Front Page Headlines
The state treasurer is sending him on leave
Rea Georgiou intervenes and leaves (Attorney-general) Costas Clerides without any excuses. The outgoing attorney-general raises a constitutional issue on the appointment of Giorgos Savvides (as the new AG). He cites legality and insists he will not step down before July 31.
- Borrell flies to… the Yavuz: Solidarity and referral to dialogue – Flight to support Cypriot sovereignty.
Eye-witness in the EEZ
Borrell will fly over the Yavuz to witness first-hand the Turkish violations. After Nicosia and Athens, he will go to Ankara. “We will engage because regional stability is a priority for the EU.”
- Shocking revelations for agreements between Trump-Erdogan
- The Ecumenical Patriarch is shocked: No one has laid their hands on Ayia Sophia since Ataturk’s time
They charged for (Covid-19) tests that never took place
Golden business for private lab that secured 69 per cent of the overall coronavirus tests. Also, according to a probe by the Audit Office, citizens had arranged to get tested but did not do it. Nevertheless, they received text messages on their mobile phones that their test was negative while the ministry was charged for those tests.
- Borrell spoke of ‘disputed areas’
EU’s message of ‘strong solidarity’
Commission VP says that Cyprus’ concerns about Turkey were also EU’s concerns.
Strong message of solidarity to Cyprus from the EU
Borrell said that Cyprus’ concerns were also EU’s concerns. “The EU steadily supports the Republic of Cyprus, its sovereignty and sovereign rights.” EU commitment to continue defending the Republic of Cyprus’ sovereignty and sovereign rights. Cyprus and Turkey must discuss the delimitation of the EEZ and continental shelf in good faith and with respect of the international law. The European official is flying today over the Cypriot EEZ.
- The Limnitis crossing opens today – Relief for the residents.
- The dispute between France and Turkey on the Turkey-Libya agreement is getting more fierce
Main News
Borrell: Cyprus’ concerns are also EU’s concerns
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
EU Matters, External Security, Regional/International Relations
OVERVIEW
The dailies report that EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell who is on the island on a two-day official visit sent on Thursday a message of solidarity with Cyprus welcomed Nicosia’s offer to Turkey to negotiate in good faith the maritime delimitation between their relevant coasts.
Following a meeting with Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides, Borrell said the EU unequivocally stands by Cyprus in the latter’s maritime disputes with Turkey and that the bloc is firmly supportive of the Republic of Cyprus and its sovereignty and sovereign rights.
“My message is a message of strong solidarity. Cyprus’ concerns, your concerns, are the European Union’s concerns. You have difficult relations with Turkey in general, these relations are currently facing important and difficult challenges,” he said.
On Turkey’s drilling, he said the EU is continuously demonstrating its unwavering support to and its solidarity with Cyprus as expressed in various European Council conclusions and statements and most recently in the Foreign Affairs Council in May and also showed in concrete measures taken.
He also stressed the importance of improving relations with Turkey through an open dialogue in order to try to avoid an escalation “that could be very damaging for all of us.” He added that the delimitation of EEZs and the continental shelf must be discussed in good faith, fully respecting international law and the principle of good relations between good neighbours.
Borrell said that in this respect, the EU welcomes the invitation by the government of Cyprus to Turkey to negotiate in good faith the maritime delineation between their relevant coasts “and on that we will also be engaging, because regional stability is a priority in the EU.”
He expressed hope that the next Foreign Affairs Council, would help clarify the options and the way forward in order to solve these problems and improve relations with Turkey.
Christodoulides said that the timing of Borrell’s visit is not a coincidence but was intended to send a clear message that the EU is present and engaged in the Eastern Mediterranean, and stands united behind its member states in the face of threat and aggression, not just with words but with actions.
He said during their meeting he briefed Borrell
and they discussed Turkey’s escalating provocations and illegal activities in
Cyprus’s maritime zones.
He also said that Turkey, rather than responding to the invitation by the government
of Cyprus to negotiate in good faith the maritime delimitation of the maritime
zones between the relevant coasts, in line with international law, has chosen
its preferred path of gunboat diplomacy.
He stressed that Turkey’s actions in
Cyprus’ maritime zones cannot be seen in isolation but rather form part of an alarming behaviour by Turkey
in the region, where Turkey is implementing a revisionist policy that is enforced
through the use of force.
Christodoulides said they discussed how Turkey’s behaviour affects the whole
spectrum of EU-Turkey relations, which will be discussed at the upcoming EU Foreign
Affairs Council.
“On our side it is clear and self-evident that a necessary prerequisite for any
meaningful engagement with Turkey is to cease its illegal activities, and
respect the sovereignty and sovereign rights of all member states,” he said.
Christodoulides also said that they also talked about specific ways in which in
the face of escalation by Turkey, the EU will respond firmly and decisively,
implementing and enhancing its existing decisions.
Later in the evening Borrell was received by President Nicos Anastasiades. According to a statement, Anastasiades informed the EU official at length about Turkey’s illegal actions, expressing his “deep concern” over Ankara’s expansionist designs “that pose risks to security and peace in the wider region.”
For his part, Borrell said the EU would “continue to send clear messages to Ankara” that it needs to respect international law.
He pledged that he would personally convey these messages to Ankara which he is expected to visit after his Cyprus trip.
On Friday, Borrell will be holding talks with Defence Minister Savvas Angelides. Following that meeting Borrell, Angelides and the National Guard chief will board a helicopter that will be flying over parts of the EEZ to “observe the situation first-hand,” an official statement said.
Some of the dailies also report that spokesperson of Turkey’s foreign affairs ministry, Hami Aksoy, in response to the statements by Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias and Borrell during the latter’s visit to the Evros border between Greece and Turkey, said attempts to build axes of malice against Turkey and exploit the EU will not benefit Greece.
Aksoy also said Greece, along with “the Greek Cypriot administration”, should wake up from their dream that they can confine Turkey to its shores, and that this is consistent with international law.
Haravgi reports that Borrell sent out a strong but nevertheless verbal message of support to the Republic’s sovereign rights and sovereignty.
The daily also reports that Borrell referred to ‘disputed areas’ but one of his advisors try to correct it by saying he meant ‘disputed by Turkey’.
Phileleftheros reports that Borrell is positive on direct dialogue between Nicosia and Ankara on the delimitation of the borders of their exclusive economic zones.
KEY ACTORS
Borrell (EU)
>> The EU unequivocally stands by Cyprus in Nicosia’s maritime disputes with Turkey & firmly supports the RoC and its sovereignty and sovereign rights & has proven that in the concrete measures taken.
>> Cyprus’ concerns, are the EU’s concerns.
>> Points out Nicosia’s difficult relations with Turkey but also the importance of improving these relations through an open dialogue in order to try to avoid an escalation that could be very damaging for everyone, including the EU.
>> Cyprus & Turkey must discuss in good faith the delimitation of their EEZs and the continental shelf & in full respect of international law and the principle of good neighbourly relations so he welcomes Nicosia’s invitation to Ankara to negotiate on this because regional stability is a priority in the EU.
Christodoulides (RoC FM)
>> Borrell’s visit aimed at sending a clear message that the EU is present and engaged in the East Med & stands united behind its member states in the face of threat and aggression with actions.
>> Turkey, instead of responding to the invitation by the RoC to negotiate in good faith the maritime delimitation of the maritime zones between them, preferred its usual tactic of gunboat diplomacy.
>> Turkey’s actions in Cyprus’ maritime zones are part of its alarming behaviour in the region, whereby it is implementing a revisionist policy that is being implemented through the use of force.
>> Nicosia believes that any meaningful engagement between the EU and Turkey would require for Ankara to cease its illegal activities & respect the sovereignty and sovereign rights of all member states.
>> If Turkey continues to escalate tensions, the EU must respond firmly and decisively, implementing and enhancing its existing decisions.
Anastasiades
>> Ankara’s expansionist designs pose risks to security and peace in the wider region.
Aksoy (Turkish MFA spokesperson)
>> Accuses Greece of trying to build axes of malice against Turkey and exploit the EU.
>> Calls on Greece & GCs to wake up from their dream that they can confine Turkey to its shores & that this is consistent with international law.
US Senator calls for sanctions against Turkey
Phileleftheros
Regional/International Relations
OVERVIEW
The daily report that US Senator Robert Menendez said that the international community must denounce Turkey’s aggressive actions in the Eastern Mediterranean and that the US should implement sanctions against it.
Menendez made those statements during an interview with Greece’s state broadcaster ERT. While analysing recent developments in the region Menendez expressed the view that Turkey is unilaterally acting in a destabilising way for the region. “We must not call all parties to restrain from tension. Greece and Cyprus do not create tension and problems in the region”, he said. “Turkey is the only one creating problems”, Menendez added.
He said that the international community must denounce the Turkish violation of Greece’s and Cyprus’ sovereignty and called on the US to implement sanctions against Turkey.
“The international community must denounce the extreme aggressiveness of Turkey, both as regards its allegation that it has an EEZ that extends to Libya and as regards the continuous violations of the Cyprus EEZ”, Menendez said. “The US is founded on the rule of law· it must implement the law and impose sanctions against Turkey”, he added, the daily reports.
KEY ACTORS
Menendez (US Senator)
>> Wants the US to implement sanctions against Turkey over the problems it creates in the East Med that violate Greece’s and Cyprus’ sovereign rights.
>> Calls on the international community to denounce the Turkish violation of Greece’s and Cyprus’ sovereignty.
Famagustians want historian apologise over accusations they abandoned their town
Politis
Human Rights
OVERVIEW
The paper published a letter by Famagusta mayor Simos Ioannou who calls on behalf of the occupied town’s residents on historian Andros Pavlides to apologise for criticising the refugees of fleeing their town during the 1974 invasion.
The letter was in response to an article Pavlides wrote that was published in Politis last Sunday on Famagusta.
The historian compared the way the Famagusta residents had fought back in 1570 to repel the Ottoman invaders with events in 1974 when the town’s residents fled.
According to Ioannou, Pavlides indirectly accuses Famagusta residents of running away in 1974.
Ioannou said he wanted to defend the people of Famagusta and not as who are responsible for abandoning their town.
The only people bearing responsibility for abandoning Famagusta are the military and political leadership at the time who had no backup plan in case the talks or the ceasefire line collapsed.
The retreating contingencies could have created a resistance line within the residential area and this would have helped retain a bigger part of Famagusta until the final ceasefire and allow people who left to gradually return.
He also said that 99 per cent of the Famagusta people who fled, while the town was bombed from the air but also from the war ships that were located at the Famagusta Bay, are not to blame. The people who fled were women with their children whose fathers and husbands had enlisted in the army not knowing what was awaiting them.
“Mr Pavlides, you can blame whoever is responsible and not the Famagusta people, who, those who have not departed this world, have been for 46 years living and breathing for their return,” Ioannou said.
He added that Famagusta refugees want a correction and an apology from Pavlides, “because we deserve to return and we will succeed.”
Limassol neighbourhood gets a revamped football stadium
Alithia
Property, Human Rights
OVERVIEW
The paper reports that a FIFA accredited football stadium in Ayios Ioannis area in Limassol will be the first of a series of projects aimed at upgrading the quality of life in the city’s neighbourhoods.
Works for the upgrade of an existing football pitch known as ‘Gipedo tou Aetou (Eagle’s football pitch), located in a TC-owned plot west of Georgiou Averof street next to Sperchiou street, is expected to be completed at the beginning of next year.
The cost is estimated at around €894,000 plus VAT while the Cyprus Sports Organisation (KOA) has already donated the €500,000. Limassol Mayor Nicos Nicolaides welcomed KOA’s support. He said this project is of particular importance since it is the first of a series of projects to upgrade Limassol’s neighbourhoods.
Morphou wants to record its people’s family trees
Cyprus Mail, Haravgi
Human Rights
OVERVIEW
Morphou municipality is calling on people hailing from the town to help establish family trees, the dailies reported.
The municipality said the aim of the record is for generations after 1974 and beyond to get to know their ancestors. For this effort to yield the best possible results, it said, it is necessary to have the help of the Morphou residents.
The municipality called on anyone who has roots in Morphou, and wishes to be included in the registry to contact Deputy Mayor Kyriakos Koudounas.