Front Page Headlines
Abstention is a trick, step down now!
Dimitris Syllouris keeps immunity to avoid questioning. After the state’s reputation is dragged through the mud around the world, the president of the parliament now puts it in constitutional adventures. Christakis Giovani quits, in display of dignity after the fact, and after he was given sufficient time by AKEL. D. Syllouris took over duties of presiding the Republic but apologises for the disturbance. Anger from citizens: They should quite and be punished – End of “golden” passports: Concerns over the next day – When they understood: They filed accusation with MOKAS (unit for combating money laundering) to cover their back.
- Shock and awe: A record with 83 new cases
- Unanimous decision from CTP: It supports Akinci in the second round
- Deryneia incident: Remands and 4 new arrests
- Eastern Mediterranean: Message of support from Germany and USA
Anger of the people – They demand catharsis
Parties and society show the way out to parliament president. Criminal investigations for all involved. AKEL also showed way out to Giovani. Intervention by “Phileleftheros”: Mister Syllouris, resign now. Costas Clerides: An issue of political and criminal liability. MOKAS: An issue of checks between lawyer – client does not concern us. Doros Ioannides (Bar association): There should be an investigation for criminal offences. Petrides – Kyprianou: They didn’t see or talk with Pittadjis.
- Emergency meeting in Health Ministry today: 83 cases record yesterday increases concerns
- Erdogan left them losing face: Germans annoyed with Turkey
- First come first served for applications for citizenship
- SOS from real estate market, they ask for new investment scheme
- Public prosecutor harsh on sentences of Golden Dawn members
After the party, they cancelled the programme!
AKEL: Consistently against vested interests and corruption. After they stretched out the programme, they see it was “abused”. Demands for resignation of Demetris Syllouris.
- Alternating rhetoric of escalation and de-escalation
- CTP unanimously supports M. Akinci
- Suspects for participating in criminal organisation
- Increase of cases very worrying – For the first time since the pandemic, 83 cases recorded – Advisory scientific team meets urgently today for new measures
- Delays and waiting lists for housing funding for refugees (displaced)
Cyprus suspends passports scheme
Police launch investigation as cabinet says move follows abuse of system.
- Record 83 Covid cases on Tuesday, emergency advisors meeting today
- Legal view: Legal aspect of Varosha opening dwarfed by political implications
Rapid developments because of Al Jazeera
Angry and fed-up, the Attorney General of the Republic gave Police instructions for “thorough and in depth investigation”. Political system upside down: Cyprus Investment Programme cancelled, Syllouris announced he would be abstaining from his duties, expressing his apologies and hinting he would quit – Christakis Giovani also quit after pressures from AKEL. Adamos Adamou in Syllouris’s position in Parliament presidency and Toumazos Tsielepis in Giovani’s place. Tens of citizens went to Parliament and asked for catharsis and punishment.
- Health Minister concerned, informed President of the Republic: Explosion of coronavirus cases – 83 new cases announced yesterday, a new record. Among them are 5 children aged 3 to 7. Two patients intubated in intensive care unit of Nicosia General Hospital.
- Court: Two persons remanded for incident in Deryneia. Another 4 arrests yesterday
- Greece to Turkey: Dialogue only if Oruc Reis withdraws
- Points (editorial): The large abstention
Main News
German Foreign Minister concerned over Turkey’s worsening behaviour
Alithia, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Energy, Regional/ International Relations, External Security, Territory, EU Matters, Negotiations Process, Governance & Power Sharing
OVERVIEW
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas told journalists that it is now up to Turkey to create the necessary conditions for dialogue which would lead to preparatory talks with Greece for de-escalation. Maas was speaking after a meeting with Cypriot counterpart, Nicos Christodoulides in Nicosia, Phileleftheros reports.
Maas also said that Germany and the EU remain in solidarity with Cyprus and Greece and underlined that Berlin is ready to support any effort to find solutions through dialogue. Maas added that the return of the Oruc Reis in waters contested between Turkey and Greece is exactly the opposite of the confidence building measures necessary.
The German Foreign Minister also said that the opening of the beach front of the ghost city of Varosha is a completely unnecessary and provocative move that is in opposition with current efforts to de-escalate.
In his statements, Christodoulides said that Cyprus hopes for an effective response by the EU. He added that sanctions is not at the foremost of what Cyprus wants, but that Nicosia wishes for unequivocally illegal actions to be countered effectively by the EU.
Maas is also scheduled to visit Athens for contacts, but has cancelled a scheduled visit to Ankara. Phileleftheros reports, citing information, that Germany is annoyed by Turkey’s behaviour especially after Berlin intervened in order to push for de-escalation and avoid sanctions.
The dailies also report that President Anastasiades is flying to Brussels on Wednesday to take part in the regular meeting of the European Council, on Thursday and Friday. According to an official statement from the Presidency, Anastasiades will brief his counterparts on Turkey’s latest illegal actions in Varosha and in the Cypriot EEZ. Greek prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is also expected to raise the issue during the Council.
Greek Foreign Minister Nicos Dendias said after a meeting with his Canadian counterpart in Athens that there can be no exploratory negotiations between Greece and Turkey while Oruc Reis remains in the country’s continental shelf. Dendias said that Turkey chose to renew tensions instead of agreeing on a date for negotiations.
The Cyprus News Agency reports that according to sources of TV channel CNNTurk, Ankara has sent the Oruc Reis back into the area around Kastelorizo because that was always the intention as its work was not done, and that the Turkish government believes Greece did not use the period in which the ship was absent effectively, citing military exercises announced by Athens in the area. Turkey also accuses Greece of not pulling back from maximalist positions, sees the European Council of October 1st as disappointing and has seen no response to its calls for dialogue, CNNTurk reports.
In a statement, the US State Department has criticised Turkey over the return of the Oruc Reis and said that Turkey is unilaterally increasing tension and intentionally undermines the effort to restart preparatory negotiations with Greece.
Also, in a written statement EU High Commissioner Josep Borrell called for Turkey to reverse its actions in Varosha immediately. Borrell undermined the importance that the status of Varosha as outlined by relevant Security Council resolutions to be respected. He also said that the EU remains committed to a resumption of negotiations for a comprehensive solution in Cyprus, on the basis of UN parameters and resolutions and EU values.
Meanwhile, dailies report on a tense exchange between Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and his Swedish counterpart Anna Linde during a joint press conference in Ankara. Cavusoglu reacted to criticism on Turkey for its behaviour regarding Greece, Cyprus and Syria. Cavusoglu criticised Sweden for urging Turkey to withdraw troops from Syria and accused the country of supporting Kurdish militants.
Cavusoglu also asked Linde why she does not refer to the rights of the Turkish Cypriots or Greece’s behaviour towards migrants on the Greek-Turkish border.
In news related to a possible return to negotiations for the Cyprus Problem, the dailies report, citing the T/C press, that CTP has officially endorsed Mustafa Akinci ahead of Sunday’s second round of elections for the T/C leadership. The newspapers also report that the rest of the parties that have supported other candidates have not yet made known who they will support.
Calls for House speaker to resign over golden passports scandal
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Oikonomiki Kathimerini, Phileleftheros, Politis
Migration & Citizenship, Internal Security, Regional/ International Relations
OVERVIEW
The Cypriot government has announced that it is ending its citizenship-through-investment programme, citing misuse of the programme, starting on November 1st, after an undercover investigation by Al Jazeera caught the speaker of the House of Representatives Dimitris Syllouris and AKEL MP Christakis Giovanni on camera promising their assistance to what they thought was a Chinese businessperson that had been convicted in China and wanted to acquire the Cypriot passport.
The scandal has led to Giovanni submitting his resignation from Parliament as well as from AKEL. Phileleftheros reports that the leadership of AKEL pressured Giovanni to submit his resignation, and notes that his position in Parliament will be taken over by the party’s Cyprus Problem expert, Toumazos Tsielepis, who was the next in number of votes in the Famagusta district. In a statement, AKEL also asked for Syllouris’s resignation.
Syllouris has said he will abstain from his duty beginning on Monday October 19th until the end of the Police investigation into the video.
However, citizens protested demanding his immediate resignation on Tuesday evening and are planning to continue their protests on Wednesday. In their editorials, both Phileleftheros and Politis called on Syllouris to resign.
The dailies also point out that the government’s decision to cancel the programme after November 1st means that about 700 pending applications for citizenship will be finalised before then. Until then, more applications can be submitted.
European Commission spokesperson Christian Wigand said told the Cyprus News Agency that Brussels watched is disbelief at high level officials trading European passports for personal gain, and recalled Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s position that European values are not for sale.
Wigand pointed out that the Commission has expressed its concern about the citizenship investment scheme to the Cypriot government in the past, and that it is examining whether Cyprus has broken EU law and examining the possibility of beginning infringement proceedings.
Wigand also said that the EU has been informed of the latest government statements on its intention to end the programme, and now expects the government to investigate the issue.
Haravgi recalls a story published in the newspaper in July, according to which 350 “golden passports” had been handed out through the intercession of law firms connected with members of the Cabinet of Ministers.
In a related developments, developers and business leaders expressed concern over the government’s decision to end the Cyprus Investment Programme. Politis reports that the Cyprus Chamber of Industry (KEBE), the Employers and Industrialists Federation (OEB) and the association of large-scale developers have asked the government to prepare a new programme to attract investments.
Four more arrests over Deryneia checkpoint far-right violent protest
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Internal Security, CBMs
OVERVIEW
The dailies report that the Police has arrested four more people believed to have been involved in last Sunday’s protest in Deryneia which developed into a violent incident when a group of 250 protesters with covered faces broke through the checkpoint to the occupied areas causing damage, brandishing sticks and throwing flares.
The Cyprus Mail reports that two of the men arrested, aged 41 and 22, were from Larnaca district and another two, 29 and 21, from the Famagusta district.
Phileleftheros reports that two men, aged 25 and 27, were remanded for three days on Tuesday, but have not yet divulged information on other participators in the event.
The authorities are investigating the persons arrested of participating in a criminal organisation and malicious property damage to the checkpoint and to surveillance equipment. Another rally is planned at the checkpoint on Saturday afternoon, on the eve of the second round of elections for T/C leadership.
Haravgi reports citing information that the Police knows that members and supporters of ELAM organised the protest, which began in Xylofagou and passed through Sotira before ending up in Deryneia. The newspaper reports that stickers belonging to far-right groups of football supporters, such as APOEL, were found in the area.
Meanwhile, the Deryneia Municipal Council issued a statement condemning the incident. The council points out that due to these actions the inhabitants of Deryneia are reminded of the events that took place in 1996 and that because of this insecurity and fear have returned to their daily lives.
Haravgi reports that the Police’s special anti-riot unit is at the checkpoint since Tuesday after a request from Deryneia mayor Andros Karayiannis.
The daily hosts an interview with European Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson in which the EU official explains the EU’s New Pact on Migration and Asylum.
Coronavirus cases reach new record in government-controlled areas
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Internal Security, Human Rights
OVERVIEW
New daily cases of the coronavirus reached a new record on Tuesday as 83 new infections were detected. The previous record in the number of daily infections was reached on April 1st when there were 58 new cases.
All the dailies report that the Minister of Health briefed President Anastasiades on the situation and that the government’s scientific advisory team will meet with Health Minister Constantinos Ioannou on Wednesday to discuss new measures in order to prevent a sustained spike in infections.
Ioannou said in a statement before the official tally was announced that citizens should follow with the measures in order to maintain the spread of the pandemic to manageable levels. He also said that the data show a concerning rise in new infections.
The experts are particularly concerned by the fact that most of the new chains of transmissions are related to workplaces. Also the number of people found to have been infected after displaying symptoms and being sent by their GPs to take the test has been rising.
According to the papers, Paphos mayor Phedon Phedonos found himself under fire on Tuesday during the House refugees committee meeting over TC properties.