GCC Press Review 18 May 2021

Front Page Headlines

Politis

They are placing their bets on polarisation

The low numbers of DISY & AKEL supporters rallying around their parties, leads to high-tone confrontations. The two big parties are in a race to convince but to also ‘repatriate’ votes even in the last hour. The protest vote is of crucial importance for the final results. The government camp is placing its bets on shaping a climate of hope but also better economic conditions while at the same time accusing AKEL and DIKO of irresponsibility and populism. Opposition invests in the corruption and entanglement scandals and mistakes and omissions in the management of the pandemic, curbing the government’s arguments on the economy and the reforms.

  • ‘Cyprus-tomorrow’ scheme: €4.4 billion for the recovery
  • Fears over the Indian variant – Mass vaccinations is the answer.
  • Palestine: Erdogan’s charm in the Arab world

Phileleftheros

Vote battles for the (House) seats

Ambivalent showdown at personal and party level for the parliamentary elections. A race for the golden 7.2% and the third distribution (of seats).

  • Panegyric recovery fund: The president promises a €4bn expenditure for the “Cyprus of tomorrow”
  • Turkey wants to join the European PESCO through the back door
  • A whole neighbourhood acts as a shield for Israel’s embassy (in Nicosia) – (Residents) trapped between narrow streets, guards and roadblocks.

Haravgi

Rehashed ‘I commit’ by Anastasiades over… tomorrow!

Many ‘I will’ by the government-DISY a few days before the parliamentary elections. “I commit” by Anastasiades for 58 reforms and 76 development investments. The state ministers are taking the election baton. It is a joke that DISY and the government are talking about the “Cyprus of tomorrow” when for eight years, they have been recording sad results.

  • Gaza is not far: No Cypriot support to the massacre in Palestine!
  • The Foreign Office recommends avoidance of non-essential travel to Cyprus (due to  the epidemiological situation)

Cyprus Mail

Billions to create a post-Covid era

President presents Cyprus-tomorrow roadmap for ‘social and economic’ transformation.

  • Hopes for double digit daily virus figures by summer

Alithia

‘Cyprus-tomorrow’ scheme

What does the national recovery scheme entail. “Today the foundation is laid for the Cyprus of tomorrow,” the president said. The total amount for the implementation of the programme for the 2021-2026 period is at €4.4 bn, excluding annual state budget expenditure. More than 11,000 new positions will be created with good salaries.

  • Erdogan foretells a hot summer for the Cyprus problem – He will be in the occupied areas for the fiestas of July 20. The Turkish troops will not be withdrawn from Cyprus.
  • Tufan Erhurman: The decentralised federation is common ground for the solution of the Cyprus problem

Main News

Erdogan due in Cyprus for July 20 anniversary events

Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Negotiations Process, EU Matters, External Security

OVERVIEW

The dailies report on the announcement by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan he would be in Cyprus on July 20 for the celebrations for the invasion anniversary.

Citing Erdogan’s statements to Turkish daily Sabah, GC dailies reports that the Turkish president is slated to visit the north on July 20 for the anniversary of the “Day of Peace and Freedom”, as Turkey calls the invasion in Cyprus in 1974.

The dailies report that Erdogan said that Turkey would continue to defend the rights of the TCs to the end and that it would not let Cyprus being “harassed” by the GCs. He also said the withdrawal of the Turkish troops was out of the question.

Alithia reports that Erdogan’s statements foretell that a ‘hot summer’ is in the cards.

Phileleftheros, Alithia and Haravgi also report that head of TC main opposition Republican Turkish Party (CTP) Tufan Erhurman, said he believes a decentralised federation was an idea on which the two sides could find common ground as regards the solution of the Cyprus problem.

Citing TC daily Yeniduzen, the papers reports that Erhurman said that the mistakes made by the Turkish side have allowed President Nicos Anastasiades himself as the one who wants the solution.

KEY ACTORS
Erdogan
>>
Turkey will not let GCs usurp TCs’ rights & claim sole ownership of the island
>>
Turkish troops will not be withdrawn from Cyprus

Erhurman (CTP)
>>
Believes decentralised federation could be a way forward as regards the Cyprob solution
>>
The Turkish side, with the mistakes it has made, has allowed Anastasiades appear as the side wishing a solution


Turkey asks to join PESCO project

Alithia, Phileleftheros
EU Matters, External Security

OVERVIEW

Phileleftheros reports that Turkey is trying to enter the EU’s security and defence policy PESCO (Permanent Structured Cooperation) through the back door by submitting a request to the Netherlands.

The daily reports that Nabila Masrali, spokesperson of the Commission and the European External Action Service, confirmed to the Cyprus News Agency that Turkey had sent a letter to the Netherlands requesting participation in a military mobility programme. The Netherlands as, the programme’s coordinator, stated that the request will be evaluated by the members of the project according to the established procedures as was the case with previous requests. This internal process continues, the spokesperson reportedly said. With regard to the conditions and procedures for the participation of third countries, Masrali said last November, the Council approved the general conditions under which third countries may participate in PESCO projects. This decision stipulates that under certain conditions the partners may add value to PESCO projects and help strengthen the common security and defence policy. It is first up to the members of individual projects to consider inviting a third state that meets the general conditions. This includes, inter alia, the need for the third country to share the EU’s values, ​​to provide added value to a project and to have an information security agreement with the EU enabling the exchange of classified information, the daily reports.

Phileleftheros also cites a report by EURACTIV news portal that quotes a Dutch spokesperson confirming that a formal request from the Turkish government has indeed been received by the Dutch defence ministry, which is coordinating the project.

 “Turkey has indeed informed us of its desire to participate in the military mobility project. As project coordinator, we carefully follow the application process established by the Council,” the spokesperson told EURACTIV.

Phileleftheros recalls that the regulations aim to prevent participation in PESCO of any country not aligned with the EU’s values and decisions. So far, only the US, Canada and Norway have succeeded in participating in PESCO programmes, the daily reports.

The paper also reports that the Turkish press referred to Ankara’s application to the Council which has been refuted since the application was submitted to the Netherlands, shortly after the EU defence ministers decided to allow participation to PESCO projects of three NATO members but not Turkey.

Alithia, citing statements by the ‘architect’ of the Turkish-Libyan memorandum Cihat Yayci, to Turkish daily Yeni Safak, reports that Turkey is now proposing an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) also with Palestine. The daily reports that Yayci referred to Yeni Safak about his proposal for an EEZ agreement between Turkey and Palestine along the same lines as Turkey’s agreement with Libya and the pseudo-state in the north. Yayci argued that such an agreement would change the balance as regards the Palestinian issue, make Turkey Palestine’s neighbour in the sea and contribute to Palestine’s international recognition. He put as example the continental shelf delimitation agreement Ankara signed in 2011 with the ‘TRNC’, Alithia reports.

Phileleftheros reports that Yayci, who once more arbitrarily interpreted international law and the Law of the Sea, said that since Palestine is a member of the East Mediterranean Gas Forum was proof that it is an international organisation with shores in the Eastern Mediterranean. He argued that an agreement between Turkey and Palestine could turn the game played against Turkey through the EastMed Gas Forum in its favour. Phileleftheros also reports that a map he showed depicts the proposed Turkish-Palestinian marine borders meeting in the middle of the internationally recognised Cypriot EEZ.


Greek-Turkish popular support for BBF solution in Cyprus

Politis
Regional/International Relations, Negotiations Process

OVERVIEW

The daily reports that a survey carried out in Greece and Turkey showed that the majority of respondents agree that a bizonal bicommunal federation (BBF) is the best option as regards the solution of the Cyprus problem.

The survey was carried out on behalf of the Hellenic Foundation for European & Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP) by MRB in Greece and KONDA in Turkey. The survey was carried out between February 19-21, with the participation of 1,022 Greek and 1,163 Τurkish nationals.

Among other things, the survey found that despite the fact that the importance that Greek and Turkish public opinion attach to the Cyprus issue is declining, it is interesting that the majority of respondents in both countries agree on a BBF solution. This is particularly important given the recent revival of international interest in the Cyprus issue but also the support by Turkey and the TC leadership of a partitionist solution, the daily reported.

The survey also found that while the majority of Turkish public opinion declares its support for Turkey’s accession to the EU, the opposition of the majority of Greek public opinion to Turkey’s accession to the EU, shows that the strategy that turned Turkey’s accession process into a tool for resolving Greek-Turkish disputes is no longer considered realistic.


Reactions to Cyprus’ stand on Israel-Hamas conflict & security fears

Haravgi, Phileleftheros
Regional/International Relations, External Security

OVERVIEW

Haravgi reports on reactions in Cyprus against the Israeli aggression against Palestinians.

It reports that more than 250 people, including academicians, trade unionist, and artists, have signed a resolution condemning the ongoing Israeli barbarity against the people of Palestine. The resolution, titled “Gaza is not far – No Cypriot support to the massacre in Palestine!”, also criticises the government for failing to condemn Israel’s actions. The group said that the Cypriot people, who, as a whole experienced colonialism, foreign interventions, ethnic cleansing and uprooting of both the Turkish Cypriots in 1963/64 and the Greek Cypriots in 1974, cannot remain indifferent to the full-scale murderous attack against its neighbour, the Palestinian people.

The group demands that the government promptly ends military cooperation with the state of Israel including joint military exercises, “which have as their sole goal the people of the region as they simulate attacks in Gaza as well as possible attacks against Lebanon, Syria and Iran.”

They also call on the government to stop providing a political alibi for Israel’s criminal policy towards the Palestinian people, and condemn the Israeli attacks at the institutions of the European Union.

The group also calls for immediate termination of granting facilities on the territory of the Republic of Cyprus to the armed forces as well as to the Israeli secret services. They also call on cultural and social organisations, such as film and music festivals and others, not to ask for or accept grants from the Israeli embassy to hold their events. “This support is not offered altruistically, but with the sole aim of exonerating the Israeli state in the eyes of the public,” they said.

The group also accused the government and ruling DISY of continuing to defend the consequences of the ‘tripartite collaborations’ of the ‘anti-Turkish axis’ Greece-Cyprus-Israel, and ignore the situation in Gaza by offering Israel moral support.

They also condemned the attitude of the GC media, which, they said, conceal information and falsify facts, projecting a distorted image as regards the balance between the heavily armoured Israel and the blockaded in Gaza.
The daily reports that an online petition was also launched urging Cyprus’ foreign ministry to cancel any contract or involvement in Israel’s upcoming ‘War Month’ in direct opposition to any escalation of the current situation. The petition said that Israel’s Defence Forces will carry out a large-scale military exercise in the Republic of Cyprus this summer as part of ‘War Month,’ a four week training initiative to strengthen Israel’s wartime readiness, including against the Gaza Strip.

The petition questions and denounces Cyprus’ involvement in this initiative considering the EU’s call for an immediate end to the violence currently taking place. We do not consent to receiving Israel’s assault helicopters, missile boats and warships to Cyprus as part of this training exercise, it said, Haravgi reports.

Phileleftheros reports that residents of the neighbourhood in which the Israeli embassy is located in  Nicosia complain that they are forced to endure checks and restrictions whenever there is a crisis between Israel and the Palestinians, due to the increased security measures around the embassy out of fears for attacks. They also told the daily, that even when there are no tensions in the neighbouring country, they are still subject to security scrutiny and expressed concerns on whether they are used as a shield against possible attacks against Israel. They called for the relocation of the embassy to a non-residential area.

They said that during Saturday’s protest by Palestinians in the area, some protesters were trying to gather as many materials as possible to throw against Israelis once they were close to the embassy guards.

Phileleftheros also reports that authorities have also arranged for police protection of organised Israeli tourist groups, and increased security at the airports, ports and of cruise ships.


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