Front Page Headlines
Rea and Giorgos Georgiou will attend parliament with their lawyers
MPs are calling for prosecution of the owner of Cypra for contempt of parliament. The owner of Cypra informed parliament yesterday that he will be at the House labour committee’s meeting today with his lawyer. MPs are calling for his prosecution, reporting that he lied so that he would not attend the committee’s previous session. The state treasurer is also thinking of attending parliament with her lawyer for the House watchdog committee next Thursday to discuss the issues concerning her and her husband’s activities. An important lawyer has contacted the head of the committee. Former interior minister Socratis Hasikos who reported the state treasurer of entanglement will also come before the House watchdog committee. The finance ministry official who carried out the probe into the non-cashing in of the cheque to guarantee the faithful execution of an agreement and the state treasury employee who gave instructions for the cheque’s withdrawal have also been called before the committee.
- Parliamentary elections-DISY: They will decide on their ballots after a conference
- Holy Synod: It is searching for a velvet, unanimous decision
It has spread and it cannot be contained
Invasion of the coronavirus in nine nursing homes with 224 cases until yesterday, the elderly are at risk. Thirty-seven cases also in a foundation for people with special needs in the Famagusta district.
- Τhey torpedo again the climate in the East Med
- Parliamentary elections during the pandemic: Places are being locked in on the party ballots
- The decision on the Ukraine issue will show whether swords will be drawn – The (Holy) Synod meeting was peaceful, but more will follow.
They are plotting to release the findings after the elections
They are ‘pushing’ to release the findings of the ‘golden’ passports (report) after next May’s parliamentary elections, with the attorney-general stating yesterday in parliament that the investigating committee will need time extensions to complete its work, meaning another six months. In the meantime, the justice minister is… waiting for the president’s announcements on combating corruption!
- Jane Holl Lute arrives on Monday
- Relief in Tylliria: The decision on a PCR test every 24 hours was recalled
- Zivania, ouzo, commandaria and the Yeroskipou loukoumi are the products protected by the EU-China agreement
Paphos says it’s unfairly treated
Mayor demands answers after expert says local lockdown is not based on data.
- North reverses tough new entry measures
- Varosha street renamed after chief of staff of Turkish invasion forces
Limassol-Paphos (cases) are dropping, Nicosia-Famagusta are rising
Coronavirus: The trend in cases of the last few days. Another 332 cases were announced yesterday. Kostrikis raised controversy through his statement that Paphos should not have been put in partial lockdown. A task force for managing problems.
- Confusion over crossings: The TCs first closed them and in the evening, they opened them – They first demanded a negative PCR test not older than 24 hours but due to reactions they went back to a test not older than 72 hours. Eight cases among GCs enclaved in Karpasia.
- Kyriacos Koushos: We eye Guterres’ statements positively
- Holy Synod: The decision on the Ukrainian issue is to be taken tomorrow, the misunderstanding has been lifted
Main News
Lute to arrive on Monday for contacts with leaders
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Politis, Phileleftheros
Negotiations Process, Regional/International Relations, EU Matters, External Security
OVERVIEW
Government spokesman Kyriacos Koushos said UN Secretary-General’s special envoy Jane Holl Lute is expected to visit Cyprus between November 30 and December 2, the dailies report.
Koushos said Lute is expected to meet President Nicos Anastasiades on December 1, the dailies report, adding that she will also hold a meeting with TC leader Ersin Tatar.
He said Lute would decide if a second round of contacts was necessary but also on whether there will be a joint meeting with the two leaders.
The papers also report that Koushos gave a different reading of the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ statements last week which had stirred reactions among some parties.
Guterres said last week during a press conference at the UN headquarters in New York that Lute has started consultations in order to create the conditions to prepare for a new informal five-party meeting while the objective was to be able to bring the parties together and to restart from where things ended a few months ago.
Responding to a question by a journalist, Guterres had said that each party has the right to take the initiatives that it wants, which some GC parties saw as a sign that new ideas would be put on the table by the Turkish side.
The dailies cite Koushos’ statements to state broadcaster CyBC and Alpha TV on the matter.
“We should not give another dimension than what is necessary,” Koushos told CyBC. He said that what’s most important is Guterres’ call for a five-party meeting and that he clearly stated that the talks should start from where they left off.
He reiterated that the informal meeting is not negotiations but to discuss procedural matters.
Koushos also said that the UN Secretary-General is obliged to move within the framework of the Security Council decisions. “We should not be concerned about the other side putting a number of new issues on the negotiating table but the informal five-party meetings and Mr Guterres’ statement that he was making an effort to continue negotiations from where they are left off,” Koushos said. He wondered if anyone could prevent Turkey from submitting its proposals in the negotiations. “It is important whether these proposals will be accepted or discussed.”
He said that the government sees the positive aspect of Guterres’ statements for the continuation of the talks from where they stopped.
The dailies also report on the visit to Cyprus of Slovakia’s Foreign Minister Ivan Korcok and his meeting with his Cypriot counterpart Nikos Christodoulides.
Christodoulides in statements after the meeting expressed to his counterpart his appreciation of Slovakia’s unwavering position and indispensable support with regard to the Cyprus problem, as well as for his country’s contribution to the bi-communal dialogue through facilitation of the meetings between GC and TC political parties.
He also said Slovakia’s contribution to the UNFICYP contingent is now more important than ever, given the increasing Turkish provocations in recent months.
The two ministers discussed bilateral relations between the two countries, as well as Turkey’s latest actions in Varosha and the Cyprus issue.
“I am very pleased to note that in many ways we are like-minded countries, with common approaches in most issues on our common EU agenda,” Christodoulides said.
Referring to Turkey’s provocations, Christodoulides stressed that Ankara, blatantly disregarding calls by the international community, continues unabated with its plans to create a new fait accompli on the ground. “The international community cannot remain idle, especially at this particular point in time when the Secretary-General of the UN is working to prepare the ground for the re-launching of negotiations, from the point where the last process was suspended in Crans-Montana”, he pointed out.
Christodoulides also said that the bilateral cooperation between Cyprus and Slovakia, which is already at a very high level, will be further enhanced as new opportunities and challenges create the need for ever closer dialogue.
Haravgi also reports that Russian Ambassador to Cyprus, Stanislav Osadchiy has expressed concern over Turkey’s provocations both as regards the issue of the fenced area of Famagusta and Turkish activities within Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
Osadchiy had a meeting on Monday with House President Adamos Adamou. The Russian Ambassador reaffirmed the position of principles of his country for a Cyprus settlement, based on international law and the relevant UN resolutions.
The dailies, citing media in the north, also report that the TC side has renamed Varosha’s Kennedy Avenue, after Semih Sancar, the chief of Turkey’s general staff from 1973 to 1978, including the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus.
In another article, Phileleftheros reports that Turkey is torpedoing the climate in the Eastern Mediterranean again, this time by trying to link the effort by a German frigate to inspect a Turkish commercial ship bound for Libya with the Greek-Turkish issue.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan’s statements cause discomfort and concern in Brussels and Berlin, the daily reports.
It added that spokesperson of the EU, Peter Stano, commenting on Erdogan’s statements about various issues, but also of the German foreign ministry on the vessel incident, said Ankara’s behaviour would be discussed at the EU leaders’ summit in December.
Alithia reports that France, Britain, Italy and Germany yesterday threatened Turkey with sanctions on the issue of Libya. In a joint statement issued by Paris, the four countries said they would impose sanctions on anyone obstructing the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum aimed at establishing transitional institutions until elections are held in December 2021.
France, Germany, Italy and the UK said they were ready to take measures against those who obstruct the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum and other tracks of the Berlin process, as well as those who continue to plunder state funds or commit human rights abuses and violations throughout the country.
KEY ACTORS
Koushos (RoC spokesman)
>> It’s not useful to try give another dimension to what Guterres said, but rather keep that he called for a five-party meeting & that he clearly stated that the talks should start from where they left off.
>> What’s important is not what the GCs & Turkey say on what they will put on the negotiation table but whether these proposals will be accepted or discussed.
>> The UNSG is obliged to move within the framework of the SC decisions.
Guterres (UNSG)
>> The aim of Lute’s mission is to bring the parties together & restart where things ended a few months ago.
>> Each party has the right to take the initiatives it wants.
Christodoulides (RoC FM)
>> Slovakia’s contribution to the UNFICYP contingent is now more important than ever, given the increasing Turkish provocations in recent months.
>> Call on the international community to act against Turley’s provocations in Cyprus, especially now when Guterres is working to prepare the ground for the resumption of the talks from the point where the last process was suspended in Crans-Montana.
>> Ankara is blatantly disregarding the calls by the international community & continues with its plans to create new fait accompli on the ground.
Osadchiy (Russian Ambassador to RoC)
>> Concerned over Turkey’s provocations in Varosha & the Cyprus’ EEZ.
>> Russia’s position on the settlement of the Cyprob remains the same & is based on the international law & relevant UN resolutions.
North reviews crossings decision following GC mobilisation
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
CBMs, Internal Security, Human Rights
OVERVIEW
The dailies report that the TC side reviewed its decision to allow in the north people crossing from the government-controlled areas with a negative PCR test not older than 24 hours after the government addressed the issue through the UN and contact between the members of the Technical Committee on Health.
According to the dailies, the decision, which greatly affected residents of the Tylliria region since they need to cross through the Limnitis crossing to get to Nicosia but also the enclaved in Rizokarpaso, prompted the government to block on Monday the transfer of military personnel and supplies to Kokkina through Kato Pyrgos.
Haravgi cited a diplomatic source that said that since one part of the agreement on the Limnitis crossing was inactive, it was deemed that crossings to and from the Kokkina enclave would be terminated. This decision was aimed at putting pressure on the other side but to also avoid any measures by the Kato Pyrgos residents, the daily reported.
The papers report that the issue was discussed between members of the bicommunal Technical Committee on Health. The committee’s GC members raised the problems created due to this decision with their TC counterparts during a teleconference on Monday. GC co-chair of the Committee, Leonidas Phylaktou, told the Cyprus News Agency: “We explained that it was practically impossible for this measure to be implemented and that there is no time to carry out this test so often.”
Presidential commissioner Photis Photiou had said earlier on Monday the north has made exceptions for TCs working or studying in the government-controlled areas.
“If the real reason of the measures is the epidemiological situation in the free areas, the teachers, Kato Pyrgos residents and some groups of enclaved people with problems could be included in these exceptions,” Photiou said.
The dailies report that eight GCs infected with the virus were detected in Rizokarpaso. Photiou said that they are well including an 11-month-old infant who was admitted to the Makarios children’s hospital in Nicosia. Six of the patients were transferred to the government-controlled areas and are under the observation of the health ministry. The other two had chosen to spend the day quarantine period in the north, he said.
Alithia reports that the initial decision of the occupation authorities had in essence led to the closing of the crossings.
Parties get to work ahead of May’s parliamentary elections
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Governance & Power Sharing, Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
Political parties are working to prepare their ballots for May’s parliamentary elections, the papers report.
EDEK has already announced its three candidates for the Kyrenia district. The party leader, Marinos Sizopoulos, said on Monday after presenting the candidates, there cannot be a solution of the Cyprus problem without the return of Kyrenia residents to their properties.
He also reiterated his opposition to a bizonal bicommunal federation (BBF).
According to Phileleftheros, all parties, except AKEL, are close to finalising their ballots. The paper reports that ruling DISY but also DIKO have almost completed their ballots for the Nicosia and Famagusta districts while AKEL still has a long way to go since it has to follow a set of procedures as per its articles of association.
Politis reports that DISY’s candidates are incumbent MPs, party top brass but also personalities that are not party members. Leader Averof Neophytou and his associates moved quickly and effectively in view of the election campaign, as they know that the battle will be anything but easy for the party following scandals, developments on the Cyprus problem and the pandemic.
DISY is also organising a conference through which changes related to the strengthening of transparency will be promoted for voting, as far as the candidates are concerned, as a code of conduct has been prepared. If the provisions promoted are approved, then the candidates who will choose to claim a seat in parliament will have to submit specific information that has to do with, among other things, whether they have non-performing loans, the daily reported.