Front Page Headlines
Fixed games (part of) organised crime
Corruption in football (to be handled) with methods used to deal with the underworld.
- Sanctions list for Turkey to be approved: Green light from Brussels
- Ankara ignored ECHR
- (Migration) Corridor through occupied areas
The state buys buildings
Five large properties in Nicosia targeted to house state services. Millions will be available, but not excessive amounts, they say.
- Seeks a clear position from Italy: Nikos Christodoulides in Rome for “8”
- We steadily advance with drilling schedule – Confidential briefing on EEZ in Parliament by Minister of Energy. Process of commercial exploitation of reserves continues.
- Polls show Akinci left out (of second round)
- Four party meeting in Athens in presence of France
- Cyprus convicted by ECHR over death of soldier
Enough with alibis and pretexts for the (football) “paragka”
“Why would the President know who are the criminals?”. Making statements about purges is not enough. There needs to be will. D. Ioannides: How is the law unconstitutional?
- Years later, the fight of Thanasis Nikolaou’s mother found justice from ECHR
- The French aircraft carrier will come but the French government suggests political solutions
- Cyprus lifted veto over sanctions to Russia to gain support from the EU
Insecure EEZ is a ‘public danger’
Akel attacks government as minister says hydrocarbons plan on track.
- ECHR rules Cyprus did not properly investigate soldier’s death in 2005
19-year-old British woman is one thing and Papastavrou is another!
Double standards? Is justice blind for all or does it simply look away for some? Is everyone equal in front of the law or can some ignore it due to their position? Legal circles comment on the statements by Omonoia’s president and draw parallels with the statements of the 19-year-old British woman on her supposed rape.
- Erdogan to Athens: Don’t get involved with Turkey and we won’t harm you
- Experienced diplomat: Theocharis Lalakos the new ambassador of Greece in Cyprus
- Internet poll: Tatar and Erhurman in second round of elections
- ECHR: Justice after 15 years
- Energy: Research programme proceeds as plan – State petroleum products storage to be in Vasilikos
Main News
Sanctions for Turkish drilling to move ahead in the next few days
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Oikonomiki Kathimerini, Phileleftheros, Politis
Energy, External Security, Regional/ International Relations, EU Matters
OVERVIEW
Politis reports that EU technocrats are expected to approve the opening of the list for names of physical and legal persons to be sanctioned for their involvement in illegal drillings in Cypriot EEZ.
The newspaper points out that the list is not expected to include high ranking officials of TPAO or political officials, but this is regardless a positive first step. The next step is to see what these sanctions will include. The main possibilities are that these persons will be banned from entering the EU or cooperating with european companies and the freezing of assets.
Politis also points out that on Tuesday the Council of the EU added seven new persons on the sanctions list regarding the illegal annexation of Crimea by Russia. All seven are Russian citizens that were involved in the elections held in September 2019 in the Ukrainian province.
The newspaper recalls that international media had connected Cyprus’s reservations in approving the seven names with a demand by Nicosia that the EU speed up the processes for its own sanctions. Politis notes that Cypriot diplomats do not confirm this, but that the timing seems to support the claim.
Phileleftheros writes that Cyprus has voted in favour of the new additions to the Crimea sanctions list. The newspaper cites a report by Russian Tass news agency that Cyprus had been vetoing the decision and that that veto had been lifted on Monday.
Phileleftheros also reports that Cypriot Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides is travelling to Rome on Wednesday for a meeting with Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio. Christodoulidis seeks an official position from Rome regarding Turkish actions in the region, especially regarding Ankara’s intention to drill in an area that had been licensed to Italian company ENI. Christodoulides is also going to have a meeting with ENI CEO Claudio Descalzi.
Also on Tuesday, Energy Minister Giorgos Lakkotrypis confidentially briefed the members of the energy committee of the House of Representatives on the latest developments regarding hydrocarbons exploration, Cyprus Mail reports.
Even though Lakkotripis made no statements after the meeting, MPs did, Cyprus Mail reports, with committee president and AKEL secretary general Andros Kyprianou and DIKO MP Angelos Votsis expressing satisfaction that the programme is going forward, while AKEL MP Costas Costa referred to the party’s concerns that the EEZ is not secure despite statements from government officials.
Politis reports citing sources that significant time during the committee meeting was used up in talking about Turkey’s illegal activities and the role of the international community. Lakkotripis is reported to have told the MPs that there will be a delay in drillings by ENI in plot 6 due to technical issues encountered by the company in Egypt.
The ENI-Total consortium is scheduling three to six drillings for the years 2020 and 2021, while ExxonMobil will drill twice in plot 10 and Noble-Shell-Delek will conduct a confirmatory drilling in the “Aphrodite” gas field in 2021, the newspaper reports.
Lakkotripis was also asked to comment on Cyprus’s options regarding the exploitation of gas fields “Glafkos” and “Calypso”. According to Politis, one option is turning gas to LNG at Idku terminal in Egypt, adding that a terminal can be built in Cyprus if sufficient amounts of gas are found by Cyprus or Israel. The second option, he added, is constructing a floating LNG terminal. The EastMed pipeline remains a possibility provided that the studies that are being conducted show it to be viable. Finally, he said that negotiations with Israel over the overlapping of “Aphrodite” with gas field “Yishai” are expected to be completed soon.
In another development, Phileleftheros reports that French Defence Minister Florence Parly will be visiting Athens at the end of February, citing a statement by Greek Defence Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos during a meeting of the Cyprus – Greece intergovernmental defence council in Athens on Monday. According to Phileleftheros, Panagiotopoulos also referred to the possibility of a three or four party meeting at that period with the participation also of Greece, Cyprus, Israel and Egypt.
Oikonomiki Kathimerini reports that the Cyprus – Greece 6th intergovernmental defence council met in Athens to define the course of actions for the two countries in light of Turkish actions in the Eastern Mediterranean. The two Defence Ministers, Greek Nikos Panagiotopoulos and Cypriot Savvas Angelides, agreed that the two countries need to send military messages and not only political messages to Turkey.
Angelides stated that the cooperation of the two countries and the tripartite alliances have created a dynamic that contribute stability in the region. He added that some of the results have not been made public, and that those who do are focused on deterrence.
The two ministers also talked about the importance of presence of France in the area, as well as the cooperation of Greece and Cyprus as part of the EU’s defence cooperation frameworks. One of these concerns the joint production of drone aircraft.
Politis also reports on statements that Turkish President Tayip Erdogan made speaking to journalists on a flight from Algeria to Zambia. Erdogan said he told Greek prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis that if Greece and Turkey don’t get into each other’s way, Turkey won’t make a move against Greece, and that he asked him how Greece can be involved in Libya. The discussion is supposed to have taken place during the last NATO summit.
Politis also reports that US President Donald Trump has told Erdogan over the phone that it is very important Turkey settles its differences with Greece in the Eastern Mediterranean. The phone call took place on Monday and covered also the developments in Libya and Syria.
Phileleftheros, Politis and Haravgi report that the French aircraft carrier “Charles De Gaulle” will be anchored in Limassol at the end of February, citing a statement by French ambassador in Nicosia Isabelle Dumont to the Cyprus News Agency. Dumont said that the aircraft carrier will be in the region for reasons relating to the developments in Syria and Iraq, but that the fact that its only port of call will be Limassol is an indication of the good relations of the sides.
Dumont called on Turkey to respect international law and referred to the Turkey – Libya MoU as invalid. She added that the Cyprus Problem is contingent on political will and that perhaps all sides should start speaking about a Cypriot solution.
Phileleftheros reports that in recent statements Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu made a distinction between those drillings in the Eastern Mediterranean that are not up for discussion and those that are.
KEY ACTORS
Angelides (Cypriot Defence minister)
>> The results of the tripartite agreements and the coordination with Greece focus on deterrence
Nikos Panagiotopoulos (Greek Defence Minister)
>> French Defence Minister will be in Athens at the end of February and there is a possibility for a four party meeting including Israel and Egypt
Dumont (French ambassador in Nicosia)
>> The French aircraft carrier is in the region because of the fight against ISIS
>> Political will is needed for a solution of the Cyprus Problem
Lute calls up the leaders ahead of UNFICYP vote
Alithia, Haravgi, Oikonomiki Kathimerini, Phileleftheros, Politis
Negotiations Process, Internal Security, External Security
OVERVIEW
The dailies report that the UNSG’s special advisor on the Cyprus Problem, Jane Holl Lute, has resurfaced. The Cyprus News Agency cites an announcement by the T/C leader’s office, according to which Lute spoke on the phone with Mustafa Akinci. Phileleftheros and Politis report that a phone is also scheduled with President Anastasiades on Wednesday or Thursday. Lute is reported to be catching up with the leaders due to the upcoming vote for UNFICYP’s mandate renewal.
Diplomatic sources told Politis that there has been intense activity in New York in order to improve the text of the report. The same sources say that the final text will not directly reference the need for cooperation between the two sides without the UN, since the bicommunal Technical Committees are a mechanism that already achieves this goal.
Oikonomiki Kathimerini also reports that Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides spoke with British Foreign Minister Dominic Raab regarding the upcoming vote on UNFICYP’s mandate, and that the conversation left the Cypriot FM pleased with the result.
Internet poll shows Tatar and Erhurman in second round of T/C election
Alithia, Haravgi, Politis, Phileleftheros
Governance & Power Sharing, Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
The Greek Cypriot dailies reproduce the results of an internet poll conducted on the website of Kıbrıs Postası. According to the poll, Ersin Tatar and Tufan Erhurman are considered more likely to advance to the second round. The internet poll ran for five days (21-25/1/2020) and 5,028 persons participated.
According to the results of the internet poll, Tatar comes first with 32%, Erhurman second with 23% and Mustafa Akinci third with 18%. The rest are Kudret Özersay (10%), Erhan Arıklı (6%), Serdar Denktaş (4%) and Sibel Siber (2%).
About 35% of the respondents said they would cast their vote based on the cadidates’ position on the Cyprus Problem and about 24% said they would vote for the candidate of their party. The poll also included a question on which candidate voters would never chose. Akinci was first in negative votes with 25%, followed by Tatar (18%), Arıklı (15%) and Erhurman (9%).
Phileleftheros notes that this is the third poll that comes to the surface in the last couple of weeks, and that what seems to be happening is an effort to create impressions. The last two, the newspaper recalls, were a poll by the Turkish Gezici polling company which gave the win to Tatar and a poll published in Detay which gave the win to Akinci.
Politis also reports that Serdar Denktaş announced he will not be a candidate in the April election, despite the fact that polls had included him as one of the options.
Turkey misses ECHR deadline in properties case
Politis
Property, Human Rights, EU Matters
OVERVIEW
Politis reports that Turkey has missed the 27th January deadline to submit its positions to the European Court of Human Rights regarding two cases involving Greek Cypriot properties, in Tymbou and Varosha.
According to the report, by Tuesday 28th January the lawyer representing the owners of the properties had not been informed whether Turkey had submitted its positions or had requested an extension of the deadline. He has therefore requested from the ECHR that the process continue regardless.
Lawyer Achilleas Demetriades told Politis that this is probably the first time Turkey misses a deadline or does not request an extension. He noted however that Ankara could have communicated with the ECHR at the last moment, and added that this will become clearer in the next few days.
Politis recalls that the case of K.V. Mediterranean Tours Limited vs. Turkey is related to a property in the Varosha fenced area, which is also claimed by Evkaf. The second case, Theodora Panagi and Evdoksia Shiartou against Turkey, is related to a property in Tymbou. The ECHR was set to examine the cases in mid-December but Turkey had requested an extension.
G/Cs and T/Cs from Famagusta press for restoration of church
Cyprus Mail
CBMs, Human Rights
OVERVIEW
The G/C group Famagusta, Our Town and T/C group Famagusta Initiative called on the bicommunal Technical Committee for Cultural Heritage to preserve the historic church of Agia Paraskevi in northern Varosha, Cyprus Mail reports. According to the report, part of the ceiling has collapsed.
Takis Hadjidimitriou, G/C head of the bicommunal committee, said that the group has been monitoring the situation. He added that there is an ongoing inspection to determine the damange and the total costs of the works. “There are so many monuments in need preservation and we need to find funding the project” he said.
The church is estimated to have been built in the 16th century. The only surviving part of the original building is the arch, Cyprus Mail notes.
New York Times reports on new migration corridor in divided Cyprus
Oikonomiki Kathimerini, Politis
Migration & Citizenship, Human Rights, Regional/ International Relations, EU Matters
OVERVIEW
Politis reports on a story by the New York Times on the fact that Cyprus has become a new migrant corridor because of its division. The newspaper underlines the fact that migrants arrive to Cyprus thinking that it’s a way into the Schengen free movement zone, without being aware that the county is not part of it.
The New York Times story mentions that Cyprus now has the most asylum applications compared to its population in the EU. The report focuses on 23-year-old Cameroonian Clinton Yegba, who arrived at Tymbou with a Turkish Airlines flight from Istanbul. Instead of heading to the Turkish Cypriot university he had enrolled at, Yegba crossed to the government controlled areas and requested asylum saying he was a journalist who had faced violence in his country.
Today, Yegba waits for a decision on his application at the Kofinou reception center, where he lives with Syrians, Palestinians and other Cameroonians.
The report explains that smugglers masquerading as agents of private universities in the north do not explain the country’s complicated political situation to migrants, leading them to believe that they will be able to move freely in the rest of the EU.