GCC Press Review 12 Apr 2020

Front Page Headlines

Sunday Mail

Bracing for a rise in crime

Economic fallout from lockdown expected to take its toll in coming weeks and months.

  • Twenty-one new cases, no deaths, picture is ‘hopeful’
  • North in crisis: Overwhelming impact on tourism and higher education

Simerini

They look for the money for the rescue plan

What the EU package of measures includes and what Cyprus can absorb. Final decisions for budgets will be taken by the states with the European Parliament. What is the logic of going to the markets with a state bond. The fate of the eurobond and the compromise over the Stability Mechanism.

  • Turkey: Neo-ottoman “mask diplomacy” in the Balkans
  • Savvas Iakovides (opinion): The coronavirus changes the facts of the turkbizonal…

Politis

Pandemic upvotes President and ministers

Poll by RetailZoom for “P”. 68% of respondents believes that the President of the Republic is carrying out his carrying out his duties well or perfectly. Ministers for Health, Labour and Finance have astonishingly high approval percentages for their work. Passing but lower grades for Interior and Educatoin ministers. Major concerns. 39% watches Netflix.

  • European Union: The roadmap for exit

Phileleftheros

Everyone at hospitals to be tested

Race to get 6,500 public health workers tested for coronavirus. Retirement home at Aradippou also hit. Dangerous increase in Limassol district.

  • Erdogan in the same vein: Drillings during the pandemic

Kathimerini

Roadmap for return to normalcy

First consideration over lifting some measures, but with serious prerequisites over when it will happen. If cases are reducing, measures will be examined within the week.

  • M. Akinci: Urgently asks for international help
  • Averof Neofytou: Restart of the economy will be at the start of ’21
  • Savvas Angelides: National Guard does not sit out crisis

Haravgi

Public health the most important criterion

  • Cyprıot Roma forgotten: They live in horrid conditions during the pandemic – State called to assume responsibility
  • 21 new cases yesterday, out of 811 lab tests
  • New help in medical consumables from China
  • Move of petroleum facilities postponed

Alithia

10 days of downward trend

We are on the right path – However we still have work to do. Positive outlook gives us a right to hope, but there is a delicate balance between measures and lifting measures and that is why no relaxation is justified.

  • Phone communication between the two leaders and positive response by President Anastasiades to a request to send medicine and protective equipment

Main News

Anastasiades responds positively to Akinci’s appeal for medical supplies


Alithia, Kathimerini, Phileleftheros, Politis
Internal Security, Human Rights, CBMs

President Nicos Anastasiades and T/C leader Mustafa Akinci discussed the evolving situation regarding the spread of the coronavirus in a phone call on Saturday, the newspapers report.

According to a statement by government spokesperson Kyriakos Koushios, Akinci requested assistance from the government and Anastasiades agreed to send medicine and protective equipment. This equipment will transferred in the coming week.

Koushios also stated that during the discussion, the two leaders assessed the ongoing situation and agreed to remain in constanct contact and support the work of the bicommunal Technical Committee for Health.

In statements to Kathimerini, Akinci said that he has been appealing to international organisations as the elected T/C leader, pointing out that the T/Cs have limited access to international finance and thus need additional help at this stage.

Akinci also said that he believes decisions that were taken to close airports and ports on both sides should have perhaps been taken earlier and for them to have been more comprehensive.

In an announcement, governing party DISY called the decision a move showing “true solidarity to our T/C compatriots in these difficult times” and underlined that the pandemic must be faced with unity on all levels.

Politis reports that the financial and political situation is particularly difficullt in the north, causing tensions also between the parties participating in the governing coalition. The “government” has also been considering gradually reopening the economy after April 17. However, according to reports, when “prime minister” Ersin Tatar and “foreign minister and assistant PM” Kudret Ozersay discussed this with Mustafa Akinci, the T/C leader insisted that there should be no rush.

In an analysis Phileleftheros cites assessments that Ozersay is gaining public opinion points over Mustafa Akinci during the coronavirus crisis. The newspaper points out that the “government” did not give Akinci the opportunity to play a role in handling the crisis.


Government handling of coronavirus approved by majority


Kathimerini, Phileleftheros, Politis
Internal Security, Human Rights

Both Politis and Phileleftheros publish the results of polls that show that the government’s handling of the coronavirus crisis have so far been seen positively by the public. According to the poll published by Politis, President Anastasiades is seen as having handled the situation well, while the ministers for Health, Labour and the Finance have high approval ratings.

Politis reports that a poll by RetailZoom found that when asked to assess the President’s handling of the crisis, 25% of respondent replied that he handled the situation excellently, 43% said the handling was good, 22% said they were average, 6% said they were bad and 4% said they were unacceptable.

In a question regarding the measures taken by the government, 47% said they completely agree with the measures, 41% said they agree, 5% said they neither agree nor disagree and 5% said that they disagree.

77% of the respondents said that they are concerned about possible dangers to patients that have not been afflicted to the coronavirus due to the fact that they cannot access hospitals as easily.

Phileleftheros reports that according to a poll conducted by Pulse Market Reasearch and Gnora, 8 out of 10 respondents support the government’s measures against the coronavirus. However, only 52% agreed with how their employers are dealing with the crisis.

The dailies also report that 21 new cases were detected on Saturday, as a result of a total of 811 tests. The total number of cases in the government controlled areas have reached 616 according to government officials.

Cyprus News Agency reports that UNFICYP completed tracking procedures and testing after the detection of a case of the coronavirus among the peackeeping force’s staff. According to information cited by CNA, UNFICYP did not detect any new cases among its ranks.

Kathimerini reports that the government and the Church of Cyprus have agreed that the Holy Week services will be conducted but that they will take place with closed doors, with the faithful being able to follow the services through television and the internet.

Kathimerini also reports that the government is already considering how it will proceed with removing measures when the situation eventual begins returning to normal. The newspaper notes that the European Commission postponed the announcement of guidelines for when this eventually happens as a result of the reaction of some governments, but points out that several countries are going forward with their perliminary plans.


Cypriot Roma have been forgotten by the state during coronavirus


Haravgi
Human Rights

Haravgi reports on the situation regarding the Roma population of Cyprus and the fact that the state’s indifference to their well being is also apparent even now during the coronavirus pandemic.

The newspaper notes that most Cypriot Roma live in the Agios Antonios district of Limassol, at Polemidia, as well as in former T/C homes in Paphos.

Chryso Pelekani, a specialist at University of Cyprus and president of the Cyprus Roma Association, told Haravgi that 70 people, including several children, live in 12 houses in Polemidia, most of which do not have electricity or water.

The newspaper quote a Roma woman from Polemidia who said that the area is infested with mosquitos and snakes, while a woman staying in a T/C house in the Agios Antonios area said that for months she has been requesting the government to move forward with repairs and that the house has been filled with mould.

According to the report, the Roma residents of these area say that they have not been informed by the government on how to handle the coronavirus pandemic, especially since a lot of their houses lack basic infrastructure such as electricity and water.


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