German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Wednesday that debt-stricken Cyprus will get "no special treatment" in its request for billions in aid from the eurozone bailout fund, dpa reported. Politicians in Berlin said they worried about using German taxpayers' money to bail out the island nation reputed to be a tax haven and money laundering hub for Russian millionaires. The small Mediterranean island has asked for around 17.5 billion euros (22.8 billion dollars) from the European Stability Mechanism, with almost half of that amount destined to recapitalise its ailing banks. "there won't be any special treatment for Cyprus," Merke said. Cyprus, which has a communist president, ruffled many feathers in Brussels last year when it asked Russia for economic aid while it held the EU's rotating presidency. -- SPA
