Front Page Headlines
Averof Neophytou’s candidacy opened the pre-election battle
With a small film at Eleftheria Square he sent a message within and beyond DISY.
- Drilling: 2-month suspense for ‘Glafcos’
- New museum: On a path of materialisation with a cost of 121 million euros
He put water in his wine
The President is signing the budget so that the economy does not freeze with a claim at the Supreme Court. Furious at the Presidential Palace over the stance of Marios Garoyian. They’re collecting data on ‘past sins’ with assoiciates.
- Averof announced his candidacy and at night he relaxed at a bar with the President: With a film from Eleftheria Square
- Vasos Karageorghis: The archeologist of Cyprus and Salamina died
- Nikos Nouris: There are no magic solutions for Migration
The rulers are denying citizens cheap electricity
The President referred back the law for a reduced VAT coefficient at 9%.
- Migrants: ‘Limnes’ reminds more of a holding rather than a reception centre
- 2023 Presidential Elections: Neophytou’s candidacy – pressure on Christodoulides to clear things up
- The ‘rector’ of Cypriot archaeology Vasos Karageorghis died
Huge backlog in asylum appeals
Nouris says 7,000 appeals before the court after speedy rejection of applications.
- Renowned archaeologist Vassos Karageorghis dies
- New Cyprus Museum will be the island’s biggest cultural project
Averof Neophytou: Announced his candidacy and is applying pressure on the Presidency to clear things up with FM
‘I have been bringing results for 30 years now, I never hid.’ ‘Good intentions, nice theories and public relations don’t help.’ ‘DISY is the party that guarantees social, political and financial stability.’
- Yiannis Karousos: The diamond of the budget: New museum of a total cost of €121.38 million
- We’re going for a fourth vaccine
Main News
EU announces €2.6m financial aid for CMP
Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros
Human Rights
OVERVIEW
The European Commission announced on Wednesday it has signed a new agreement to support the Committee on Missing Persons (CMP) to the tune of €2.6 million.
The Commission said that the EU’s Aid Programme for the TC community continues to provide assistance to facilitate the reunification of Cyprus and, as part of its efforts, it Commission has signed a new agreement for the support of the CMP.
This is the 13th delegation agreement between the European Commission and the United Nations Development Programme providing an addition of €2.6 million in support of the CMP for the year 2022.
Since 2006, the European Commission has been the major donor in support of the work of CMP, with a total contribution of €33 million. This, it said, demonstrates “the strong commitment of the European Commission to peacebuilding and reconciliation efforts in Cyprus.”
The European Commission said it supports the work of bicommunal GC and TC scientific teams involved in all stages of the process as well as awareness raising activities. These activities contribute to achieving a better understanding of mutual concerns and foster cooperation between the Cypriot communities, it added. Additionally, it said, the CMP humanitarian mandate contributes to providing relief to the families of missing persons constituting a crucial aspect of the overall efforts for reconciliation in the island.
Since 2006, the remains of 1,020 missing persons have been identified and returned to their families.
DISY leader announces candidacy for 2023 Presidential elections
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Governance & Power Sharing
OVERVIEW
DISY leader Averof Neophytou announced on Wednesday via four-minute video shot at Eleftheria Square his candidacy for the Presidential elections of 2023, noting that he would seek his party’s nomination, the dailies report.
His written announcement and video followed a party decision to set in motion procedures for the selection of the party’s candidate on March 12.
“I would like today to inform you of my intention to be a candidate for the presidency of the Republic. That is why I am submitting this proposal to the competent party organs,” Neophytou said.
Under the procedures agreed by DISY, party members interested in running for the top office in the land must submit their candidacy by January 10. That will kick off the primaries inside the party, culminating in an electoral congress on March 12 when approximately 1,800 delegates will select (by secret ballot) their party’s Presidential nominee for 2023.
Politis reports that though it was expected that such announcements would be made on January 10, sources said that as President of DISY, Neophytou had to announce his candidacy earlier.
In his announcement, Neophytou said he will strive for a “green and just growth”, digital transition, and the state’s technological transformation to better serve people. He also referred to the need for a modern local government, a faster justice system, transparency, improvements in education, and the obligation to continue to fight for the liberation and reunification of the country.
Neophytou said that he had been front and centre in the political scene for 30 years, and has, “with patience and modesty” achieved results with positive outcome in the country.
Phileleftheros reports that Neophytou appears to have President Nicos Anastasiades’ support, as after the announcement of his candidacy Neophytou went out for a drink at a bar with Anastasiades.
This is the first expression of interest in the party’s Presidential candidacy with speculations about what Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides, who is also expected to run, will do. Christodoulide continues to be evasive about his intentions, with DISY explicitly stating that it will not tolerate any of its members going about this outside party procedures.
Renowned archaeologist Vassos Karageorghis dies
Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros
CBMs
OVERVIEW
Eminent Cypriot archaeologist and Emeritus Professor Vassos Karageorghis died on Tuesday at the age of 92, the dailies report.
In an announcement on Wednesday, the University of Cyprus (UCY) bade farewell to Karageorghis, the first Professor of Archaeology in Cyprus and the founder of the Archaeological Research Unit of the university, recalling his impressive discoveries during excavations he led, such as the royal necropolis of Salamis, the monumental temples of Kition, the settlements of the Late Bronze Age in Pyla and Maa, and many others.
“Hard-working and tireless, charismatic, with unparalleled leadership skills, generous, resourceful and imaginative, a man of works and deeds, a profound connoisseur of Cypriot, and not only, archaeology,” UCY added.
The Education Ministry, the Cyprus Academy of the Sciences, Letters and Arts — of which Karageorghis was a founding member – political parties and other bodies paid tribute to the archaeologist. The Education Ministry said he was a “visionary, with deep knowledge of Cyprus archaeology, a tireless worker of the spirit, he leaves behind immortal work.”
Born in 1929 in Trikomo, Karageorghis studied archaeology at the Institute of Archaeology of the University of London (1948-1952). He received his doctorate from the same university in 1957. After completing his studies, he returned to Cyprus and began a career as an archaeologist at the Department of Antiquities, which he served for 37 years. In 1963 he succeeded Porphyrios Dikaios as the Director of the Department of Antiquities of the newly established Republic of Cyprus. He held this position until his retirement in 1989.
During this period, the University said, many monuments of Cyprus were uncovered and brought to the fore during his leadership, while archaeological museums were established in all districts of the island.
Karageorghis invited eminent foreign archaeologists to conduct excavations in Cyprus. “In turn, these archaeologists expanded the archaeology of our island even more, taught it in their universities and discussed it in international conferences and scientific publications, consolidating its international character and orientation.” Karageorghis also organised a series of international scientific conferences that dealt with a wide range of topics and brought distinguished archaeologists from all over the world to Cyprus.
From 1989 to 1992, Karageorghis served as an advisor to the President of the Republic of Cyprus, George Vasiliou. From 2013 to 2019 he was an Associate Professor at the Cyprus Institute. In 2016 he was appointed as one of the four founding members of the Cyprus Academy of Sciences, Letters and Arts, of which he became, in 2019, one of the four Transitional Regular Members. He was widely recognised and received the highest awards by many universities and research institutes, as well as by foreign Academies.