Front Page Headlines
Parliament has been bypassed on the loan guarantees
The liquidity for the economy remains at €1.7bn. The direct subsidy to businesses is to the tune of €100m, according to the government’s plan B. “I too, had had a difficult time” and “I trust you”, the president said in his address.
- Bring back Jasmin
Package of measures for everyone
The president announced direct grants, guaranteed loans, tax reductions. Possibility for businesses and the self-employed of drawing loans totalling €1.7bn.
- Nicosia is mobilised over UNFICYP
- €69M for the final studies on the EastMed (pipeline) – The intergovernmental agreement is to be tabled in parliament for ratification. The successful tenders will be chosen within the coming days.
- Problems with the migrants – Protests and reactions. The detection of 17 people linked with ISIS causes terror. In Chlorakas, 1,300 of the 3,900 residents are Syrians. Incidents at Pournara: As soon as the scabies infection is gone, the centre will open, the interior ministry said.
- They enter in colleges and exit as asylum seekers – Holes in the laws.
- EU supports Cyprus with €2.5bn – A mammoth package by the EU Commission.
Loans-subsidies, under terms and conditions
New support measures for businesses were announced yesterday by President Anastasiades which are based mainly on loans. The package includes, among other things, a one-off subsidy between €1,250 – €6,000 to small businesses and the self-employed, possibility of drawing loans totalling €1.7bn and interest rate subsidies.
- Andros Kyprianou: The government must put its relations with Russia on the right basis
- They promote racism, they tarnish Cyprus internationally – Those in government are using the refugee and migration issues with extreme ways in order to disorient (public opinion) by promoting xenophobia. (Interior Minister) Ν. Νouris – (DISY MP) K. Hadjiyiannis: There are 17 ISIS jihadis in Cyprus. What do the police say? Why do they not arrest and deport them?
Millions pumped into the economy
Measures to jumpstart crippled economy outlined in president’s address to nation.
- (Photo caption) Migrants at the Pournara camp in Kokkinotrimithia held a demonstration early on Wednesday morning to protest over the living conditions at the facility
Cash flows in the market
With the 10 new measures announced yesterday by the president. Hope for tourism.
- (Russian Ambassador) Osadchiy and AKEL: They repeat themselves – They see Americanisation of Cyprus.
- Migration is a burning issue – Police investigation into 3,600 civil marriages between 2018-2019. Chlorakas is at risk of ghettoisation. It has 3,900 residents and more than 1,300 Syrian migrants.
- European support: Substantial support – We will get around €2.5bn.
- Erdogan: He suffers from epilepsy, he has been operated on for cancer
Main News
Nicosia mobilises over UNFICYP mandate renewal
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros
External Security, Negotiations Process, Regional/International Relations, Energy
OVERVIEW
The dailies report that Nicosia has mobilised as regards discussion in the summer and vote by the UN Security Council on the renewal of UNFICYP’s mandate for another six months.
Phileleftheros reports that Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides told Active radio that nothing is for granted and that the government’s effort is on seeing the renewal of UNFICYP’ mandate.
The minister also said that as regards the Cyprus problem, there does not seem to be any structure for the restart of substantive talks before October when elections in the north will take place.
Haravgi and Phileleftheros report Mavroyiannis, told state broadcaster CyBC that there is a possibility that all that effort exerted by the government last January, when the UNFICYP mandate was last renewed for another six months, might be necessary to be carried out again.
Mavroyiannis said that discussion on the mandate renewal could also bring back to the fore the Cyprus problem since it will be mentioned in the UNSG’s report and the renewal resolution but that no developments are expected soon.
Mavroyiannis also said that solving the Cyprus problem through negotiations was a one-way road and that efforts are focused on the UN maintaining contacts with all stakeholders so that the conditions are created and, when the time comes for the restart of the talks, not to waste any time.
“We must maintain these conditions, and if non-existent, up to a point, we must create them so that later, a new effort could be developed through a meeting, procedural at first, that creates the preconditions for a substantive meeting,” Mavroyiannis said, according to Haravgi.
He said that the UNSG report on UNFICYP is expected to be submitted in June and that efforts will focus on consultations between the Security Council members ahead of their demands put forth last January.
Phileleftheros reports that Nicosia is mobilising as regards the renewal of UNFICYP’s mandate. Citing sources, the paper reports that Christodoulides has already discussed the issue with three of the five foreign ministers of the countries that are permanent members of the UN Security Council, namely Russia, China and Britain. The foreign ministry has also invited the ambassadors of the five permanent members for a discussion on UNFICYP’s mandate.
In New York, Mavroyiannis, has launched his own round of contacts ahead of the discussion on UNFICYP, the daily reported.
No date has been given so far on when the discussion at the Security Council on the mandate’s renewal will take place but it must take place before June 30, the paper reports.
The dailies report that Russian Ambassador to Nicosia Stanislav Osadchiy said on Wednesday that his country always stands by the Cyprus people on the Cyprus problem and that Russia’s relations with Turkey do not affect its position on the problem.
Following a meeting with AKEL leader Andros Kyprianou, Osadchiy, replying to a question, said Russia has its own bilateral relations with Turkey, which are not so easy but are developing with difficulty, adding that Russia and Turkey have disagreements on Syria and on Libya right now.
“We hope that these relations will also develop,” he noted, adding however that “this in no way affects the Cyprus problem.”
Kyprianou assessed that the Cyprus problem will be on the agenda again after elections in the north and that Russia’s backing was necessary for a just, functional and viable solution.
He also referred to the bill by US Senators Robert Menendez and Mark Rubio and expressed concerns over that while the government has been declaring that its provisions were not binding, they are gradually starting to be implemented.
Kyprianou called on the government to assess carefully relations with Russia and make sure it is on the right footing.
Asked whether he is worried about the
Menendez-Rubio Bill and whether it affects bilateral relations between the two
countries, Osadchiy replied, “certainly the Menendez – Rubio Bill can but worry
us and what the objectives of Americans are here in Cyprus.”
“We hope that our bilateral relations which we have developed and are being
developed for 60 years will allow us to overcome these difficulties,” he said,
according to Haravgi.
In another article, Phileleftheros, citing Turkish media reports, reported that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is expected to appoint his son-in-law, Berat Albayrak, who is currently finance minister, as foreign minister. The daily reports that this move confirms that current Foreign Minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu is not among Erdogan’s close circle, the daily reports.
It adds that Albayrak’s expected appointment also sends out political messages within and outside Turkey while for some, Erdogan, with this move, assigns Albayrak as his successor. The fact that Albayrak had greatly dealt with energy issues, it does not rule out that this also has to do with the strategy Ankara wants to follow, to throw the biggest weight of its foreign policy on energy issues, the daily reported.
KEY ACTORS
Christodoulides (CY FM)
>> Government is focused on seeing the renewal of UNFICYP’ mandate because nothing is for granted.
>> Does not believe there would be developments on the Cyprob before October’s elections in the north.
Mavroyiannis (CY’s perm rep to UN)
>> Nicosia is getting ready to exert the same effort as last January as regards UNFICYP’s mandate , given the demands put forth by some SC members at the time.
>> Discussion on the mandate could also bring to the fore the Cyprob but no developments are expected soon.
>> Believes that solving the Cyprob through negotiations is a one-way road.
>> Nicosia must make sure that the conditions are created so that no time is wasted for the restart of the talks when conditions allow. A new effort could be developed through a meeting, procedural at first that creates the preconditions for a substantive one.
Osadchiy (Russia)
>> Russia always stands by the Cyprus people on the Cyprob. Russia’s relations with Turkey do not affect its position on this issue.
>> Russia has its own bilateral relations with Turkey, which at the moment are tricky due to disagreements on Syria and Libya, but hopefully they will improve.
>> Russia is concerned by the Rubio-Menendez bill and what the objectives of Americans are in Cyprus but hopes that 60-year-old bilateral relations between Kremlin and Nicosia will allow the two countries to overcome these difficulties.
Kyprianou (AKEL)
>> Believes the Cyprob will be brought to the fore after elections in the north & that Russia’s backing is necessary for a just, functional and viable solution.
>> Concerned about the Rubio-Menendez bill and that while the government has been declaring that its provisions were not binding, they are gradually starting to be implemented.
>> Called on the government to assess carefully relations with Russia and make sure they are on the right footing.
Government pushes forth for EastMed pipeline
Haravgi, Phileleftheros
Energy, EU Matters, Regional/International Relations
OVERVIEW
The dailies report that the government is pushing forth with the ratification of a bill on the Cyprus-Greece-Israel intergovernmental agreement on the construction of the EastMed pipeline.
Haravgi reports cabinet approved the bill on Wednesday while Phileleftheros, citing information, reports the bill is expected to be approved within the coming days.
Parliament too will have to approve the bill.
Greece has already ratified the bill in May Phileleftheros reports, adding that the cost of the technical studies will cost around €69m half of which will be covered by EU funding.
The completion of these studies will provide all the data based on which the final decision will be taken for the project which is expected to cost around €5bn. The project is expected to change the map of natural gas routes to Europe while also increasing significantly interest in Cyprus’ and Israel’s deposits due to the increase in choices for their marketization.
As regards Cyprus, the pipeline will also have the capacity to transfer up to one billion cubic metres of gas per year to the island, the daily reports. The pipeline will start from the Eastern Mediterranean reserve and will reach Cyprus with a 200-kilometre pipeline and will continue for another 700km to Crete. From there it will stretch for another 400km to Peloponnesus and from there will continue inland for 600km to western Greece for connection with other pipelines.
Haravgi reports that the government ratified the bill mainly for political reasons. Citing gas expert Dr Charles Ellinas, the daily reports that the final implementation of the project is still strongly disputed due to his viability, sufficiency cheap gas for the needs of the European market, but also to the EU’s turn to green energy (Green Deal).
Ellinas told the daily Europe does not need new pipelines and new quantities of natural gas, in addition to the abundant sources and quantities of cheap natural gas it imports now. He said that natural gas costs now US$ 1.6 per unit while to make the EastMed sustainable, the price must be at $ 7-8. In addition, the Green Deal that will soon be implemented in Europe will lead to gas cuts starting in the coming years. The cuts will reach 15% by 2030 and 70-80% by 2050, he said. The daily also notes that Italy, which is an important partner in this project, has not joined the agreement as yet.
People suspected of ISIS links held in Cyprus
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Internal Security, Migration & Citizenship
OVERVIEW
Most of the dailies report that Interior Minster Nicos Nouris confirmed reports that 17 people believed to be linked with ISIS have arrived on the island among the waves of migrants coming to Cyprus.
The minister said these people are currently held at the detention centre in Mennoyia pending their deportation which was delayed due to the coronavirus restrictions.
Phileleftheros also reports that DISY MP Kyriacos Hadjiyiannis said that some asylum seekers living in Chlorakas village in Paphos who have ties with ISIS, present violent and criminal behaviour bullying the local residents who express fears for their safety and their properties.
Hadjiyiannis said during an intervention at an online seminar of the Ad Hoc Committee on Migration that Cyprus still is the EU member state with the highest number of migrant arrivals compared to its population since asylum seekers amount to four per cent of its population.
The MP also chastised Turkey’s orchestrated policy of channelling illegal migrants through the occupied areas arguing that 80 per cent of migrants arriving in Cyprus come from Turkey.
Hadjiyiannis also said that among the asylum seekers are people with terrorist profiles while crime has risen in some areas that now present strong signs of ghettoization, the paper reports.
It adds that in Chlorakas, 1,300 of the 3,900 residents are Syrians.
The dailies also report that migrants at the Pournara reception centre in Kokkinitrimithia protested on Wednesday morning against their forced detention.
The protesters said they wanted to be allowed free as they have been isolated in the refugee camp since scabies was detected among residents. The cabinet declared the centre an infectious area because of the scabies outbreak so the exit of migrants is prohibited.
Dailies also report that Nouris said that there has been a sharp increase in sham marriages over the past two years and that around 3,600 suspicious marriages held in Cyprus were referred to the police for further investigation.
He said that around 1,600 sham marriages were officiated in the same town hall, which raised suspicions even more.
The procedure occurring in sham marriages usually involves EU citizens, often with limited financial resources, falling prey to specialised gangs who are using them to marry third-country nationals, the dailies report.