Front Page Headlines
Division stokes migrant crisis
Cyprus has been caught in migrant crossfire by lack of a solution and Greek-Turkish geopolitical storm.
- Police say they were forced to spray Ledra St protesters
- Coffeeshop (opinion): Doing their duty: Police keeping Cypriots apart
- World: Tensions still high at Turkish-Greek border
- Comment: Turkey should not play dominoes with Greece over refugees
- Comment: Delving into the subconscious of a rejectionist president
“Prevent the entry of migrants”
Attitudes of public opinion concerning latest dramatic developments. An important share of citizens believe that entry should be allowed only to those who come from country at war, such as Syria.
- Alert for the Evros phenomenon and danger of Turkish provocation
- Varosha: Blatant infringement of resolution 550/1984
- Report: The British status quo, pedophilia and 1974
- Narratives of defence and security: Why there shouldn’t be/ isn’t a “border guard” at the checkpoints
- “S” was warning since 2016: Battle of Andrianoupolis and the refugee crisis
- Green Line: Spehar’s game and… Akinci’s crutches
- Refugee boats: Where they end up why it is difficult for the state to get rid of them
- (Editorial): The howl of the grey wolve…
- Tilt… right: AKEL’s strategy for the 2023 Presidential elections
- Russia – Turkey: Temporary ceasefire also in their relations
- Giorgos Kentas (opinion): Counteracting Turkey’s new hybrid attack
- Foivos Klokkaris (opinion): Defensive armour for Cyprus – Illegal migration
- Savvas Iakovides (opinion): Why Anastasiades cannot solve the Cyprus Problem with Erdogan
- Giannakis Omirou (opinion): The turbulent March of 1964
- Efthymios Diplaros (opinion): Migration: Urgent need for action
- Christodoulos K. Giallourides (opinion): Russian-Turkish coming together of convenience
Tears and pepper spray on Ledra street
Republic of Cyprus imposed order. Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot citizens moved in an organised manner to open the checkpoint. (Emergency response police unit) MMAD squad equipped with clubs, pepper spray and shields prevented free movement. Intense accusation against President Anastasiades that he chose and promotes partition. Police officers sorry.
- Niyazi Kizilyurek (interview): Which Cypriots are nationalists?
- Green Line: From the… pencil to the protests
- Dinos Agiomamitis: “The wolves got out in the streets”
- Asylum seekers: From the break of dawn for one coupon
Package of demands and tension
Turkish designs for imposition have united approach for Greece and Cyprus. The attempt for co-decision on the coronavirus is only the beginning.
- New incident at the Ledras checkpoint
- Revealing document by Turkish Foreign Ministry: Erdogan claims new gifts from Brussels – Turkish President in Brussels tomorrow
- Turkish tricks: They want the Green Line… gray
- Extended incidents on Greco-Turkish borders
- The partitionist “Green Line”
Cyprus a cheap solution for traffickers
EU sources ascribe the increase of migration flows here to low cost of transit to the occupied areas. The ethnological profile of migration flows to Cyprus.
- Dispatches from Evros and the Aegean
- In the vice of the migration issue: Evros in unrest
- Lesvos divided between northerners and southerners: Fears for new mass arrivals
- Closed borders brought consent: The difficult choice that united
- Checkpoints: The virus acquired also political symptoms
- (Editorial) EU under test
- Ierotheos Papadopoulos (interview): We gave Cyprus every help it requested
- Erdogan’s designs: Pressures Greece and aims for the EU
- Turkish retreat: Idlib became a minefield for Ankara
- Intervention (opinion): The week we are going through shows the need for a more powerful Europe
Stop the virus of partition
- From political virus for fools to coronavirus
- Erdogan avoids tensions with the powerful
- International: The chaotic situation in Evros attracted nazi groups
Gray landscape for the Cyprus Problem
It seems there will not be a historic opportunity. In Berlin there was created a unique opportunity to convene a conference that will abolish guarantees, send away Attila and reunite Cyprus, but now it seems unlikely that the conference will be convened.
- Bicommunal protest and new tension at Ledras: They once more demanded opening of the checkpoints – Turkish Cypriot protesters clashed with RoC policemen – Four policemen injured
- Between AKEL and government: New clash triggered by checkpoints
- A. Neofytou: Migration a national issue. If we have to change constitution and laws let’s do it yesterday
- Articles – Interventions: The real dilemma of the Cyprus Problem by Christos P. Panagiotidis – The coronavirus epidemic reveals inentions by Petros Demetriou – Migration, time for crucial decisions by Nicos Tornaritis
Main News
Police uses tear gas against protesters as checkpoints issue becomes political
Alithia, Haravgi, Kathimerini, Phileleftheros, Politis, Simerini, Sunday Mail
CBMs, Internal Security, Human Rights, Negotiations Process, EU Matters
Republic of Cyprus police used teargas against Turkish Cypriot protesters on Saturday when they attempted to cross the Ledra street checkpoint from the north to join Greek Cypriot protesters in the south, the dailies report. About 200 protesters had gathered in the south and about 150 in the north.
Sunday Mail reports claims by the police that four offices were injured when more than 100 people managed to break the line formed by the UN, with some protesters allegedly throwing stones at polic officers. Police said in a written statememt that during the scuffle there was a limited use of personal teargas spray by some of the officers.
The dailies report that the protestors were shouting slogans in favour of reunification and against fascism. Politis reports that police presence was much stronger this week but that the National Guard was not present. Politis also interviews veteran activist Dinos Ayiomamitis who was present in both protests and underlined that last week’s protest was peaceful.
Ayiomamitis says that the police brought up issues such as disturbance of public peace after seeing that the protest was succesful. He also states that the scuffle between a protestor and a soldier was presented incorrectly by the media.
Phileleftheros reports that duing the tension T/C protestors called on the G/C protestors to push through but that there was no response. Simerini points out that AKEL MEP Niyazi Kizilyurek was also seen supporting the protestors.
In a tweet Unite Cyprus Now, one of the co-organisers of the protest, said that there was an agreement not to push through the barricades but that some people did go ahead regardless, Sunday Mail reports.
UNFICYP spokesperson Aleem Siddique told the newspaper that the peace keeping force would step up its presence in the area.
Alithia reports that AKEL secretary general Andros Kyprianou criticised President Anastasiades, pointing out tha tif he was really interested in pushing for a solution to the Cyprus Problem he should have carefully considered his actions. The AKEL leader also pointed out that the government’s actions are weakening the position of those T/Cs that want a solution.
Kyprianou added that as a result of the closure of four checkpoints, there is now tension between the two communities and concerns expressed from the UN on the President’s honesty. He added that UNFICYP should not have taken a position on the issue of the checkpoints, but that the President should be concerned by this development.
Government spokesperson Kyriakos Koushios responded by saying that the secretary general of AKEL is using an issue related to public health in order to make political statements. Koushios said that the measures were taken in accordance to guidelines by the World Health Organisation and accused Kyprianou of spreading lies when saying that there are not enough checks in airports.
Kathimerini reports that the government finds itself under pressure due to its failures in communication. According to the report, sources from AKEL and DISY complained that a temporary decision could easily become permanent. The newspaper also reports that during the meeting of the ministers last week on the issue the Foreign Ministry had insisted on closing of all checkpoints in order to avoid influencing the upcoming elections in the north.
In analysis, Phileleftheros argues that the T/C administration is pushing for upgrading the Green Line into a partial hard border and criticises UNFICYP for taking a position over the issue of the closed checkpoints in a difficult period. The newspaper says that the government is disturbed because UNFICYP overlooked its position that the closure was due only to technical reasons, because of the criticism leveled to only one side and because of the assertion in the announcement that the opening of the checkpoints contributed to returning to a sense of normality.
The newspaper adds that until now the Green Line was never considered a border but that UNFICYP’s statement points to a normalisation that turns the buffer zone into a gray area. The article also points out that Mustafa Akinci’s statements on the issue were an attempt to get political points before the elections and also against President Anastasiades, while he himself is unable to stop migration flows from Turkey.
An analysis in Politis points out that one of the underlying issues of the current situation is the government’s displeasure with UNFICYP and the UN for wanting to increase the role of the bicommunal technical committees, along with other issues such as the understaffing of the crossing points. The analysis accepts that the decision was taken because of the coronavirus, but points out that the real criticism lies in the fact that the government did not utilise the bicommunal committee for health to the utmost in order to ensure coordination between the two sides.
In an interview to Politis, AKEL MEP Niyazi Kizilyurek says that in Brussels everyone is very dissapointed with Cyprus since it hasn’t moved towards reunification all these years the country is in the EU. He added that the future of the negotiations depends to a large degree on the results of the T/C elections.
KEY ACTORS
Unite Cyprus Now
>> The agreement was that protestors would not push against the barricades
Siddique (UNFICYP spokesperson)
>> UNFICYP will increase presence in the area
Kyprianou (AKEL)
>> Anastasiades should have been more careful if he was serious about working for a solution
>> The closure creates tensions and concerns from the UN on the President’s reliability
>> UNFICYP should not have taken a position, but the President should be concerned
Koushios (gov. spokesperson)
>> The leader of AKEL is using a public health issue to make political statements
>> Measures taken in acordance with WHO guidelines
Increased migrant flows in Cyprus due to lower cost for traffickers
Alithia, Haravgi, Kathimerini, Phileleftheros, Politis, Simerini, Sunday Mail
Migration & Citizenship, Human Rights, Internal Security, External Security, Regional/ International Relations, EU Matters
Kathimerini reports that the increased migrant flows in Cyprus are a result of the fact that traffickers find the island a cheaper option due to the cheaper cost of transit from Turkey to the occupied areas. The newspaper cites sources from Brussels who also point out that the Tymbou airport is an especially cheap option.
The newspaper also points out that there are seven areas along the buffer zone across the island that are not sufficiently guarded or are not overseen by a National Guard outpost, wich makes them “blind spots” that can be used to secretly pass from the occupied to the government controlled areas. These are Pyrgos Tillirias, Astromeritis, the Avlona – Akaki area, the area of the British High Commission in west Nicosia, SOPAZ in east Nicosia, the area around Vrisoulles, Pergamos and Pyla, and the area of Agios Kendeas close to Famagusta.
Kathiimerini reports that the government’s concerns regarding areas where migrants might illegally attempt to enter Cyprus focus on the lack of its control over the occupied areas. The newspaper points out that the area around Pyla is the weakest link in the buffer zone since there is constant movement to the government controlled areas by people seeking work.
Sunday Mail cites a government official that has said that the division of the island played a key role in the development of a migration crisis on the island. According to the same source, the EU is reluctant to help Cyprus since the current situation is a side effect of the Cyprus Problem and does not show much sympathy to the country since today’s issues were entirely avoidable.
The newspaper cites statements by UNCHR official in Cyprus Emilia Strovolidou, who said that UNHCR does help asylum seekers cross and apply for asylum, pointing out that “there is no return to the north because there is only one republic in Cyprus”. She underlined that the principle of non-refoulment calls upon states to ensure that people in international protection are not returned to danger.\
UNFICYP spokesperson Aleem Siddique also told the newspaper that in some cases, when migrants are found in the buffer zone, they are handed over to the Greek Cypriot authorites and not returned to the north. “What the regulations say is that the Republic is the host government” which gives permission to the UN to operate on the island.
Simerini publishes a poll regarding recent developments on migration which shows Greek Cypriots being convinced that Turkey will attempt to push thousands of migrants through to the government controlled areas of the Republic of Cyprus. When asked if they believe that Turkey will attempt a similar move to the one in Evros, Greece, 51% said definitely yes, 39% said probably yes, 6% said probably no and 4% said definitely not.
91% of respondents said that the Greek government was correct in closing its borders, 6% assesed the decision as wrong and 3% said they don’t know.
When asked how Cyprus should respond if Turkey attempts to pull off a similar move on the island, 54% said that migrants should be prevented from crossing to the government controlled areas, 32% said that only those that come from countries at war should be accepted, 8% said that they should be accepted and then deported, 5% said that they should be accepted and temporarily put in reception areas and 1% said they should be accepted as asylum seekers and sent to reception centers.
When asked whether the concerns in Cyprus and Greece are understadable, 73% said they were completely understandable, 24% said rather understandable, 2% said rather not understandable and 1 said totally not understandable. When asked which issue concerns them the most, 41% said they were concerned of a change in the country’s demographics, 40% said they are concerned that terrorists will enter the country and 19% said that they are afraid the economy might collapse.
Phileleftheros reports in an analysis that Turkey is attempting to combine its pressures on the EU, Greece and Cyprus with pressures over co-decision when it comes to natural gas and regional security. The newspaper also publishes a document issued by the Turkish Foreign Ministry that was sent to Turkish embassies in the EU, in which Ankara points out that its aim of Turkish diplomacy is to push for the revamping of the 2016 EU – Turkey common statement on migration.
KEY ACTORS
Strovolidou (UNCHR Cyprus)
>> Asylum seekers are not returned to the north because there is only one legal republic in Cyprus
Siddique (UNFICYP spokesperson)
>> The UN hands asylum seekers found in the buffer zone to the G/C authorities since it is the government that hosts the UN