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Cyprus parliament postpones vote and debate on controversial bank deposit tax to Monday

By: The Associated Press

Posted: 03/17/2013 4:31 AM | Comments: 0 | Last Modified: 03/17/2013 8:23 AM

People queue to use an ATM machine outside of a Laiki Bank branch in Larnaca, Cyprus, Saturday, March 16, 2013. Many rushed to cooperative banks which are open Saturdays in Cyprus after learning that the terms of a bailout deal that the cash-strapped country hammered out with international lenders includes a one-time levy on bank deposits. The move, decided in an extraordinary meeting of the finance ministers of the 17-nation eurozone in the early hours Saturday, is a major departure from established policies. Analysts have warned that making depositors take a hit threatens to undermine investors' confidence in other weaker eurozone economies and might possibly lead to bank runs. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

NICOSIA, Cyprus - An official says Cyprus' parliament had postponed the debate and vote on the controversial levy on all bank deposits that the country's creditors demanded in exchange for €10 billion ($13 billion) in rescue money.

Parliamentary official Antonis Koutalianos said the vote that was scheduled for Sunday afternoon has been pushed back to Monday, but the exact hour of the vote has yet to be fixed.

The decision to impose the one-time levy of 6.75 per cent on all deposits under €100,000 and 9.9 per cent over that amount, has triggered scorn from Cypriot politicians who condemned it as unfair, bringing in doubt its approval in parliament.

It marks the first time that the 17 eurozone countries and the IMF have dipped into people's savings to finance a bailout.

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