Front Page Headlines
Categories A and B at checkpoints
Anastasiades’s proposal does not negate common understanding with Akinci. Who will cross with only one coronavirus pass and who with one every 72 hours if they cross every day. Strong concerns over flights from Turkey to occupied areas.
- Energean: Goes to Supreme Court against RAEK (Cyprus Energy Regulatory Authority)
- Political chaos in T/C community
All will be decided in July
That’s when increase in tourists and reopening of most hotels are expected. Airports open for visitors from 22 countries without a test. Hotel owners do not write off British and Russian markets.
- 2,000 Jewish children were born in camps here: When Cypriots embraced the victims of the Holocaust
- Checkmate for checkpoints
- Change attempt didn’t work out for Akinci
NPLs and rents an unbearable weight
Drastic decisions needed or small businesses will close. Non-performing loans increase. Banks put strict criteria in giving loans.
- Humanity and solidarity to refugees
- One more step towards reopening the checkpoints
- (Kyprianou) Restart of negotiations a way out against Turkish provocations
Still closed effectively
Govt decides to allow crossings from Sunday but the north’s position unclear.
- Is local company’s logo a storm in a coffee cup or racist branding?
- 40 artists from both sides and beyond are united in song
Checkpoints surprise to put pressure on T/Cs
By President Anastasiades. They open from Sunday if consent is given by T/C side, which still remains silent. Because of Turkey a negative test for coronavirus will be needed for each crossing, every 72 hours. Ready to abolish obligatory test if flights from Turkey don’t open on July 1st.
- Averof Neophytou: Asylum seekers are as many as the population of Paphos
- Health Minister: We should be proud of all we achieved. Zero cases yesterday as well
- Occupied areas: Akinci spoiled Tatar’s reshuffling plans
- Israel: Stopped Cavusoglu cold
Main News
Government decides to reopen most checkpoints for particular groups
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Internal Security, Human Rights, CBMs
OVERVIEW
The dailies report on the RoC’s surprise decision to reopen most checkpoints (except Ledras street) for the groups detailed in the agreement between President Anastasiades and T/C leader Mustafa Akinci, starting Sunday.
These groups, including T/C workers and students, Maronites and G/C enclaved, will only need to show a health certificate during their first crossing. All other G/C and T/C citizens will also be able to cross, but will have to present a health certificate obtained during the last 72 hours – which means that a new certificate needs to be brought to the checkpoint every three days.
According to a statement by deputy government spokesperson Panayiotis Sentonas, the government will be following the situation and amending guidelines at the checkpoints depending on the epidemiological situation. Sentonas noted that the T/C administration has decided to allow flights from Turkey to the north, when the EU is still considering Turkey to be a high risk country.
Sentonas also said that the government’s epidemiological team has found that the data shared by their T/C counterparts were not shared in writing and do not provide a clear assessment of the situation in the north.
The deputy spokesperson also said that the Ledras street checkpoint will remain closed mainly because it would attract a large volume of traffic which cannot be easily checked and controlled.
Meanwhile, the dailies report ,that the “government” is the north was intensely criticised on Friday by T/C newspaper YeniDuzen, and urged to reconsider its decision to allow flights from Turkey starting on July 1st.
Israel says it will honour agreement with RoC despite Turkish opposition
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Energy, External Security, Regional/ International Relations, EU Matters
OVERVIEW
Israel insists it remains bound to the EEZ delineation agreement with Cyprus. Israeli ambassador Sammy Revel told the Cyprus News Agency on Friday. Revel was responding to a statement by Turkish Foreign Minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, calling on Israel to annul this agreement.
Revel told CNA that Israel respects Cyprus’s sovereign rights to its EEZ and that the country will continue to honour the EEZ delineation agreement that was signed between the two governments in 2010.
Cavusoglu had told CNNTurk that Israel would have to cancel its EEZ delineation agreement with Cyprus if it wants to sign any agreement with Turkey. The reason for this, he said, is that Israel has accepted that areas that Turkey considers a part of its own continental shelf, are part of the Cypriot EEZ.
The Turkish Foreign Minister also said that Ankara believes that due to its size and proximity to the Turkish mainland, Kastelorizo should not be entitled to a continental shelf of the size argued for by Greece.
Cavusoglu also repeated the Turkish position that the country is ready to negotiate with all countries in the region, except for the Greek Cypriots. He also said that there have been moves to exclude Turkey from the energy sector in the region through cooperation agreement, but that these agreements are not valid.
Meanwhile, Phileleftheros reports that during Friday’s European Council teleconference, Greek prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said that the EU cannot discuss sanctions against Russia regarding its actions in the Ukraine while not putting sanctions on Turkey for infringing on the sovereign rights of two member states of the EU.
The European Council meeting was focused on the negotiation for the EU’s Recovery Fund and the next Multi-annual Financial Framework. Turkey – EU relations, including the matters regarding the Cypriot EEZ, are expected to be discussed during the next Foreign Affairs Council and possibly during the next European Council in July.
The dailies report that Cyprus and Greece are coordinating to bring the issue of Turkish actions to the EU level. The two countries will ask for the EU to intervene in a decisive manner.
Hala Sultan imam clarifies that mosque is not closed to visitors
Cyprus Mail
Human Rights, CBMs
OVERVIEW
The Imam of the Hala Sultan tekke in Larnaca clarified that the mosque is not closed to non-Muslim visitors, Cyprus Mail reports.
Imam Shakir Alemdar was commenting on a story that was published on Friday in Phileftheros. According to the story, the administrators of the mosque have been banning entry to the mosque for non-Muslims, while Alemdar was reportedly pushing for the mosque to be classified as a house of religious practice and not a cultural monument.
Alemdar told Cyprus Mail that everyone is welcome to the tomb of Umm Haram, and added that the only request is that everyone respect the space. He said that the tomb of Umm Haram, which is in a room inside the mosque, needs to be approached with respect by both believers and non-believers, and that is why the room is not fully accessible.
He added that visitors can approach the tomb from the direction of the Ottoman-era gate, through which it can be seen through windows. Believers also are asked to pay their respects through this gate, he said.
Alemdar did say that the Hala Sultan Tekke should not be administrated by the antiquity department since it is a place of worhip, and should be administrated by clerics.