GCC Press Review 14 Jan 2021

Front Page Headlines

Politis

State investments and projects worth €1bn until 2027

Dowry of €968,000,000 to Cyprus from the European structural funds. 37 projects, actions and plans that will be completed in six years according to Cyprus’ plan for the absorption of funds. €315 million will be budgeted for investments in the fields of research, innovation, digital transformation and entrepreneurship. €728 million for investments in clean energy, cyclical economy and adapting to climate change. €424 million to social policy actions, employment support and tackling poverty.

  • Occupied Areas-Tatar: He’s even politicising vaccines
  • A. Paraschou’s letter: I had to resign for reasons of dignity
  • Pandemic: ICUs ‘decide’ on duration of lockdown
  • Study-coronavirus: Women more vulnerable
  • Rents: ‘Haircut’ under conditions

Phileleftheros

Dance of millions (of euro) at SALA (Limassol Sewerage Board)

The pumping station alone skyrocketed from €1.2 million to €6 million. Taxpayers are paying for bad estimations and planning.

  • Symptoms five months after the virus: Coronavirus leaves its ‘imprint’ – The ‘post-Covid-19’ syndrome was placed under the microscope of scientists. Studies confirm that a large number of people exhibit persistent symptoms up to five months after the normal span of the virus. 63% fatigue and muscle weakness. 26% sleep disorders. 35% affected kidney functioning. 34% problematic results in respiratory exercises. 23% exercise problems.
  • Plans for fences at points along the Green Line – Unit mapping area for placement of barbed wire to block migrants. Concerns for delimitation of Buffer Zone and closing-off of GC property.
  • He also wants separate vaccines against coronavirus: Tatar wants two Cypriot states within EU
  • Going around in circles over the Authority against corruption
  • They’re enlisting drones for drugs deliveries

Haravgi

Exhausted nurses and enlisting of students

It is commonly accepted that the situation at hospitals is now extremely difficult. Staff is exhausted, feels that it has been abandoned and has lost its faith in the Health Ministry and hospital management. The immediate involvement of the private sector is being requested for the provision of intensive care positions/beds. Enlisting of Medical graduates. Nurses announced measures on Monday.

  • Guterres waiting to be convinced by them – The UN is concerned about the divergence between the positions of the two sides, especially with the known partitionist positions of Ersin Tatar, but it seems that not even Anastasiades is not convincing the SG of the UN.
  • President’s telephone call to Lottides publishers – President’s telephone call to the publishers of ‘Kathimerini’ newspaper concerning article against him, with publishers on their part convincing the head of the newspaper to resign. Resignation of A. Paraschos with aspersions.
  • Pournara centre: 1,500 crammed with infrastructure provisions for 900…
  • Half-measures and only for the few are the decisions of the Cabinet on rents

Cyprus Mail

Call for action over Pournara

UN agency says it is too crowded, EU migrant officers to help clear backlog of asylum claims.

  • Tatar rejects EU vaccines if delivered via Greek Cypriot side
  • 28-year-old woman among latest deaths from coronavirus

Alithia

Partitionist in health too!

Tatar is insisting on talking about unfairness dating back to 1964. The Turkish Cypriot leader asked to receive vaccines against coronavirus directly from the European Union and not from the Republic of Cyprus. When Akinci was leading the T/Cs he was asking for cooperation with G/Cs on health too.

  • Fever of consultations for five-party (summit)-UNFICYP
  • New state budget going for approval – EDEK waiting.
  • The wounds of coronavirus – Layoffs in the construction sector due to abolition of investment programme. Padlocks on businesses and rise of unemployment from 6% to 8%. Occupied areas – 4,000 businesses closed and 50,000 left without jobs.
  • Six more dead! Among them a 28-year-old
  • Savvas Perdios: The biggest digital campaign for tourism moving forward

Main News

Tatar requests direct coronavirus vaccine delivery from EU

Alitheia, Cyprus Mail, Phileleftheros, Politis
CBMs

OVERVIEW

Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar requested from the UN Secretary General’s (UNSG) Special Representative Elizabeth Spehar on Wednesday that coronavirus vaccines are delivered from the EU directly to the north rather than via the Republic, the dailies report.

In statements after his meeting with Spehar ahead of the renewal of the UNFICYP mandate, Tatar said that their discussion also touched on the work of the bicommunal technical committees. Phileleftheros reports that Tatar told Spehar that the north is looking into ways of increasing the effectiveness of the technical committees.

The dailies report that Tatar requested the UN’s assistance to secure a direct delivery from the EU of the vaccines reserved for the Turkish Cypriot community through the EU’s Joint Procurement agreement. Tatar told Spehar that the north opposes the delivery of vaccines via the Republic, as outlined in a report received from the bicommunal technical committee on health on Wednesday, on grounds that the EU, and not the Greek Cypriot side, is the north’s interlocutor in the matter.

Politis reports that Tatar is fully aware that his request cannot be met, claiming that his stance only serves to politicise the issue of vaccines in order to capitalise on his preferred solution to the Cyprus Problem. Phileleftheros also claims that Tatar’s move was a bid to take advantage of the coronavirus situation in order to push for a two-state solution based on sovereign equality, as the TC leader was essentially calling for the EU to deal with Tatar as an EU leader with the same status as President Anastasiades.

Politis also states that at a time when the UNSG is calling for increased cooperation between the two sides, Tatar’s position ignores all the work and consultations on the issue of vaccines undertaken by the technical community on health, but also the training and equipment offered to the north. According to the Cyprus Mail, citing Turkish Cypriot media, an official crossed to north last week to provide training on the use and maintenance of the Pfizer vaccine.

Alithia reports that Tatar’s position exhibited his “partitionist intentions” even in matters of health. The paper draws a contrast between Tatar and his predecessor Mustafa Akinci, who requested cooperation with the Republic in tackling the pandemic.

The Cyprus Mail reports that the first batch of 2,000 coronavirus vaccine doses is expected to be delivered to the north soon, though the date remains unclear, while Alithia, citing Turkish Cypriot media, reports that the delivery procedure of vaccines to the north will be clarified within the next 2-3 days.


Leaders lay out divergent positions before Spehar

Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Politis, Phileleftheros
Negotiations Process

OVERVIEW

The dailies report on comments made by Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar on the two-state solution based on sovereign equality being sought by the north and Turkey, as relayed to the UN Secretary General’s (UNSG) Special Representative Elizabeth Spehar on Wednesday.

The dailies quote statements issued by Tatar after the meeting. Tatar said that if the informal summit leads to official negotiations, “these may happen only in the framework of two equal states with international status, a cooperation of two states which live side by side on the basis of sovereign equality.”

Phileleftheros reports that Tatar’s comments shed light on the north’s model of sovereign equality, as they indicate that Tatar is seeking a confederation of two equal EU member states, allowing the north to retain the privileges of the Republic’s inclusion in the bloc. Alithia reports that Spehar became witness once again to Turkey’s “excessive intransigence”.

Tatar also put his foot down against the prospect of EU involvement in the informal summit, which Tatar said both the north and Turkey have repeatedly spoken out against, the dailies report. Tatar made clear to Spehar that the EU “is not part of this situation. Our interlocutors in a 5+1 meeting are the UN.” Tatar stated that if technical information is needed from the EU, this can be requested. Phileleftheros points to a contradiction between Tatar’s request for equal treatment from the EU while simultaneously demanding that the EU stays out of the peace talks.

Moreover, Phileleftheros reports that Tatar told Spehar that her duty is to be neutral and objective, and to mediate between the two sides. Alithia and Phileleftheros also report on Tatar’s reference to the enduring unfairness against Turkish Cypriots since 1964 as regards Resolution 186 dealing with the renewal of UNFICYP.

The meeting between President Anastasiades and Spehar focused on the informal summit, the UNFICYP renewal, and the UNSG’s report on his Good Offices mission, Alithia reports, while Politis adds that the two also discussed developments in Varosha. Politis writes that Anastasiades requested that the peacekeeping force undertakes a more determined role to monitor the situation.

Politis also reports that Anastasiades said he is determined to see talks continue on the basis of the agreed-upon framework and in line with UN Resolutions, requesting that this is included in the UN Security Council’s (UNSC) Resolution for the renewal of the UNFICYP mandate on January 28.

Alithia reports that also present at the 45-minute meeting were Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides, Greek Cypriot negotiator Andreas Mavroyiannis, government spokesperson Kyriakos Koushios, the head of the president’s diplomatic office Kyriakos Kouros, and other officials. The paper also said that Mavroyiannis is set to travel to New York on Saturday in light of Cyprob developments at UN headquarters.

Meanwhile, Alithia reports that consultations are progressing on several fronts, as Lute will be meeting with guarantor powers, Christodoulides is contacting the Foreign Ministers of the permanent members of the UNSC, while Anastasiades was scheduled to brief the National Council on the latest Cyprob developments on Thursday morning. Phileleftheros reports that Tatar said the north is also preparing for the informal summit, which he said is expected to take place in late February or early March, depending on developments relating to the pandemic.

KEY ACTORS
Tatar
>>
Sets as a prerequisite for formal negotiations the solution framework of two states based on sovereign equality and equal international status.
>> Rejects EU involvement in informal summit.


Interior Ministry looking to fence off Buffer Zone irregular entry points

Phileleftheros
Internal Security

Phileleftheros reports that the Republic is working towards installing a tall fence at specific points along the Buffer Zone through which migrants enter irregularly into government-controlled areas.

Citing sources, Phileleftheros reports that instructions were recently issued to a specialised unit to map certain areas of the Buffer Zone in order to assess whether a fence can be installed to block the entry of irregular migrants who in turn apply for asylum in the Republic. The paper reports that a unit has already mapped an area in Peristerona which is known to authorities as a frequent entry point for irregular migrants, while more areas are expected to be mapped.

The endeavour has nevertheless raised issues relating to the delimitation of the Buffer Zone and Greek Cypriot properties that may be fenced in, though the paper reports that the Interior Ministry intends to install the fence in such a way that would not raise any problems.

Phileleftheros also reports that an Interior Ministry source told the paper that steps are also being taken for technological and patrol surveillance of the Buffer Zone.


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