Front Page Headlines
Work from home ending! Everyone back to their jobs
The epidemiological picture is bringing new relaxations next week
- President in Brussels: He asked for the EU’s intervention
- D. Demetriades to investigative committee: My minister brother had no involvement in the ‘golden’ (passports)
- Households: One in four finding it rough
- Young captain: The rope broke… as did the thread of life
€1.8 million rapid test fraud
The Health ministry stopped the receipt of 1.2 million tests – Investigation of false documents in offers. Sloppy packaging and strange stickers raised suspicions.
- He wants to exert pressure through the EU, warning with veto
- 600 thousand ballot papers distributed to Mayors
- Some scientists called for the revocation of the AstraZeneca yesterday
- They exposed us for the passports long before Al Jazeera
- The rope that caused the tragedy worn in two places: Captain Xanthos Kyriakou fell down a 50m cliff
Another ‘best of the best’ under investigation
Auditor General: Possible criminal offences involving forgery by the Volunteerism Commissioner
- Passports scandal: The President of CIPA ratted out Averof over the agents conferences
- No thoughts for an age restriction for AstraZeneca for now
- AKEL: We demand a comprehensive planning for Akamas
- Death exercise for 33-year-old National Guard captain
Covid jab rollout success in turmoil
Health officials move to sure up doubts over safety of AZ vaccine
- China’s role in Cyprus heading for EU scrutiny
- ‘Former minister had no link with passport applications’
- ‘Black day for National Guard’ as officer dies in training exercise
And blunders and lies from Nicholas!
The Finance and Labour Ministers expose the President of DIKO with evidence. Petrides-Zeta: Nicholas Papadopoulos has transformed his pre-election campaign into a campaign of daily misinformation. Averof to DISY: A vote to the small ones means premiums for AKEL-DIKO.
- Ergun Olgun: Crossings to reopen next week
- Fatal abseiling for captain
- President of Invest Cyprus: We took out our own eyes with the Investment Programme
- Vaccine certificate: The mess is getting… untangled
Main News
Anastasiades warns of veto if positive agenda excludes Cyprus
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros
Negotiations Process, EU Matters
OVERVIEW
President Nicos Anastasiades warned on Tuesday that he is prepared to veto a positive agenda between the EU and Turkey at the upcoming European Council (EUCO) in June if the positive agenda does not include Cyprus, the dailies report.
The president, who is in Brussels for a Special meeting of the European Council, had a meeting with EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell. According to government spokesman Kyriacos Koushos, Anastasiades stressed to Borrell that the positive attitude of Cyprus at the June meeting will depend on Ankara’s behaviour on the Cyprus issue and Varosha, refraining from provocative actions at sea and on land and whether it will fulfil its contractual obligations to the EU and all its member states.
Koushos said Anastasiades stressed to Borell that without a positive attitude from the Turkish side “it would be impossible to offer a positive agenda to Turkey as regards Euro-Turkish relations.” Anastasiades called on Borrell to convey to the Turkish side the EU’s position on the need to remain within the agreed solution framework and UN resolutions and call on Ankara to contribute to the creation of favourable conditions for the resumption of talks for the settlement of the Cyprus problem.
Anastasiades also expressed his strong concern for the “unacceptable demands” for a two-state solution submitted in writing in Geneva by the TC leader, with the full support of Turkey, but also for the recent demand of the Turkish side, for recognition of the north as a condition for the continuation of the negotiation process.
He also stressed his readiness to respond positively to a new invitation by the UN Secretary-General (UNSG) for a new summit on the Cyprus problem so that the two sides enter a “fertile dialogue with prospects for a substantive solution.” Anastasiades stressed that negotiations must resume on the basis of past convergences, and reiterated that the solution must be based on the agreed solution framework, that of the bizonal bicommunal federation (BBF) with political equality as defined in the relevant UN resolutions, and be in line with the EU acquis.
In an interview with Euronews on Tuesday, Anastasiades said that it is not enough that Turkey has halted its drilling in Cyprus’ EEZ, emphasising its other hostile actions such as the reopening of Varosha.
“A positive agenda is adopted when there is positive behaviour,” he said, adding that: “When on the contrary, one challenge comes after another, you realise that it would be political suicide if, with my knowledge, I accept a positive agenda that would not include Cyprus. Anastasiades said he has “no choice.” Asked if he would veto the EU summit conclusions, Anastasiades said: “Definitely, yes.”
Meanwhile, Phileleftheros and Haravgi report that Turkish Foreign Minister Melvut Cavusoglu accepted his Greek counterpart’s invitation for a meeting in Athens, which is set to take place on May 31. Cavusoglu’s meeting with Nikos Dendias will focus on preparations for the meeting between the Greek and Turkish Presidents on the sidelines of the NATO Summit in June. The paper writes that during with trip Cavusoglu may also meet with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
KEY ACTORS
Anastasiades
>> Told Borrell that Cyprus’ positive response to a EU-Turkey positive agenda at the June EUCO will depend on Ankara’s behaviour in the Cyprus issue and Varosha
>> Asks Borrell to convey to Turkey the EU’s position on the need to remain within the agreed solution framework and UN resolutions and to call on Ankara to facilitate the resumption of negotiations
>> Turkey’s halting of drilling in Cyprus EEZ not enough in view of other hostile actions in Varosha
>> Accepting a positive agenda without positive behaviour as regards Cyprus would be political suicide
>> Strongly concerned about TC sides’ & Turkey’s unacceptable demands tabled in Geneva for two states and for recognition of north as condition for continuation of talks
>> Ready to accept a new invitation by the UNSG for a new summit on the Cyprus problem
>> Negotiations must resume on the basis of past convergences & solution must be based on BBF with political equality as defined in relevant UN resolutions, and be in line with the EU acquis
North says it is ready to reopen crossings
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros
CBMs
OVERVIEW
The north has said that it is ready to reopen the checkpoints from next week, the TC leader Ersin Tatar’s special representative Ergun Olgun said Tuesday according to the dailies.
Olgun said the north’s scientific advisory team has reached a decision on the crossings and the task of harmonising the process with the Republic has been completed. He said that an agreement has been reached to reopen crossingsbased on the terms that were in place prior to the pandemic, meaning that third-country nationals will also be allowed to cross.
Olgun said that last week the north’s scientific advisory team had categorised the Republic as being in the orange category according to the World Health Organisation’s criteria. The north’s team submitted their report to their GC counterparts, who in turn asked for further clarifications. Olgun said that these details have been shared with the GC members of the Technical Health Committee who have now asked for some time to study them.
Olgun said the GC side is expected to confirm whether another meeting of the bicommunal Technical Health Committee will take place this week.
Alithia and Haravgi report that ‘prime minister’ Ersan Saner on Tuesday called for a categorisation of the countries of origin of those wishing to cross into the north. Saner said the TC side is ready to reopen crossings as soon as tomorrow if the GC side is willing to take a step toward this direction.
Saner, speaking after a meeting of the ‘cabinet’, said decisions have been taken to allow daily crossings or stays over five days for citizens of various countries, with the number of cases detected over a 14-day period at their country of origin to be taken into account.
Meanwhile, Cyprus Mail and Phileleftheros report that the government has asked the UN to mediate so that the north does not impose a 10-day self-isolation to enclaved who return to the north after crossing into the Republic on Sunday to vote.
Presidency Commissioner, Photis Photiou, told the Cyprus News Agency that his office is in consultations with the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General in Cyprus, Elizabeth Spehar on the matter.
Photiou added that the vaccination programme for the enclaved has been completed and this was an additional reason that the north should not create any problems citing the pandemic. Photiou said the north has not responded yet to the request.
There are in total 243 enclaved registered as voters: 193 Greek Cypriots and 50 Maronites.
Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage gets Europa Nostra award
Haravgi, Phileleftheros
CBMs
OVERVIEW
The Bicommunal Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage received a ‘Dedicated Service to Heritage’ award in the 2021 European Heritage Awards/Europa Nostra Awards, the dailies report.
Citing a press release by the Committee, the dailies report that the Technical Committee for Cultural Heritage has in its 13 years of existence preserved more than 70 monuments of great historical, archaeological, religious and social importance.
The award constitutes a moral reward for the commitment of the members of the Bicommunal Technical Committee in their effort to save the cultural heritage of Cyprus and in creating a climate of trust and understanding between the two Communities on the island, the announcement said.
The Technical Committee for Cultural Heritage expressed the will of the Cypriot people – Greek Cypriots, Turkish Cypriots, Maronites, Armenians and Latins – for a coordinated action to save the cultural heritage of Cyprus.