http://www.kathimerini.com.cy/index.php?pageaction=kat&modid=1&artid=111637 Την Πέμπτη η πρώτη εκδήλωση διαμαρτυρίας κατά του Μνημονίου | Κύπρος | Η ΚΑΘΗΜΕΡΙΝΗ Kathimerini.com.cy Protesters were gathered outside the House of Representatives holding banners and shouting slogans against austerity. Leaflets with alternative proposals for the economy were distributed in the protest, with proposals including the nationalization of banking, the reduction of the army and the freezing of the army budget, and the increase of the corporate tax. Members of the New Internationalist Left (NEDA) also participated in the protest.http://www.onlycy.com/250156-%CF%83%CF%85%CE%B3%CE%BA%CE%AD%CE%BD%CF%84%CF%81%CF%89%CF%83%CE%B7-%CE%B4%CE%B9%CE%B1%CE%BC%CE%B1%CF%81%CF%84%CF%85%CF%81%CE%AF%CE%B1%CF%82-%CE%B5%CF%81%CE%B1%CF%83-%CF%81%CE%B9%CE%B6%CE%BF%CF%83 el:Συγκέντρωση διαμαρτυρίας από την ΕΡΑΣ κατά του μνημονίου και της Τρόικας μπροστά από τη Βουλή Gathering protest from ERAS against the Troika memorandum in front of Parliament el Onlycy.com 8 November 2012 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20121111044649/http://www.onlycy.com/250156-%CF%83%CF%85%CE%B3%CE%BA%CE%AD%CE%BD%CF%84%CF%81%CF%89%CF%83%CE%B7-%CE%B4%CE%B9%CE%B1%CE%BC%CE%B1%CF%81%CF%84%CF%85%CF%81%CE%AF%CE%B1%CF%82-%CE%B5%CF%81%CE%B1%CF%83-%CF%81%CE%B9%CE%B6%CE%BF%CF%83 11 November 2012 On 14 November, NEDA organised an anti-austerity protest outside the Ministry of Finance in Nicosia together with the Alliance Against the Memorandum. In the protest NEDA gave out leaflets, which expressed the view that "the EU is trying to burden the workers with the debts from the collapse of the bankers" and that "if this happens, the Cypriot economy and the future of the new generations will then be mortgaged to local and foreign profiteers and usurious bankers."http://www.philenews.com/el-gr/Eidiseis-Kypros/22/122786/ekdilosi-diamartyrias-kata-ttis-troikas-exo-apo-to-ypoik https://archive.today/20130131070038/http://www.philenews.com/el-gr/Eidiseis-Kypros/22/122786/ekdilosi-diamartyrias-kata-ttis-troikas-exo-apo-to-ypoik 31 January 2013 Εκδήλωση διαμαρτυρίας κατά της Τρόικας έξω από το ΥΠΟΙΚ dead 14 December 2012 Contract teachers protested outside the House of Representatives on 29 November against austerity measures that would leave 992 of them without a job next year. The teachers stormed the building and bypassed the policemen, entering the House chamber. The teachers shouted against the banks and poverty.BDigital Web Solutions http://www.kathimerini.com.cy/index.php?pageaction=kat&modid=1&artid=114278&show=Y Σοβαρά επεισόδια σε Βουλή-ΥΠΟΙΚ με τους εποχιακούς ωρομίσθιους | Κύπρος | Η ΚΑΘΗΜΕΡΙΝΗ Kathimerini.com.cy 29 November 2012 A protest by investors was staged on the morning of 11 December outside the House of Representatives, with protesters again storming the House and bypassing the police. The protest interrupted the discussions of the House's committee of customs. The protesters were asked to leave so that the committee could continue its work, and the protesters left half an hour later.http://www.sigmalive.com/news/local/20574/epeisodia-ekso-apo-ti-vouli-fotovinteo Επεισόδια έξω από τη Βουλή (φωτο+βίντεο) 11 December 2012 Sigmalive.com A number of protests took place on 12 December. Members of large families protested outside the House of Representatives against cuts in the benefits given by the state to support large families. Protesters threw eggs and stones at the main entrance of the House, and a number of protesters tried to enter the building, but were blocked by the police force that arrived to handle the protest. It was reported that a woman fainted during the incidents. The protesters shouted for the Representatives to come out but no response was given.http://www.sigmalive.com/news/local/20781/symplokes-sti-vouli-sti-diamartyria-ton-polyteknonvinteo Συμπλοκές στη Βουλή στη διαμαρτυρία των πολυτέκνων(βίντεο) | News 12 December 2012 Sigmalive.com The protesters were joined by members of KISOA (Cypriot Confederation of Organisations of the Disabled, Κυπριακή Συνομοσπονδία Οργανώσεων Αναπήρων), who marched from the Ministry of Finance to the House of Representatives to protest against cuts in benefits for people with disabilities.http://www.sigmalive.com/news/local/20803/stous-dromous-kai-oi-anapiroi Στους δρόμους και οι ανάπηροι 12 December 2012 Sigmalive.com Later in the day members of public school teachers' trade unions protested outside the Ministry of Finance against the cuts in education spending which could result in the firing of teachers.http://www.sigmalive.com/news/local/20874/antidroun-kai-oi-ekpaideftikes-organoseis Αντιδρούν και οι εκπαιδευτικές οργανώσεις | News 12 December 2012 Sigmalive.com The unions staged another protest the next day near the House of Representatives.http://www.sigmalive.com/news/local/21003/ypo-drakonteia-metra-i-diadilosi-ton-ekpaideftikon Υπό δρακόντεια μέτρα η διαδήλωση των εκπαιδευτικών 13 December 2012 Sigmalive.com Haravgi, a far left-wing newspaper, reported that just before bank deposits were blocked, a number of companies belonging to the family of President Anastasiades have transferred over $21m outside of Cyprus.http://hpub.org/criminals-in-government-cyprus-presidents-family-transferred-tens-of-millions-to-london-days-before-deposit-haircuts-by-zero-hedge/ Cyprus President's Family Transferred Tens of Millions To London Days Before Deposit Haircuts HPUB 2013 1 April 2013 30 December 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20131230233659/http://hpub.org/criminals-in-government-cyprus-presidents-family-transferred-tens-of-millions-to-london-days-before-deposit-haircuts-by-zero-hedge/ dead Anastasiades has denied these allegations.http://www.enetenglish.gr/?i=news.en.economy&id=481 Anastasiades requests investigation into allegations against family members EnetEnglish 2013 1 April 2013 Also a number of loans issued to members of political parties or public administration officers were fully or partially written off.http://www.enetenglish.gr/?i=news.en.article&id=464 Cypriot banks in politician loan scandal EnetEnglish 2013 1 April 2013 Non-EU bank depositors Non-resident investors who held deposits prior to 15 March 2013 when the plan to impose losses on savers was first formulated, and who lost at least €3,000,000, would be eligible to apply for Cypriot citizenship. Cyprus's existing "citizenship by investment" program would be revised to reduce the required amount from €10,000,000 to €3,000,000. "These decisions will be deployed in a fast-track manner", President Anastasiades said in an address to Russian business people in the port city of Limassol in 2013. Other measures were also under consideration, he said, including offering tax incentives for existing or new companies doing business in Cyprus.https://www.reuters.com/article/us-cyprus-president-russia-idUSBRE93D09720130414 Cyprus to ease citizenship requirements, attacks EU "hypocrisy" Reuters 14 April 2013 17 August 2013https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-22147643 Cyprus to ease citizenship rules for EU bailout losers BBC 14 April 2013 17 August 2013 Distressed investing Frozen deposits in Cyprus banks attracted interest from investors and brokers specializing in distressed assets.https://blogs.wsj.com/moneybeat/2013/04/23/investors-mull-freeing-cyprus-depositors-for-a-price/ Investors Mull Freeing Cyprus Depositors – For a Price The Wall Street Journal 2013 23 April 2013 http://www.ifre.com/guest-comment-distressed-investing-in-cyprus-after-the-bail-in/21092262.fullarticle Distressed investing in Cyprus after the bail-in IFRe International Financial Review 2013 19 June 2013 16 November 2018 https://web.archive.org/web/20181116063604/http://www.ifre.com/guest-comment-distressed-investing-in-cyprus-after-the-bail-in/21092262.fullarticle dead Among firms reported to be dealing in Cyprus bank debt was London-based Exito Partners (formerly Éxito Capital) and Swiss-based Black Eagle Litigation Fund.http://www.forbes.ru/finansy/igroki/236383-antireidery-na-kipre-kak-rossiyane-spasayut-zastryavshie-dengi Antiraiders in Cyprus: How Russians Are Saving Their Money Forbes 2013 28 March 2013 http://www.forbes.ru/finansy/regulirovanie/237477-kak-otsudit-dengi-u-kiprskih-bankov V. Tutykhin interview" "Как отсудить деньги у кипрских банков Forbes 2013 16 April 2013 Analysis A team of 16 Cypriot economists, organized by the citizens group Eleutheria ("Freedom"),Greek ΕΛΕΥΘΕΡΙΑ attributed the crisis to declining competitiveness and increasing public and private debt, exacerbated by the banking crisis."Η τριλογία της αποτυχίας μας" Φιλελεύθερος, 9 September 2012, economics section, page 1. See also Economic Adjustment Programme for Cyprus Inverted yield curve References 30em Financial crisis Financial crisis Category:2012 in economic history Category:2013 in economic history Financial crisis Category:Economy of Cyprus Category:Eurozone crisis Category:Greek government-debt crisis Category:Financial crises in Europe Category:Cyprus–Greece relations