Front Page Headlines
Objections for the election of (municipal) councillors
Change of stance by EDEK and DIKO on the local government reform. Public change of stance by EDEK on the electoral process in the new municipalities. Turbulence within the Union of Municipalities over possible essential changes.
- The FM in Athens – Setting the strategy for the next step.
Games of tactic on energy
Plans for the new year define developments in the East Med. More active presence by Italy.
- Larnaca’s traditional centre gets a facelift – From Ermou square up to Piale Pasha road.
- Guns are doing the talking in Libya
The EU is in the dark as regards the Green Line (Regulation)
A month and a half after the government’s approval of a series of measures amending the code of implementation of the Green Line (regulation) the EU Commission is still in the dark since it has yet to be informed of the content of the decision in question. Information says that the measures will now be sent to the legal services. Reactions had been voiced since it is believed legal issues arise.
- The FMs of Cyprus and Greece are assessing the situation and coordinate
- Premiere today for the Kizilyurek-Chrystanthou film ‘Flowers and bullets’
- Fragile truce in Libya
AKEL continues to chase… Ionas’ ghost (former Justice Minister Ionas Nicolaou)
Several months after his departure from the justice ministry and active political life, the leftist party continues to obsessively disagree with anything that has to do (or thinks it has to do or will do) with him, to a point it even disagrees with laws aimed to help solving serious crimes.
- Dendias-Christodoulides: They set the moves for the immediate future
- Akinci: It is not right to continue depend on water from Turkey
- In Libya they agreed on truce but they are violating it
Main News
Nicosia-Athens plan moves on common issues
Alithia, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Regional/International Relations, Energy, Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides is meeting on Monday in Athens his Greek counterpart Nikos Dendias to discuss the next steps as regards regional developments but also the Cyprus problem, the papers report.
Christodoulides said on Sunday that it is an important meeting and an opportunity to discuss, together also with technocrats, developments in the region which are very important and affect the two countries but also relations between EU and Turkey, Turkey’s future, the Cyprus problem and all matters which concern the two countries.
The goal, is to decide on “certain very
specific moves in the immediate future,” he said.
As regards the visit this week to the island of US Assistant Secretary of
Consular Affairs Carl Risch, Christodoulides said the aim was to discuss visa
waivers for holders of Cypriot passports visiting the US. He said the goal is
to reach the desired outcome within 2020.
On the Libya issue, Christodoulides said Cyprus’ position is that it is necessary for the EU to have a leading role in these developments and not follow the same policy as in Syria, where it did not play such a role. The EU and its member states are the ones affected the most by crises in the neighbourhood, whether in Syria or Libya, Iran or Iraq and that is why the EU is obliged to play a leading role, he said.
Politis and Haravgi also report that Greece, Cyprus and Israel have also discussed the possibility of electrical grid interconnection through Crete.
Phileleftheros reports that US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is expected to visit the island in spring.
The dailies also report that European Council President Charles Michel has reiterated the EU’s position on Turkey’s unauthorised drilling, where “the EU stands in full solidarity with Cyprus,” during a meeting he had on Saturday with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in Istanbul.
According to a written statement issued by the Council after the meeting, “the Cyprus settlement talks are essential for addressing some of the divisive issues,” the papers reported.
KEY ACTORS
Christodoulides
>> Nicosia & Athens will decide very specific moves on regional developments, Turkey and the Cyprob.
>> Nicosia would like to see a positive outcome on US visa waivers for Cypriots this year.
>> Nicosia wants EU to have a more active role in East Med crises because its member-states are the ones affected the most by such situations.
Michel (EU)
>> EU stands in solidarity with Cyprus as regards Turkey’s unauthorised drilling.
>> The Cyprob talks are essential for addressing some of the divisive issues.
Changes to Green Line Regulation sent for vetting while EU still in the dark
Haravgi
EU Matters, CBMs, Migration & Citizenship, Internal Security, External Security, Human Rights
OVERVIEW
The daily, in its main item, reports that the government has yet to inform the European Commission on the changes it has announced last November would carry out as regards the implementation code of the Green Line Regulation.
These measures concerned among other things forbidding the entry to the government-controlled areas of third-country nationals entering through illegal points of entry, and of the crossing of third-country nationals living in Cyprus on temporary residence permits. They also concerned stricter checks at the crossings while bills were to be prepared for fines for the illegal entry or exit into or from the Republic, the paper reported.
These measures have now been sent to the legal services for vetting, since it seems they modify the Green Line Regulation itself and not just its implementation code. The legal services will help the government decide whether the proposed changes contradict the regulation in question, the paper reported.
The daily also reports that the GC side is also taking practical measures to reinforce the way the regulation is implemented such as strengthening infrastructure and additional staff at the crossings. There are also plans by the public works department for the redevelopment of the crossings to ensure proper checks as per the provisions of the Regulation. The EU Commission said that these measures however concern solely the Republic since they are aimed at implementing the provisions of the Regulation, the daily reported.