Front Page Headlines
First light at end of tunnel for market recovery
Economy thaws, but tourism remains a problem. Banks say that viable businesses will not be left without the needed financial assistance. How the flow of foreign visitors will move during summer months an unknown factor.
- Malls, gyms open… and weddings on the way: More quickly and responsibly – Rent reduction by more than 50% for shopowners in Malls
- Limassol deputy mayor: I’m racist: Mosque sparks tension
- Akinci: Solution or partition
- Racism raised its head
- “Russian” party: An official arrested again
New thriller in hospitals
Talks between doctors – OKYpY (state health services) collapse, nurses also warn of forceful reaction. Doctors left without an agreement after five hours of consultations.
- Green light also for weddings, but depending on surface area: 17 losenings in total during third phase – Another case detected at a school yesterday, three new cases of coronavirus in total
- Obstacles by occupation regime: Opening of checkpoints up in the air
- Cyprus Problem in the fridge until the “elections”
- Provocation also considered in Limassol mosque investigation
- Worth of occupied properties is… zero
At the last moment doctors – OKYpY didn’t agree
21 million euro plus 1,850 euro of additional monthly earnings. There should be a bonus when OKYpY income reaches 300 million euros. Health Ministry should listen to appeals by nurses.
- AKEL: CING’s contribution is important
- More measures losen… Decisions for special education and kindergartens expected today
- TPAO to search for oil in maritime areas off Crete and Cyprus
- M. Akinci: “A new opportunity, but as time passes seperation and division take root”
Early lifting of measures eyed
Nursery schools and gyms set to open within June.
- Spokesman questions treatment of sites in north after mosque attack
Rapid growth
After partial losening of restrictive measures. Constantinos Petrides: First signs after partial lifting of restrictions are very positive, we are optimistic. Ioannis Matsis: Things are much better than we predicted in April, the economy is developing quite rapidly. Averof Neofytou: Even if they throw rocks at us, we don’t throw them back but use them to build bridges.
- National Guard: Electronic enlistment of soldiers ends soon
- Akinci on Cyprus Problem: Without a new mandate I cannot take a step
- Protest by T/Cypriots: Rage against Tatar – Ozersay over checkpoints
- Strict warning by Josep Borrell to Turkey: Respect sovereign rights of Greece and Cyprus
Main News
Turkish FM condemns mosque vandalism and RoC government responds
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Internal Security, Human Rights, CBMs, Migration & Citizenship
OVERVIEW
The authorities are examining surveillance camera footage that recorded a person writing islamophobic and racist slogans on the courtyard wall of Koprulu mosque in Limassol, the dailies report.
The newspapers also report on a statement issued by the Turkish Foreign Ministry on Tuesday, condemning the attack, calling it “malicious and heinous” and urging the government to act against the perpertrators as soon as possible. The Turkish FM said that it should be obvious that islamophobic rhetoric and actions do not contribute to the effort to solve the Cyprus Problem. Such attacks do not only target muslims, but are a threat to all humanity, the Turkish FM adds.
Government spokesperson Kyriakos Koushios responded to the Turkish FM’s statement by pointing to the state of Christian monuments and places of worship in the occupied areas. Koushios said that Turkey’s overexposure of the vandalism raises questions over how religious monuments are being treated in the north.
Koushios added that the action is believed to have been carried out by two young people and added that their actions should not be seen as expressing the views and will of the Cypriot people.
Turkish ruling AKP party also condemned the attack in a statement, calling the perpertrators “enemies of Islam”, while party spokesperson Omer Celik called on the Cypriot government to take action against policies and media that are fueling hatred against Islam.
According to information cited by the dailies, the face of the perpetrator is not easily visible but the Police believes it will be able to identify the person after processing the footage. The Police is also investigating reports that two persons were seen moving close to the mosque around midnight on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Phileleftheros reports that the Police is looking into the possibility that the act was a deliberate provocation. The newspaper cites information that the Police is investigating the possibility that the attack was carried out by foreigners, and points to the news first spreading through a T/C website.
Limassol Mayor Nikos Nicolaides visited the mosque on Tuesday together with municipal councillors to inspect works to repair the damange. In statements to the media, Nicolaides condemned the attack and said that racist and xenophobic incidents such as these are foreign to the Cypriot people, as society on the island is welcoming and is based on cooperation.
Nicolaides also said that on Wednesday he will be meeting the Limassol head of Police as well as the director of the Ministry of the Interior’s Department that handles T/C properties. He added that he will discuss solutions such as adding night lighting and surveillance cameras to the mosque, as well as increasing police patrols in the area.
However on Tuesday, deputy mayor Nikos Sykas caused a furore when he stated that he is racist on a post on social media, Politis reports. Sykas wrote: “Racism is the impression that is created that all people are not the same. I am racist… When my city, my fellow citizens, public property are in danger, and when my city and country are being internationalised in a negative way, then yes I define myself as racist since self respect and equality is lost, wherever this comes from, from inside and outside. The definition of a good host is identified with the behaviour of the guests”. Sykas deleted his post after widespread condemnation.
Alithia cites a statement by Limassol CID head Giannakis Soteriades, who said that the damage done to the mosque is insignificant but that the Police will do whatever is necessary to identify the perpetrator. Soteriades underlined that this is a sensitive issue and that it should be clear that all houses of worship in the Republic of Cyprus are protected and respected.
In a statement, governing DISY said that it condemns the vandalism and that respect to houses of worship should be a given in a civilised country. DIKO said that vandalisms of religious sites should be condemned no matter who perpertrates them. The Greens also condemned the vandalism.
KEY ACTORS
Turkish Foreign Ministry
>> Condemns the malicious and heinous attack and urges government to act as soon as possible
>> Islamophobic rhetoric and actions do not contribute to a solution
>> Such actions target not only muslims, but all humanity
Kyriakos Koushios (gov. spokesperson)
>> Overexposure of incident by Turkey raises questions over state of Christian religious monuments in the north
>> The actions of the perpetrators should not be seen as expressing views and will of the Cypriot people
Omer Celik (AKP spokesperson)
>> Cypriot government should take action against policies and media that fuel hatred against Islam
Nicos Nikolaides (Limassol mayor)
>> Racist and xenophobic acts are foreign to Cypriot society
>> Will meet with Limassol police chief and director of government department that handles T/C properties in order to increase security
Nicos Sykas (Limassol deputy mayor) >> When citizens and public property are in danger and city and country are being internationalised in the wrong way, then yes I am racist
Checkpoints reopening further complicated by T/C politics
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Oikonomiki Kathimerini, Phileleftheros, Politis
Internal Security, Human Rights, CBMs, Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
Oikonomiki Kathimerini reports that the reopening of the checkpoints, initially scheduled for June 8th for workers, students and the enclaved and later for June 15th for all citizens, is proving difficult due to political complications in the north.
The newspaper reports that Monday’s meeting between the government’s officials and the bicommunal Technical Committee for Health was positive, and that the T/C experts said they would shortly prepare a document analysing the exact epidemiological situation in the north.
Kathimerini also points out that a T/C expert, who is also an “MP” with HP, said that the final decision should be taken by the “cabiner of ministers” despite the agreement between the community leaders. The newspaper notes that the north is going to reopen airports on July 1st and that T/C experts point to that date for the reopening of the checkpoints.
The newspaper cites diplomatic sources which believe that Kudret Ozersay and Ersin Tatar want to slow down the reopening process in order to show that they are the ones makind decisions and not Akinci.
According to Kathimerini, President Anastasiades seemed annoyed on Tuesday when he was informed by the government’s experts on the T/C side’s stance, and that he said that if they want the T/Cs can keep checkpoints closed even longer. However the newspaper adds that sources have insisted that the government wants to send the message that it is eager to reopen checkpoints immediately.
Kathimerini also points out that the whole issue is connected to UNFICYP’s reaction to the closure of the checkpoints and UNSG Guterres’s call to the leaders to work together towards reopening. According to the newspaper, the Foreign Ministry is especially concerned due to recent attempts to include references to cooperation with the “non-recognised” north rather than to an “illegal regime”.
Politis cites statements made by Ersin Tatar in an interview where he pointed out that only the “government” can decide on the date of reopening, while insisting that he also wants to move ahead and hopes the day of reopening is close.
The dailies report that the “government’s” stance over the reopening of the checkpoints has caused the anger of T/Cs workers that are employed in the south. The group protested outside the T/C assembly and the “prime minister’s” office on Tuesday, asking to be allowed to return to their work on June 8th, as had been agreed by President Anastasiades and T/C leader Mustafa Akinci.
The representative of the group of T/C workers, Kamil Incirlili, told the media that “prime minister” Ersin Tatar was initially positive but has now adopted a negative stance regarding the checkpoints, only to show that only the “government”, and not the T/C leader, can make decisions regarding this issue. He cast doubt on the “government’s” position that new cases should drop to zero for 14 days before checkpoints can reopen, and pointed out that many European countries have already opened their borders for workers.
Incirlili also said that the workers now expect action, and pointed out that during the recent meeting of the Technical Committee for Health it was said that checkpoints can gradually reopen and that the decision is now up to the politicians.
Opposition parties representatives came out to meet the protesters and expressed their support. General secretary of the T/C teachers’ union, Sener Elcil, also said that it is not up to the “government” to reopen the checkpoints but up to the people, and that criticism should be directed towards coalition partners UBP and HP.
Alithia also reports that T/C inhabitants of the mixed village of Pyla protested on Monday at the Pergamos checkpoint, against the “government’s” decision that they can return to work in the north but only if they accept being tracked through their cellphones to make sure they do not cross into the south.
The dailies also extensively report on an interview given by Musta Akinci to T/C newspaper Kibris. Akinci told the newspaper that he will not be taking steps related to the Cyprus Problem if his mandate is not renewed in the next elections, but if re-elected he will work for a solution. He pointed out that due to the “parliament’s” decision to restrict his powers during the extension of his mandate during the coronavirus crisis, he cannot take iniatives in negotiations.
Akinci also said that he expects negotiations to restart after the pandemic. He added that if the sides work towards a solution then there can be a future of equality and security, but if that doesn’t happen then permanent partition could be a reality in the not so distant future.
The T/C leader also said that the reopening of the checkpoints can happen gradually and that they have taken a decision for a partial reopening on June 8th. He also thanked the G/C side and Anastasiades for the help in putting out the recent fires in Morphou.
Regarding energy, he said that the G/C side unfortunately does not want to discuss natural gas with the T/Cs, but that the interruption in the activities of international companies due to the coronavirus creates an opportunity for dialogue.
Akinci was also asked if it would be possible for the two sides to coordinate regarding tourism. He said that during the political situation this would be very difficult, and that this is another reminder that the solution of the Cyprus Problem will be beneficial across the board.
Borrell: Dialogue is necessary, but Turkey should respect Greek and Cypriot sovereignty
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Oikonomiki Kathimerini, Phileleftheros
Energy, External Security, Regional/ International Relations, EU Matters
OVERVIEW
In a statement on Tuesday, EU High Commissioner for Foreign Affairs Jossep Borrell called on Turkey to respect the sovereign rights of Greece and Cyprus, reiterating the EU’s position as laid out by the Foreign Affairs Council on May 15th.
Borrell added that the EU is in close coordination with the Foreign Ministers of Greece and Cyprus and that Brussels is closely following Turkey’s actions in the region. He also commented on the position of some member states – without naming them – that all negotiations with Turkey should be suspended while Turkey moves forward with illegal drillings.
Borrell said that the only way to solve these issues is to come closer to Turkey and make her understand through dialogue that Turkish-EU relations hinge on respecting the sovereignty of Cyprus and Greece in these contested waters.
In another development, Turkish Petroleum is expected to begin looking for hydrocarbons in the seas between Cyprus and Crete at the end of this summer, the dailies report citing Turkish newspaper Haberturk. According to the report, TPAO is required by law to wait for 90 days after the publication of the announcement in the government gazzette before starting operations.
Haberturk points out that Turkey’s MoU with Libya’s government over delineation of maritime areas was an essential step towards the country’s ability to search for hydrocarbons.
In a related development, the Turkish Foreign Ministry responded to a statement made by Greek FM Nikos Dendias on maritime delineation. The Turkish FM repeated that the areas where TPAO is expected to operate are within the continental shelf boundaries that Turkey has submitted to the UN.
KEY ACTORS Borrell (EU foreign affairs)
>> Brussels is in close coordination with Greece and Cyprus regarding Turkish actions in the region
>> The only way to solve these issues is to come closer to Turkey and make her understand that Turkey – EU relations depend on Turkey respecting Greek and Cypriot sovereignty in contested waters