Front Page Headlines
Emily’s resignation has started fires
The former justice minister’s hints have ruined the ‘wide acceptance’ efforts. Emily Yiolitis hinted at the government’s image on matters of corruption and stressed that it was she who suffered costs from her participation in the government and not President Anastasiades.
- House committees: They have sealed the presidencies
- Erdogan is ‘building’ a little Turkey in Syria
Yiolitis: an eventful divorce
She handed in her resignation and left the ministry while throwing bombs at President Anastasiades. She was ‘accused’ of tarnishing the government’s image.
- Pressure for preventing faits accomplis in Varosha
- They set up a special committee for ELAM – They found an ad hoc solution for the House (committee) presidencies.
- The weapons of a criminal organisation were of Turkish origin
Everything for… the image!
Accusations between Anastasiades – Yiolitis. The justice minister lambasted Anastasiades while resigning.
- Cyprus problem: Anastasiades-Guterres meeting on June 25 in Brussels
- Two in three believe the government is controlled by private interests
- They agreed on the 16 presidencies, disagreement by AKEL on ELAM
‘Suicide’ soldier was strangled
Pathologist says soldier killed in 2005 died as result of foul play.
- Emily Yiolitis resigns as justice minister amid testy exchange with the palace
She left before he dismissed her…
Not even a thank you. President Anastasiades is upset by Emily Yiolitis’ behaviour, he immediately accepted her resignation. The government reshuffling will be announced at the beginning of next week.
- Anastasiades will meet Antonio Guterres in Brussels
Main News
Anastasiades: Any further moves in Varosha will be a blow to talks prospects
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Negotiations Process, EU Matters, CBMs
OVERVIEW
President Nicos Anastasiades is scheduled to meet UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in Brussels next week on the margins of the European Council (EUCO), the dailies report.
According to the dailies, the meeting is to take place on June 25 on the sidelines of the EUCO and it is expected that Anastasiades and Guterres will discuss the situation on the Cyprus problem, and the prospects of a new informal summit in light of the Turkish demands for a two-state solution and actions in the fenced area of Famagusta.
Prior to the meeting, Guterres’ special envoy Jane Holl Lute will visit Cyprus for contacts with the two sides.
Haravgi, citing information, reports that Nicosia is seeking to expedite a second informal meeting in order to prevent further actions by Turkey in Varosha. To this end, Anastasiades will insist on the confidence-building measures he had submitted in Geneva on the transfer of the jurisdiction of Varosha and the airport of Tymbou under the United Nations.
Alithia reports that Anastasiades said on Thursday evening that he will convey to Guterres the GC side’s readiness to participate in a dialogue based on the UN resolutions, the 2014 Joint Declaration, and the convergences so that a viable and functional solution is found which does not stray from UN principles.
On the EU’s reaction on Turkey at the upcoming EUCO and following the preparatory teleconference that took place yesterday during which Anastasiades said that the EU must be clear that there will be reactions if Turkish provocations continue, the president said this concerned an EU obligation to one of its member states.
On the recent EU-US Joint Declaration and the reference to the Eastern Mediterranean, he said this was another proof of the Republic of Cyprus’ effort to convey and establish such relations through foreign policy so that the Cyprus issue concerns both the EU and the US as a problem mainly because of the Turkish behaviour and intransigence.
Speaking at an event for the unveiling of commemorative plaques bearing the names of political prisoners during the EOKA struggle, Anastasiades said: “What we do not accept is for Cyprus to become a protectorate of Turkey through henchmen, through interventions that we all have witnessed not only in Cyprus but also abroad.” He also sent the message: “no to a solution to the Cyprus problem based on Turkey’s demands and the neo-Ottoman visions of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan,” Alithia reported.
All dailies, citing a written statement by government spokesman Kyriacos Koushos, report that Anastasiades, during the teleconference, briefed President of the European Council Charles Michel, on developments in Varosha. Participating in the online meeting which covered a range of issues were also the leaders of Malta, Lithuania and Luxemburg.
During the teleconference, Anastasiades focused on next week’s discussion at the EUCO on EU-Turkey relations, reiterating the contradiction between the clear position of the EU and the international community on the reunification of Cyprus on the basis of a bizonal bicommunal federation with political equality as recorded in the relevant UN resolutions and the Turkish demands for a two-state solution. Anastasiades also stressed the need for Turkey to maintain the de-escalation of the crisis in the Republic of Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ), stressing that any continuation of the Turkish faits accomplis in Varosha will be a huge blow to the prospects of resuming negotiations for a solution to the Cyprus problem. He also said that the EU must clarify whether it will act against further provocations from Turkey from land or sea, Koushos said.
The dailies also report on the letter to Guterres by the pseudo state’s ‘representative’ in New York, Mehmet Dana, which states that the moves carried out in the fenced area of Varosha were within international law. The letter was in response to the speech by the Republic of Cyprus’ permanent representative to the UN, Andreas Hadjichrysanthou, during last month’s UN General Assembly on the Security Council report for 2020. He had called for immediate action by the Council on the implementation of its decisions on Varosha.
KEY ACTORS
Anastasiades
>> GC side ready to take part in Cyprob dialogue based on UN resolutions, 2014 JD & convergences achieved so far for a viable, functional solution within UN principles.
>> The EU-US JD which also refers to the East Med is yet another proof of the RoC’s foreign policy effort to make Cyprob considered both an EU & US problem mainly because of the Turkish behaviour and intransigence.
>> Will not accept for Cyprus to become a protectorate of Turkey or a solution problem based on Turkey’s demands & Erdogan’s neo-Ottoman visions.
>> Warns that any further Turkish moves in Varosha will be to the detriment of the prospects of resuming Cyprob talks.
>> Calls on EU to clarify whether it will act against further provocations from Turkey from land or sea, as per its obligation to one of its member states.
Nicosia calls on UN to take firm stand on Varosha, Cyprob
Phileleftheros
Negotiations Process, Territory
OVERVIEW
The paper reports that Nicosia, in a bid to thwart Turkey’s plans on Varosha, has turned both to the EU and UN and warns its interlocutors of the possible dangers and the side-effects of the Turkish moves.
Nicosia’s positions and messages to the UN were conveyed by Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides during a meeting yesterday with Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Cyprus Elizabeth Spehar ahead of the preparation of the two reports concerning developments on the Cyprus problem and UNFICYP, the daily reports.
Citing information, Phileleftheros reports that Christodoulides strongly raised the issue of Famagusta in light of a series of actions taken by the Turkish side. He stressed to Spehar that the report being drafted these days and which will be presented to the Security Council may be the most important one prepared since 1964 when the peacekeeping force was first deployed to Cyprus.
What Nicosia is asking the UN official to do is to emphasise what is being recorded in Famagusta and Turkey’s moves and not to behave in a similar way as in the case of Strovilia. The foreign minister stressed that, with its actions, the Turkish side violates the UN resolutions and that this is what should concern the international organisation. Regarding the negotiations on the Cyprus issue, Christodoulides stressed that the UN should through the report send messages in relation to the work done and clarify its position regarding the form of solution.
The UNFICYP draft report will have to be submitted to the Security Council by July 10 while Spehar is scheduled to brief its members on July 21, Phileleftheros reports.
In the meantime, the Turkish side continues step-by-step its moves on the Varosha issue claiming provocatively that its actions are legal, the daily reports.
Parties agree on House committee chairs
Alithia, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Governance & Power Sharing
OVERVIEW
The dailies report that the parliamentary parties reached an agreement on the distribution of the chairs of the House committees with far-right ELAM being given the chair of the ad hoc committee on demographics and immigration.
The move has angered main opposition AKEL which was the only one to voice its disagreement with the upgrading of this committee, which was a subcommittee of the House labour committee, to ad hoc and given to ELAM.
ELAM leader Christos Christou said that the ad hoc committee would discuss serious issues that concern the Cypriot society such as the migration issue but also the problems faced by families with many children. Christou also accused AKEL of trying, through anti-democratic procedures, to annul the election results.
Ruling DISY will be chairing the House committees on foreign affairs, legal affairs, health, trade and commerce and ethics.
AKEL will be chairing the House committees on interior, refugees, labour, agriculture and human rights.
To DIKO go the House watchdog, education and finance committees.
EDEK retains its chair of the committee on defence, the Greens get House environment and DIPA, the transport committee.
Alithia reports that DISY and DIKO gave a solution that seems to satisfy everyone and put an end to the impasse as regards the distribution of the House committee chairs. The two parties supported the creation of an ad hoc committee on immigration whose presidency was given to ELAM. The new parliament finds all parties to chair at least one committee. The new parliament has 16 standing committees, as before, and one ad hoc committee, Alithia reports.
Politis reports that the impasse, which ended through backstage consultations, was on reservations on giving ELAM a committee to chair.
Weapons made in Turkey found during sting operation
Phileleftheros
Internal Security
OVERVIEW
The daily reports that the arms found during a sting operation in five residences and one business in the Limassol district linked with the activities of a crime ring were made in Turkey.
Two men, aged 33 and 37 from Syria and a 29-year-old GC woman were arrested in connection with the case. The suspects were remanded on Thursday for eight days while it is believed that behind the crime ring is a man who is serving a prison sentence in connection with the operation of a meth lab. It is believed the crime ring sells drugs and weapons.
Authorities are investigating how the three weapons, which were initially blank firing pistols but were converted to be used as firearms ended up in the suspects’ possession. Investigations are also carried out as to where the drugs, located during the search, came from and whether they were smuggled through the occupied areas.
All suspects deny involvement in the case while the GC woman claimed that the two weapons found in her home had been brought there some two months ago by her partner, a 27-year-old man sought by authorities for the same case and that she had asked him to remove them from the house. She said she was under the impression he had done that.