Front Page Headlines
Popular GPs hit GESY (National Health Scheme) quota
Patients should check their doctors are signed up to GESY and register.
Their actions don’t match their words
The minutes and hot dialogues on politicians’ non-performing loans. (Outgoing Central Bank Governor) Chrystalla Georghadji was officially admitting for the first time there had been loan write offs for politicians and politically exposed persons.
- War without limits between Presidential Palace and AKEL
- Erdogan under US pressure
- Parliamentary democracy: What does the President mean? (opinion piece)
- Trilateral partnerships and the energy poker
- The geopolitical importance of political equality
- Savvas Iacovides: How Turkey snatched Syrian Alexandretta (opinion piece)
Why Turkey will not dare drill within the Cypriot EEZ?
A prediction by professor Christos Rozakis. “I believe, that if Turkey threatens to drill in the region of Cyprus’ EEZ (exclusive economic zone) the USA and France will intervene. Cyprus and Greece have vetoes in the EU, which Turkey needs for economic reasons. Cyprus should invest even more in its relationship with the EU, which is a very productive pillar.” Kastelorizo-EEZ: “That Turkey has rights in the Eastern Mediterranean is a given. It has an enormous coastline and it is reasonable that it will have access to an EEZ, but this does not concern Kastelorizo. Kastelorizo is also entitled to its own EEZ. What this is, is another issue. Turkey should sit at the table and negotiate with Greece on the limits of Kastelorizo’s EEZ.
- Interview: “How populism leads to bankruptcy” – Takis Hadjidemetriou (interview) with Politis on the present and future of Cyprus, politicians and politics.
- Cypriot Memories: Vasilakis of Yialousa and rebel of Izmir
Agreement on security
France and Cyprus close to reaching a framework (agreement), with the Mari naval base at the forefront. Open communication channels between the US, Germany and the EU.
- Evangelos Venizelos: Greece and Cyprus ought to safeguard the Republic of Cyprus
- Robert Menendez: The US does not tolerate Turkish aggression
- Endy Zemenides: Everything is changing in the Eastern Mediterranean
- Prodromos Prodromou: The US views Cyprus through an alliance relationship
- Brussels: Euro-Turkish conflict over EEZ and Akkuyu (nuclear plant)
- The UN keeps the procedure alive
- Turkey wants a strong footing (in Cyprus)
- The airport sits on an active fault, Larnaca and Limassol on sand and seaweed: What did the studies show
- Lefkoniko Municipality and its 80-year existence
DISY stays strong while AKEL lags (Euro-elections)
The Centre is fragmented, it seems that ELAM will take a seat, and DIPA will break the three per cent barrier.
- Battle of the battles over the six EU seats
- Developments in the Eastern Mediterranean
- The occupied areas in a dead end
- Ioannis Kasoulides: To which countries did Cyprus give military materiel
- Smiles and recommendations from the US – (Assistant Secretary for Terrorist Financing Marshall) Billingslea returns to check up on sanctions.
- Intervention: ‘Cyprus and the EU’s responsibility on displaced persons’ by Demetrios Hadjihambis
Anastasiades’ choices represent a downhill (path)
The government and DISY will find themselves with their backs to the wall once more next Thursday during discussion at the House plenum of the findings of the investigation committee (on the demise of the Central Cooperative Bank) which attributed heavy responsibilities to President Anastasiades, the Minister of Finance and the government in general for the closure of the Co-op. The findings place heavy responsibilities on Finance Minister Harris Georgiades and President Anastasiades for not removing him from his position.
- Cycling for peace and the reunification of Cyprus
- Τravel warning by the US for Turkey
- Education: When language becomes a tool for hate
- Berlin is concerned over Erdogan’s plans
Why are they afraid of (early) elections?
Averof Neophytou returns to his proposal on the dissolution of Parliament and early elections but finds no response from AKEL and other opposition parties. Only the Citizens’ Alliance responded positively. The debate in Parliament revealed truths: Although opposition parties have strong trump cards in their arsenal (Cyprob, Co-op and findings), they avoided however to use them and moved into shallow waters by adopting a toothless draft resolution that has no effect instead of a decision having legal effect. “They fear the popular verdict and act like tough guys via the microphones so as to put the blame on one another,” says DISY leader.
- The advice of Ioannis Kasoulides (as a private individual) to Anastasiades and Akinci
- Analysis: Cyprus and Turkey’s alliances
Main News
Kasoulides: Leaders must be rid of the fear of the unknown
Alithia
Negotiations Process,Regional/International Relations
OVERVIEW
Former Foreign Minister Ioannis Kassouldies said it is important for the two leaders to feel they are negotiating for a solution and feel reassured that this is what the Cypriot people want.
During the presentation in Nicosia of his book ‘30 years present – Ideas and thoughts on our Cyprus’, Kasoulides said that the important thing for the leaders of the two communities is to feel they are negotiating for the solution of the Cyprus problem by feeling the security that the people want a solution.
They should not feel that the people will reject what they present to them after reaching an agreement, Kasoulides said. The former minister said that one must fight the fear of the unknown of a future solution and understand that one side should not view the other competitively.
If everyone works for the benefit of the island, he said, gradually mentalities will change and, especially the TC side will distance itself from Turkey.
On international relations, he said the five UN Security Council members need to trust Cyprus and this will happen if it has its cards open both towards the US and Russia. These relationships create the right balance, he said.
Turkey not likely to drill within Cypriot EEZ
Politis
Negotiations Process, Energy, Regional/International Relations, External Security
OVERVIEW
International Law Professor and former deputy foreign minister of Greece, Judge Christos Rozakis said in an interview with Politis that Turkey would not act in such a way within the Cypriot EEZ that would create a fait accompli as this would damage its relationship with the EU.
Rozakis, who is also vice president of the European Court of Human Rights, said that Turkey knows very well that Cyprus and Greece have the right to veto decisions within the EU and will not jeopardise its aspirations for a special relationship with the bloc that yields financial benefits, especially now that is undergoing a difficult economic period.
The professor said that Cyprus needs to invest even more in its relationship with the EU as this is a very productive pillar and that Turkey’s possible Customs Union upgrade is interchangeably linked with its obligations to Cyprus such as opening up its ports to Cypriot vessels.
On talks between Greece and Turkey on the Cyprus problem, Rozakis said he is not optimistic as the latter does not want at the moment any final solutions and has not presented anything concrete on the matter.
He said that Turkey is responsible for the standstill in that it does not accept the abolition of guarantees and withdrawal of troops but that Greece and Cyprus bear some share of the responsibility.
Rozakis said he doesn’t believe NATO will intervene in this matter and that only the EU can act as a pillar of security in the place of guarantees and Turkish troops.
He said that the trilateral partnerships of Greece and Cyprus in the region reinforce the role of the two countries and that in the case of Turkish drilling in the Cypriot EEZ, the big powers such as the US would intervene.
Cyprus, he said, ought to carry on with its hydrocarbon programme and extract natural gas, adding he doesn’t fear Turkey would intervene in this procedure.