Front Page Headlines
Permits for the van and antennas with deception
The ‘meteorology’ equipment that can monitor communications. Information insists on cooperation between Israeli authorities and the police… The president expects information from the AKEL leader and Andros Kyprianou expects explanations.
- Berlin: Table for three
- EPP: Averof couldn’t (get elected as VP)
Mind your manners
The Central Bank Governor sets rules to banks for their customers. Constantinos Erodotou: Bank employees need to be friendly and polite to customers.
- All (possibilities) open for the Berlin trilateral
- Appointment at a historic hotel – Monday’s meeting is taking place where the Germans reunited.
- (EP President) Sassoli under pressure over his meeting with Cavusoglu
- Bill proposal calls for putting the brakes on ‘TRNC officials’
- Key decisions on LNG – Crucial meeting today at the Presidential Palace.
Averof concealed the truth
DISY, distorted even the identity of the leader of the Jewish community in Cyprus in order to repel attacks on the spy van case. DISY admitted that Averof Neophytou met the Israeli businessman Shahak Avni, which he presented as the leader of Cyprus’ Jewish community whereas the actual leader is rabbi Arie Zeev Raskin.
- Dinner with prospects at Adlon Kempinski
- Rally by GCs and TCs for solution and reunification
Israel in disarray over PM charges
Bibi denies wrongdoing in bribery, breach of trust and fraud, under no legal obligation to quit.
Gangrene without the possibility of any treatment
Abuse of sick leaves in the public sector. The situation at the central prison is tragicomic, with Equality trade union defending wardens that are systematically absent on sick leaves. Pasydy has a different approach. Doctors and civil servants abuse the system with the former thoughtlessly signing sick leaves to the latter without them needing them.
- Anastasiades: I am going to the trilateral with determination for a positive outcome
- Berlin trilateral at the most historic hotel
Main News
GC side determined for results at trilateral
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Negotiations Process, EU Matters
OVERVIEW
The two leaders and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will meet at Berlin’s landmark hotel Adlon Kempinski on Monday not far from the Brandenburg Gate where Germans reunited 30 years ago, the dailies report.
According to Phileleftheros, the two leaders will also be staying at the hotel. They are expected to arrive there on Sunday and depart on Tuesday. Monday’s meeting is expected to start at around 7 pm.
According to the dailies, President Nicos Anastasiades said that despite Turkey’s illegal actions, he was determined to work for a positive conclusion at his meeting in Berlin next Monday with the UN Secretary-General and the TC leader.
“Our aim remains none other than to reach a settlement that will reunite Cyprus; without any guarantees, foreign troops and external dependencies,” he said.
He also said that EU unity must cover all challenges that might compromise the principles, rules and laws of the bloc.
“Solidarity should be seen not as a burden, but as a vehicle which enhances and strengthens the union as a whole,” he said, adding such support becomes even more important in a period of continued tension and violations by Turkey in Cyprus’ maritime zones.
He was speaking during his intervention at the deliberations of the European People’s Party (EPP) election congress taking place in Zagreb, Croatia for the new president and vice presidents of the EPP. DISY leader Averof Neophytou was a candidate but failed to get elected in one of the group’s ten vice-chair positions.
Phileleftheros and Alithia cite Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides saying on Thursday that if there was nothing positive from the process, UN special envoy Jane Holl Lute would not have come to the island twice and Guterres would not have invited the two leaders to Monday’s dinner.
The minister said it would be a mistake to go to Berlin thinking nothing will happen and that this is certainly not Anastasiades’ approach. He said the president is prepared for all possibilities.
He recalled that the two latest talks in Geneva and Crans-Montana in 2017 were the result of dinner meetings.
Christodoulides said that if there is an agreement or understanding on the Terms of Reference then Guterres will be able to convene an informal meeting Crans-Montana style with the participation of the three guarantors.
He stressed that the problems put forth so that the effort does not progress come from interventions outside of Cyprus.
Christodoulides also said that if Turkey does not attend an informal meeting convened by the UNSG, will have to explain why, arguing that Guterres will have to take a stand.
Politis reported that the effort aims at giving time to the two leaders to sit together and have an informal, sincere exchange of views on the next steps on the Cyprus problem process.
KEY ACTORS
Anastasiades
>> Determined to work for a positive conclusion at the trilateral despite Turkey’s illegal actions.
>> Reiterates that the GCs’ aim remains a solution to reunite Cyprus without any guarantees, foreign troops & external dependencies.
>> EU support is even more important in a period of continued tension and violations by Turkey in Cyprus’ maritime zones.
Christodoulides
>> The UNSG would not have invited the two leaders to dinner if there was no progress whatsoever from the latest round of consultations.
>> One must not go to Berlin thinking nothing will happen.
>> Problems that hinder progress come from interventions outside of Cyprus.
>> If Turkey does not attend an informal meeting convened by the UNSG, will have to explain but Guterres will have to take a stand.
Nicosia to probe Sassoli-Cavusoglu meeting
Alithia, Phileleftheros
EU Matters
OVERVIEW
According to the dailies, Nicosia is looking into the case concerning the meeting this week of the President of the European Parliament David Sassoli with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu despite the freezing by the bloc of high-level meetings with Turkish officials, before making any official statements.
Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides said on Thursday he has asked Cyprus’ permanent representation to the EU to arrange a meeting with Sassoli’s office to have all the necessary information before making any statements.
He said that there is a decision to suspend high-level meetings on the EU-Turkey dialogue, either on political or other issues and that this is observed by both the Commission and the Council, but the European Parliament, despite being an EU institution, has its own decisions and practices.
He noted, however, that such meetings, especially with the way this one took place and the formal dimension it was given, were not a step to the right direction, the dailies reported.
KEY ACTORS
Christodoulides
>> The EP has its own decisions and practices but the formal way the Sassoli-Cavusoglu meeting took place is not a step in the right direction as regards the EU decision to freeze high-level dialogue with Turkish officials.
Bill proposing stripping off RoC citizenship from those recognising the north
Phileleftheros
Human Rights, Property
OVERVIEW
According to the paper, a bill proposal tabled by DIKO MPs Zacharias Koulias and Pavlos Mylonas and EDEK’s Costis Efstathiou aims to put a stop to the phenomenon of ‘officials’ of the pseudo-state, who on the one hand travel with documents issued by the Republic and on the other lambast the Republic from international forums.
The bill, that is to be tabled on Friday at the House plenum to vote, aims at amending the law so that any person that enjoys the citizenship of the RoC must declare in writing that they do not recognise the subordinate administration in the occupied territories of the Republic, do not hold any office related to it and do not hold property belonging to a displaced GC or other legal owner.
Citing information, Phileleftheros reports that the proposal was initiated by Mylonas, following the response by the interior minister to a letter sent to him last year by Efstathiou asking how many ‘officials’ of the pseudo-state who, while they deny the existence of the Republic, are holders of its passport. The minister had said at the time they did not keep records of the passports given to TCs, the papers report.
Police will not go after those involved in the flag incident
Phileleftheros
Internal Security, Human Rights
OVERVIEW
The daily, in a comment, reports that there has been a misunderstanding as regards what the police chief said on investigations concerning the burning of the ‘TRNC flag’ by ELAM members last week.
The paper reported that after official information, police will not launch investigations to prosecute those who burned a piece of cloth the occupation regime calls a flag. The police investigation concerns extremist elements in the occupied areas threatening to retaliate because of that incident, the daily reported.
According to the paper, the way the police chief’s statements were reported earlier in the week by the Cyprus News Agency gave the impression police would go after those who burned the flag.
The news agency had reported: Asked about the burning of the pseudo-state flag and on information that arrest warrants may be issued, the police chief said this too was a serious case, for which instructions were given to be meticulously investigated.
It was good this was clarified, the paper said.