Front Page Headlines
PANDEMIC
An ‘orphan’ (Covid-19) case in Paphos. More cases are expected within the coming days. The health ministry announced yesterday four new coronavirus cases. Decision by the education ministry to close all schools.
- A support package is on its way – Measures for businesses-tourism.
- NYT on Greece: Secret detention centres for migrants
New (Covid-19) cases, new measures
Concerns over the taxi driver for which there is no cause of infection by the virus. The new decisions for the Nicosia and Limassol hospitals.
- Contact Christodoulides-Borrell on the migration issue
- Cavusoglu threatens to send a third drillship
- Turkish F16s flew over Evros
- The (Cypriot) MMAD (emergency response unit) officers joined a multinational force in Evros
More measures on the coronavirus are on their way
The health ministry is expected to announce stricter measures within the coming days in an effort to tackle the coronavirus threat after the increase of the confirmed cases to six and the WHO declaring a pandemic. Problems for patients after the cancellation of appointments and surgeries.
- The government is turning a blind eye as regards the high fuel prices
Four new cases, all schools shut
All schools and colleges closed. Two of four new cases came from UK. Govt promises financial package.
- Tourism officials: ‘we’re facing worst crisis ever, Easter bookings at zero’
Coronavirus all over Cyprus
Four new cases, the number is expected to rise. The big bet is not to let the situation get out of hand and have the same situation as in Italy. Four new confirmed cases yesterday bringing the number so far to six. A Limassol taxi driver is one of the new cases. Alarm at the Larnaca airport over a plane passenger. As of Friday, all schools of all levels will close island-wide for 15 days. The Church ignores the ban on gatherings of over 75 people and will operate as usual.
- Erdogan: The Greeks are like the Nazis
Main News
All schools to close after Covid-19 cases rise to six
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Human Rights, CBMs
OVERVIEW
The main item in all papers on Thursday is the confirmation of four new Covid-19 cases in the government-controlled areas bringing the number to six. The government announced new measures, expected to become stricter within the coming days.
The dailies report that the education ministry announced that all schools will be closed from Friday until March 20 while stricter measures could follow depending on developments. They also report that the World Health Organisation (WHO) officially labelled the coronavirus a pandemic.
The four new cases concern two men who arrived from the UK at Larnaca airport on Tuesday night and a man who has been in quarantine at Limassol hospital after contacting the authorities. The fourth is a woman from Greece who lives permanently in Cyprus and who had recently travelled to her country. She was in self-isolation at home when she exhibited symptoms.
Dailies also report that there are now seven confirmed Covid-19 cases on the island, six in the south and one in the north.
Cyprus Mail reports that another possible Covid-19 case had authorities on high alert as a 28-year-old man showed signs of a fever and other coronavirus related symptoms on a flight from Britain. He and 148 passengers and five crew members were quarantined at old Larnaca airport after landing. After medical checks – which showed them all to be negative – they have been asked to self-isolate for 14 days, the daily reports.
Politis reports that one of the confirmed cases is an ‘orphan’ case, meaning that the patient has no history of exposure to the virus. The case concerns a Cypriot taxi driver who has not travelled abroad recently and has not come in contact with a confirmed or suspected Covid-19 case. The man had a fever and contacted authorities. This case has caused great concern since he had no idea he had Covid-19 and it is possible he has been transmitting the virus. Authorities are trying to locate all the persons who have come in contact with him during the past few days, the daily reports.
Alithia reports that the confirmed cases are expected to rise since the Institute of Neurology and Genetics is currently examining between 80 and 100 samples while many Cypriots living abroad including students are expected to return home for the Easter holidays, mainly from Greece and the UK.
The daily also reports that crossings between the two sides have decreased after the announcements of confirmed Covid-19 cases by the two communities.
Crossings at the Ayios Dometios crossing point are decreasing day by day, since March 9, the paper reported.
In total 3,800 people crossed on Monday, 2,900 on Tuesday and 2,300 until Wednesday afternoon, the daily reports.
It added that after the Ledra street crossing closed the one at Ledra Palace has more traffic, while TC nurses are now checking the temperature of those crossing to the occupied areas and distribute flyers with information in Turkish and English but not in Greek, the paper reported.
Alithia and Haravgi also report that UniteCyprusNow has announced that they would suspend mass gatherings until further notice but called on the two leaders to authorise the Technical Committee on Health to closely and openly cooperate to prevent the spread of the coronavirus on the island.
All dailies also report that many rushed to the shops and pharmacies to purchase mainly water, toilet paper, pasta and rice, baby food, detergents but also respiratory masks and disinfectants.
RoC mulls over legal measures against those crossing illegally through buffer zone
Haravgi, Phileleftheros
Internal Security, Migration & Citizenship, EU Matters
OVERVIEW
Phileleftheros, citing information, reports that the government plans on introducing strict checks along the ceasefire line, which, along with legal measures will help drastically curb the migration flows from the occupied areas. These measures, currently being scrutinised by the Attorney-general, concern ways to make entering the Republic of Cyprus from non-designated points of entry, a criminal offence.
The paper reports that it is a common conviction that the ceasefire line is a 184-kilometre black hole from which a large number of migrants arrives who later on file for asylum. This is also the case when they are caught crossing the ceasefire line, the daily reported, adding that for that reason, increased monitoring of the area but also preventive measures such as the criminalisation of the act and imprisonment are deemed necessary.
Such a thing requires special attention due to the political situation but it is believed that solutions could be found to help curb these flows, Phileleftheros reports.
The daily also reports that Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides had a telephone conversation with the EU’s High Representative, Josep Borrell, whom he briefed on the positions of the Republic of Cyprus on the migration issue. Borell briefed Christodoulides on the Turkish President’s contacts in Brussels last Monday and his positions.
In another article, Phileleftheros reports that DISY MEP Lefteris Christoforou said during the discussion at the European Parliament of the bloc’s budget for the next seven years, that European citizens don’t want the bloc funding countries that do not apply the values and principles of the EU such as Turkey. He said Turkey must not receive not even one cent from the EU’s budget.
Haravgi reports that AKEL MEP Giorgos Georgiou, in a written statement ahead of the European Parliament’s plenary session, accused the EU of encouraging Erdogan’s games as regards the migration issue. Georgiou said that the EU continues to idly watch Erdogan taking advantage of the migrants’ drama and play games, capitalising on the role of the ‘protector of migrants’ which the EU has bestowed on him and using them as a bargaining chip for his geopolitical plans.
UNFICYP denies any incursion in Deneia buffer zone but village says not true
Cyprus Mail, Haravgi
External Security, Human Rights
OVERVIEW
The papers report that UNFICYP on Wednesday said there had been no incursion into the buffer zone at Deneia by Turkish farmers, even though the village’s community leader insisted there had.
Citing statements by UNFICYP’s spokesperson Aleem Siddique to the Cyprus News Agency, the papers report that according to the peacekeeping mission no incursion inside the buffer zone at Deneia village had taken place this week. Siddique said that a tractor seen in the area was north of the ceasefire line. There was no tractor inside the buffer zone, Siddique told the Cyprus News Agency. He added that UNFICYP has been in touch with both sides concerning this incident.
Deneia community leader Christakis Panayiotou, however, insisted that there were new violations on Tuesday by Turkish settlers in the buffer zone arguing that UNFICYP arrived at the area very late. He told CNA that the UN position is not correct and that the incident took place in the same area where violations were recorded last year as well.
Cyprus Mail reports that Deneia village has been reporting for some time that farmers from the north are entering its area in the buffer zone and are cultivating land used by GCs while residents said they caught on video the movement in the buffer zone.
State Department latest report points out human rights issues in Cyprus
Haravgi, Phileleftheros
Human Rights
OVERVIEW
The papers report on the State Department’s Report on Human Rights for 2019, released this week pointing out that the report made a distinction between the two sides as always.
Phileleftheros reports that the State Department insists on making the distinction between the Republic of Cyprus and the ‘area administered by Turkish Cypriots’ in its report on Cyprus.
The report points out that since 1974 the southern part of Cyprus has been under the control of the government of the Republic of Cyprus. The northern part of Cyprus, administered by Turkish Cypriots, proclaimed itself the ‘Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus’ (“TRNC”) in 1983. The United States does not recognize the ‘TRNC,’ nor does any country other than Turkey. A substantial number of Turkish troops remain on the island. A buffer zone, or Green Line, patrolled by the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), separates the two sides, the report said, Phileleftheros reports.
It added that the report made references to incidents of violence against TCs travelling to the government-controlled areas. TC leader Mustafa Akinci reported to the UN secretary-general’s special representative in Cyprus that a TC tourist bus driver was harassed by GCs at Larnaca airport. President Anastasiades instructed police to investigate the complaint, the report said according to Phileleftheros.
Haravgi too points out that the report made a distinction between the two sides.
On freedom of movement, the report includes some examples concerning forbidding entry to the country to foreign visitors who had declared they would be staying in the occupied areas, the daily reported.
It also mentioned that 5,600 TCs voted in the European Parliament elections but cites press reports that between 1,100 and 1,500 TCs were unable to vote because their names did not appear on the electoral list, Haravgi reports.