GCC Press Review 4 Mar 2020

Front Page Headlines

Politis

Coronavirus statistically harmless for Cyprus

An analysis by RetailZoom shows that 19 instances would “correspond” to us. Decision for the crossing points hasty and without analysis and risk assesment. More dangerous than season flu that caused the death of 17 people last year.

  • Green line and… a line (queue) for asylum: Buffer zone full of holes
  • UN – Syria: War crimes by Russia – Turkey
  • More prosecutions for Ledras

Phileleftheros

Blackmails with thousands victims

Erdogan continues using migrants as a siege machine – Greece withstood. Europe runs to Evros and looks for answers.

  • Alarm sounded in the government (over migrants)
  • 55 year old to be tried, they look for other about Ledras – Hotel owners of Famagusta region ask for the Dherynia checkpoint to not reopen
  • Damascus on the counter attack, Turkey sends army
  • Contacts with G/C hotel owners for opening of Famagusta
  • Refugees (displaced) at estates trapped in cages

Haravgi

Humans – pawns in the games of the powerful

Unstable situation at the Greek-Turkish border. Greece obtained European solidarity. Cypriot government was idle over migrant issue.

  • Appearance of coronavirus an open possibility – Displeasure by the T/C members of the Technical Committee for checkpoints – Drop in immovable properties and tourism in the midst of concern for coronavirus
  • (Kyprianou) They breed racism and nationalism
  • He was giving a Nazi salute without being arrested

Cyprus Mail

Migrant flow of ‘high concern’

Checks for visitors from four more countries, minister says island ready for an epidemic.

  • World: Turkey shoots down third Syrian plane

Alithia

Emergency situation

Greece – Cyprus: Barrier to Erdogan’s attack. Turning his threats into action the Turkish President started sending thousands of migrants to Greece and Cyprus, creating unprecedented situations in these two countries.

  • Uncontrolled flow of refugees from occupied areas: We can’t bear them
  • Russian center: Turkey attempts to push 130,000 refugees from Syria towards Greece
  • Al. Constantinides (opinion): A “proposal” by Tassos for the return of Famagusta and the lies
  • Elections in Israel: Benjamin Netanyahu has seven lives and celebrates the “greatest victory in his life”

Main News

EU closely follows checkpoints situation – RoC considers more measures

Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Oikonomiki Kathimerini, Phileleftheros, Politis
CBMs, Internal Security, Negotiations Process, EU Matters

OVERVIEW

President Anastasiades called reactions against the temporary closure of four checkpoints unjustified, Cyprus Mail reports. Anastasiades was responding to criticisms from opposition parties as well as from the T/C side and protestors, as well as criticism that the move could be violating the Green Line Regulation.

Anastasiades said in a written statement that severe reactions are not justified when decisions are taking aiming to protect the whole of the population of the island, that is both G/Cs and T/Cs. He added that reactions would be justified if the decisions were political in nature, but insisted that this decision was not. However, he added, it is the democratic right of everyone to express themselves in way that they believe expresses their feelings.

The dailies also report on a statement by an EU official which confirmed that the Commission had been notified of the government’s decision and that it was expecting the ckecks to be carried under the Green Line Regulation. The Commission will be following measures closely to ensure that they are proportional and in accordance with the regulation, the EU official added.

Phileleftheros and Politis report that the police is seeking for additional people to question over the events that took place at Ledra street during Saturday’s protest against the closure of the four checkpoints. It is noted that the 55 year old apologised and was let go but will be tried on the grounds of disturbing public peace.

Phileleftheros reports that the ministerial committee tasked with coordinating efforts against the coronavirus is expected to increase measures. Minister of the Interior Nikos Nouris said that as long as extra security measures are taken in airports and ports, there will be measures at the checkpoints. He also said that the four checkpoints selected were not chosen randomly, but that there is reasoning behind it, which proves that the protection of citizens is the government’s only aim.

Oikonomiki Kathimerini reports that Tuesday’s meeting of the President with the ministers assigned to follow the situation there was no indication when the checkpoints might reopen. The newspaper notes that when the issue was discused in the Cabinet of Ministers last week there was a disagreement on whether to close some or all of the checkpoints, but the President finally decided on a partial closure.

The report cites sources saying that diplomats at the highest level had been discusing closing checkpoints in relation with the issue of migration, but also in relation to recent tensions on the Green Line and the T/C “government” decision to open Famagusta.

Cyprus Mail also reports that the Turkish Cypriot side has decided to ban people from high risk countries from entering the occupied areas. Leonidas Phylactou, the G/C head of the bicommunal Technical Committee on Health, announced after a meeting of the committee on Tuesday that T/Cs had informed them they will stop accepting the entry of people from China, Iran, Iraq, Italy, South Korea and other high risk countries.

Phylactou also said that students from Iran who visited their country were not allowed to return to the north. Also, the T/C members informed the committee that persons who had travelled from high risk countries through Turkey and attempted to enter the north were turned back.

Phylactou added that the T/C members expressed dissapointment with the government’s decision to temporarily shut down four crossing points. He said that the G/C members explained that the decision was taken to protect the entire population of the island.

In its first specific statement on the issue since Saturday, governing party DISY president Averof Neofytou backed the President’s decision and adopted the government’s position that there was no political motive behind it, the Cyprus Mail reports. The measures are related to an extraordinary health-related risk and had no political connotations, he added.

Oikonomiki Kathimerini reports, citing sources, that DISY had not been informed of the government’s decision and that the party is incensed with the fact that it was announced right after a meeting of the President with the leader of ELAM.

According to the dailies, AKEL secretary general Antros Kyprianou said on Tuesday that the government’s approach was breeding “unacceptable racist and fascist behiavours”. He called on the President to produce scientific evidence to back up the government’s actions. Kyprianou also added that people, including T/Cs, are right to ask how the closure of four checkpoints while three remian open helps to prevent the arrival of the coronavirus. Kyprianou condemned the scuffle between protesters and police and the army on Saturday, but insisted that no one can waive a person’s right to protest.

Politis cites a statistical analysis by the company RetailZoom which, taking into account the population on both sides of the island, the population of all countries affected by the coronavirus and the total number of all infected, dead or that have fully recuperated, found that at this moment one should expect 19 instance of coronavirus in Cyprus. At least one is expected to die from the disease and at least 10 will recuparate, according to the same data.

KEY ACTORS
Commission official
>> The EU has been notified of the government’s measures
>> The Comission will be following closely to ensure measures are taken proportionally and in accordance with Green Line Regulation

Anastasiades
>> Severe reactions for closure of checkpoints is not justified since decision was not political
>> It is the democratic right of everyone to express themselves and protest

Nouris (Interior Minister)
>> Measures at checkpoints will continue as long as there are measures at airports
>> The four checkpoints were not randomly selected

Phylactou (Bicommunal committee on health)
>> The T/Cs have announced they will not accept people arriving from affected countries in to the north
>> T/C members were dissapointed by decision of G/C side

Neofytou (DISY)
>> No political reasoning behind decision

Kyprianou (AKEL)
>> Government’s actions breed unacceptable racist and fascist behaviours


Government raises concerns over irregular migration through buffer zone

Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Migration & Citizenship, Human Rights, CBMs, Regional/ International Relations, External Security, EU Matters

OVERVIEW

The government has raised concerns that Turkey is attempting to alter the demographic character of Cyprus through a controlled flow of migrants to the island and through areas of the buffer zone that are inadequately guarded, echoing the migration crisis on the Greco-Turkish border, the dailies report.

The statements were made by President Anastasiades after a telephone conversation with Greek prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and following a meeting with ministers responsible for migrant issues, Cyprus Mail points out.

Anastasiades said that because of events in Greece he suspected that there had been a similar organised effort by Turkey to send migrants to Cyprus, and noted that Cyprus is the highest per capita country for asylum seekers.

Interior Minister Nicos Nouris said on Tuesday that over the past three days, more than 220 irregular migrants arrived in Cyprus, excluding the 100 that arrived on Tuesday afternoon off Cape Greco, Cyprus Mail reports. According to Nouris, around 150 persons applied for asylum on Tuesday morning.

Nouris added that the country had reached its limits in terms of economic migrants, pointing out that the need to handle their numbers was taking away resources needed to help refugees from war-torn countries that arrived on the island.

Politis points out that the buffer zone seems to be lacking enough checks to ensure no entry of migrants into the government controlled areas. But further points that most of the people that the government claims crossed into the south in the past few days did not use the checkpoints that are still open.

Politis also notes that despite cricitisms towards UNFICYP about allegedly allowing migrants to cross, the UN peacekeeping force is not authorised to deal with the issue.

Alithia reports that 153 people, mainly of Bangladeshi and Pakistani origin but also from Sierra Leon, Cameroon and Senegal, passed through an unguarded spot of the buffer zone in the Engomi area, in west Nicosia. The migrants then went to the asylum department to apply, according to the newspaper.

The claim that about 100 people were waiting to seek asylum on the Green Line was first put forward by government spokesperson Kyriakos Koushios. Cyprus Mail notes that Koushios did not say exactly where these people were waiting.

Koushios also said that the government is in contact with the EU and Frontex and asking for new measures in regards to the situation, noting that Greece, Italy, Malta and Cyprus are the borders of the EU.

Emilia Strovolidou, UNCHR’s public information officer in Cyprus, told the Cyprus Mail that the organisation was told by immigration authorities that 130 applied for asylum on Tuesday, out of which 105 were in Nicosia. She could not however confirm reports of 100 people asking for asylum on the Green Line.

UNFICYP also did not confirm the government’s claim when asked by media.

In his statements, Nouris also said that around 12,000 people had been offered international protection in Cyprus, while 17,000 asylum applications and 4,000 appeals are pending. Nouris said that Cyprus’ position during Wednesday’s extraordinary EU Home Affairs Council would be that the country needs help to speed up examinatino of asylum applications and expedite the return process, so that economic migrants can be reduced and help can be offered to those that “really need it”.

KEY ACTORS
Anastasiades
>> Concerned that Turkey might be directing migrants towards Cyprus in the same way as what happens in Greece
>> Concerns that Turkey wants to alter demographic make up of country

Nouris (Interior Minister)
>> We will ask the EU to help us process applications faster so that economic migrants can be decreased and we can use resources to help refugees


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