Front Page Headlines
The state accepted the private clinic owners’ term
In the midst of tensions and secret goings-on, PASIN (Private Hospitals’ Association) said the much awaited ‘Yes’ (to its members joining GESY). The government is ready to guarantee private hospitals with €70m. New consultations within the coming days for the final agreement.
- The ‘requests’ of the leaders – The UNFICYP report will be ready by the end of the week.
Hurriedly introducing provident funds
An urgent law forcing companies to include all their employees in their (provident fund) schemes is to be passed without any vetting fearing a massive fine by the EU. Employers disagree, trade unions are in favour.
- The government wants recording of (Turkish) provocations (in the UNFICYP report)
A step towards joining GESY by clinics
PASIN gave the green light yesterday by agreeing in principle to the memorandum of cooperation with the Health Insurance Organisation so that negotiations can start with each hospital. A special committee has been set up which will be in contact with HIO and the health ministry with the aim of signing the memorandum before January 30.
- Cyprus should stay away… (from US-Iran conflict)
- Spehar will have a series of contacts ahead of the UNSG’s report on UNFICYP
- Erdogan summoned Tatar and Ozersay in Ankara – Ozersay announced his ‘presidential’ candidacy.
- High taxes and lack of checks keep fuel prices sky high
Events ‘justify’ role of UNFICYP
Circumstances highlight need for renewal of UNFICYP mandate says president.
Clinics too in GESY
‘Yes’ in principle by PASIN for the inclusion of private hospitals in the health scheme. Despite disagreements until the ninth hour, unanimity was achieved under the condition that during consultations with the HIO, state guarantees will be ensured for possible losses.
- Spehar met with the president and Akinci on the renewal of the UNFICYP mandate
Main News
GC side wants Lefkoniko drone base included in UNFICYP report
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
External Security, Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
The dailies report on Friday that President Nicos Anastasiades has requested from UN Special Representative Elizabeth Spehar that Turkey’s violations in the buffer zone and the drone base in Lefkoniko are included in the UN Secretary-General’s report on UNFICYP.
Meanwhile, Spehar, who had a meeting with both leaders on Thursday, said there were no updates yet on the Cyprus problem front.
According to the papers, following his meeting with Spehar, Anastasiades said he believed the UNFICYP report would contain important events justifying renewal of its mandate.
“I believe it would at least include important events affecting the situation in Cyprus and which fully justify the peacekeeping force remaining in Cyprus,” he said.
He added he raised certain issues, which must be included in the report so as to have objectivity as regards the events and the state of play.
These concern the creation of a drone base in Lefkoniko, the construction of a Turkish naval base in the Famagusta area and the Turkish army’s actions concerning the buffer zone, according to the papers.
TC leader Mustafa Akinci, during his meeting with Spehar, stressed the importance of including the issue of political equality in the UN report as well as the need to include the importance of dialogue in resolving the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean, including his proposal on a joint committee on natural gas.
Spehar said the UN Secretary-General’s report should be out in the next couple of days. She will be leaving for the US next Saturday, first in Washington “to touch base with officials at the State Department, as well as in Congress, and the National Security Council,” and afterwards in New York where she will meet “with senior UN officials, as well as Security Council members, and also member states who are troop contributors or police contributors to UNFICYP.”
Spehar said will brief the Security Council on UNFICYP on January 20.
Asked if there are any developments with regard to the efforts for a solution to the Cyprus problem, following the Berlin trilateral meeting, she said “no updates for the moment”.
Alithia, citing the Cyprus News Agency, reports that Nicosia believes there will be no unpleasant surprises as regards the peacekeeping force’s mandate.
Politis cites diplomatic sources saying that the aim of Spehar’s contacts with American officials aim at investigating US intentions as regards the renewal of UNFICYP’s mandate, if any conditions will be set or if there will be any obstacles.
In the case of the US, it is not clear who calls the shots anymore on such issues so Spehar wants to have a comprehensive view, the same sources told the paper.
KEY ACTORS
Anastasiades
>> Believes the UNFICYP report would contain important events justifying renewal of its mandate & would like for specific issues to be included so that there is objectivity concerning the events and the state of play.
Akinci
>> Wants the report to include the issue of political equality, the importance of dialogue in resolving the situation in the East Med including his proposal on a joint committee on natural gas.
Assistance to US is for humanitarian reasons, Nicosia says amidst concerns over putting Cyprus in the cross hairs
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Regional/International Relations, EU Matters, External Security, Energy
OVERVIEW
The government clarified on Thursday that the facilities provided to the US are strictly for humanitarian purposes while giving reassurances there has been no change in relations with Russia, the dailies report.
According to Phileleftheros, Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides on Thursday said there has been no change in relations with Russia. Speaking to state broadcaster CyBC, Christodoulides, commenting on the request for truce in Libya by the Turkish and Russian presidents, said Nicosia’s contact with Moscow at diplomatic level was constant. He pointed out that Russia does not share the same positions with Turkey on the Libyan issue, the paper reported.
Christodoulides also said Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is coming to Cyprus soon, while President Nicos Anastasiades is expected to visit Moscow in April or May on the invitation of his Russia counterpart.
As regards the decision by the government to allow the US to temporarily set up a rapid response base on the island to evacuate its citizens from other counties in the area if necessary, Christodoulides reassured that Cyprus will not participate in any American operations in Iraq. He stressed that Nicosia has provided facilities for humanitarian purposes to every country that requested them.
Phileleftheros and Politis also report that head of ruling DISY Averof Neophytou said he agrees with the government decision.
Infrastructure on the island should be used, not for war, but to provide peace services such as the evacuation of embassies’ staff and citizens, if necessary, he said.
AKEL, on the other hand, expressed concerns for the government’s stance.
The party’s spokesman, Stefanos Stefanou, said Cyprus will find itself in the cross hairs if it is involved in any way “in the war mongering plans of the US, Israel and Saudi Arabia” against Iran and other states in the region.
He also expressed hope that the facilities provided to the US truly concern evacuation purposes and do not develop in anything else that could put the island in danger.
The dailies also report that Christodoulides would fly to Brussels on Friday to participate in the informal Foreign Affairs Council meeting taking place the same day. EU Foreign Policy and Security Policy High Representative Josep Borrell has called for the meeting which is expected to focus, among others, on the developments in Iran and Iraq as well as to the situation in Libya, in the presence of the UN Special Envoy for the country, Ghassan Salamé.
While there, Christodoulides will brief his counterparts about the results of his meeting in Cairo on Wednesday with the foreign ministers of Egypt, France, Italy and Greece.
The papers also reported that the Turkish foreign ministry on Thursday dismissed the announcement of the foreign ministers of Cyprus, Greece, Egypt and France criticising Turkey’s memorandum with Libya, saying they were based on completely unrealistic positions.
Ankara said the memorandums it signed with Libya were legitimate and in accordance with international law and were in response to the parties who try to ignore Turkey and the TCs in the Eastern Mediterranean, the dailies reported.
KEY ACTORS
Christodoulides
>> Recent developments have not affected negatively Nicosia’s relations with Moscow.
>> The facilities provided to the US are strictly for humanitarian missions. Nicosia will not assist the US in any other type of operations.
Neophytou (DISY)
>> Upholds government decision on allowing US use the island as evacuation base since he believes infrastructure on the island should be used for such purposes and not war.
Stefanou (AKEL)
>> Concerned that Cyprus will find itself in the cross hairs if involved in any way in the war mongering plans of the US, Israel & Saudi Arabia against Iran and other states in the region.
>> Hopes the facilities provided to the US truly concern evacuation purposes & will not develop in anything else that could put the island in danger.
Turkish MFA
>> The Cairo joint communique is based on completely unrealistic positions.
>> The MoUs Turkey signed with Libya, that are legitimate & in accordance with international law, were a response to those who try to ignore Turkey and the TCs in the East Med.
Pope Francis expresses support for Cyprob efforts
Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros
Negotiations Process, Regional/International Relations
OVERVIEW
According to the dailies, Pope Francis on Thursday expressed the support of the Holy See for efforts towards the reunification of Cyprus during his annual address to ambassadors accredited to the Vatican.
In his speech, among other things, he stressed the importance of supporting dialogue and respect for international legitimacy in resolving ‘frozen conflicts’ that continue to exist on the continent, some of which have been in need of a solution for decades.
“In the same context, I would also like to express the support of the Holy See to the negotiations for the reunification of Cyprus, which can increase regional co-operation, promoting stability throughout the Mediterranean region,” the pontiff said.
The Pope also thanked Cyprus’ ambassador to the Holy See, George Poulidis, for the wishes he extended to him on behalf of the diplomatic corps accredited to the Holy See. Poulidis has been the dean of the diplomatic corps accredited to Vatican since last May, the dailies report.
Haravgi, in a comment, citing the Pope’s reference to Cyprus says: “Anastasiades pays heed to the Pope or the Archbishop?”
Consumers: State needs to better monitor fuel import prices
Haravgi
Economy, CBMs
OVERVIEW
The daily reports that high taxes and refusal by the government to check fuel import prices has led to fuel prices soar and to GCs going to the north to fill their tanks.
Citing the head of the Consumers’ Association, Marios Drousiotis, the paper reported however that even if fuel tax was lowered, there would still be a large difference in prices between the two sides.
Drousiotis told the paper that diesel fuel is currently at €1.27 per litre. If there is a €0.07 tax reduction and the price drops to €1.20, it will still be much higher than in the north which is at around €0.80 per litre.
What can be done, is for the state to better monitor the import prices of fuel, he said, according to the paper.
Drousiotis said that in the government-controlled areas there is a €0.44 tax per litre for petrol, €0.41 for diesel fuel and €0.07 for heating fuel. To these there is also VAT charge which is at 19%.
He also expressed concerns that fuel prices might rise even more due to tensions in the region.