News

19th February 2002

John Bowis MEP meets the Cypriot Health Minister in Cyprus

John Bowis - Conservative Member of the European Parliament for London – met the Cypriot Minister of Health – Mr Frixos Savvides – on Wednesday 13th February 2002 during a recent visit to Cyprus. John Bowis – a former UK Health Minister himself - used the visit as an opportunity to highlight the importance of Cyprus being in the first wave of EU enlargement and to promote a variety of health issues.

Speaking from Nicosia in Cyprus John Bowis said, “It was a great pleasure to have the opportunity to meet Mr Frixos Savvides and discuss a variety of issues ranging from EU enlargement to health awareness. There is no doubt that Cyprus has made positive and far reaching steps to ensure that it meets all the necessary health standards to qualify as a member of the EU. My colleagues and I in the Conservative group in the European Parliament have been campaigning vigorously for Cyprus to be admitted in the first wave of EU enlargement. As a step towards this I was pleased to hear first hand of Cyprus’ positive approach to the talks to end the division of the island.”

John Bowis continued, “As a former UK Health Minster I fully appreciate the importance of health issues for our people. In particular I discussed with Mr Frixos Savvides health promotion issues, including the problem of drugs and tobacco.”

“On a final note, we also discussed our shared interest in the sport of football and I was delighted to discover that Mr Frixos Savvides is the Chairman of Limassol’s Apollo Football Club.”