Front Page Headlines
UK looks to lift travel controls
Quarantine restrictions for those from Cyprus due to be suspended.
Citizens suspicious towards migrants
85% feel insecure being in areas where many migrants live. One in three citizens believes that the most important act towards better integration of migrants into local society would be to limit the number of entries into the country.
- Mini reshuffle: Presidential… surprise tactic or pressing procedural momentum?
- Town of Sirte…: Egypt’s threat over Libya “delineates” Turkey and its allies
- Towards a painful dead-end: Turkey is at the gates and we seek support from the EU
- International Day in Support of Victims of Torture: Torture-hells in Turkey and the occupied areas
- Money breaks German embargo on Turkey
- (Editorial) The President’s new illusions…
- Savvas Iacovides (opinion): If Greece gives in to Turkey, a tango of national amputation
- Giannakis L. Omirou (opinion): The weak reactions of partners and allies
- Gabriel Demetriou (opinion): Defensive shield or party transactions?
- Dr. Aristos Aristotelous (opinion): When will you publish the “National Defence Strategy”?
How the blessing turned into a curse?
Natural gas and Cyprus. The Cyprus Problem. Yiorgos Lakkotrypis: There is a crisis, but natural gas will remain a “bridge-fuel” for many years. Charles Ellinas: The crisis forces us to search for a completely new strategy for the exploitation of our natural gas.
- Nicolas Papadopoulos speaks to “P”: Anastasiades failed regarding Cyprus Problem – energy
- Accusations: Who does Makarios Droushiotis point to?
- Borrell visit: A testing summer for Cyprus
“Friend request” to Ankara
Brussels fear an incident and ask member-states for authorisation to intervene. Cavusoglu to be Berlin’s first visitor!
- German submarines to Turkey: France opens the way for Cyprus and Greece
- Yiorgos Lakkotrypis: Going over to Anastasiades was worth it a thousand times
- Fronts between Erdogan and USA: Hellenism against expansionism
- Aegean’s islands for Turkey
- Varosha belongs to Varoshans
- Enosis and the Turkish factor
Virus gave boost to government – DISY
Popularity of Nicos Anastasiades high due to health measures and economic measures. SymmetronMarket Research poll for “K”.
- Politics: Pandemic changes balance of power – Pre-election period in new conditions
- Natasa Pelides (interview): Cypriot shipping gained in points
- Nicos Nouris (interview): We cannot handle migration alone
Studying in Britain more expensive
- (Sia Anagnostopoulou interview) Trilaterals cannot bring stabilisation without a solution
- New dynamics in the T/C community ahead of elections
Solution on all issues
Nicos Christodoulides outlines the aims of EU’s ongoing iniative for EU-Turkey relations to “A”. The discussion will take place on the basis of a list with what each side wants and the approach that you will get this if you give that. De-escalation of Turkish transgressions in East Mediterranean region and Turkey’s change in philosophy. Nicos Christodoulides: Some might bring up the possibility of ending Turkey’s accession process, but that is not one of our goals.
- New cases: Two again yesterday, both from abroad
- Analysis: Cyprus’s concerns are also the EU’s concerns
Main News
Poll: Government and ruling party get boost due to coronavirus handling
Kathimerini
Internal Security, Governance & Power Sharing
Governing DISY as well as the government have gotten a boost from their handling of the coronavirus, Kathimerini reports citing a new poll by Symmetron Market Research. According to the report, citizens seem to be dissatisfied with the current composition of the House of Representatives, which could signify a return to a parliament with less parties than the last five years.
DISY leads with 24.7% of the vote, AKEL follows with 16.2% and DIKO remains third with 9.3%. Other parties remain especially low on the scale: EDEK gets 3.2%, the Greens get 3%, ELAM gets 3%, DIPA gets 2.3%, Solidarity gets 1% and Citizens’ Alliance gets 0.8%.
10.5% of the respondents say they’re undecided and 25.2% said they will either abstain or cast a blank vote.
According to the newspaper’s analysis, DISY is strengthened significantly. AKEL’s percentages also increase, but not decisively, while DIKO seems set to retain its percentage from the 2016 elections for now. EDEK, ELAM and the Greens are on the edge of being left out of the new parliament, Solidarity and Citizens’ Alliance will be left out, and newly-founded DIPA is flirting with entering parliament.
When asked whether they would vote in the May 2021 elections, 66% said they most likely or definitely will vote and 33% said they most likely or definitely will not vote.
When asked to assess the performance of President Anastasiades, 60% said they approve of his work running the government and 32% said they do not. When it comes to the work of the government, 42% assess it in a positive light, and 54% said they assess it in a negative light. The numbers have improved for both the President and the government as compared to April 2019 (37% approved of the President and 32% dissaproved, while only 24% approved of the government and 75% dissaproved).
When it comes to popularity, 63% of respondents assess Anastasiades in a positive light. 34% of respondents were negatively predisposed against the President. In April, approval stood at 42% and disapproval at 54%.
Other political leaders do not fare as well. DIKO’s Nicolas Papadopoulos comes in second place with 41% approval but 51% disapproval, DISY’s Averof Neofytou gets 30% approval and 64% disapproval and AKEL’s Andros Kyprianou gets 28% approval and 65% disapproval. All three have seen slight improvements since a poll last April. EDEK’s Marinos Sizopoulos gets the approval of 22% and disapproval of 68%.
Regarding the government’s handling of the coronavirus crisis, 82% of the respondents said they approved and 18% that they disapproved. 70% have a positive opinion about the government’s measures to tackle the economic crisis brought by the pandemic and 30% has a negative opinion. 34% approve of the opposition’s stance during the discussion of these measures in parliament and 58% disapprove.
When asked to assess the work of the parliament, 70% of the respondents said they were dissatisfied and only 27% said they were satisfied. When asked to comment on the quality of the current MPs, 46% said they find them to be of low or very low quality and only 11% said they are of very high or high quality. 42% said neither.
Borrell and Germany work to re-establish European relations with Turkey
Alithia, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis, Simerini
External Security, Energy, EU Matters, Negotiations Process
Phileleftheros reports that the EU is concentrating its efforts to preventing a conflict with Turkey in the Eastern Mediterranean, which is why High Representative Josep Borrell will be using his recent contacts in Greece and Cyprus, and will coordinate with Germany (which is taking over the Council Presidency in July), in order to push for a comprehensive negotiation on EU-Turkish relations.
According to the report, Borrell is also in constant contact with France as well as Italy, and aims to visit Ankara before July 13th in order to speak with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu. The newspaper also reports that Cavusoglu is due to visit Berlin on July 2nd, right after Germany takes over the Council Presidency.
The newspaper reports that the Cypriot position is that sanctions that were imposed on certain persons involved in illegal drillings need to be strengthened, but that many countries, including Germany, believe these measures to be ineffective. At the same time, Germany is reported to be attempting to mediate between Greece and Turkey in order to prevent further escalation.
At the same time, the newspaper reports that it’s unclear whether the prospect of EEZ talks between Greece and Cyprus is still on the agenda, given that its efforts to negotiate with Egypt are stalling.
Haravgi reports in analysis that France is very concerned regarding Turkey’s actions in the wider Mediterranean and that the country is attempting to deal with these issues through the EU and NATO. This however, the analyst points out, plays into narratives promoted by President Erdogan that the country is being targeted by imperialist and colonialist forces.
In an interview with Alithia, Foreign Minister Nicos Christodoulides said that the goal of Borrell’s visit is for the EU to move ahead with an initiative that will deal with all aspects of the EU – Turkey relationship.
Christodoulides points out that during next month’s FAC some countries might propose the end of Turkish accession talks, but underlined that this is not in Cyprus’s interest. What is needed is that Turkey has to understand that she needs to conform to the EU’s rules, and not the other way around, he added.
Phileleftheros also reports that the worsening relations between Turkey and France are helping Cypriot and Greek interests ahead of the upcoming discussion of EU – Turkish relations in next month’s Foreign Affairs Council.
In an analysis, the newspaper points out that until now, Cyprus could not get the rest of its EU partners seriously engaged in dealing with Turkish actions in the Eastern Mediterranean. However, France’s alarm over the increase Turkish influence in Libya and the region has resulted in Paris asking for a reassessment of the bloc’s relation with Turkey.
The newspaper recalls the recent tensions of the coast of Libya, when a French warship taking part in the EU’s Operation Irini (which monitors the adherence to an arms embargo imposed on all parties in Libya) was targeted by a Turkish warship.
Phileleftheros also points out that Turkey remains the main client of the German military industry, citing a report by German newspaper Frankfurter Algemeine Zeitung. According to the report, Turkey was the largest imported of German arms during 2019. Meanwhile, Turkey is currently receiving German submarines that had been ordered in 2009. Simerini also reports extensively on the relations between Germany and Turkey.
Phileleftheros reports that the EU is concentrating its efforts to preventing a conflict with Turkey in the Eastern Mediterranean, which is why High Representative Josep Borrell will be using his recent contacts in Greece and Cyprus, and will coordinate with Germany (which is taking over the Council Presidency in July), in order to push for a comprehensive negotiation on EU-Turkish relations.
Papadopoulos: Anastasiades failed on Cyprus Problem and energy
Politis
Negotiations Process, Energy, External Security, Governance & Power Sharing
DIKO leader Nicolas Papadopoulos told Politis in an interview that the government and ruling DISY are responsible for the delays seen in the country’s energy programme.
Papadopoulos said that he is pessimistic regarding the Cyprus Problem due to Turkish intransigence and criticised the government for not creating political, diplomatic or economic cost to the country through EU sanctions.
The DIKO president insisted that the policy followed by President Anastasiades during the last 7 years has failed and has led to dangerous precedents in the negotiations being enshrined into the process. He added that Turkey is maintaining the deadlock since Crans Montana in order to push for its own positions in security and guarantees.
Papadopoulos avoided answering in a specific way over whether his party is in discussions with AKEL ahead of the 2023 presidential elections, but insisted that there can be no change without his party in government.
Phileleftheros reports that the EU is concentrating its efforts to preventing a conflict with Turkey in the Eastern Mediterranean, which is why High Representative Josep Borrell will be using his recent contacts in Greece and Cyprus, and will coordinate with Germany (which is taking over the Council Presidency in July), in order to push for a comprehensive negotiation on EU-Turkish relations.