Front Page Headlines
Storms in the sea of the… pandemic
Open challenge to our rapid test and vaccine strategy with the Health Ministry defending its decisions. Voices flaring up over the strategy being followed by the Health Ministry with rapid tests and vaccinations, with certain scientists standing in favour of targeted tests and purchase of vaccines from outside the EU. The former member of the advisory committee Dr Leondios Kostrikis now argues that the ministry did not ask the experts for input regarding orders and preferred the AstraZeneca vaccine, due to lower cost. The Health minister responds that this is not the case since orders were made with the agreement of the advisory committee and Cyprus secured maximum quantities of all vaccines.
- Ankara: The EU does not have a role in the 5+1
- Averof-Andros on the Cyprus Problem: They’re searching for a common course
- EastMed: Is it changing course due to Cyprus?
- Leaks to Al Jazeera: Parliament to vote on the criminal investigation in… Parliament
- Migrants: We’re building a fence à la… Trump
- ‘Guerrilla war’ in EU over vaccines
Hot potato for (school) principals
The pandemonium with students’ rapid tests dumped onto school managements. They’re asking for written guidelines from the Education ministry on the management of reactions.
- Meeting between Averof-Andros with open fronts
- (Christodoulides:) The barometer is ‘security’ not ‘political equality’
- Nicosia was ignoring discussions on the EastMed pipeline: Mitsotakis-Sisi without Anastasiades
- Stumbling blocks for parties in the face of the EU’s €968 million: They need to approve 12 laws for us to get it
- Police and the army on Limassol streets: Stinky Thursday with increased checks to deter the flouting of decrees
They’re ‘drowning’ small businesses in high interest rates and bank charges
Data from ECB: Cyprus in 2nd place with the highest borrowing cost.
- Cyprus Problem: At the centre of Borrell’s visit will also be the report on EU-Turkish (relations)
- Checkpoints: The gradual normalisation of crossings through checkpoints imperative
- Large mobilisation of women on Saturday and protest at the Presidential Palace
- One thousand young people unemployed every 15 days
- Strong police presence with the contribution of the National Guard in Limassol due to Stinky Thursday
AML register a ‘game-changer’
Companies given six months to register ultimate beneficial owners.
- Fire at St Hilarion castle under control
- Govt denies pipeline will bypass Cyprus
Openings by Turkey toward France and Egypt
At a time when rumours are leaking regarding the EastMed’s route bypassing Cyprus. Tayyip Erdogan, after aggressively insulting Emmanuel Macron, is proposing to him cooperation and solidarity. Oktay: Two states the only solution – We will not back down over Varosha.
- Averof with Erhurman, Ozersay, Talat: The President of DISY met yesterday with Turkish Cypriot leaders in the occupied areas
- MPs: They’re still searching for the leaks regarding naturalisations to Al Jazeera
- Coronavirus: Cases continue to climb
- Shocking revelations: Femicides in Turkey, either they’re being covered up or they’re being dubbed suicides
Main News
Neophytou discusses Cyprob with TC parties
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
Cyprus is too small to be divided but big enough for all of its people – Greek Cypriots, Turkish Cypriots, Armenians, Latins and Maronites – the leader of DISY Averof Neophytou said Wednesday after meetings in the north with political parties, the dailies report.
Neophytou had separate meetings with former Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat, head of main opposition Republican Turkish Party (CTP) Tufan Erhurman, and head of the People’s Party (HP) Kudret Ozersay to discuss the Cyprus problem.
Neophytou said after the meetings that he conveyed his party’s support for the new informal meeting on the Cyprus problem, as well as DISY’s clear positions “in support of the agreed framework as set out in the UN resolutions for a bizonal bicommunal federal (BBF) solution with political equality but also withdrawal of the occupying troops, with territorial adjustments and a just settlement of the property issue.”
Neophytou said that the solution of the Cyprus problem is to the benefit of all Cypriots, Greek Cypriots, Turkish Cypriots, Armenians, Latins and Maronites.
After his meeting with Neophytou, Erhuman said that the two agreed on the importance of the five-party meeting in leading to a solution of the Cyprus problem and shared the opinion that the solution must be in line with UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions, in the form of a BBF with political equality, Alithia reports.
Erhurman said they also discussed issues concerning halloumi and olive oil trade, the crossings of British tourists to the north and the deliveries of the coronavirus vaccines the EU has reserved for Cyprus, from the south to the north. The two parties would continue contacts in the coming weeks, he said.
Alithia reports that Neophytou’s contacts with TC parties incited the reaction of ELAM, which issued an announcement opposing Neophytou’s visit to the north as a tourist to discuss with illegal parties a solution of Turkish specifications, insulting the patriotic sensibilities of thousands of Greeks of Cyprus.
Politis and Phileleftheros also report on the meeting scheduled on Thursday morning between Neophytou and the AKEL leader Andros Kyprianou. Politis reports that Neophytou is expected to stress the importance of the two parties, focusing on what unites them, and to reiterate his support for political equality so that the GC side can pursue its goals on the other five points of the Guterres framework. Neophytou is also expected to situate his position within President Anastasiades’ proposal for a decentralised federation, while discussions are also expected to touch on Britain’s ideas on the Cyprus problem.
Politis reports that AKEL is expected to seek specific answers on what Neophytou means when he refers to political equality, such as whether he accepts a rotating presidency and a positive vote in the Cabinet on all matters. AKEL is also expected to probe the matter of a decentralised federation, as it believes that such a proposal would mean reopening issues on which convergences were reached in the past, allowing Turkey to do the same with unforeseeable results.
Politis reports on the importance of the factor played by the parliamentary elections that are scheduled one month after the informal summit, as Cyprob developments will be the main elements that will affect the election results for both DISY and AKEL.
KEY ACTORS
Neophytou (DISY)
>> DISY supports upcoming informal summit and agreed-upon UN framework for a BBF with political equality, given that it is accompanied by a withdrawal of the occupying troops, territorial adjustments and a just settlement of the property issue.
>> Solution of the Cyprus problem is for the benefit of all Cypriots, Greek Cypriots, Turkish Cypriots, Armenians, Latins and Maronites.
Erhurman (CTP)
>> Five-party meeting important for securing a solution of the Cyprus problem in line with UNSC resolutions, in the form of a BBF with political equality.
Oktay: EU has no place at the informal summit
Politis
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
Politis reports that Turkey’s Vice President Fuat Oktay said Wednesday that the EU has no place in the informal five-party summit, stressing that it can neither contribute to the process nor take a seat at the negotiating table.
Oktay was speaking during the signing of the economic protocol between Turkey and the north, which would boost the north’s coffers by 2.5 billion Turkish lira, adding onto the 750 million Turkish lira left over from last year, Politis reports. Oktay said Turkey’s goal is to help the north to create an autonomous economy. Oktay also said that Turkey will be sending the north an additional batch of 20,000 doses of the Chinese vaccine this week.
Politis reports that Oktay seized the opportunity to reiterate that the only feasible solution to the Cyprus Problem is two states with sovereign equality. Oktay also said that Turkey will not give up on its plans to resurrect Varosha, noting that whoever expects a different approach will be once again disappointed. Haravgi reports that Oktay added that Varosha “is land of the TRNC”.
Oktay also announced that the Turkish Trade Minister will be visiting the north in the coming days to discuss the sectors that could be boosted. Oktay added that all restrictions imposed on the TCs from the international community must be lifted as soon as possible as they are unfair.
KEY ACTORS
Oktay (Turkey)
>> EU has no place at 5+1 – it can neither contribute to the process nor take a seat at the negotiating table.
>> Two-state solution with sovereign equality is the only feasible settlement to Cyprob.
>> Turkey will not give up on plans to open Varosha, which is land that belongs to the TRNC.
Republic refutes report on change of EastMed pipeline’s course
Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Politis, Phileleftheros
Energy
OVERVIEW
The government on Wednesday refuted a report by Greek daily To Vima which set out a scenario of the EastMed natural gas pipeline circumventing the Cyprus EEZ.
Director of the President’s Press Office Victoras Papadopoulos who was asked to comment on the report refuted its contents and reassured that the EastMed route has not changed. Papadopoulos pointed out that studies have been funded by the EU, adding that “all countries in the region who are involved [in the project] including the Republic of Cyprus are taking those steps and are making the effort so that when the time comes the alternatives can be available to the companies that will undertake the project to decide.” Therefore, he said, “there is no such issue.”
Politis reports that an informed source expressed concern over the fact that the Egyptian Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Tarek El Molla visited Israel a few days ago, with the visit resulting in the signing of an agreement for the construction of an underwater pipeline from Israel to the liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals operating in the north of Egypt. But, Politis reports, the same source was hesitant to believe the scenario involving the bypassing of Cyprus, since for the EU to fund such a project, at least two member states must participate.
A similar stance was held by an Energy Ministry source, Politis reports, who said that energy agreements have been signed, and as such a potential bypassing of Cyprus would strip the project from EU funds.
Citing information, Phileleftheros reports that Nicosia was never informed by Athens on discussions between the Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and the President of Egypt Abdel Fattah el-Sisi on changing the course of the pipeline. The paper reports that Nicosia is attempting to manage the issue in a way that will not rattle relations between Greece and Cyprus during the current critical period.
Haravgi reports that it was told by an informed source that the idea of changing the course of the pipeline was definitely tabled, but the source could not say whether Anastasiades had been informed on the matter. The same source told the paper that what discomforts the Republic, beyond the role that the pipeline could play in resolving the Cyprus problem, is that if the pipeline goes through Egypt then the Republic will not be able to exercise sovereign rights.
AKEL calls for normalisation of crossing points
Cyprus Mail Haravgi
Internal Security
OVERVIEW
AKEL on Wednesday called for normalisation of the situation at crossing points, citing contradictions and paradoxical measures from both sides as regards crossings, the dailies report.
AKEL said that the gradual normalisation of crossings is imperative and proposed that in the coming period gradual measures be implemented to normalise crossings through the competent bicommunal technical committees, mainly those on health and crossing points.
AKEL said that during this past year, checkpoints have been shut through contradictory and paradoxical measures from both sides using the pandemic as an excuse. In fact, it added, these were not done in the context of consultation and cooperation, something that is noted in the last report of the UN Secretary-General to the Security Council. AKEL pointed out, however, that at the moment it is the Turkish Cypriot side that has the strictest and unnecessary restrictions on crossings.
“The opening of the crossing points in 2003 was the greatest proof that Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots can coexist and build their common future together,” AKEL said. This earned right, it said, “is one of the greatest achievements of the Cypriot people in the process of the reunification of Cyprus and its people.”
The party, that receives suggestions from various social organisations on the matter, said it was ready to contribute with further ideas and proposals. In this regard, it said, AKEL’s rapprochement office organised a bi-communal seminar online earlier this week in which dozens of organisations from both communities participated to exchange views on the issue.
Fence to be installed along Athienou Buffer Zone area
Politis
Migration & Citizenship
OVERVIEW
Politis reports that a fence will be installed in the Athienou area in the coming days in a bid to block the entry of irregular migrants through the Buffer Zone.
The fence is being installed by the Interior Ministry in cooperation with the police, while a similar move is also expected to be made in the Morphou area. Athienou and Morphou are considered the two spots from which migrant traffickers and smugglers can enter into the Republic through the Buffer Zone unobstructed.
Politis cites government sources who said that the fence is only a temporary measure which will function as long as necessary in order to curb migrant flows. The paper writes that the government consulted both the police and the National Guard before settling on the areas where the fence will be installed.