Brussels, 26/07/2012 (Agence Europe) - Cyprus and its international lenders are expected to be able to sign a deal on a Cypriot structural adjustment programme in October, rather than September as hoped by Eurogroup, reported the Cyprus Mail on Thursday 26 July. The Cypriot newspaper says the troika of lenders (the European Commission, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund) have sent experts to Nicosia to examine the country's accounts and examine the balance sheets of Cypriot banks struggling to meet financial requirements, and the fact-finders will be returning to the island in September to continue talks with the Cypriot government. Cyprus is the fifth eurozone nation to call for international financial aid. The Cyprus Mail reports that the troika is calling for budget cuts of around a billion euro to restore a balanced budget by 2015, a year after the end of the current budget targets. The troika is pleased with the 15% cut in civil service pay over the next three years, and the scrapping of the traditional “thirteenth month” bonus in 2012. There will also be cuts in pensions and welfare payments. (MB/transl.fl)