Front Page Headlines
Restructuring the Cabinet with political geography
The government, that has more DISY members, is being called to win the PR bet. He appointed Karousos to satisfy Famagusta, Nouris and partially Koushos for Nicosia. Question is whether the PR bet will be won given the inexperience of those newly appointed.
- Akinci: His arsenal for the ‘presidential (elections)’ (analysis)
Very relaxed, on Sunday
The president put an end to the long period of assumptions over the government reshuffling with light touching up (of the cabinet). With Koushos as a surprise, no women in the new scheme and Hambiaouris from education to the mountains.
- Support mechanism for halloumi exports – The implementation starts in 2020. Huge benefits from investing in technology. The aim is increasing local production of animal feed.
- The Kato Pyrgos health centre is a headache – They are looking for nurses.
- Egypt-Greece respond with delimiting their EEZ – Decision for expedition (of procedure).
Reshuffled deck of cards, same policies
New faces have been added to Cabinet with the president’s announcement yesterday while four persons are being ‘recycled’. The appointments of the Ayia Napa mayor as transport minister and of lawyer Kyriacos Koushos as government spokesman come as a surprise. To shut mouths on the mergers of municipalities in the Famagusta district and not only that…
- (The government is) under scrutiny over the illusions it cultivated
- Athens: Turkey’s condemnation by NATO
The three surprises of the reshuffling
The government scheme has been renewed by 40%. The new ministers assume duties tomorrow, and the new commissioners on Wednesday. The names of Yiannis Karousos (transport minister), Kyriacos Koushos (government spokesman) and… Hambiaouris’ transfer from the education ministry to the position of Commissioner for the development of mountain communities were kept a secret. For the first time, the environment commissioner does not come from the Greens. Ayia Napa will go to elections in 40 days since its mayor has been appointed as minister.
- Cyprus problem: The result of the meeting in Berlin under the lens of Victoras Papadopoulos, Petros Demetriou and Stefanos Stefanou.
- Juncker: A big friend of Cyprus no longer in the EU Commission
- Greece: Intense diplomatic fever against Turkey
Main News
Greek FM: It is not up to Athens to decide on the five-party meeting
Haravgi
Negotiations Process, Regional/International Relations
OVERVIEW
According to the daily, Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias said there is possibility for an informal five-party meeting as part of efforts for the solution of the Cyprus problem but it was not up to Greece.
In an interview with Greek daily To Vima, Dendias said that the Berlin meeting was a positive step towards the repetition of talks for the solution of the Cyprus problem. The meeting reaffirmed the attachment to the solution framework defined by the UN Security Council resolutions but also the interest of the UN Secretary-General to continue the efforts.
On the possibility of a five-party meeting, Dendias said that there is such a possibility but it was not up to Athens when this could take place.
He also said that the escalating Turkish provocations in the Cypriot exclusive economic zone (EEZ) but also at land, did not contribute to the creation of a conducive climate, he said, according to the paper.
KEY ACTORS
Dendias (Greece)
>> Believes there is possibility of a five-party meeting but it is not up to Athens to decide when this could take place.
>> Finds Berlin meeting was a positive step for the relaunch of the talks since it reaffirmed attachment to the solution framework defined by the UNSC & the UNSG’s interest to continue efforts.
>> Turkey’s escalating provocations in the Cypriot EEZ and soil do not contribute to the creation of a conducive climate for the talks.
AKEL: Leaders must seize the last chance given by Guterres
Alithia
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
The daily reports that AKEL MP and spokesman Stefanos Stefanou, assessing the results of the Berlin meeting said that the UN Secretary-General gave just one more chance to the procedure and that the two sides ought to take advantage of it.
Asked by the daily to give his opinion on the meeting, Stefanou said that the two sides need to stop the blame game, not re-open any convergences and don’t set terms outside the Guterres Framework.
They also ought to support civil society when it comes to promoting the necessity of the solution, he said, according to the daily.
The daily also asked the opinion of the president’s press office, Victoras Papadopoulos and the president’s office, Petros Demetriou. They defended the way Anastasiades handled the Cyprus problem. Papadopoulos said the UN and the international community ought to turn to Ankara so that her intransigence is curbed and agree to a five-party meeting and the Terms of Reference the two leaders agreed on before UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for the talks to resume.
KEY ACTORS
Stefanou (AKEL)
>> Believes the two sides need to seize the last chance Guterres has given to the effort to reach the ToR, stop the blame game, not re-open any convergences and don’t set terms outside the GF.
>> Believes the two sides ought to support civil society for the promotion of the necessity of the solution.