Front Page Headlines
D. Syllouris now plays with out intelligence
Without a scrap of dignity, he remains latched on to the chair. Instead of resigning he throws the ball to the Attorney General over lifting of immunity, saying for appearances that would not oppose it. Syllouris’s tightrope walk lead parliament into lockdown, as he tries to gain time and avoid being interrogated. All parties, after going back and forth in the first days, demand that the leading actor of the shameful video quit. Syllouris and Loizidou mails: This is Cyprus – Article by D. Dionisiou. (Parliamentary) Committee on Institutions: Unanimous abstention from meeting. Leave now: Corruption led citizens to the streets.
- We are not going well: Lack of responsibility brought the masks
- “Elections” in the occupied areas: Ozersay (suggests vote) at will, DP goes Tatar with disagreement by Serdar
- Cells for Golden Dawn: Nazis… and alone
- More of the same: Tayip Erdogan brings out the ships again
Ostracism now
Society and parties proclaimed the speaker of the House a persona non grata and demand his resignation. Coordination by party leaders to force him to leave. Concerns over last critical stages of naturalisations. Pressures for transparency and a firm hand at least for the last passports. (Editorial) Listen Syllouris.
- Erdogan did not end up helping Tatar: Leftist momentum for Akinci with Erhurman’s help
- “Derailment a matter of days”: Masks now also obligatory in closed spaces
- 13 years and above, life sentence for Roupakias: Heavy sentences for Golden Dawn members and Fyssa’s murderer
- Erdogan continues threats refrain
- American spy (aircraft) in “Nemesis” exercise
Let’s get rid of demon of corruption
AKEL: Against vested interests – corruption with initiatives. Central Bank: Investigation into transactions with “golden” passports. AKEL sends letter to Home Minister requesting he gives evidence to Auditor general.
- Heavy sentences for criminals of Golden Dawn
- Masks everywhere to break the chains
- Turkey issue raised again
- Citizens shouted against corruption, asked for resignation and catharsis
- Akinci gains momentum with CTP support. Tatar leans on Turkey’s crutches…
- Niyazi Kizilyurek condemns Turkish interventions with letter to Commission
Syllouris under pressure to quit
DISY joins other parties in calling for resignation. MPs go ‘on strike’ in protest.
- Fifty-one new cases, mandatory use of masks indoors from today
He won’t leave – They’ll kick him out
Pressure on Mr. Syllouris to quit from presidency of parliament increase. He insists on refusing, but parties plan ways to remove him. Parliamentary committee on Institutions postponed yesterday’s meeting over MPs Ethics Code in protest after Al Jazeera revelations – MPs will not attend parliament or meetings presided by Syllouris. Angie’s disclosures on Syllouris, Giovanni and Pittadjis. Zacharias (DISY): Society is absolutely right to spit at us.
- Obligatory use in effect starting today with decree: Masc enters our life – Another 51 new cases announced yesterday out of total of 2,291 diagnoses
- The sentences that brought the end of Golden Dawn
- Greek – Turkish relations: Greece pursues sanctions against Ankara
- EUObserver report: Companies in Cyprus are connected with Lukashenko
- Ionas Nicolaou: All that is shown in Al Jazeera video a clear case of lobbying which should be regulated
- How citizens saw developments because of Al Jazeera: Cypriots “laugh so they don’t cry”
- By Erhurman: A large push to Akinci candidacy
Main News
Turkey’s actions again on the agenda of the European Council
Alithia, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
EU Matters, Energy, Territory, Negotiations Process, Regional/ International Relations, Governance & Power Sharing
OVERVIEW
Turkey’s recent actions, namely the return of research vessel Oruc Reis in waters contested with Greece and the partial reopening of Varosha in Cyprus, will be discussed by the European Council during the second day of the summit on Friday, the dailies report.
Greek prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has stated that he will bring the issue to the table during the meeting. Phileleftheros reports that President Anastasiades will also bring up the situation in Varosha during the discussion.
A Greek diplomatic source told the media in Brussels that Greece would push for a strong reference to Turkey in the European Council’s conclusion, or for a statement by President Charles Michel after the meeting. The aim is for there to be a more tangible reference to the possibility of sanctions against Turkey if the country continues to act in unilateral and provocative ways.
A spokesperson of the German Foreign Ministry said that Heiko Maas saw during his contacts in Athens and Nicosia that the two countries were disappointed by Turkey’s unilateral actions. He added however that in principle all are eager to pursue dialogue, and that the decisions taken during the last European Council should be the guideline until December.
An EU official told the Cyprus News Agency that it is expected that one or more countries will ask for the issue of Turkey to be discussed. The same official pointed out that the issue of EU – Turkey relations was discussed extensively during the last European Council. He pointed out that everyone accepts that the current situation is unfair, but that decisions are up to the leaders.
The daily press reports that in his letter to the 27 leaders, European Council President Charles Michel has set the agenda of the summit to include the future relationship with the UK, climate change, the coronavirus pandemic and relations with Africa. The discussion on Turkey is going to take place on Friday, during the discussion of foreign affairs issues.
Turkish President Tayip Erdogan said in a statement on Wednesday that Yavuz would be returning shortly to the area to conduct research, Politis reports. Erdogan also noted that Barbaros continues its work according to Haravgi. The Turkish President also said that the opening of Varosha is a turning point for Cyprus, and added that the ghost city belongs to the Turks of northern Cyprus.
Turkish Energy Minister Fatih Donmez announced on Wednesday that Oruc Reis has reached the area where it will carry out its research. Donmez said that test began on Tuesday and the first seismic readings were being received Wednesday.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry responded to a statement by the US State Department on the return of the Oruc Reis, and accused the US of being inconsistent. The Turkish FM pointed out that the US cannot both condemn Oruc Reis’s activities while not recognising the Seville map which, according to Turkey, represents Greece’s and the G/Cs’s maximalist claims.
Alithia reports that on Wednesday, US ambassador to Greece Geoffrey Payat visited the Greek Ministry of Defence along with Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs Clarke Cooper. The newspaper cites information that Cooper will stay in Greece for four days and then visit Cyprus.
The dailies also report that a spy aircraft participated in Wednesday’s aeronautical military exercise “Nemesis 2020”. Forces from the US, Israel, the UK, France, Cyprus, Greece, Egypt and Italy participated in the exercise which took place across plots 1, 2, 8 and 9 of the Cypriot EEZ, Phileleftheros reports.
In a development related to Varosha, Famagusta mayor Simos Ioannou met with UNSG special representative Elizabeth Spehar accompanied by members of the municipal council. In a written statement the Municipality notes that the mayor briefed Spehar on the situation, and that the UNFICYP head reiterated that the UN is committed to the relevant Security Council resolutions.
Also Haravgi reports that MEP Niyazi Kizilyurek submitted a parliamentary question to the European Commission informing it of Turkey’s interventions in the T/C elections and asking for the EU to intervene. Kizilyurek pointed out that Turkey openly supported a candidate that is working against the UN parameters for a federal solution to the Cyprus Problem.
Meanwhile the dailies report citing T/C press, that Mustafa Akinci is gaining in momentum ahead of Sunday’s second round of elections in the north due to the open support of CTP. The dailies also report that Kudret Ozersay’s HP has decided to call its voters to vote as they will and DP has decided to support Ersin Tatar. However DP’s former leader, Serdar Denktas, expressed his disagreement and announced he’s quitting the party.
Another four arrested over violent protest at Deryneia checkpoint
Cyprus Mail, Haravgi
Internal Security, CBMs
OVERVIEW
Four more people were arrested on Wednesday in connection with violent incidents during a protest at the Deryneia checkpoint on Sunday, when 250 nationalist masked protesters damaged the checkpoint and attempted to cross into the north holding sticks and waiving a large Greek flag.
The four men, a 41-year-old and a 22-year-old from Larnaca district and a 22-year-old and a 29-year-old were remanded by the Famagusta District Court for two days and will appear again in court along with the first two suspects that had been arrested a day before, Haravgi reports.
The six men are suspects for participating in a criminal organisation and causing damage to the checkpoint, including on surveillance cameras.
In another development, Deryneia mayor Andros Karayiannis sent a letter to the Ministers of Justice and Health, outlining his concerns over the possibility of renewed violence during upcoming protest at the checkpoint, as well as the dangers posed to health from such gatherings. Karayiannis asked for assurance that order and the proper health protocols will be maintained during any such protest.
Haravgi also reports that AKEL youth wing EDON’s Famagusta branch issued an announcement condemning nationalist slogans, including with support to union with Greece, that were posted in a high school in Paralimni.
MPs and parties pressure House speaker to quit over “golden passports”
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Migration & Citizenship, Internal Security
OVERVIEW
The pressures exerted on House speaker Dimitris Syllouris to quit after being exposed by an Al Jazeera undercover investigation as participating in discussions involving the sale of “golden passports” is the main story in all the Greek Cypriot dailies.
Protesters gathered for a second day in a row in front of the Filoxenia Conference Centre, where the House of Representatives temporarily meets due to coronavirus restrictions, asking for Syllouris’s resignation.
The dailies also report that almost all political parties have issued statements asking for Syllouris’s resignation, rejecting the speaker’s intention to abstain from his duties starting next Monday and until the end of a police investigation.
However MPs have reacted, especially since this would mean Syllouris would be presiding over the Republic during President Anastasiades’s trip to Brussels on Thursday and Friday, Alithia amongst other newspapers reports. The MPs of the parliamentary Committee on Institutions postponed their Wednesday meeting in protest over the speaker’s position, and its president, DISY MP Zacharias Zachariou said that the committee wants to send a political message since society is deriding politicians and is right to do so.
Syllouris responded by sending a letter to Attorney General George Savvides, stating that he would accept a lifting of his immunity ahead of an investigation into the “golden passports” issue. He also reiterated that he would not be quitting his position.
Masks now obligatory in closed spaces due to rapid corona spread
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Internal Security, Human Rights
OVERVIEW
The government has decided to make the wearing of masks in closed spaces obligatory due to the rapid increase of coronavirus cases in the government-controlled areas, the dailies report.
Health Minister Constantinos Ioannou said after a meeting with the government’s advisory scientific committee that the use of protective masks will be mandatory in all non-private indoor space where two or more people are present. Failure to comply will mean a 300 euro fine, Cyprus Mail reports.
In an announcement, the Ministry of Health gave additional details on 77 of the 83 cases that had been detected on Tuesday. Several of the cases were detected in restaurants and cafes in Limassol, while one case was also detected in the Archbishopric. According to the official data, large chains of transmissions have been created in the government-controlled areas.
Phileleftheros reports that Ioannou pointed out that if measures are not followed then new deaths should be expected within days.
On Wednesday, 51 new cases of coronavirus were detected out of a total of 2,291 tests, bringing the total number of cases detected so far to 2,181. According to official data announced by the Health Ministry, four people are being treated for COVID-19 in Famagusta General Hospital, and two patients are in the intensive care unit of the Nicosia General Hospitals. Another two coronavirus patients are treated in other hospitals.
The dailies also report that three new cases were detected in the occupied areas out of 1,901 tests, according to an announcement by the T/C health “minister”. A total of 819 cases have been detected so far in the north.