Front Page Headlines
Subsidisation of work with two support packages
Intense background dealing to finalise new government plans. Special consideration for tourism sector and relevant affclited activities. Support of the rest of the market’s sector also targeted when it comes to duration.
- DEFA – HOEGH will cut to the chase: Confidential with signatures
- EU – USA: Form joint front regarding Turkey
- T/C demand: Neither return, nor compensation
Prolongation of uncertainty
Businesses and workers on tenderhooks over second support package. Most sectors of economic activity will be left out of new measures.
- In coordination with Athens: Diplomatic offensive in Brussels and UN
- They want a say about British Bases as well
- A stop to T/C claims to property
15,000 hotel employees in desperation
Without work and incomes until March 2021. PEO: Accusation and a warning to Labour Ministry. Three hotels for tourists with coronavirus.
- We are dealing with human lives…
- Appropriate climate for restart of negotiations
UN receives a telling off
Letter sent by govt castigates Unficyp chief over crossings.
New crash test for responsibility
Everyone alert to avoid new situations like NAVA in recreation spaces.
- Cyprus and Greece fight back against Erdogan’s continued piracy: They mobilise Europe regarding Turkey – President to Welt: The entire spectrum of EU – Turkey relations needs to be tested
- Supreme Court: Rejected appeal by administrators over return of T/C property
- Letter about Spehar: Points made to UN a matter of principle. Parties applaude
Main News
Government attacks Spehar over checkpoints with letter to UNSG
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Negotiations Process, Internal Security, Regional/ International Relations, CBMs
OVERVIEW
The dailies report that President Anastasiades has officially accused UNFICYP’s head and the UNSG’s special representative Elizabeth Spehar over her stance in the checkpoints issue. In a letter sent to Spehar as well to UNSG Antonio Guterres, Anastasiades points out that the diplomat’s stance has resulted in encouraging Ersin Tatar’s and Kudret Ozersay’s approach to the checkpoints issue.
According to reports, Anastasiades accuses certain actors in the occupied areas of not implemeting his agreement with T/C leader Mustafa Akinci regarding the gradual reopening of checkpoints. He accuses UNFICYP of trying to maintain a neutral stance and of asking that the RoC government cooperate with the occupation regime when in fact Anastasiades had reached an agreement with the T/C leader.
Government spokesperson Kyriakos Koushios told the Cyprus News Agency that in his letter, Anastasiades points out to Spehar that the neutral stance wasn’t logical, and that the UN’s call that the two sides cooperate could be seen as equalisation of the legal government with the illegal regime.
Politis points out that the letter was sent one month before Spehar’s customary report to the Security Council ahead of the renewal of UNFICYP’s mandate, as well as during the time when efforts are made to restart the negotiations process.
The newspaper reports that AKEL warned in a statement that the G/C side should not be seen as entering into opposition with the UN, especially during this sensitive period. AKEL underlines that the tactic of clashing with the UN has never led to positive outcomes for the G/C side. The party also points out however that everyone expects the UN to take no sides and that also the checkpoints remain closed due to Tatar and Ozersay’s approach.
DIKO says in a statement that sending the letter to Spehar was the correct decision and expressed the hope that Anastasiades undertands that giving authority to the bicommunal technical committees was a mistake. EDEK says that Spehar is not the UN but an employee that is obliged to protect international law. Citizens’ Alliance says that Spehar was not neutral and that she covered up for the T/C side and the Greens point out that she puts up with Turkish actions, while Solidarity asks for the official to be recalled.
Meanwhile, the dailies report that the association of T/C contractors has thanked their G/C counterparts for their support to T/C workers that are employed in the government-controlled areas. Haravgi also reports that the number of T/C workers that are crossing to the south, despite not being allowed to return, is increasing. The newspaper reports that the workers have set up a Facebook page through which they criticise the T/C “government” over its stance.
Cyprus and Greece coordinate ahead of Monday’s Foreign Affairs Council
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Energy, External Security, Regional/ International Relations, EU Matters
OVERVIEW
The dailies report that Cyprus and Greece are coordinating to bring the issue of Turkish actions to the EU level. The two countries will ask for the EU to intervene in a decisive manner.
Phileleftheros reports that Anastasiades and Foreign Minister Nicos Christodoulides had a teleconference with European Council President Charles Michel and EU High Representative Josep Borrel on Friday. During the meeting, Anastasiades informed his interlocutors of the latest developments, the government spokesperson told the media.
Anastasiades also called Greek prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and the two exchanged opinions since Mitsotakis had also recently had a teleconference with Michel and Borrel.
The dailies also point out that USA Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will be participating in part of the EU’s Foreign Affairs Council that is taking place on Monday. Phileleftheros reports that Pompeo was invited by Borrel and that Christodoulides and Greek foreign minister Nicos Dendias will inform the American official of Turkey’s actions.
Politis reports that the EU Foreign Ministers will discuss a wide range of issues with Pompeo, including translantlantic relations, relations with China, the situation in Ukraine and Georgia, the Middle East Peace Process, the situation in Iran and the civil war in Libya.
Phileleftheros reports that Cyprus’s permanent representative to the UN, Andreas Mavrogiannis, informed the international organisation of Turkey’s behaviour with a letter to the UNSG.
Cyprus News Agency cites an interview by President Anastasiades to German newspaper Die Welt. Anastasiades told the newspaper that he believes that the entire spectrum of EU – Turkey relations should be re-examined and that Turkey’s actions in the East Med threaten regional stability.
In a seperate development, Phileleftheros reports that Akinci received UK High Commissioner Stephen Lillie and expressed his disagreement with the UK’s agreement with the RoC regarding the development of civilian land in the SBAs. “Prime minister” Ersin Tatar is also reported to have reacted to the deal, and to have asked that the UK consult the T/Cs on such issues due to being signatories of the Treaty of Establishment.
Politis reports that the Turkish Foreign Ministry accused the UK of ignoring the T/C side in signing a deal with the RoC, and of not having consulted with the T/C community or the Turkish government beforehand.
Supreme Court rejects T/C appeal over claim to property in south
Alithia, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Property, Human Rights, EU Matters
OVERVIEW
The Supreme Court has rejected an appeal by six Turkish Cypriots regarding property in Larnaca, deciding that the Republic of Cyprus bears no responsibility if the owners did not return to the south to reclaim their property after the Turkish invasion, Phileleftheros reports. One of the ten properties related to the case is the land where the Agios Ioannis government estate for displaced resettlement was built in Sotira.
The case was brought by six persons who are the administrators of the property of a T/C couple that used to live in Larnaca before 1974. The six T/Cs had asked for the return of ten T/C properties and compensation of up to 9.5 million euros for illegal use of the properties and accrued rents.
The court noted that the T/C couple lived in a G/C property in Kyrenia from August 1974 up to their deaths in 1985 and 1986, without renting from the legal owner. The court confirmed the preceding decisions by the Larnaca District Court and the Appellate Court that neither side submitted evidence regarding the time of new constructions on the property between 1974 and the approval of the law on T/C properties in 1991.
According to the court, property rights are transferrable but human rights are not, and there was also no record of illegal intervention in the area while the couple was alive.
The court also says that the state was obliged to handle T/C properties after the invasion in the interest of the whole of society. The court rejected the claim that the Titina Loizidou case is applicable in this instance. It pointed out that while the ECHR found that Turkey consistently denied Loizidou access to her property, the T/C owners of the Larnaca properties left them for reasons for which the RoC bears no responsibility.
The court points out that if the six persons that have inherited and administer the land chose to settle in the government-controlled areas, then the property will leave the government’s stewardship.
In another development, Turkey is asking that the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe end its examination of the property rights of the enclaved G/Cs in the north, Haravgi reports. Ahead of the committee’s meeting in September, Turkey points out that the enclaved do have an avenue of securing their rights through the Immovable Property Commission operating in the north.
The case concerns a house in Pervolia and a plot of land in Sotira which have both become part of the Agios Ioannis settlement, a house and two plots of land in Larnaca currently used by G/C displaced, a plot of land in Tziannouries which is currently used by displaced, and several other small plots of land.