GCC Press Review 15 June 2021

Front Page Headlines

Politis

The wide acceptance trips on ‘Nos

AKEL, ELAM, and EDEK, refuse government participation. Yesterday’s meeting of Christos Christos with President Anastasiades against the background of reforms, government formation, was a decisive step towards the normalisation of ELAM.

  • An unrecognisable Erdogan in Brussels – He eased tensions with Mitsotakis. The Cyprus problem was ‘present’ in most leader contacts in Brussels.
  • Dialysis patients: They will go to the occupied areas for blood dialysis

Phileleftheros

The president gets only Nos

Opposition: it rules out government participation, it will cooperate on reforms. The distribution of House committees is a sign of intentions.

  • Erdogan too welcomes the dialogue – Kyriacos Mitsotakis is ready for a positive agenda.
  • How the public opinion sees Annita’s election (as House president) – Poll: Averof is a grandmaster in the political chess.
  • Kolokasi ends up in the landfills, producers are despairing

Haravgi

There cannot be a government of wide acceptance without a political basis

Possible appointment of people from the Left as ministers will be frustrating.

  • EU-Turkey: Erdogan discussed a positive agenda & the Cyprus problem in Brussels
  • Demetris Christofias dared and made steps, always talking honestly (memorial event)
  • Threats by ELAM followers against a journalist, a police complaint was filed

Cyprus Mail

No charges over murdered women

No criminal charges for police officers who failed to act over missing women later found murdered.

  • AKEL declines to take part in government

Alithia

Mitsotakis-Erdogan broke the ice

The message Anastasiades sent through the Greek prime minister. Mitsotakis, Johnson and Merkel raised the Cyprus issue with Erdogan. A friendship attack by Tayyip Erdogan on Kyriacos Mitsotakis.

  • No by opposition to unity – They refuse participation to a government of wide acceptance. Andros Kyprianou is very disturbed by the possibility of (former AKEL MP) Adamos Adamou becoming a minister.
  • Which roads will Turkey construct in the occupied areas – They were announced yesterday.
  • Negative development: Tourist organisation TUI cancels packages to Cyprus and other countries

Main News

Erdogan meets EU leaders in Brussels, Cyprob issue raised

Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Regional/International Relations, Negotiations Process, EU Matters

OVERVIEW

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s meetings on Monday with EU leaders, including Greek Prime Minister Kyriacos Mitsotakis and the Cyprus problem were among the main items of the dailies on Tuesday.

Erdogan held a 50-minute meeting with Mitsotakis on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Brussels, during which they agreed to tone down tensions between their two countries and cooperate on the migration issue.

Haravgi and Cyprus Mail report that there was no reference to the Cyprus problem after the meeting.

All dailies cite Greek government sources saying that the 50-minute meeting took place in a cordial climate, and there was an agreement of mutual understanding that the tensions of 2020 cannot be repeated. It was clarified, however, the same sources said, that a series of very significant differences still exist, the main one being the delimitation of maritime zones in the Aegean and the Eastern Mediterranean.

“These differences will have to be dealt with in the context of international law, exploratory talks, confidence-building measures and political consultations.” Mitsotakis and Erdogan also discussed the refugee and migration crisis, with the Greek premier noting that a goodwill gesture on Turkey’s behalf would be to take back the 1,450 asylum seekers whose applications were irreversibly rejected by Greek authorities.

Earlier on Monday, President Nicos Anastasiades had a telephone conversation with Mitsotakis ahead of his meeting with Erdogan. The dailies cite government sources, that told the Cyprus News Agency that Anastasiades asked Mitsotakis to convey to the Turkish president the position of the GC side that Turkey should stop its actions in Varosha, which violate UN Security Council resolutions. He also asked him to convey that no solution is acceptable for the Cyprus issue other than that of the bizonal bicommunal federation, something that should be taken into account in case of a new informal five-party summit on the Cyprus issue.

Cyprus, according to the same sources, could change its position and maintain a positive agenda only in the event that Turkey proceeds to reverse its actions in relation to Famagusta. UN special envoy Jane Holl Lute is expected in Cyprus at the end of next week, the same sources said, the dailies report.

Cyprus Mail and Haravgi report that on the issue of the informal summit on the Cyprus problem, the same sources said that the way things are now, it is not expected it will take place any time soon.

All dailies report that Erdogan discussed the Cyprus problem during his meetings with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

A German government spokesperson said Merkel and Erdogan discussed Turkey’s relationship with the EU in the run-up to the European Council meeting on June 24, and the United Nations-led resolution on the Cyprus issue.

Downing Street said, that during his meeting with Erdogan, Johnson welcomed the de-escalation of tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean and stressed the importance of reaching a settlement in Cyprus through the UN-led process. They also agreed to work to deepen the relationship between the UK and Turkey in a range of areas including trade and defence.

According to Phileleftheros, Mitsotakis appeared ready for a positive agenda with Turkey despite the two countries’ strong disagreements. The daily also reports that the issue of the Eastern Mediterranean and Turkey’s attitude towards Cyprus’ and Greece’s sovereignty was one of the important topics of discussion on the sidelines of the NATO summit. Top state leaders raised the issue during their meetings with Erdogan, some combining it with the Cyprus issue, the daily reported. Citing Politico, the paper reports that Merkel’s goal is a plan to reward Turkey for Ankara’s constructive behaviour in the Eastern Mediterranean with benefits such as the modernisation of the EU-Turkey Customs Uunion.

Alithia reports that Mitsotakis and Erdogan broke the ice while government sources said that Greece is ready to agree to a positive agenda despite any differences. The daily also reports that Erdogan launched a friendship attack on Greece before his meeting with Mitsotakis. During an event organised by the German Marshall Fund think tank, he said that “the reopening of dialogue channels with our neighbour Greece contributed to problem solving and regional stability.”

Politis reports that Erdogan was unrecognisable since he put his smiling face on after a while during his contacts on the sidelines of the NATO summit and that Athens and Ankara broke the ice just a few days before the crucial European Council which is expected to discuss open Euro-Turkish issues.


Famagusta dialysis patients warn they will seek treatment in north

Politis
Human Rights

OVERVIEW

According to the daily, the 45 haemodialysis patients who go for treatment at the Famagusta general hospital, said that, unless the problems they face are resolved, they will start going for dialysis in Famagusta in the north since the hospital there is better equipped and staffed.

The head of the dialysis patients of the free Famagusta area, Giorgos Kezos, told Politis that the Famagusta hospital’s dialysis machines are the old ones of the Nicosia hospital which were replaced with new ones and often present technical problems. He expressed concerns about the consequences of one them breaking down while a patient is on dialysis.

Kezos also said that there are no nephrologists on call on a daily basis to manage emergencies while on several occasions, the dialysis was carried out by nurses, without the presence of a doctor. He also referred to inadequate equipment necessary for the patients such as beds. He said the Famagusta hospital in Paralimni only has seven beds and three chairs for patients. Kezos said the dialysis unit in the Famagusta hospital in the occupied areas has 15 beds for patient treatment and is better staffed with TC doctors.

The Famagusta dialysis patients had in the past protested the conditions at the Famagusta hospital by abstaining from their treatment.  

According to Kezos, there has been no improvement to this situation despite that they have repeatedly brought this to the attention of those in charge and, unless something is done soon, they have no choice but to seek treatment in the north to save their lives.


Low tourist flow, crossings affect crops sales

Phileleftheros
CBMs, Economy

OVERVIEW

The daily reports that kolokasi (taro) producers in Sotira in the Famagusta district are in a dire economic situation since, for the second consecutive year there have been problems with exports due to the pandemic while demand among local consumers has plunged, also due to lack of tourism. Producers said kolokasi cultivation is very expensive since each root needs one tonne of water throughout its almost one year of life. They said that this year, they already started to destroy the crops to become fertiliser since they will remain unsold. In Sotira, around 750 tonnes of kolokasi is produced annually.

Phileleftheros also quotes crops producers in the area saying that another problem they have been facing since the crossings reopened some two weeks ago, was the import of tomatoes and other produce from the occupied areas. This produce, they said, which, could be coming from Turkey, has flooded the Nicosia markets, and, as a result, they had to throw away tomatoes, cucumbers and other crops that remained unsold.

According to the daily, Polis Chrysochous area producers too, are facing worse conditions than last year since there is an abundance of crops that remain unsold since there are no tourists. In Argaka, producers dumped pineapples in a landfill due to a lack of demand, the daily reported.


Larnaca journalist threatened by ELAM followers

Haravgi
Internal Security

OVERVIEW

The daily reports that editor-in-chief of Skala Times news portal Yiota Demetriou received indirect threats against her life from ELAM followers.

Demetriou was verbally attacked after announcing on Facebook that the Larnaca-based news portal would create a column that would monitor the work of the new MPs of the district and making clear that it would not support the positions of neonazi ELAM. After the post was published, Demetriou received a storm of swears and insults from ELAM followers some of whom expressed indirect threats against her life. Demetriou reported this to the police.

This was the second time such verbal attacks are recorded in recent days against other journalists, Haravgi reports.


No from AKEL, EDEK, ELAM to the ‘wide acceptance government’

Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Governance & Power Sharing

OVERVIEW

The dailies report that AKEL, EDEK and ELAM turned down President Nicos Anastasiades’ proposal for participation in a government of wide acceptance. The parties announced their decisions after separate meetings with the president on Monday. Anastasiades is scheduled to meet the leaders of the rest of the parliamentary parties, DIKO, DIPA, and the Greens, on Tuesday.

Politis reports that despite that ELAM turned down Anastasiades’ proposal, the meeting with the party against the background of reforms and possible participation in the government in any way is a step towards the normalisation of ELAM.

Phileleftheros also reports on a survey carried out right after the election of DISY MP Annita Demetriou as House President that shows that most people were on board with this development.

Citing the results of the survey, carried out by Pulse between June 11 and 13 among 611 people over 18, the paper reports that DISY leader Averof Neophytou has been proven as the grandmaster in political chess as regards this election.

More than half of respondents (53%) believe that Demetriou was the best among the available choices while one in four said she was not the best choice.

It also reports that Neophytou, at 53%, is the only political leader who is evaluated positively on his moves as regards the election of the House President with the rest garnering under 30%.

The daily points out that AKEL leader Andros Kyprianou (21%) and DIKO leader Nicolas Papadopoulos (21%) received a lower positive assessment by respondents than ELAM leader Christos Christou (28%). The Greens’ Charalambos Theopemptou received 26 %, DIPA leader Marios Garoyian 25% and EDEK leader Marinos Sizopoulos got 19%.


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