Front Page Headlines
‘Many more cases likely’
‘A large part of population will fall ill’ but government spokesman says things under control.
- Solution to coronavirus spread could worsen problem
- Coffeeshop (opinion): Coronavirus diplomacy: Enough is never enough
- Quiet night: New regulations have turned central Nicosia into a ghost town
- Cyprus: Ozersay has wasted an opportunity, critics say
- Comment: Playing at Russian roulette with energy
World crash due to coronavirus
Emergency support measures from EU and government. Twenty one cases in Cyprus. Unprecedented recession of the global economy from onset of the coronavirus. Immeasurable damage to international system, as well as destructive consequences at level of society. Losses of 2.7 trillion dollars from coronavirus pandemic. Millions of working positions globally being lost. Stock exchanges, air carriers, tourism collapse. Non performing loans skyrocket, growth rates sink. EU moves to taking measures to support common market and member states. Government announces support measures in the next few days.
- T/Cs closed checkpoints – Only “citizens” of the so called “TRNC” can enter the occupied areas
- Migration: Ankara intensifies hybrid war at Evros and Aegean – Concerns for incitement of hot incident – The Ottoman practices of using populations as tools – Erdogan threatens to fill the whole Mediterranean with migrants
- Editorial: Coronavirus and Erdoganvirus
- Dearly departed diplomat: Peres de Cuellar and the irregular flows of people from the occupied areas
- Niki Kikkidou: A Cypriot in the Birinci prisons in the 1940 war
- Turkey: The unpunished war criminal
- Without Suleimani…: Rocket attack against the US harmed Iran
- Savvas Iacovides (opinion): Migrations: Turkey’s superweapon
- Christodoulos K. Giallouridis (opinion): Turkish usage of migration as tool
- Giannakis L. Omirou (opinion): Famagusta must be saved
- Xenis X. Xenofontos (opinion): Europe’s time with Evros as background
- Petros Th. Pantelides (opinion): Who prevents the solution and free movement?
- Charis Feraios (opinion): The voice from Kastanies at Evros
Two priorities for control for coronavirus
Where does the Health Ministry focus. Great emphasis given on protection of medical and paramedical staff. Pressure for stricter measures so we go to gradual and not mass spread of incidents. Europe’s deficient competences and lack of coordination of member states comes to surface. Emergency Cabinet of Ministers and new measures. Ghost countries and increase of incidents.
- E. Union: Ursula’s 100 days
Measures come day by day
Council of Ministers convences today, decisions for vulnerable groups announced – Disagreements of ministries. Concerns for possible drug shortages. Teachers will not go to work.
- Tourists leave occupied areas in a hurry
- Tests mettle: Rehersal for hot incident by Erdogan
- Turkish plans: They attempt upgrade amidst reactions…
- Achilleas Demetriadis: “Famagusta is the beacon of the solution”
- Maroulla Pallikaridou: “I do not want to get over the sacrifice of Evagoras”
- We reveal the backroom dealings: Turkish President puts noose on EU
Editorial: Time for personal and collective responsibility
- Coronavirus: Ministry of Health’s plan B for pandemic
- Greece: Prevention measures a priority
- Pandemic: The virus in Turkey and occupied areas
We were late and we weren’t bold
- Analysis: Migration/ Refugee issue and how to deal with it
- Greece: Golden Dawn: Trial based on ideological political motive
- (Koutsoumbas interview) Refugees are not the enemy but those that made them (refugees)
- Everything closed until March 27 in the occupied areas
- No one choses to be a refugee
- Underage migrants: The map of hypocrisy
It closed the checkpoints to G/Cs
Retaliatory decision without evidence by Tatar – Ozersay “government”. (Government) Spokesperson: I didn’t see equivalent reactions like during the temporary closure of the four checkpoints. Cabinet of Ministers discusses and decides today the measures to support the ecnomy and measures for labour relations.
- Interview: G. Savvides: Checkpoints decision obviously correct
Main News
Stronger coronavirus measures and reactions for T/C unilateral closures
Alithia, Haravgi, Kathimerini, Phileleftheros, Politis, Simerini, Sunday Mail
Internal Security, Human Rights, CBMs, External Security, EU Matters
Several Sunday papers, but not all due to printing deadlines, report on Saturday’s decision by the T/C “cabinet of ministers” to close checkpoints for anyone other than “TRNC” citizens and holders of a residence permit.
Simerini reports that the decision concerns the checkpoints as well as illegal ports and airports and will be in place until April 1st. Politis reports that after the implementation of the measure by the T/Cs the checkpoints were empty of people and that tourists that had crossed to the north after arriving in Cyprus from the government controlled areas rushed to return south.
Politis also reports that the T/C authorites have banned connecting flights from Turkey that departed from countries that are especially hit by the coronavirus. Phileleftheros publishes images of tourists crossing with their luggage through the Agios Dometios checkpoint. The newspaper also reports that the usually busy Ledra street and Eleftheria square were emptier than usual.
Politis reports that President Anastasiades asked for the convening of an urgent Cabinet of Ministers on Sunday to examine further measures to combat the coronavirus, in light of the increased number of cases in the past few days. The ministers were also due to approve measures prepared by the Ministries of Finance and Labour and Social Policy for protecting the economy and the welfare of citizens from the side effects of the gradual shutdown of the country.
Government spokesperson Kyriakos Koushios said that “a large percentage of our population will fall ill. We can tackle it, provided the rise is controlled. At this stage the situation is under full control”, the Cyprus Mail reports. Koushios added that the government follows epidemiological data and the experts’ view and advice and noted that Cyprus is among the first countries that enforced the most drastic measures. Alithia also reports that Koushios pointed out he did not see those reacting for the checkpoint closures by the RoC reacting regarding the closures decided by the T/Cs.
Regarding the televised speech by Anastasiades on Friday, Kathimerini reports that it was delayed due to the efforts by the government to ensure that there would be no legal problems arising from the new extensive measures.
Politis writes in analysis that the two sides used the checkpoints issue to make tactical moves, noting that the closure of the Limnitis checkpoint affected G/Cs from the towns of Pyrgos and Pomos that now have to travel around the island to reach Nicosia, while the closure of Ledras street affected the T/C community’s economy due to the lack of access to north Nicosia.
The newspaper notes that T/C politicians, and specifically “foreign minister” Kudret Ozersay, had interpreted the closures by the G/C side as an attempt to impact the north’s economy, which could mean that the closure of Limnitis was an attempt at retaliation. Politis also notes that T/C leader Mustafa Akinci publically disagreed with the move by the “cabinet of ministers” saying that it was wrong to repeat the same move that the T/C side had criticised.
Politis notes that the pandemic essentially forced the sides to stop these tactical moves but left an open wound since the two communities were unable to effectively coordinate. As the analyst notes, none of the coronavirus instances found by Friday on either side spread through the checkpoints.
Phileleftheros reports that the situation in Strovilia, where the Turkish army has erected an illegal roadblock, is now preventing G/C inhabitants of the area from moving freely. In an analysis, Phileleftheros writes that the T/C side attempted to upgrade its status through the checkpoints crisis by differentiating itself from the decision of the RoC.
The analyst argues that Akinci attempted to use the crisis to reject any decision made by the RoC and that he used the lack of coordination on a technical level as an excuse. According to the newspaper, his statement against the closure of two checkpoints by the T/C side is part of his pre-election drive to present himself as the pro-unification candidate.
Kathimerini reports that the checkpoints issue has become a central aspect of the pre-election campaign ahead of the election for T/C leader. According to the newspaper, members of Mustafa Akinci’s campaign are spreading information that the RoC government is coordinating behind the scenes with pro-partition candidates in the north.
Kathimerini reports on the situation in Turkey and in the occupied areas, pointing out that the weakness in the handling of the issue in Turkey created concerns. The newspaper points out the Turkish government believes it has taken all necessary measures and quotes Turkish medical expert Samet Menguc sharing his concern on the test being used by the Turkish authorities as well as the lack of information shared by the Turkish government.
Menguc also points out that Turkey and other countries facing increased migration flows should pay special attention to this issue. The newspaper cites sources from Turkey that underline the fact that the Turkish government currently cannot handle the health needs of million of refugees as well as that the situation will worsen if increased flows arrive in Turkey from Idlib.
The newspaper also cites information that Turkish officials are considering banning flights to and from the Tymbou airport if the situation in the occupied areas worsens. The article also points out that T/C analysts are concerned whether T/Cs have the infrastructure to handle an increase in cases especially after the fire in north Nicosia’s general hospital.
KEY ACTORS
Koushios (gov. spokesp.)
>> A large percentage of our population will fall ill but we can tackle it, provided the rise is controlled
>> At this stage the situation is under full control
>> Cyprus follows advice of experts and was one of the first countries to impose strict measures
>> Did not see those that had reacted for the closures of checkpoints reacting in a similar way to the T/C decision
Lawyer calls Varosha owners to appeal to IPC to block reopening
Phileleftheros
Property, Territory, Human Rights, Negotiations Process, EU Matters
Phileleftheros publishes an interview by human rights lawyer Achilleas Demetriades, in which he calls on owners of beach front properties in the closed off city of Varosha in Famagusta to appeal to Turkey’s Immovable Property Commission in the north, in order to effectively block plans to unilaterally open the area.
When asked if the effort lef by Turkey and some T/C politicians regarding Varosha will spell the end of the Cyprus Problem, Demetriades said that such big moves can bring many negatives but can also become big opportunities with organisation and proper handling. He adds that Famagusta can be the beacon of a solution, and that if the danger of it going out is averted it could make the closed off city a catalyst to a solution.
Regarding his proposal for mass appeals by G/C owners of Varosha beach front properties, Demetriades pointed out that the Turkish plan for the fenced off city revolves around the economic prospects created by the city’s beach, and that if access to these becomes unattainable the whole plan might be abandoned.
Demetriades explained that the owners of the 425 beach front properties can appeal for the restitution of their properties, since the properties have not been used or given to anyone since the invasion. He pointed out that this is the only legal path, irrespective of any possible diplomatic or political moves.
Asked if turning the Cyprus Problem into a legal issue entails certain dangers, Demetriades said that the issue might be political, but the methodology of compromise requires negotation also on legal issues so that those seeking political compromise have the appropriate tools to achieve it.