Front Page Headlines
The four levers pushing for growth
How do businesses benefit from the new economic package of measures? A 15-day window, from June 1 to 15, for the inclusion of beneficiaries into the Estia scheme. The loan scheme of the European Investment Bank is immediately available.
GESY is winning the battle
Aretaeio hospital has decided to join the health scheme, 39 hospitals have already said ‘Yes’. The decisions by Apollonio and Hippocrateon hospitals are expected. The problems in state hospitals will be solved with government intervention.
- Third American-Russian incident at the Nicosia FIR – Russian SU-35 dangerously intercepted a reconnaissance aircraft, Americans say.Similar incidents were recorded on April 15 and 19.
They co-rule with KEVE and OEV and decide
The head of OEV (Employers & Industrialists Federation) in a letter to the president, congratulates him for the new measures and adds: “The excellent cooperation between you and OEV, which climaxed the past few days, but also the non-stop exchange and processing of opinions and ideas during the past two and a half months with your ministers of finance and labour, I am certain will continue also during the next phases of managing this crisis.”
- Without buyers… the EastMed cannot be materialised
- The Council of Europe encourages authorities to introduce the teaching of the Armenian language at university
‘A great vote of confidence’
European titan Wizz Air sets up shop in Cyprus, 11 routes, new jobs.
Steep fines are coming for traffic violations
They have been approved by the House transport committee and are going to the plenary.
Main News
Diplaros: Talks can resume after Turkey stops illegal activities in EEZ
Politis
CBMs, Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
The daily hosts an interview with ruling DISY’s vice president Efthymios Diplaros who comments on current affairs and criticism by opposition on various issues.
On the issue of Turkey’s provocations in the region, Diplaros said Ankara will not escape sanctions, despite what people think.
If Erdogan continues with escalating tensions in Greece and Cyprus, sanctions will be a one-way road, he said. He explained that this is how international politics work; first with recommendations against illegal actions, then with mild measures and then, if offenders continue, with strict sanctions. He said he believes this will also happen in Turkey’s case.
As regards crossings and the coronavirus cases in Turkey, Diplaros said the numbers Turkey presents cannot be trusted. He cites the latest report of V-Dem, which, he said is a world renowned research centre in political science, that said that Turkey has slipped from democracy to absolute authoritarianism in just a decade due to the establishment of the Erdogan regime.
“None of us wants to live in a country with crossing points and occupation armies, but we must respect the international treaties we have signed and remain reliable and trustworthy pillars of stability in an area that is being tested on a daily basis due to Turkish expansionism,” he said, according to the paper.
He said any decisions on opening of crossings during the coronavirus pandemic must be done in a coordinated manner to avoid the passage of people who do not do so for a specific reason. All the actions of the president, he said, are toward that direction, including his recent conversation with the TC leader.
On criticism by main opposition AKEL as regards the Cyprus problem talks, Diplaros said negotiations froze due to the daily Turkish provocations and the postponement of the elections within the TC community but also other obstacles put forth by Turkey.
“How can the president negotiate when there is a Turkish warship off Limassol or when Ozersay and Tatar who are candidates for the TC leadership, clearly speak of a two-state solution?” he asked.
He said that conditions need to be conducive for the GC side to return to the negotiations table adding that talks cannot start while Turkey’s illegal activities are underway within the Cypriot exclusive economic zone or when the other side sees a plan for the partition of the island.
He said President Nicos Anastasiades has submitted a series of proposals to prove his readiness for the restart of the talks.
KEY ACTORS
Diplaros (DISY)
>> Believes that if Ankara keeps its current stance on the Cypriot EEZ & Greece will eventually suffer harsh sanctions.
>> Does not believe the coronavirus cases announced by Turkey are accurate so any decisions on the opening of crossings during the coronavirus pandemic must be done in a coordinated manner to avoid letting people in who do not do so for a specific reason. Anastasiades’ recent conversation with the TC leader was toward that direction.
>> It is not the GC side’s fault the Cyprob talks froze but due to the daily Turkish provocations & the postponement of the elections within the TC community.
>> The GC side will not negotiate while there is a Turkish warship off Limassol or when some in the TC side want the partition of the island.
>> Anastasiades has proven his readiness for the restart of the talks through a series of proposals he has submitted.
‘Feasibility of EastMed pipeline relies on finding buyers for gas’
Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Politis
Energy, Regional/International Relations, EU Matters
OVERVIEW
The dailies report that cabinet on Thursday ratified the EastMed gas pipeline project, which had been signed in January by Greece, Israel, and Cyprus.
Energy Minister Giorgos Lakkotrypis they were now at the stage of commissioning four studies worth around €35m that will be funded by the European Commission. One concerns underwater surveys while the rest regard the infrastructure, including the pipeline itself. Asked how the pandemic might affect the project, the minister said companies involved in such large projects plan years ahead and not based on current conditions.
Lakkotrypis said very soon, the consortium will go ahead with finding buyers for the eastern Mediterranean gas, adding that this was the most important criterion that would decide whether the project is feasible.
The project is also supported by Italy, which has not yet signed the agreement, however. The minister said the agreement includes provisions allowing Italy to sign whenever it is ready. The agreement will now be submitted to parliament for approval.
Haravgi reports that, perhaps, for the first time, Lakkotrypis admits that finding buyers is the most important criterion defining the project feasible.
Politis, in a comment, said that DIKO, DIPA and ELAM have issued statements welcoming the cabinet decision on the EastMed. There is an insistence on giving miraculous powers to this agreement as regards ensuring the Republic of Cyprus’ sovereignty and thwarting Turkey’s illegal actions in our area, the comment said, while that fact that Lakkotrypis pointed out that materialising this project would depend on finding buyers for the natural gas was ignored.
Third incident involving US-Russian war aircraft in Nicosia FIR
Phileleftheros
External Security
OVERVIEW
According to the paper, there has been a new, serious incident in the Nicosia Flight Information Region (FIR) last Tuesday between an American reconnaissance aircraft and a Russian SU-35, the third one during the past few weeks.
The daily cites a statement by the Sixth US Fleet that said that on May 26, and for the third time in two months, Russian pilots flew in an unsafe and unprofessional manner while intercepting a US Navy P-8A maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft flying in the Eastern Mediterranean over a period of 65 minutes.
The intercept was determined to be unsafe and unprofessional due to the Russian pilots taking close station on each wing of the P-8A simultaneously, restricting the P-8A’s ability to safely manoeuvre, the statement said.
This incident follows two unsafe interactions in April, over the same waters, the US Fleet’s statement said.
Phileleftheros, citing information, reports that the incident took place within the Nicosia FIR in its southeastern part, near the border with the Damascus FIR. The successive incidents complete the puzzle of the ever-increasing tension between US and Russia in our region on Syria, while things are complicated by Turkish intervention in the Nicosia FIR, as well as developments in Libya regarding the western part of the FIR, the daily reports.
CoE sees progress on minority rights but more is needed
Haravgi
Human Rights
OVERVIEW
The daily reports that the Council of Europe’s (CoE) Minority Rights Advisory Committee welcomes Cyprus’ efforts to uphold national minority rights, but found that improvement was needed.
The Committee, among other things, called on the Cypriot government to consider creating a department for the Armenian language at university.
According to the report, Armenians, Maronites and Latins continue to influence the formulation of policies on issues concerning them, mainly through their representatives in the parliament but direct consultation with minorities that are not officially recognised by the state remains problematic, due to the constitutional structure of the Republic of Cyprus, even though authorities followed the recommendations offered by the CoE in its previous reports.
The Committee welcomes that its recommendations from previous reports have been taken into account by the authorities to prepare the 2021 census questionnaire, which should lead to a more precise view on the diversity of Cypriot society.
Other positive developments include the codification of the Cypriot Maronite Arabic language and free-of-charge publications and multimedia materials for the general public dedicated to each of the three religious groups.
Despite such progress, however, the Committee said that more work is needed, adding that despite measures to improve living conditions and to end discrimination of the Roma population, Gurbeti Roma remain socially and economically marginalised. The Committee said they were pleased that the Framework Convention is being applied to persons belonging to Roma who are not an officially recognised minority, with increased efforts by Cypriot authorities to directly engage with Roma representatives. Not enough improvement has been seen, however, for their housing and employment.
The Committee also points out that the classification of Cypriot Roma as being part of the TC community continues to have negative implications on their ability to access and enjoy certain rights, the daily reports.
Among its recommendations, the Committee suggests further increase of the financial support for teacher training in Armenian and Cypriot Maronite Arabic and support the teaching of Armenian at upper secondary level and to consider creating a department for the Armenian language at university, the paper reported.
Enclaved man buried 20 days after dying
Alithia
Human Rights
OVERVIEW
The body of a GC enclaved man from Ayia Triada was laid to rest at the deceased man’s village this week 20 days after he passed away, the paper reported.
According to the daily, the man died in the government-controlled areas some 20 days ago but TC authorities had not allowed his family to bring his body to Ayia Triada for burial at the time due to coronavirus restrictions.
The family was asked to present a certificate that the deceased did not have coronavirus before they were allowed to bring the body to Ayia Triada for burial which finally took place on Wednesday. The UN peacekeeping force assisted in returning the man’s remains to his village.
The occupation authorities did not allow relatives of the man living in the free areas to cross so that they could attend the funeral.
The daily also reports that there is a number of sick people among the enclaved in Karpasia who cannot cross to the free areas since crossings were banned, and as a result, they missed scheduled appointments for treatment. Among them is a person undergoing chemotherapy, the paper reports.