Front Page Headlines
The focus of the coronavirus inside the Nicosia General Hospital
Director of Heart Surgery came in in contact also with patients. All surgeries, appointments and visits to the hospital cancelled for today and tomorrow. Heart Surgery Clinic suspended its operation and incidents will be covered by the private sector.
- EU – Erdogan: Agreement under the microscope
- Refugees: Kokkinotrimithia (camp) full
- Pushing and carnations
- Migration: Government approves package of decisions
- Awkwardness for checkpoints
Alarm with two cases
Concern for the contacts of the heart surgeon – He was going to the hospital normally. The 25-year-old was in isolation despite the fact the first exam was negative.
- Tension at checkpoints continues: They failed yesterday, they will return today say the Turkish Cypriots
- UNFICYP: Demarches worked
- Nouris goes to the (ministers) committee today: The first measures to face migration issue are being decided
- Erdogan wants everything
Nicosia Hospital under quarantine
He was examining patients normally for days! Protocolls for dealing with incidents come into force. New travel advisories and country categorisation.
- Protest by T/C trade unionists
- They do one thing in EU, say other things in Cyprus
- Remains of missing exhumed in seven military areas in the occupied areas
As virus arrives, hospital closed
Rush to track down contacts of infected doctor, as two cases confirmed.
- Checkpoint protests continue
- EU tells Turkey to pull migrants back from Greek border, as Erdogan seeks aid
- Cyprus: Special forces sent to Greek Turkish border
- Reportage: Life inside Lesbos cramped migrant camps
It came to us and it came… the wrong way
The first two incidents of coronavirus in Cyprus confirmed yesterday. Anxiety and justified panic due to the fact that one incident concerns a doctor of the Heart Surgery Clinic of the Nicosia General Hospital who also conducted surgeries, while he had symptoms. Second confirmed incident is 25-year-old from Limassol who had however isolated himself. All scheduled appointments, admissions and surgeries of all specialisations cancelled for 48 hours and the operation of the heart clinic suspended for 48 hours.
- Ledras: New tension during T/C protest
- Papadakis vs. Sizopoulos: The court battle for the disputed agreement begun
- He didn’t take what he wanted: Erdogan left Brussels dissatisfied
- Occupied areas: Poll shows Tatar as winner of “presidential” (elections)
- MMAD mission at Evros: We can’t stay indifferent
- Cabinet of Ministers reexamines the checkpoints issue today
Main News
UNFICYP, T/C authorities and T/C protestors join tension at Ledras
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
CBMs, Human Rights, Internal Security, External Security, Regional/ International Relations, Negotiations Process, EU Matters
OVERVIEW
The dailies report Monday’s protest by the T/C trade union platform, which aimed to cross the buffer zone to give red carnations to the G/C police, were stopped by UNFICYP. According to reports the T/C “police” also pushed UNFICYP from the area under T/C control to the buffer zone.
The dailies also report on the first two confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Cyprus, one of which is a doctor who had travelled to the UK and the other a young man who had travelled to Milan and had been isolated since his arrival. Some dailies mention two suspected cases in the occupied areas that had not been yet confirmed.
Haravgi reports that the T/C protesters negotiated with UNFICYP for two hours. The peace keepers offered to allow for a group of five people to cross and hand over the symbolic carnations but the protesters rejected the proposal and asked the peace keepers if they could do it. After UNFICYP refused to do so saying it’s not in their mandate, the protesters threw the flowers towards the G/C side. Phileleftheros reports that the T/C protestors tried to push through the UN peace keepers for a second time. Haravgi also reports that the T/C trade unions are planning to continue protesting on Tuesday.
Phileleftheros also points out that earlier T/C “police” and UNFICYP forces scuffled when the T/Cs pushed the peacekeepers back into the buffer zone and away from territory held by the T/Cs which they consider part of the “TRNC”.
Phileleftheros reports that the increased presence of peace keepers during Monday’s demonstration was the result of pressures by Nicosia to UNFICYP. The newspaper cites information that Foreign Minister Nicos Christodoulides was tasked by President Anastasiades to contact the head of UN in Cyprus, Elizabeth Spehar.
Politis reports that the two incidents are bringing the government to a difficult position and cause second thoughts on how to further handle the checkpoints issue. The newspaper cites sources that the Presidency is considering reopening the checkpoints in stages. According to this information, the first checkpoint would open this week since the necessary staff has been found. However, several ministers are reported to be pointing out that the situation hasn’t changed since the initial decision was taken.
In a statement reported by the Cyprus News Agency, the secretary general of the T/C teachers’ union, Sener Elcil, said that while in the past it was the administration in the north keeping the T/Cs in an open air prison, now that role has passed to the south. He connected the situation in Ledras with what he called Ersin Tatar’s and Turkey’s provocation in Varosha.
UNFICYP called protestors to abstain from unauthorised activities that threaten public order in an official announcement. Spokesperson Aleem Siddique also said that UNFICYP’s main priority is the security of citizens.
The Union of Cypriot Journalists issued an announcement condemning the wounding of three T/C journalists during Saturday’s protest at Ledra street. The union said that this is unacceptable and that all authorities should be careful when dealing with journalists that are only doing their duty.
Phileleftheros adds that the police is studying videos from last Saturday’s protest during which six police officers and eight T/Cs were hurt. The police is trying to identify some people so that they can be arrested if they cross to the govvernment controlled areas, it is reported.
The dailies also report that the government is reassessing the measures taken on Tuesday morning in a meeting of the ministers tasked to deal with the coronavirus issue. The Health Ministry already announced on Monday that the four checkpoints would remain closed until Tuesday ahead of the issue’s discussion.
AKEL secretary general Andros Kyprianou criticised the government saying that a lot of damage has been made by the decision for closure of the checkpoints, including through the facilitation of hatred and fanaticism. The peace movement in both sides has been facing problems and the government is coming into conflict with the UN itself, he added.
Kyprianou added that the government’s argument that there is not enough staff for the checkpoints is “ridiculous”, especially since there was enough staff to send riot police to Greece. He also said that he does not disagree with the government taking measures and said that all checkpoints can open with the proper measures being taken. He pointed out that that move was symbolic since 20 persons won’t turn the tide for Greece.
Kyprianou also criticised the government for signing the common statement by the Foreign Affairs Council which says that the problem is Idlib is created by Syria and Russia, whil eexpressing support regarding the problems Turkey has to face. He wondered how Foreign Minister Christodoulides can say one thing at home and another in Brussels.
Meanwhile, Phileleftheros suggests in its editorial that the RoC should react strongly to UNFICYP’s announcement that contained criticisms regarding the government’s checkpoints policy, and accuses Elizabeth Spehar of overstepping the peacekeeping force’s mandate once again. The newspaper adds that Spehar should be focusing instead on Turkish actions in the Cypriot EEZ and the buffer zone.
Phileleftheros also points out that the government should not be in conflict with the UN but with its employees, noting that Spehar is one of those employees that is paid through the RoC’s annual contribution which is why she shouldn’t intefere in RoC issues.
KEY ACTORS
Sener Elcil (T/C teachers)
>> The T/C administration had made the north an open prison, now the G/C administration does it
>> Ersin Tatar’s and Turkey’s provocation in Varosha brought the closures
UNFICYP
>> Protestors should abstain from any unauthorised activities that threaten public order in the buffer zone
Union of Cypriot Journalists
>> The wounding of three T/C journalists during Saturday’s protest is unacceptable
Kyprianou (AKEL)
>> The decision caused hatred and fanaticism and damaged peace movement and intercommunal relations
>> The government has managed to come into conflict with the UN
>> Argument that the checkpoints are understaffed is ridiculous
>> No disagreement with measures but checkpoints should be open with taking proper measures
Government set to approve new measures to tackle migration
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Migration & Citizenship, Internal Security, External Security, Regional/ International Relations, CBMs, EU Matters
OVERVIEW
The dailies report that on Tuesday the Cabinet of Ministers and the Attorney General will examine and are expected to approve new measures regarding the handling of migration flows. The aim of the government is to make sure that any measures taken will be compatible with international and European law.
Alithia quotes a statement by government spokesperson Kyriakos Koushios who connected migration with the effort to prevent the spreading of the coronavirus. Koushios said that traffickers move migrants from the occupied areas to the government controlled areas without health checks.
Responding to a comment by a journalist that migrants don’t cross over through the checkpoints, Koushios said that migrants shouldn’t be allowed to head to the buffer zone or escorted through it.
Politis reports that governing DISY leader Averof Neofytou said that he supports measures taken by the government regarding migration. Neofutou said that the government is being serious in its approach and tha the party rejects extreme positions such as being violent to foreigners or being completely open to everyone.
Neofytou also said that the government should create special schools that will prepare students that come to the country as refugees for their better integration in Cypriot society.
The dailies also report on Turkish President Recep Tayip Erdogan’s visit to Brussels and his meeting with European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. According to Phileleftheros, the three discussed the possibility of an expansion of the scope of the 2016 Turkey – EU joint statement on migration.
At the same time, High Representative Josep Borrel and Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu were given authorisation to map out the areas where EU and Turkey disagree on the joint statement. The European Council will than be informed so that the discussion can continue between EU and Turkey. The roadmap was announced by Michel and Von der Leyen in a press conference after the meeting.
Phileleftheros cites information that Erdogan had been maximalist during the discussion with the two EU officials and that he complained that the EU had not kept to its promise to provide 6 billion euros that was promised to Turkey as assistance.
The newspaper also reports citing an EU sources that Erdogan put another three issues on the table: the discussion regarding lifting of visa requirements for Turkish citizens, the upgrading of the Turkey – EU customs union and the unfreezing of the five accession chapters that remain closed due to a veto by the RoC.
KEY ACTORS
Koushios (gov. spokesperson)
>> Traffickers move migrants from the occupied areas to the government controlled areas without helth checks
>> Migrants shouldn’t be allowed to head to buffer zone or to cross it
Neofytou (DISY)
>> DISY supports government measures on migration and is against extreme positions
>> Government should take measures such as creating schools for migrant children that need help integrating in society
CMP searched seven out of thirty military areas in occupied areas so far
Haravgi
CBMs, Human Rights
OVERVIEW
Haravgi reports on statements made by T/C head of the Committee for Missing Persons Gulden Plumer Kucuk, citing Halkin Sesi. According to Kucuk, the CMP has gotten approval to dig in thirty military areas in the occupied areas. Until now, the CMP has looked for human remains in seven of these areas.
Plumer also said that in 2018 the CMP located the remains of 13 missing and that the remains of 28 more persons were found in 2019, which is a big reduction compared to the 160 persons that had been found in 2015. Most of the possible sites of mass graves have been investigated in the past 14 years, she added.
She noted that there is a constant reduction of discoveries and that time is the CMP’s worst enemy, but that they try to face the problem through better use of technology. To this day, the remains of 1,217 out of a total of 2,002 have been found by the CMP. Yet to be found are 810 G/C missing and 223 T/Cs.