GCC Press Review 6 Nov 2019

Front Page Headlines

Politis

We left Interpol in the dark over Low

He is wanted everywhere but the police did not know he was a Cypriot. Today, citizenships are being recalled by Cabinet under the pressure of international ridicule. The Archbishop is not thinking of returning the €300,000 he took as ‘donation’.

Phileleftheros

Strict intervention by the EU Commission

Citizenships that are a risk to the whole of the EU, says a Commission representative to Phileleftheros. By the end of the year, common rules will be implemented by all member-states.

  • Dinner for three in Berlin
  • Dangerous apartment buildings in refugee estates – One in 10 has static problems.

Haravgi

Holy money for mansions and golf courses

The beginning was made with the ‘in-laws’ by giving money to the Archbishopric that was spared from the haircut. This example was followed by many others… After the Malaysian’s €300,000, the company planning to build a golf course in Ayia Napa has promised money to the Church to secure the permits…

  • The TC unions are in favour of secularism and of the solution
  • The fox contemns what it cannot reach (On the government’s claims over ENI-Total plans on drilling in block 7)

Cyprus Mail

‘Mistakes were made’: Harris (Georgiades)

Cabinet will today discuss the issue of passports for investment.

Alithia

Teachers are torn

Over strike measures. ‘Proodeftiki’ and ‘Nea Pnoi’ (34,27% in total) are in favour of strikes, ‘Change’ and ‘New Movement’ (44,28% in total) are against strikes. ‘DIKI’s’ position (21,13%) will be crucial. It will be difficult for the group to vote in favour of strike measures since the law on the four-monthly exams and student assessment was tabled by its party (DIKO). Harsh response by President Nicos Anastasiades to the teachers.

  • Giorgos Lakkotrypis: The Glafkos reserve is one of the biggest discoveries
  • They are turning Ayia Sofia into a mosque on the decision of Turkey’s Supreme Court

Main News

Low expectations over trilateral results

Alithia, Haravgi, Phileleftheros
Negotiations Process, Regional/International Relations

OVERVIEW

Phileleftheros, citing sources, reports that the meeting between the two leaders and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on November 25 in Berlin will be in the form of a dinner.

As regards the outcome of the meeting, the daily reports that the bar is very low since no development is expected that would bring significant changes to the Cyprus problem. Especially Turkey’s behaviour makes the GC side maintain its reservations.

The daily reported that despite that the possibility of the cancellation is a distant one, the GC side does not rule out this possibility fearing a backing down by Turkey.

The outcome of the meetings of UN envoy Jane Holl Lute with the two leaders is expected to indicate the results of the trilateral, the daily said.

In the meantime, the government is holding meetings at technocratic and political level to prepare ahead of the trilateral, Phileleftheros reports.

Alithia, Haravgi and Phileleftheros also report that the Russian Embassy in Cyprus has welcomed the decision of the two leaders for a trilateral meeting with Guterres. The embassy pointed out that the final decision must be taken by the Cypriots themselves without outside interference and imposition of ready-made recipes.

KEY ACTORS
Russian Embassy
>>
Welcomes the decision of the two leaders on the trilateral.
>> Cypriots must be left to decide for themselves without outside interference and imposition of ready-made recipes.


Greece, Egypt & Cyprus’ defence ministers call on Turkey to stop illegal actions

Phileleftheros
External Security, Regional/International Relations

OVERVIEW

The defence ministers of Cyprus, Greece and Egypt denounced Turkish illegal operations in Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ) following a trilateral meeting in Athens.

The three countries’ defence ministers, in a joint statement called on Turkey to immediately cease these actions and respect the sovereign rights of the Republic of Cyprus in its maritime areas, as determined by international law and UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea)”.

Cyprus’ Defence Minister Savvas Angelides said after the meeting that among the things he discussed with his counterparts was the illegal Turkish actions in Cyprus’ EEZ which blatantly violate the sovereign rights of the Republic of Cyprus and the international law. They also discussed how to further enhance the already excellent cooperation between the three countries in the areas of security and safety, as well as the need for concrete actions to safeguard peace, stability and prosperity in the region of the Eastern Mediterranean.

He said that the next Trilateral Summit on regional security cooperation at Defence Minister level will be held in Cyprus, in 2020.

KEY ACTORS
Def minister of Cyprus, Greece, Egypt
>>
Denounce Turkish illegal operations in the Cypriot EEZ & call on Turkey to immediately cease these actions and respect the sovereign rights of the RoC in its maritime areas, as determined by international law and the UNCLOS.


Defence ministry wants to get MPs on board to materialise its plans

Phileleftheros, Politis
External Security, EU Matters

OVERVIEW

Defence Minister Savvas Angelides briefed parliament on the plans of his ministry in a bid to secure the necessary budget for their implementation, the dailies report.

According to Phileleftheros, Angelides informed parliament in writing that his ministry plans on forging cooperation with the academic and research community aimed at establishing an innovative and technologically pioneering defence industry sector. This is aimed at cooperating with similar consortiums in other EU countries.

Toward that end, the ministry already issued a call as part of the ‘Athena 2019’ scheme to academic and research institutes to contribute to the development of the defence abilities of the National Guard. The projects could be on the development of unmanned vehicles and aircraft as well as the development of a system, equipment and software, which will enhance and complement the surveillance capabilities of the NG at land, sea and air.

Angelides also told MPs that his ministry plans on participating in European research programmes in cooperation with other EU members as part of the Permanent Structured Cooperation  (PESCO),  the European defence industrial development programme (EDIDP) and the European Defence Agency.

Politis also reports that Angelides wants to secure the necessary funding for defence purposes and the military and is to brief the House finance committee in person on Thursday.


All licensees are expected to launch hydrocarbon drilling programmes soon

Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi
Energy, Regional/International Relations

OVERVIEW

The dailies report that Energy Minister Giorgos Lakkotrypis said Glafkos was one of the biggest discoveries in 2019 with between 5 and 8 trillion cubic feet of gas and the largest so far in Cyprus’ EEZ.

He was speaking at the Economist Conference held in Nicosia.

Referring to the exploitation of the Aphrodite deposit in block 12, he said the ministry was in the final stages of an agreement on a development and production plan, taking into account the Egyptian liquefaction terminals in Idku, something that could be a first step for the gas corridor of the Eastern Mediterranean.

The minister also said that an extensive drilling programme was expected from all companies between the end of the year and early next year.

He reiterated that the consortium of energy companies ENI and Total had no intention to start their drilling programmes in block 7. He said it usually it took between one and a half and two years between licensing and first drilling.


Remains of missing Greek nationals to be repatriated

Alithia, Haravgi, Phileleftheros
CBMs, Human Rights

OVERVIEW

The dailies report that the remains of eight missing persons from Greece will be repatriated in December with the due honours.

The announcement was made by Presidency Commissioner Photis Photiou following a meeting for the coordination of all services involved in the repatriation procedure.

The meeting concerned in total 19 cases of missing and persons killed whose remains have been exhumed by the Committee on Missing Persons (CMP) or by crews of the Republic of Cyprus.

Two of the families of the Greek missing persons asked that the remains of their loved ones are buried at the Makedonitissa military graveyard while other eight families said they would like for them to be repatriated.

Photiou said that they are now trying to locate more families and assessed that remains of around 10 or 12 persons would be repatriated in total.


Wretched conditions of refugee housing estates deplored

Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Human Rights

OVERVIEW

The dailies report that the government is expected to either file a restructuring or resettlement plan for refugees living in dangerous buildings.

The House refugee committee heard of Tuesday that 43 of the 358 refugee apartment buildings are facing static problems.

Discussion was focused on the lack of elevators from most of the apartment buildings in government refugee estates which makes life difficult for their elderly tenants since they are unable to leave their homes even for doctor appointments.

On several occasions, the fire service is called in to help in cases when there are no elevators and bring tenants with mobility problems to the buildings’ ground floor with its equipment so that they can be picked up by ambulances to take them to hospitals.

The interior ministry’s permanent secretary told MPs that the condition of many of these buildings is so bad that money spent on them is wasted.


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