Front Page Headlines
The low number of coronavirus cases is the best ad
Deputy Ministry of Tourism’s Campaign: “Better days are here.” An information ‘safari’ begins addressed to airlines and travel agents. Packages will be offered to attract tourism from abroad.
- It is too soon yet for the crossings – There was no white smoke yesterday either. Discussion at the Technical Committee (on Health) barely scratched the surface.
- EU: It erects a ‘wall’ outside Libya
They are thinking about it for schools
Safety and practical issues lead to second thoughts on the return of all pupils to schools.Cabinet discussed the concerns. The president will put them before the experts.
This summer will be like no other
The EU Commissions’ decisions on tourism overturn the government’s bill on giving vouchers instead of money (for cancelled holidays). It gives recommendations for the gradual lifting of restrictions within and between member-states. The restrictions, it says, must be lifted without any discrimination for all EU citizens and residents regardless nationality.
- ‘Golden passports’ also to members of the Saudi royal family
No sign of unity in tourism plan
Even if some flights resume, tourism ‘bleak’ without UK and Russia markets.
The occupied areas are simmering
The TC community is ‘choking’ from the extended closing of the crossings and starts to rebel. Pressure from many directions to the ‘government’ to immediately open all crossings. Protest against Tatar-Ozersay yesterday at the Pergamos crossing, from the closed off TCs of Pyla. Attempt by Ozersay to blame the GC side arguing that it insists on the 14-day quarantine.
Main News
Sides do not seem ready for reopening of crossings yet
Alithia, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
CBMs, Human Rights, EU Matters
OVERVIEW
The teleconference meeting of the Technical Committee on Health and the issue of the crossings are among the items in papers on Thursday.
Haravgi, cites Government Spokesman Kyriacos Koushios saying that that the government will deal with the issue of the crossing when conditions allow and after epidemiology experts agree with such a move.
Koushios pointed out that the government facilitates TCs that need to go to hospitals in the free areas for serious health issues and that it has assisted some TCs who arrived from abroad through Larnaca.
He told the daily that at the moment, there is no question of a practical solution to the problem. The daily, however, citing sources, reports that the government is mulling over the issue and that the decision will be proportional to the policy which it will apply on the reopening of the airports.
Haravgi, in its main item, which is on the European Commission’s package of guidelines and recommendations to help member states gradually lift travel restrictions, also reports that the guiding lines, that call for non-discrimination as regards lifting of restrictions for all EU citizens and residents indirectly refer to crossings too.
The daily reports that the road map announced yesterday by the Commission calls for a simultaneous opening of airports and crossings.
According to the paper, the road map stipulates that when a member state decides to allow travel into its territory or to specific regions and areas within its territory, it should do so in a non-discriminatory manner – allowing travel from all areas, regions or countries in the EU with similar epidemiological conditions. Any restrictions must be lifted without discrimination, to all EU citizens and to all residents of member state regardless of their nationality and should be applied to all parts of the Union in a similar epidemiological situation. The paper points out that this point is particularly interesting for Cyprus on when the crossings need to open, which is a provision for the avoidance of discrimination.
The dailies also report on the teleconference meeting of the Technical Committee on Health which discussed the situation as regards the coronavirus pandemic. They all pointed out that the issue of the crossings was not discussed.
GC co-chair of the Committee Leonidas Phylactou told the Cyprus News Agency that they focused on their work during the pandemic, and the help provided to people as regards treatments and medicine, as well as for goods transportation. “We had a discussion based on the scientific data that we have before us,” he noted.
He also said that each side briefed the other and exchanged views about the confirmed coronavirus cases, the measures taken and the gradual relaxation of the restrictive measures.
Phylactou said that they discussed about the TC patients who cross to the government-controlled areas for medical treatments and the GC side’s positive response.
As regards the situation in the occupied areas, Phylactou said that the TC side informed them about the fact that they had no positive cases for a while and that the last patient was released from hospital this week.
Phylactou said that the TC side shares the
same concerns as the GC side and agrees that they must be cautious as regards
the relaxation of measures so that they can proceed to the next stage.
Alithia reports that it was a customary briefing on behalf of the TC
side. We do not know anything about how reliable the tests are carried out in
the occupied areas, the daily reported.
Haravgi too reports that the Committee did not discuss the opening of the crossings with the excuse that this will be a political decision and not a technical matter.
Politis reports that none of the two sides seems willing to dig deep into the issue for now. In the TC side, despite the daily protests, Ozersay and Tatar do not seem willing to take any risks.
KEY ACTORS
Koushios (RoC spokesman)
>> Government will deal with the issue of the crossing when conditions allow & after it receives the green light by epidemiology experts.
Protests over crossings
Alithia, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
CBMs, Human Rights
OVERVIEW
The dailies reported on the protest on Wednesday by Pyla TCs on the issue of the crossings.
Alithia, in its main article, reports that the TC community is starting to show its discontent by the prolonged closure of the crossings with the situation starting to resemble the situation in 2003 that forced the then TC leader Rauf Denktash to open the first crossings.
Reporting on the protests on Wednesday of TCs living in Pyla village at the Pergamos crossing and of people working in the south, the paper reports: Our TC compatriots seem to feel suffocated by the economic pressure they have been under since the beginning of March and are daily putting pressure on the opening of the crossings.
The almost 2,000 TCs working in the south, part of the business world that feels they will collapse without the GC buyers, and the TCs of Pyla are the three main points of pressure at the moment, the paper reported.
Alithia also reports that the opening of the crossings was discussed on Tuesday in ‘parliament’. It also refers to the joint statement by AKEL and the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) on Monday on the need to jointly deal with issues concerning the two communities as regards the pandemic and the lifting of restrictions.
The two parties said that a solution was necessary as long as the crossings remain closed to allow TCs go to their workplaces and schools in the south, the paper reports.
Phileleftheros reports that pressure from various groups in the occupied areas on the reopening of the crossings escalates at the time when, in the free areas, everything is based on the epidemiological findings and relaxation measures are taken according to the recommendations of the scientific committee of experts.
It said that it seems crossings were not on the agenda of the Technical Committee on Health that assessed Wednesday the situation as regards the pandemic on the island.
The reopening of the crossings does not seem to be on the list of priorities of the scientific team either, the paper reported, quoting Professor Peter Karayiannis telling Antena TV that it would be best to first make sure none of the two sides have any coronavirus problems before opening the crossings.
The paper, in another article, pointed out that some of the Pyla protesters were holding TC and Turkish flags. In a comment, the paper said that the TCs of Pyla are being provocative since they demand to be allowed to travel back and forth between the two sides even at a time when all the government-controlled areas are under quarantine. We did not expect them of course to hold flags of the Republic of Cyprus but we did expect from them to avoid being provocative against a state which is also theirs, and which offers them jobs, identity cards and passports even if they live in stolen properties, the comment said.
Politis reports that protests on the crossings tend to become a daily phenomenon in the north.
Nicosia continues contacts with EU, UNSC members on East Med situation
Regional/International Relations, EU Matters, Negotiations Process
Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
OVERVIEW
Phileleftheros reports that Turkey’s activities in the Eastern Mediterranean have raised concerns within the EU while Russia and the UK have expressed their support to Cyprus.
The paper reports that Ankara tried to hinder the EU’s ‘Irini’ operation which has annoyed Brussels, as it emerges through the statements on Wednesday by EU High Representative Josep Borrell.
In Nicosia, Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides informs EU counterparts on the Turkish actions in the wider area and the problems caused by Ankara to both member states such as Cyprus and Greece but also other countries in the region such as Libya.
The daily also reports that Christodoulides held two telephone conversations on Wednesday, one with his UK counterpart, Dominic Raab and one with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov. Citing information, the daily reported that both ministers expressed their countries’ support to the Republic of Cyprus as regards exercising its sovereign rights.
The daily reports that the foreign ministry said that Christodoulides had a cordial and constructive conversation with his Russian counterpart during which they exchanged views on the COVID-19 pandemic, recent developments in Cyprus’ EEZ and in the broader Eastern Mediterranean.
The paper also reports that Borrell said during a briefing on the Irini operation that he was concerned by the situation in Libya. “It is not a secret and there is nothing new: Turkey, together with other foreign powers, is intervening in the fight in Libya.” In spite of the Berlin process, the ceasefire has not been implemented. By the contrary, the fight on the last weeks has been increasing quite a lot, he said, adding that he was concerned, but not more from Turkey than from the other foreign powers that are intervening in the Libyan war.”
Phileleftheros also reports that Turkey may appear as a supporter of the Libyan government, but Libya’s foreign policy appears to have an opposite point of view. Citing foreign media, the daily reports that Libya’s foreign ministry welcomed the joint declaration issued by the foreign ministers of Egypt, the UAE, Greece, Cyprus and France who condemned Turkey’s violations in Eastern Mediterranean and Libya.
The Libyan foreign ministry reportedly reaffirms its full rejection of the two memorandums signed in November between Ankara and Fayez al Sarraj and calls on the international community and the UN to condemn and reject the Turkish military invasion in Libya and withdraw their recognition of the Government of National Accord which characterizes it as unconstitutional, the daily reported, pointing out that the statement was taken from foreign media reports.
Haravgi reports that AKEL leader Andros Kyprianou said that all problems Cyprus is facing as regards Turkey’s behaviour, will be resolved only if the negotiations start that will lead to the solution of the Cyprus problem.
Kyprianou also said that reporting Turkey in not enough and brings no result. While acknowledging that there can be no talks before the elections in the north, Kyprianou said that in the meantime, actions could be made to create a positive climate.
Politis, in a comment, said that everyone seems to forget that developments as regards the Cyprus problem and UNFCIYP are running. It said that Christodoulides is holding contacts with his counterparts from EU states and members of the UN Security Council while Elizabeth Spehar is expected to submit by mid-June her report on UNFICYP and that its mandate will have to be renewed at the end of July.
We all remember the backstage back in January and we also very well know how the relations between US and China, who are both members of the UN Security Council, have evolved since, the paper reported.
KEY ACTORS
Borrell (EU)
>> He is concerned from the overall situation in Libya with Turkey & other foreign powers intervening while the fight in Libya has been increasing. Concerned, not more from Turkey than from the other foreign powers that are intervening in the Libyan war.
Kyprianou (AKEL)
>> Problems with Turkey will only be solved with the solution of the Cyprob.
>> Calls for actions to cultivate a positive climate between the two communities during the waiting period before talks can resume.
Nouris: RoC did not deny entry to GC staying in the north
Alithia, Cyprus Mail
CBMs, Human Rights
OVERVIEW
The dailies report that Interior Minister Nicos Nouris refuted claims that a GC woman living in the north was denied entry on Tuesday.
The minister said the woman, while waiting at the Ayios Dhometios for the ambulance crew to arrive to test her for coronavirus and take her to a facility where she would be quarantined for 14 days, changed her mind for personal reasons and decided to go back to the north.
The dailies report that Nouris told the Cyprus News Agency that the same thing had happened two more times as regards this woman.
“Just as we allow the crossing of our TC compatriots, who cross for their treatments invarious health centres in the free areas, we do the same for GCs as well,” Nouris said, according to the papers.
The minister said that dozens of TCs have crossed during the last couple of months for health reasons.
Cyprus Mail reports that the Nouris’ statement follows reports in TC media that a woman was not allowed to cross on Tuesday at the Ayios Dhometios crossing point after being told there was no quarantine space for her.
It also refers to a report by BRT that said that this move by the GC side proved how baseless their statements were that they had left five crossings open.
Ankara denied permission to plane with medical supplies fly in its airspace
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros
Human Rights, Regional/International Relations
OVERVIEW
The dailies report that a plane with 36 tonnes of medical supplies from China finally arrived in Cyprus late on Wednesday after being forced to change its course when Turkey denied it permission to fly through its airspace.
The aircraft was chartered by the government to bring the equipment from China. It was originally scheduled to land at 1:30pm in Larnaca, but was instead diverted to Moscow after no permission was given to fly through Turkey’s airspace.
Transport Minister Yiannis Karousos said on Wednesday that Turkey did not allow the pilot of the aircraft to enter its airspace to reach Cyprus, as a result of which he re-calculated his course because he would not have enough fuel to get to Cyprus. The pilot changed course and headed to Moscow airport in Russia for refuelling.
Phileleftheros reports that a similar case occurred last March concerning a repatriation flight for British nationals from Cyprus to the UK. This unacceptable act by Turkey which was in violation of the regulations of the International Civil Aviation Organisation and Eurocontrol, will be reported, the daily said.