Front Page Headlines
Naturalisation only… for those who speak Greek
After the abolition of the CIP (citizenship-by-investment programme), the criteria for obtaining citizenship are becoming stricter for everyone. Foreigners who wish to be naturalised as Cypriot, however rich they may be, will from now on have to follow the… normal route and meet a series of strict preconditions. Requirements are seven consecutive years of residence in Cyprus, a clean criminal record, sufficient knowledge of the Greek language and basic facts of the contemporary political and social realities of the country. They must have a residence, sufficient income and not be recipients of state benefits. Decisions on naturalisations will be taken after due examination and will be fully justified.
- Cyprus Problem: They’re searching for a formula within the agreed-upon framework
- Seychelles: ‘Air battles’ over trips
- Vaccinations: New strategy for acceleration
- Occupied areas-Covid-19: Ban on movement and intense concern
Express trials for foreclosures
Bill foresees special courts – Covers vulnerable debtors and bonds. It passed through the Legal Committee, as was the precondition for approval of the (state) budget.
- (International community) see a conjunction for results (on the Cyprob)
- Retail trade returns Monday: They’re opening shop with discounts in hope of surviving
- What the green tax reform foresees: Carbon tax will set fire to fuels from this year
- Social welfare and Minimum Guaranteed Income being transferred: Behold the deputy ministry for Social Welfare
- Cancellation of MOT of cars involved in traffic accidents
- Investigative (Committee) didn’t like Odysseas’ conclusions
- 316 cases of abuse of minors in 366 days in 2020
Documents/rubbish for purchase of ‘golden’ passports
Those naturalised claimed to be residents of non-existent homes. Directors were naturalised in abuse (of process). Bribery and lies of Anastasiades over Saudi Arabian.
- The British are pouring water into the mill of the pursuits of the Turkish side
- Gloomy picture in public hospitals
- Soft landing for… the Archbishop! New municipality-Archbishop meeting on agreement
- Over 10,000 new appointments for vaccination of those over 80 years old
Palace goes on the defensive
Seychelles row escalates, auditor general’s testimony worsens passports controversy.
- First batch of AstraZeneca jabs due Monday
- Paphos police called to restore order at Paphos protest over TC properties
Netanyahu invites Anastasiades to Israel
The President is travelling to Israel next week. Important processes with the arrival of Mitsotakis, Borrell. The negotiating team resumes as it was apart from Toumazos Tselepis due to the rejection of AKEL.
- For a handful of votes?: Faidonas criticises House Refugee Committee. Incidents during MPs’ visit to Moutallos regarding municipality’s work on TC properties that affects refugees.
- “Aren’t you ashamed?”: Frontal attack by Erdogan toward USA and Macron
- Judgement Day: Today the municipality decides on Archbishop case (on listed buildings)
- Coronavirus: Limassol first in cases, Nicosia in deaths
- New criteria: Law for naturalisations changes
- Trip to the Seychelles: Government: “The President has nothing to hide”
Main News
Summit preparations underway as Borrell, Mitsotakis to visit Cyprus
Alithia, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
The dailies report on the ongoing preparations underway ahead of the informal five-party summit, particularly in view of the expected visits to Cyprus by the EU’s Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
Phileleftheros reports that the main point on the agenda of Borrell’s visit will be the upcoming informal summit. Borrell, who will be meeting with both leaders, is set to discuss the EU’s role in efforts to resolve the Cyprus Problem. The paper writes that Borrell’s meeting with the TC leader Ersin Tatar, if used appropriately, presents an opportunity for Borrell to explain what the EU considers acceptable and what it does not in terms of Turkey’s position in favour of a two-state solution.
Phileleftheros posits that the Cyprus Problem, as a matter that is either positively or negatively affected by international and regional developments, is viewed by the EU and other international players involved as being surrounded by circumstances that could work positively in its favour. EU, British, and other officials link the factors that can affect the upcoming Cyprob developments with Turkey. The paper lists these factors as the internal difficulties being faced by Erdogan; the election of Joe Biden, who does not seem to be up for being swayed by Erdogan; and the stabilisation of Qatar’s relations with Gulf countries and the subsequent possibility of Turkey losing out from that money tap. All these factors, the paper writes, are drawing the Turkish President closer to the EU.
Despite the estimations of foreign players regarding positive developments in the Cyprus Problem, Phileleftheros reports that Nicosia remains cautious, knowing full well that mere circumstances cannot ensure in advance a positive development on the negotiating table, particularly in view of the different interpretation held by Ankara and Brussels of EU-Turkish relations.
Phileleftheros reports that Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides told state broadcaster CyBC that “our duty is to be prepared for all scenarios”, adding that “whenever we went with a one-dimensional approach the result refuted estimations.” The paper linked the reference with the negotiations held in 2003 when the GC side went to New York expecting to see a negative stance from the then-TC leader Rauf Denktash, with estimations turning out wrong. Alithia reports that the Republic is even preparing for the scenario in which the TC side and Turkey unexpectedly shift their stance from the recently publicly-stated positions. Citing statements by Christodoulides, Phileleftheros reports that Nicosia’s view is that at the five-party summit, Turkey’s positions on all matters currently being raised will become clear.
Speaking to Alpha TV, and responding to a question regarding complaints voiced by the negotiating team over not being invited to participate in discussions, Christodoulides said they will be called in over the next few days, and potentially by President Nicos Anastasiades himself. Besides, Christodoulides said, the GC negotiator Andreas Mavroyiannis returned only last week from New York and is currently in isolation. Christodoulides said that all who seek the resumption of negotiations for a solution based on a bizonal bicommunal federation (BBF) are welcome, Phileleftheros reports.
Politis reports that AKEL is wary of the stance Anastasiades will assume during his upcoming contacts on the Cyprus Problem, as seen through Kyprianou’s rejection of the party’s Cyprob expert Toumazos Tselepis’ participation in the negotiating team. Haravgi reports that AKEL reiterated its call to Anastasiades to persuasively express the commitment of the GC side to a solution in the form of a BBF with political equality, and to a resumption of negotiations from where they left off at Crans Montana on the basis of the convergences and the Guterres framework.
Politis reports that DISY MP Nikos Tornaritis also said that the future of Cyprus lies in a federal solution, and called on parties to show support to Anastasiades in view of the upcoming summit, though the paper writes that such support remains unlikely, at least until both sides get to the meaty parts of the discussion.
KEY ACTORS
Christodoulides
>> Republic must and will prepare for all scenarios at informal summit.
AKEL
>> Expects from Anastasiades to persuasively communicate GC side’s commitment for BBF with political equality and resumption of talks from where they left off.
Raab visit leaves mixed impressions
Politis, Phileleftheros
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
The dailies report on the impressions left by the absence of a reference to a bizonal bicommunal federation (BBF) as the solution model being sought by the UK in the statements issued by UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab.
Commenting on the matter on state broadcaster CyBC, Phileleftheros reports that Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides pointed to Raab’s reference to reunification, “which does not refer to a two-state solution or a confederation”. He also backed this up with reference to what was discussed with Raab behind closed doors and with the UK’s role in the drafting of the UN Security Council’s (UNSC) recent resolution renewing the UNFICYP mandate, which referred specifically to a BBF.
Haravgi views Christodoulides’ comments on CyBC as an attempt to ‘beautify’ the positions of the UK Foreign Secretary. Haravgi reports on comments made by Tselepis on Alpha television on Thursday, who claimed that in drawing up the UNSC resolution, the UK had removed the reference to a BBF in the draft version, but this was put back in after protestations by the other permanent members, including the US. Tselepis said, however, that absence in the resolution of a reference to the Guterres framework as well as a call for talks to continue from where they left off at Crans Montana, risks driving talks towards the need to tackle matters from the beginning. Tselepis also mentioned that if any solution other than a federation is secured, then under the Vienna Convention, the Treaty of Establishment of the Republic of Cyprus is cast into doubt, as is the status of the British bases.
Politis reports that Raab’s visit left mixed impressions as, on the one hand, he seemed to understand that there cannot be a solution that deviates from UNSC resolutions, but on the other hand he is being presented by the TC side as particularly conciliatory in terms of what he heard from Tatar. Politis reports that the TC side made sure to publish photos from the meeting between Tatar and Raab, in which the flag of the north can be discerned in the background, in an attempt to grant official status to the meeting. Politis reports that British sources confirmed their strong disapproval of the incident, of which they were not informed in advance and did not provide consent for such a photograph. Contacts are expected to be made to relay the UK’s disapproval of the matter to the TC side, the paper reports.
Politis reports that what the UK appears to be seeking is for common ground to be found that satisfies both sides, including the TC side’s desire for political or sovereign equality. The paper reports that the UK also does not seem to be against discussions in the framework of a decentralised/loose federation, but is simultaneously presenting new terminology with unclear content. Haravgi reports that AKEL’s spokesperson expressed concern over the absence of a reference to a BBF solution in Raab’s statement, and over information which suggests that behind the scenes, the UK is presenting new ideas that are not part of the agreed-upon framework.
Politis argues that for any positive developments to arise, the content behind the concepts being tabled must become clear, and this includes the need for a clarification of what competences the GC side is referring to when it is discussing decentralisation.