Front Page Headlines
Shambles with wasted money for electricity
Bad programming overcharges electricity consumers and economy. Ministries, AHK (Electricity Authority), RAEK (Cyprus Energy Regulatory Authority), Operator cannot find common ground to avoid renting probably unecessary mobile units. AHK messed up with anti-pollution technology and its more economical units were knocked out.
Market opens shutters
What changes in retail, businesses, construction sector and elsewhere. Owners unlock their businesses having done necessary preliminary work.
- USA pressures Nicosia: Demand over Russian ships remains
- Fuel tanks at Vassilikos overflow: Low prices filled Vttn – Petrolina fuel tanks – Old tankers off the coast of Limassol turned into floating storage
Normality with gaps and ambiguities
Eight new cases announced yesterday. President: Additional responsibility by all for what comes after. Surgeries with 60% of available beds.
- The next day of the pandemic in the Cyprus Problem
The great gamble
Economy restarts today – Will we make it? The return: Thousands of workers return today to their work. Will we manage to prevent the spread of the virus? Anastasiades: We take the first careful steps out of our bunkers. This creates an additional responsibility for all. Strict controls: Police, army, workers in state agencies and municipality employees will check citizens and businesses. 300 euro fine to offenders or criminal persecution or suspension of operations for business.
Main News
Cases remain at single digits one day before loosening of measures
Alithia, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Internal Security, Human Rights, CBMs
OVERVIEW
Coronavirus updates have been partially downgraded in Monday’s coverage, as the dailies focus more on the loosening of the measures and its economic and social side effects.
According to the latest announcements by the Health Ministry, 8 new cases were detected on Sunday in the government controlled areas (including the SBAs) as a result of 1,968 tests, bringing the total number of cases up to 872. No new cases were detected in the occupied areas as a result of 507 tests. The number of cases in the north remains at 108.
By Sunday afteronn 12 people were being hospitalised at the Famagusta General Hospital, two of which in the Intensive Care Unit. Five people were entubated at the Limassol General Hospital, and four at the Nicosia General Hospital. One more person had been taken off the respirator in Nicosia. Another five coronavirus patients are hospitalised throughout Cyprus. One patient is currently being hospitalised in the north.
Experts in the Health Ministry point out that the number of people being treated in hospital has been reduced as compared to last week.
AKEL and T/C parties to issue joint statement on Cyprus Problem
Haravgi
Negotiations Process, CBMs
OVERVIEW
Haravgi reports on statements by AKEL secretary general Andros Kyprianou that President Anastasiades should take the iniative and push for a resumption of negotiations once the coronavirus pandemic has subsided.
Kyprianou told the newspaper that AKEL is preparing a common declaration with T/C parties which will underline the need for the two communities to push towards a solution. Kyprianou did not elaborate on which parties AKEL is in contact with over the issue, but said that they are all in the process of coordinating their positions.
The opposition leader told the newspaper that Anastasiades should work for a solution as soon as possible, expressing the hope that Mustafa Akinci remains the T/C leader. Kyprianou also said that today Cyprus is facing multiple dangers, including increased Turkish aggression, and noted that the most effective way to combat said aggression is to arrive at a commonly agreed solution.
Kyprianou also pointed out that crises such as the pandemic – including forest fires in the past – have shown that the two communities need to cooperate on all fronts.
Kyprianou was also asked whether it is time to start discussing reopening the chekpoints. He replied that the time for this will come and that decisions on this issue should be taken in a coordinated manner.
KEY ACTORS
Kyprianou (AKEL)
>> AKEL is in the process of preparing a common declaration with T/C parties over need to push for solution
>> Anastasiades should push for a solution as soon as possible since it is the most effective way to combat Turkish aggression
>> Pandemic has shown that the two sides must be ready to cooperate on all fronts
>> The time to discuss checkpoints will come – Decisions should be taken in a coordinated manner
USA insists that Cyprus ends facilitation of Russian navy
Phileleftheros
External Security, Regional/ International Relations
OVERVIEW
Phileleftheros reports that the USA is pushing for Cyprus to end the practice of allowing Russian military ships to use Cypriot ports, as a condition for further strengthening bilateral relations.
According to the newspaper, the US State Department has been assessing the Cypriot government’s cooperation regarding fighting money laundering as adequate, but pointed out that the US government is against Cyprus facilitating the Russian navy.
Phileleftheros bases its reporting on a letter sent by deputy Secretary of State Matthew Palmer to Nkos Laryggakis, the president of Greek American lobby American Hellenic Institute. The letter was a reply to a letter by Laryggakis. Laryggakis said in a statement that Palmer did not mention the Cypriot expectation of being removed from the list of embargoed countries, and that the American official did not comment on the Cypriot side’s arguments against the demand that Cyprus ends the facilitation of the Russian navy.
Phileleftheros recalls that those two issues are included as prerequisites in the legislation that was recently adopted by Congress and could lead to a lifting of the US embargo on selling weapons to Cyprus.
According to information cited by the newspaper, Nicosia has been informed by Washington that the only pending issue is the publication of the law in the US Federal Register.
The newspaper notes that Cyprus has told the US that the demand to end visits by Russian ships to Cypriot ports is excessive, especially since Russian ships also use ports of NATO member countries.