By Lidia Kelly and Alexei Anishchuk
MOSCOW | Mon Mar 18, 2013 9:23am GMT
(Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin criticised on Monday a levy imposed by the European Union on bank deposits in Cyprus as unfair and setting a dangerous precedent.
"While assessing the proposed additional levy on bank accounts in Cyprus, Putin said that such a decision, should it be made, would be unfair, unprofessional and dangerous," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists.
Russian energy giant Gazprom has offered the Republic of Cyprus a plan in which the company will undertake the restructuring of the countryâs banks in exchange for exploration rights for natural gas in Cyprusââ exclusive economic zone, local media reported.
Representatives of the Russian company submitted the proposal to the office of Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades on Sunday evening, Sigma TV reported.
The proposal states that Gazprom will fund the restructuring of the countryâs crippled financial institutions in exchange for substantial control over the countryâs gas resources while Cyprus wonât need to take the harsh bailout package offered by the EU.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/03/18/uk-russia-putin-cyprus-idUKBRE92H07120130318
Putin is getting very very pissed off.....and Gazprom has offered to take over Cyprus.
