Front Page Headlines
Speedboats law takes in water and kills
Claims up to 2 million euro to RoC for the fatal (accident) in Akamas. According to lawsuit, the RoC failed to protect the Chinese woman’s physical integrity. Accident with multiple deaths had been avoided in 2018 in Limassol by chance.
- Reply by Anastasiades to Andros: I gave battles for the EEZ
- Spitfire: Squabbling over rubble
- Parliament: Travesty over Kornesios house
- Rockets: 240 million purchase from France
They deepen the civil war
President gave answers regarding the study for partitioning the EEZ. Kyprianou insists. Nicolas Papadopoulos intervenes – He supports all that the secretary general of AKEL said.
- They sent workers away from Spitfire: UNFICYP gave in again to the occupation army
- Travelling at the Athienou buffer zone: The dark roads of smuggling and bicommunal mafias
They provoke again over privatisation of Cyta
Minister of Finance in a hurry to privatise Cyta. Strict warning by SIDIKEK (union for workers in semi-state organisations) to government. 1.6 billion euro dividend from semi-state organisations.
- President gathers excuses about the EEZ
- Headmaster Sepos caused a diplomatic indicent
- Spitfire support work brought to Bicommunal Committee
Guilty verdict for ex-mayor
Former Larnaca mayor and Helector waste management company guilty of corruption.
- ‘Harrassment from Turks’ halts work on iconic Spitfire cafe
For politicians’ red loans: Check mate from DISY
With a letter to the president of the Parliament (DISY) asks for the designation of an independent (auditing) house to examine deletion of loans and non performing loans of politically exposed persons as well as of party-owned companies – All parties (including AKEL) will agree whether they want it or not and everything will come to the light…
- “Partition” of EEZ an arena for confrontation between government and AKEL: President’s tough language against Andros – “What expediency is served and who truly benefits from the return of this unsubstantiated claim?” asks Nicos Anastasiades – AKEL secretary general replies talking about distortions.
Main News
President responds to accusation over alleged EEZ partition report
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Energy, External Security, Regional/ International Relations, EU Matters, Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
Philelftheros reports on President Anastasiades’ lengthy response regarding the accusations by AKEL secretary general Andros Kyprianou that he had asked for a report on the possibility of partitioning the Cypriot EEZ.
Anastasiades said that a statement he had made on January 2nd 2018 had been twisted, and quoted the statement in full. The original statement had said that “if (Turkey) chooses to protect the rights of the T/Cs as a seperate and independent entity, then they should limit themselves to what corresponds to the EEZ of the aforementioned illegal entity. And therefore they have no reason to doubt the Republic of Cyprus’ sovereign rights. But this is a theory that concerns the Turks and not us”.
Anastasiades stressed the last sentence, which, as he said, AKEL chooses to ignore when making its criticisms. He also added that everyone should consider who is served by the reiteration of this particular claim, at a moment when Turkish ships act as pirates in the Cypriot EEZ.
He added that in the last few years Cyprus has gained the stated support of foreign states as well as EU institutions, and that the country has developed a model of cooperation that can serve as an example for other regions. He also said that he has repeatedly asked Turkey to negotiate on EEZ delineation or to jointly appeal with Cyprus to the International Court at The Hague.
Kyprianou issued a statement in response in which he asks the President to clarify which part of his statement he believes was twisted. Kyprianou quoted once again the President, without including the last sentence stressed by Anastasiades. He added that the results of the government’s handling of the issue do not reflect the G/C side’s long standing aims.
DIKO president Nicolas Papadopoulos supported the essence of Kyprianou’s argument. In a tweet, Papadopoulos said that despite the government spokesman’s statement that all this is the figment of someone’s imagination, “the partition of the Cypriot EEZ has been in the thoughts of the President since January 2018”.
DISY’s press spokesperson Demetris Demetriou said that AKEL should either give evidence regarding its claims or retract them, in order to end a discussion based on nihilism and political gossip. EDEK said that the Averof Neophytou – Andros Kyprianou debate was meant to create artifical tension ahead of upcoming elections. Greens president Yiorgos Perdikis said that recent events and discussions on alleged thoughts to partition the EEZ are politically damaging.
In a related development reported by Phileleftheros, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu has said Turkey is open to cooperate with all countries in the Eastern Mediterranean regarding energy, including Greece, but not with Greek Cypriots. He also accused the EU of no longer being a neutral actor, and that the bloc focuses only on the principle of solidarity and ignores reality.
Phileleftheros also reports that Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias is attempting to deescalate public rhetoric. When asked by a journalist from the state broadcaster ERT whether there is the possibility of a military incident, he expressed the hope that Turkey has not made such plans. He added that there have been indications pointing to de-escalation in the past few days. Commenting on a recent announcement by Turkey that it will drill close to Kastelorizo, Dendias said that no Greek government could ever accept its sea to become a gray area.
KEY ACTORS
Anastasiades
>> AKEL twists a statement which ends with the caveat that (partition of EEZ) is a theory that concerns the Turks, not us
>> We should consider who is truly served by the reiteration of this false claim
Kyprianou (AKEL)
>> The government has to clarify which part of the President’s statement they believe was twisted
>> The results of the President’s actions are not consistent with the long standing aims of the G/C side
Papadopoulos (DIKO)
>> Partition of the EEZ has been in the President’s mind since January 2018
Çavuşoğlu (Turkey)
>> We are ready to cooperate with every country in the region on energy, including Greece, but not Greek Cypriots
Dendias (Greece)
>> We’ve seen evidence of de-escalation from Turkey
>> We shall not accept gray areas in our seas
Demetriou (DISY)
>> AKEL needs to either provide evidence proving its claims or retract its accusations
EDEK
>> The two major parties are creating fake tensions ahead of upcoming elections
Perdikis (Greens)
>> This discussion on alleged accusations is politically damaging
RoC confirms military deals with French companies
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Phileleftheros, Politis
External Security, EU Matters
OVERVIEW
The Defence Ministry confirmed reports in French media that Cyprus had purchased 240 million euros worth of military equipment from French companies, the dailies report.
Cyprus Mail cites an announcement by the Defence Ministry which points out that no further details will be announced at the moment due to the sensitive nature of the issue.
Politis reports that the Defence Ministry chose to buy from France due to the fact that the National Guard already has the necessary infrastructure, since the country first bought French weapons systems in the 1980s. The newspaper adds that there was no possibility of buying Russian BUK and TOR surface-to-air missiles, due to the EU’s embargo against Russia.
Politis also reports that Exocet and Mistral missiles are far more advanced than any weapons system currently in the possession of the National Guard.
French newspaper La Tribune had published information that the Cypriot Defence Ministry signed contracts with the European company MBDA for the supply of Mistral surface-to-air missiles and Exocet anti-ship missiles. MBDA reportedly supplies more than 90 armed forces worldwide.
La Tribune reported that the Mistral deal, worth 150 million euro, was negotiated last July and signed in Cyprus last December. The Exocet deal is worth 90 million euro.
The French newspaper also reported that French company Kership is negotiating with the RoC the sale of two new OPV 59 patrol ships, at total cost of 75 million euro.
Phileleftheros notes that French and Cyprus signed a deal to upgrade existing technical and military agreements on January 27th 2020. The two countries first signed a military deal on February 28th 2007, the newspaper adds.
Spitfire support work halted due to Turkish army opposition
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
CBMs, Internal Security, External Security
OVERVIEW
The dailies report on the outcome of the tension caused when the Turkish army objected to works started by Nicosia Municipality to shore up the building that used to house the Spitfire cafe at Paphos Gate.
Cyprus Mail reports that the municipality announced it would halt work on Friday after the G/C crew was repeatedly harassed by Turkish troops. The municipality said in a statement that UNFICYP has not managed to provide contractors with the necessary protection despıte discussions held in the past one and a half years.
The municipality also adds it regrets that despite the good cooperation with the Turkish Cypriots in the context of the Nicosia Master Plan, this was not enough to prevent interventions and harassment.
UNFICYP spokesperson Aleem Siddique told the Cyprus News Agency that the peacekeeping force will continue its patrols. UNFICYP is in contact with both sides on the highest level seeking for a peaceful resolution of the issue, he added. He repeated the need all involved to cooperate with UNFICYP and called on all to stop all actions regarding the Spitfire cafe.
Politis reports that the RoC government has complained to UNFICYP about its stance in the issue. According to the paper, the moves taken by the T/C side were a result of orders by “foreign minister” Kudret Özersay. The newspaper also reports, citing sources, that the government has asked UNFICYP head Elizabeth Spehar to contact T/C leader Mustafa Akıncı and ask for his intercession.
Haravgi also cites statements by G/C head of the bicommunal Technical Committee for Cultural Heritage, Takis Hadjidemetriou, who said that as far as he understands the municipality was not at fault. He added that the committee will discuss the issue on Thursday.
Phileleftheros reports that the Turkish army is aiming to create tensions taking advantage of the tolerance of UNFICYP (the newspaper also notes that the British contingent of UNFICYP is the one responsible for the area).
The work to support the crumbling building had started earlier in the week under UNFICYP supervision. The building is considered unsafe for pedestrians and vehicles passing through the Paphos Gate opening into and out of the walled city.
Phileleftheros notes that the front of the building is in the buffer zone while the rest of the building is in the occupied areas. For one and a half years G/Cs and T/Cs were working through Nicosia Master Plan on finding ways to clean and shore up Spitfire.
The newspaper points out that the municipality asked UNFICYP to contact the Turkish military in order to allow workers to proceed, but that there had been no answer. The municipality therefore proceeded on its own iniative. UNFICYP told the municipality that it couldn’t provide any guarantees.
On Wednesday and Thursday, men from the Turkish military – first without uniform and then with uniforms – showed up demanding for the work to be halted but had to leave after a reaction by the UN. On Friday, the Turkish army sent its own men to set up fencing to start work but were stopped by the UN.
UNFICYP then withdrew, saying it would continue inspecting the situation. The Turkish army then returned and set up scaffolding.
Cyprus Mail notes that the coffeeshop had been turned into a defensive position by the Turkish military, with machine gun slits, sandbags and barels, blocking an adjacent road that led to the north.
The newspaper quotes a report by Kibris according to which the authorities in the north had been planning to repair the building. From the T/C perspective, the G/C side intervened before works could begin and the UN took no action.
KEY ACTORS
Nicosia Municipality
>> UNFICYP has not managed to provide protection for contractors despite discussions over the past one and a half years
>> Good cooperation with T/C as part of the Nicosia Master Plan did not prevent harassment
Siddique (UNFICYP spokesp.)
>> UNFICYP is in contact with all sides seeking for a peaceful resolution of issue
>> Calls on all sides to pause work regarding Spitfire