Front Page Headlines
Without a budget for Odysseas’ sake
DIKO and the auditor-general are putting the state and the economy on adventures. DIKO’s parliamentary team, without any political arguments, said ‘No’ to the budget, asking that the attorney-general is ignored to satisfy the auditor-general. Averof Neophytou tones down confrontation and launches today a new round of contacts with political leaders in a bid to find solutions through consultations. The finance minister referred to a negative development that makes the government’s operation more difficult. A revised budget is to be tabled in parliament within January.
- Coronavirus: Negative record with 457 cases
They burned their bridges with Nicolas
The Presidential Palace is turning its efforts for the approval of the new budget to (EDEK leader) Sizopoulos and (Citizens’ Alliance leader) Lillikas. The president interrupts consultations with DIKO and will not hand over the passport files.
- Positive prospects for the five-party summit
- They also provoke with a map of the ‘Blue Homeland’: Logic of borders from the Tatar regime
- The vaccines start on December 27 in batches
- Heavy beating over the budget
At least, assume your responsibilities!
A strong message to the government to change the budget philosophy but also to increase transparency in the fight against corruption. The budget was voted down for the first time in the modern history of the Republic of Cyprus, confirming that the government is not in sync with most of the parties but also with the wider society.
- Reactions by GCs & TCs over a two-state solution
- Reactions by TCs over the introduction in Turkey of ‘Izgarella’ halloumi cheese
- Vaccinations in Cyprus start on December 27 – 457 new Covid-19 cases.
‘Worst time ever’ to nix the budget
Anastasiades ‘aggrieved and disappointed’ with outcome.
- Soldier’s body exhumed 15 years on – The body of a national guardsman was exhumed on Thursday 15 years after his death after his family who dispute the initial verdict that he committed suicide persevered.
They punished the people!
Cyprus is numb from the rejection of the budget by AKEL, DIKO, EDEK, Citizens’ Alliance, Greens, and the Independents. A revised budget will be tabled in January and, if not approved, this will pave the way for early presidential elections. Averof announces new round of consultations with parties to reach consensus. Anastasiades: What I cannot comprehend is DIKO’s negative vote.
- Cavusoglu: We explained in a nice way to Lute that we need to go to two states
- Despite disagreements, the procedures have started for expanding sanctions on Turkey
Main News
Lute expected to return while sides voice opposing ideas on Cyprob
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Negotiations Process, EU Matters, Energy
OVERVIEW
While Turkey insists on a two-state solution, the dailies report on Friday that an informal five-party summit seems possible as UN special envoy Jane Hall Lute is expected to arrive on the island for a second round of contacts next month.
In the meantime, it seems there will be no summit on the Eastern Mediterranean since Egypt and Israel are not on board.
According to Phileleftheros, after her trip to Ankara, Lute has completed her first round of contacts and will now brief UNSG Antonio Guterres.
The daily reports that it seems what Lute heard during her contacts on the Cyprus problem but also in public statements by stakeholders will not hinder an informal five-party summit either in January or February next year since none of the parties is against the idea.
Lute is expected in Cyprus for a second round of contacts within the first half of January, the daily reported.
Speaking on Thursday at a ceremony to welcome new ambassadors to Cyprus from China, Egypt and Ukraine, President Nicos Anastasiades reiterated that any ideas that deviate from the UN parameters for the Cyprus problem are not sustainable.
Anastasiades said that his vision and highest priority was none other than the island’s reunification on the agreed basis of a bizonal and bicommunal federation as provided for in UN Security Council resolutions in order to create a truly independent and sovereign state.
The dailies also report on statements by Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu who explained to Lute that talks for a federal solution have been exhausted after 50 years and now was the time to discuss a two-state solution.
He also said that it was the Turkish president who suggested to the EU a summit on the Eastern Mediterranean. Cavusoglu added that if the GCs will participate in the summit, then the TCs ought to take part as well. “Either both of them, or none of them,” he reportedly said.
Alithia and Phileleftheros report that a diplomatic source told members of the press in Brussels that before the end of 2020, additional people would be added to the list of restrictive measures against illegal Turkish drilling within Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone. The same source said that the relevant technical discussions started on Thursday and already on the table are five names of persons and two entities proposed by the Republic of Cyprus.
There are, however, disagreements among member states over the inclusion of entities in the sanctions list. Italy, Spain and Germany are among those reacting, the diplomatic source said, announcing a new round of talks at the level of diplomats.
Citing the same source, the papers reported that during a phone call between President of the European Council Charles Michel and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan requested by Erdogan after the European Council summit , the Turkish president tried to ease tensions with Michel.
The Turkish president attempted a clear rapprochement and Michel reminded him that in order to start exploratory contacts with Greece, all unilateral actions and hostile rhetoric against EU member states must stop, the sources said, according to the papers.
The sources also said the only issue on which there were disagreements was on the Eastern Mediterranean summit for which Turkey insists on imposing its own terms but it no longer makes sense, given that mainly Egypt, but also Israel, are opposing the initiative. Turkey insists that it should take place with the participation of a delegation from the TC community, which it calls with an internationally unrecognised term, and also proposes that a maritime demarcation mechanism be established through the conference. The latter is opposed by Greece which argues that there is such a mechanism, international law and the UNCLOS, the dailies report.
Phileleftheros, Alithia and Haravgi also report on reactions by political parties to Cavusoglu’s statements.
Ruling DISY said that what Cavusoglu conveyed to Lute on negotiating on a different basis, was unrealistic and not in line with Guterres’ positions as formulated in his Framework and the relevant UN resolutions.
AKEL too said Cavusoglu’s positions were contrary to the basis of the negotiations and settlement of the Cyprus problem as defined by the UN Security Council resolutions and with what the UNSG points out in order to assume a new initiative.
DIKO said that the window of a loose federation has encouraged Turkey to officially put forth the unacceptable model of two states.
EDEK said Cavusoglu’s statements confirm Turkey’s expansionist policy with the obvious goal of creating conditions for the full integration of Cyprus into Turkish territory as was its original goal since the 1950s.
Haravgi and Phileleftheros report that there have been reactions also in the north to Cavusoglu’s statements on a two-state solution.
Phileleftheros also reports that the awareness campaign of the Famagusta Municipality continues with 10 short videos that take viewers back to the pre-1974 era. Well-known Famagusta residents share their memories, justifying Roland Barthes’ saying, “There is no Country but childhood’s.” The memories of these personalities from the social, cultural and business community of Famagusta, add small pieces to the great frame of collective memory, the paper reported.
KEY ACTORS
Anastasiades
>> Any Cyprob ideas deviating from UN parameters are not sustainable.
>> Top priority is island’s reunification on the agreed BBF basis as provided for in UNSC resolutions for a truly independent and sovereign state.
Cavusoglu (Turkish FM)
>> Talks for last 50 years on a BBF yielded no results, now is time to discuss a two-state solution.
>> If the TCs are not allowed to participate in the proposed East Med conference, the GCs should not either.
DISY, AKEL
>> Cavusoglu’s statements on a two-state solution are unrealistic & not in line with the Guterres Framework and UNSC resolutions.
DIKO
>> Talk by the GC side of a loose federation encouraged Turkey to officially promote the unacceptable model of two states.
EDEK
>> Cavusoglu’s statements confirm Turkey’s expansionist policy & goal since the 1950s of fully integrating Cyprus into Turkish territory.
Covid measures in north keep enclaved families apart at Christmas
Cyprus Mail, Phileleftheros
Internal Security, Human Rights
OVERVIEW
The dailies report that due to the stricter measures taken by the TC authorities against the spread of coronavirus enclaved families will spend Christmas apart.
Cyprus Mail cites Rizokarpaso community leader Michalis Mikellis telling state broadcaster CyBC on Thursday that the measures have made things very difficult for the enclaved in the Karpasia peninsula and their families, since children are unable to visit their parents even for less than 24 hours.
He said that among the problems faced is that three families will be separated for Christmas after some of their members crossed to the south last month after they tested positive for coronavirus. Last month, when the cases were detected among GCs in Rizokarpaso, some people chose to spend the 14-day self-isolation in the government-controlled areas and some in the north. This has separated families since one spouse remained at the village while the other spouse and children are in the south, he said.
To return to the north, according to the existing measures, they will have to stay in quarantine for 10 days and pay around €45 per day each, Mikellis said, which was a very big amount for them to cover.
Another problem, he said, is difficulty experienced by GC teachers who teach at the Rizokarpaso schools to commute from the government-controlled areas to the village due to the restrictions. As a result, the schools closed, and pupils follow online courses.
Phileleftheros, citing Presidency Commissioner Photis Photiou, reported that a father and his child are in the free areas and the mother in Rizokarpaso while another case concerns a woman with her children who are in the free areas and the father in Rizokarpaso.
The fact the enclaved are not exempt from the latest measures, as other groups were, is inhumane and cruel and an indication of the occupation regime’s intentions, wrote the daily. The government has made representations to the UN but there has not been a change in the stance of the occupation regime, it reported.
The daily also reports that the TC leader, using the pandemic and the epidemiological outlook in the free areas as an excuse, is attempting to turn the dividing line into a hard border based on a logic of two states and refuses any facilitation on humanitarian grounds as regards the enclaved.
Citing diplomatic sources, the daily reports that political reasons lie behind these actions by the pseudo-state that have to do with the position on two states on the island.
The paper also said that Tatar was provocatively photographed with a ‘Blue Homeland’ map.
Cyprus Mail, in another article, reported that Archbishop Chrysostomos visited national guardsmen along the green line on Thursday and distributed presents as part of his tour visiting soldiers over Christmas. He told the conscripts their service in the National Guard is not a waste of time but provides a proper education and training to cope with modern life.
State budget rejected for the first time in RoC’s history
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Economy, Internal Security
OVERVIEW
The dailies report that the House plenum on Thursday rejected the 2021 state budget, after most opposition parties rejected it.
The budget failed to get majority approval as 29 MPs voted against to 24 in favour.
AKEL, DIKO, EDEK, the Greens, Citizens Alliance and independent MP Anna Theologou vetoed the bill. Ruling DISY, Solidarity, Democratic Cooperation and ELAM voted in favour.
The government will now submit another budget bill in January.
President Nicos Anastasiades expressed his dismay. He said he was aggrieved and disappointed with the outcome.
“That which will be recorded in the 60-year history of the Republic is that this is the first time a budget has been vetoed, and for reasons unrelated to the budget’s philosophy itself,” he noted.
He said while he understands political parties may have genuine disagreements over economic policy, he cannot fathom “the negative vote by the Democratic Party (DIKO) which is seeking through blackmail to substitute the lawfully elected government and neutralise other independent institutions.”
Anastasiades said this would impact the healthcare system and the procurement of vaccines for Covid-19. It is not the government that is being punished but rather, he said, businesses who risk going bankrupt, as well all those who risk losing their jobs due to the painful coronavirus measures, the vulnerable groups who need the Guaranteed Minimum Income, and low-income pensioners.
Alithia reports that if the amended budget is rejected again, this would pave the way for early presidential elections.
Phileleftheros also reported on a scuffle between two men on Facebook over the state budget that led to the heavy beating of one of them by the other and his friends.
According to the daily, a 35-year-old man from Larnaca and a 36-year-old man from Limassol had an argument on Facebook over ELAM’s stance as regards the state budget and arranged to meet to discuss their differences.
They arranged to meet in Limassol, and both arrived with their friends, but the discussion soon turned into a brawl and the 36-year-old was attacked by around 10 to 15 people holding bats and knives and with their faces covered.
He was taken to hospital by his friends where he was diagnosed with multiple head injuries and amnesia, while he had a stab wound to his backside.
The 35-year-old was arrested, the daily reported.