Front Page Headlines
Parliament, under pressure, published 22 names of politically exposed persons
A barrage of statements by those affected over wrong information and shoddy investigations by the Audit Office.
- Turkey-EU: Michel and von der Leyen in Ankara with a road map
- Socratis Hasikos: islandwide sorrow (for his death), full recognition (of his contribution)
- Easter … blessed by vaccinations: 60,000 doses are on their way
- Turkey: Rant by Erdogan with arrests over (feared) coup
The list with the 22 has stirred reactions
The auditor-general is calling on them to authorise him to publish his findings. Turkish hacker attacked parliament’s website and delayed the publication of the names.
- Michel and von der Leyen are going to the palace today – Brussels is opening bridges and puts its hopes on Erdogan.
- They are looking for the remains of a seven-year-old hero of the 1955-59 struggle – Exhumation of remains from a mass grave took place yesterday.
- The issue of (auditor-general) Odysseas’ persecution was raised at the EU Commission
- Socratis Hasikos died two years after his wife – Sorrow for the former minister, he died at 64.
- Legal battle for the legality of the decrees – The attorney-general goes to court to justify the government’s decisions. The lawyer of Akaki’s priest has been granted permission to raise an issue of legality and constitutionality of the decrees (against the spread of coronavirus).
- Erdogan is now arresting admirals
The government refuses to budge on the issue of rents
Pressure by opposition continues for substantive regulation of rent prices.
- “AKEL does not give up and will be in Geneva”
- Akinci: The two-state solution is an intermediate stop for annexation
- Parties and personalities extend their condolences for Socratis Hasikos’ death
- Turkey: Barrage of arrests of retired admirals by the Erdogan regime
UK holds off on foreign travel
Lack of certainty will hit Cyprus despite not being on safe ‘green list.’
- Former minister Socratis Hasikos dies
- Vaccinations for 57+ available within days
A great loss for Cyprus
Socratis Hasikos is gone. Nicos Anastasiades: He served the homeland with love and devotion, with great contribution as a genuine patriot. Archbishop: He was a person who always expressed his opinion directly and without any evasions.
- Occupied areas: Akinci-Tatar confrontation over the pseudo-state’s annexation by Turkey
- Turkey: Erdogan started persecutions fearing a coup
Main News
AKEL: President has yet to clarify plans for five-party summit
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
The dailies report that main opposition AKEL said it will be present in Geneva to support the informal five-party summit process and called on President Nicos Anastasiades to focus on pending issues of the Guterres Framework instead of opening new ones.
AKEL leader Andros Kyprianou said his party will be present in Geneva since important issues might be raised during the five-party summit and AKEL wants to be there to express its opinion. “It is naive to think that we will go there only for procedural matters,” he said, adding that important issues concerning the future and prospects of Cyprus and the talks will be discussed.
Kyprianou expressed concerns because Anastasiades, who invited political leaders to escort him in Geneva, has not made clear as yet what he wants or what he was planning on doing at the summit. He also said that just days before the five-party conference, the prevailing conditions do not allow for optimism since the agreed solution basis is being questioned as never before.
He also said the Turkish side claims the GC side was not willing to return to the negotiating table after the talks in Crans-Montana in 2017 and that Anastasiades does not accept political equality. The GC side is also accused of not wanting share natural wealth with the TCs while the Turkish side uses every excuse to become more and more aggressive by creating serious problems in Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone and creating new fait accompli in Varosha, Kyprianou said.
He also accused Anastasiades of facilitating this behaviour with his “back-and-forths and wrong way of handling things” during the last round of talks. “Nor has there been a substantial response to the UN secretary-general’s repeated calls for a resumption of talks from where they left off in the summer of 2017 with a view to turning the Guterres framework into a strategic understanding. Something that would finally put the negotiations on the path to solution.”
He also said Anastasiades ignored AKEL’s proposals on the Cyprus problem “which, if taken into account, could facilitate the resumption of negotiations and provide a perspective for a solution on the right basis.”
Kyprianou also said that it has been proven beyond any doubt that by reopening convergences, “we are in fact opening the bag of Aeolus.”
“If the President goes to the informal five-party, insisting on his current positions that create the strong impression that they reject political equality, then we will be led to a new shipwreck under his co-responsibility,” he added.
He said Anastasiades must show readiness to submit bridging proposals only to outstanding issues of the Guterres Framework. He also called on the president to submit proposals on the issue of hydrocarbons that will ensure the interests of the Greek Cypriot side but also reassure the Turkish Cypriots and Turkey.
“If he does, then either the way will be paved for the prospect of a solution or the Turkish side will be solely responsible for a new shipwreck,” the AKEL leader said.
The dailies also report, that in response, the government defended Anastasiades’ stand on the Cyprus problem recalling that the talks at Crans-Montana faltered because Turkey insisted on maintaining the intervention and guarantee rights in Cyprus with a review clause of 15 years and not their termination. Government spokesman Kyriacos Koushos also said it was also because Turkey insisted on the creation of a military base with permanent presence of Turkish troops and on one positive vote by the TCs on all institutions, committees and agencies of the federal state. Koushos added that the Turkish side has never submitted any proposal on the remaining issues of the Guterres Framework and that is something AKEL knew very well. He also said Anastasiades, contrary to the Turkish side, submitted proposals on all points of the framework which were at the time welcomed by the AKEL leader but the Turkish side never discussed them or responded to them.
Head of DISY Averof Neophytou said the time for the Cyprus issue has almost run out and that the GC side was doing everything possible to have a happy ending to this last effort for the Cyprus issue, making it a national priority to break the impasse.
DIKO’s Athos Antoniades expressed his party’s concerns over that Anastasiades and the DISY government were going to the summit unprepared. He recalled that DIKO had called for a National Council session where the president and DISY would finally clarify to the rest “how much more relaxed this federation they are going to propose will be to tackle, as they claim, the Turkish plans for partition.”
KEY ACTORS
Kyprianou (AKEL)
>> AKEL will go to Geneva to express opinion on the important issues that might be raised at summit.
>> Concerned by Anastasiades’ unclear plans as regards the summit & pessimistic because agreed solution is being questioned as never before by Turkey, TC leader.
>> Anastasiades’ inconsistency has allowed Turkey & TCs accuse GC side of unwillingness to return to talks & of not accepting political equality or sharing of natural wealth.
>> Anastasiades has not fully responded to UNSG’s repeated calls for resumption of talks from where they left off in 2017 with a view to turning the GF into a strategic understanding.
>> Anastasiades ignored AKEL’s Cyprob proposals which could facilitate the resumption of negotiations & offer a perspective for a solution on the right basis.
>> Warns that reopening convergences would lead to problems & if Anastasiades insists on his positions that seem like he rejects political equality things will lead to a new impasse.
>> Calls on Anastasiades to submit bridging proposals only to outstanding issues of the GF & on the issue of hydrocarbons ensuring GCs’ interests and reassuring TCs and Turkey. This will either pave the way for solution prospects or put Turkey on the spot for being the only one to blame for a new impasse.
Koushos
>> It is Turkey to blame for the impasse at Crans-Montana since it insisted on maintaining intervention & guarantee rights in Cyprus with a review clause of 15 years and not their termination, on military base with permanent presence of Turkish troops & one TC positive vote on all organs of federal state.
>> AKEL knows very well Turkish side has never submitted any proposal on the remaining issues of the GF & that Anastasiades submitted proposals on all points of the framework welcomed also by AKEL leader, but the Turkish side never discussed or responded to them.
Neophtou (DISY)
>> Warns that time has almost run out on Cyprob while GC side is doing everything possible to have a happy ending to this last effort making it a national priority to break the impasse.
Antoniades (DIKO)
>> Concerned because Anastasiades is going to the summit unprepared.
>> Calls for more clarity on Anastasiades’ loose federation idea which the president and DISY claim will be able to tackle Turkish plans for partition.
EU presidents, Erdogan to discuss bloc’s relations with Ankara
Alithia, Phileleftheros, Politis
EU Matters, Regional/International Relations
OVERVIEW
The papers report on the Ankara visit today of the EU’s Commission and Council presidents, Ursula von der Leyen and Charles Michel respectively, for a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Politis reports that the Cyprus issue will be among the topics discussed at the meeting. According to the daily, the main discussion topics are expected to be the Cyprus problem, Ankara’s exploratory talks with Athens, internal affairs, granting more funds for the migration issue, the upgrade of the Customs Union, visa liberalisation for Turkish citizens and the restart of the high-level dialogue between the EU and Turkey.
Though everyone in Cyprus is waiting to hear statements on the Cyprus problem, most in the bloc are waiting to see what the EU presidents will say about human rights and the rule of law in Turkey, Politis reports.
According to Alithia, the position by the ‘27’ that the EU supports the positions of Athens and Nicosia and that the aggressive moves of the Turks endanger the external borders of the Union itself, is expected to be conveyed to Erdogan today. By implementing its carrot and stick policy, the EU seeks to bring Turkey in line with European principles and international law and to protect member states and European interests, the daily reports. Acceptance of EU participation in the Geneva five-party summit will be Turkey’s first test of compliance, Alithia reports.
Phileleftheros reports that both sides seek to improve their relations but have different agendas. Turkey’s main interest is to secure economic support from the EU both on the issue of refuees staying on Turkish soil and the Customs Union. The EU, on the other hand, seeks to mend bridges with Ankara.
The two top EU officials are headed to Ankara with the European Council’s decisions of March 25 on Turkey as road map. The EU is ready to start updating the customs union, to resume the high-level dialogue that was suspended in 2019 on certain issues such as security, environment, and health and to provide some visa facilitation for Turkish citizens. Europeans also want to raise the issue of refugees, who number almost four million in Turkey. The daily cites a European official saying that the Syrian refugees are here to stay and humanitarian aid is no longer enough. We are entering into a logic of integration. It is no longer about financial aid but about co-operation and development, the official said, according to the paper.
Phileleftheros also reports that Turkey continues, however, provocations in the Aegean despite efforts with Greece to find common ground to start a dialogue. On Monday Turkish F-16s flew over the Greek islands of Panagia and Oinousses.
Citing a report by Turkish daily Yeni Safak, Phileleftheros also reports that the co-chair of the EU-Turkey joint parliamentary committee Ismail Karayel said that Egypt is close to reaching an agreement with Turkey on the Mediterranean. Karayel reportedly said that such an agreement would leave the EU out of the equation in the Eastern Mediterranean. He argued that the maritime jurisdiction claimed by Greece but which essentially belongs to Egypt will pass to Egypt itself. If Egypt looks at the issue with a little logic, it will see that it is very important for its interests, he said. He said these maritime jurisdictions have serious potential as regards hydrocarbon deposits and that Egypt is warmer to the idea because of its interests. He added that the issues between Greece and Turkey in the Aegean are presented as if they are issues between Turkey and the EU and this is not right, Phileleftheros reported.
Green MEPs push for EU action on Cyprus’ ‘golden’ passport issue
Phileleftheros
EU Matters
OVERVIEW
The daily reports that three MEPs of the Greens political group have submitted a written question to the Commission in relation to the persecution of Auditor-general Odysseas Michaelides by the Anastasiades government for the ‘golden passports’ issue.
Green MEPs Saskia Bricmont from Belgium, Gwendoline Delbos-Corfield from France and Sven Giegold from Germany call for an investigation into information on the political pressure on the auditor-general from the Cypriot government even the possibility of his dismissal after the publication of his report on the Cypriot investment programme that has been recently suspended.
Through this move by the MEPs, in essence, support to Odysseas Michaelides is becoming international and further pressure is exerted on the government to allow checks to the ‘golden’ passport programme by the independent institution, the daily reports.
The three MEPs ask at what stage the infringement proceedings initiated by the Commission against Cyprus in October 2020 for the Cyprus Investment Programme, are and whether it has taken any action on attacks on the Auditor General. In the event it has not, the Commission is asked what it intends to do to ensure the independence of the Audit Office and Cyprus’ compliance with the Rule of Law. The MEPs also asked what measures has the government of Cyprus taken since September 2020 to respond to the concerns raised in the Commission’s 2020 Rule of Law Report.
According to the Greens, the attacks by the government threaten the independence of the Auditor General who should be able to conduct his investigations without political pressure, the daily reported.
Turkish hacker delays PEPs list publication
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Internal Security
OVERVIEW
The dailies report that parliament on Monday published a list with 22 politically exposed persons (PEPs) with bad loans with a delay since its website had been under attack by a Turkish hacker.
Parliament announced prior to the publication of the list, that there would be a delay citing attacks to its website by a Turkish hacker. It said its website had been under attack by a Turkish hacker just in the same way the websites of the defence ministry and the electronic systems of the Larnaca airport had been recently. It added that material of the day such as the agendas of committee sessions and other material, as well as the publication of minutes of last Friday’ session with the PEPs report and the Audit Office’s list would be posted as soon as the situation allows.
Politis jokingly reports that the hacker was not a PEP. It said that parliament clarified the attacks were by a Turkish hacker thus absolving suspected PEPs who were objecting to the publication of the list.
The list includes 22 names of individuals, eight companies, one trade union and one football club (Anorthosis FC) with bad debts at the former Co-op bank. The list is part of an audit service report into KEDIPES, the entity that replaced the Co-op bank, and took over some €7.5 billion in non-performing loans. According to the report, PEPs had substantial loan amounts written off or swapped debt for assets of lower value, among others.
Former Interior Minister Socratis Hasikos dies
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Governance & Power Sharing
OVERVIEW
The dailies report on the death of former Interior Minister Socratis Hasikos who also served as DISY MP and defence minister during the Glafcos Clerides administration.
Hasikos, 64, died early on Monday of cancer in a hospital in Germany where he was being treated.
President Nicos Anastasiades extended his condolences to his family. He said Hasikos was “a good friend who was one of my closest associates.” He also said Hasikos served his country with love and devotion, offering much as a true patriot through the various positions he served. “He was always straightforward and dynamic, having as criteria his love for his homeland and the struggles of Cypriot Hellenism,” the president said. He also said that Hasikos, (if it were not for his condition) could have offered more, especially to the efforts for the solution of the Cyprus problem, for which was very passionate.
Parties issued statements expressing their condolences as well as state ministers, the archbishop, professional groups and individuals.
Alithia, owned by Hasikos’ Alfa Media group, dedicated its front page to him.
The daily, on Anastasiades’ comment about Hasikos’ passion about the solution of the Cyprus problem, reports that just last February, he, along with Ioannis Kassoulides had dinner with Anastasiades at the Presidential Palace. Their aim was to convey their great concern over the impasse and their willingness to support Anastasiades at the five-party summit to handle the Cyprus problem positively, the paper reported.