GCC Press Review 9 Nov 2021

Front Page Headlines

Politis

If DISY wants change let it convince us… and then we will talk

Nikolas Papadopoulos: DIKO’s participation in the next government is a necessity. The DIKO president clarifies that the party does not exclude any political force from the dialogue on the presidential elections as long as it prioritises the fight against corruption and entanglement. If DISY really wants to contribute to change then it is the one that will have to convince in order to reverse the negative image that the government has created abroad. DIKO has not discussed any name, not even that of its president. The framework of proposals for configuration a government programme will be decided at the Congress in January 2022.

  • Permanent posts and hefty pay raises for the president’s niece and secretaries (Auditor-general’s report)
  • The Azeri was using five different names!
  • Free Famagusta area: Touristic suicide in the midst of summer weather

Phileleftheros

Another 10% on electricity

The increase would have been 20% if the 10% discount was not imposed from November to February. The EAC fuel cost alone (together with the emissions) exceeds 90% compared to the same month last year. The emission market doubled between October and November 2021.

  • The Air Force is being modernised
  • Sneaky plans in Galini in Tylliria: The Turks are working for the collapse of a chapel
  • Liturgy from the Pope at the GSP stadium if it does not rain – A plan is being prepared with draconian security measures. Officials from the Vatican have already arrived. They will not bring his special vehicle but he will have a large guard.
  • They are setting up polls on January 23 in the occupied areas

Haravgi

From the DISY offices to the Presidential Palace and from there to permanent posts with fat pay raises

Irregular appointments of Nicos Anastasiades’ niece and three associates. President Anastasiades’ niece used to work as a parliamentary associate while the other three were working at DISY.

  • Tatar asked Ursula von der Leyen for a review of the adjustments on halloumi PDO
  • The president was at his (former) law office on Saturday
  • Consumer reactions for the milk price raise

Cyprus Mail

Eurogroup meets over price surges

High inflation ‘temporary’ but concerns over wage growth.

  • Between 60 and 100 irregular migrants crossing buffer zone each day Nouris
  • French frigate docks in Larnaca

Alithia

The president and 11 ministers will discuss tomorrow the migration issue

Decisions are expected in one of the biggest ever meetings. Nicos Nouris: Cyprus is in a state of emergency as regards migration. From the 1st of October, we are faced with a big wave of flows all from the green line. On average, we receive daily between 60 -100 migrants from the green line all coming from occupied areas -Turkey.

  • Discussion on the presidential elections is getting stronger, a parade of names
  • Odysseas is a tool of the opposition – New conflict on the issue of permanent appointments of four employees at the Presidential Palace. The government spokesman blames the Auditor-general for unethical behaviour and that he has allowed himself to be instrumentalised as a pillar of the opposition.

Main News

Large-scale meeting on migration

Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Internal Security, Migration & Citizenship

OVERVIEW

The government is to hold a large-scale meeting on Wednesday on the migration issue with Interior Minister Nicos Nouris declaring the country is in ‘a state of emergency’ citing 60 to 100 daily arrivals from Turkey through the north.

Alithia, citing sources, reports that one of the biggest ever meetings is to take place at the Presidential Palace to discuss the migration issue with the participation of the president, 11 ministers and many officials. Serious decisions are expected to be taken because the situation is now out of control, the daily reports.

The dailies report that Nouris briefed MPs of the situation during discussion at the House of his ministry’s budget. He said the country was in a state of emergency as regards migration.

He said since October 1, the country has been facing a huge wave all from the Green Line, adding that on average, 60 to 100 migrants arrive daily through points at the Green Line. He said all are coming from Turkey either by plane from Istanbul or the Turkish southern coast.

Later in the day, 23 migrants believed to have arrived in Cyprus by boat were spotted by British bases police, the dailies report.

Asked about the green line and whether more natural obstacles would be placed, Nouris said this practice will be applied where it is needed to prevent more flows.

Haravgi reports that there was discussion on the agreement with Israel on the installation of cameras along the buffer zone with AKEL deputies pointing out that this touches upon sovereign rights issues and good administration. The main opposition MPs also referred to the illegal pushbacks of migrants and pointed out that “they leave our country exposed for violations of international law”.

The daily also reports that Nouris, replying to a question, said that the government gave 390 ‘golden passports’ to investors and their families despite the EU decision to launch an infringement process against Cyprus. The government continued to assess passport applications up to July 2021 despite that the EU launched the infringement process in October 2020.


Candidacy scenarios ahead of 2023 presidential elections

Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Governance & Power Sharing

OVERVIEW

The dailies report that talk on the 2023 presidential elections after a poll in Sunday’s Kathimerini shows Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides the most popular choice, has already started through parties have yet to finalise anything.

Cyprus Mail reported that   DISY leader Averof Neophytou said it was still too early to be discussing the elections, after called to comment on the poll findings. According to the poll, Christodoulides is by the most popular candidate with almost one in three respondents – 32.2 per cent – choosing him as the most suitable to take over the country’s presidency.

But to the question ‘who do you believe will be the next president?’, 27.7 per cent said it would be the DISY leader, while it dropped to 20.4 per cent for those believing Christodoulides would actually win the race. Third most likely to be the next president, according to the poll, is Nikolas Papadopoulos with (15.9 per cent), followed by President Nicos Anastasiades, who has said he would not run for a third term, with 11.4 per cent.

In terms of popularity DIKO leader Nicolas Papadopoulos garnered 10.9 per cent and former Foreign Minister Erato Kozakou Markoullis 9.4 per cent. Neophytou (7.1 per cent) was slightly lower than President Nicos Anastasiades (7.2), while lawyer Achilleas Demetriades was at 6.1 per cent. The AKEL leader Stefanos Stefanou was the choice of 1.2 per cent of respondents.

Neophytou said DISY would decide about a candidate when the time is right.

Politis reported that Papadopoulos did not rule out cooperation with DISY in the elections if the ruling party convinced DIKO it can convince it can bring about the change sought by DIKO to reinforce the economy to support a middle class and help businesses. He also spoke about restoring the country’s name and honour abroad, that has been tarnished due to the shadows cast by reports on money laundering. He also said DIKO has yet to discuss any candidacies, an issue which will be raised at the party’s congress in January. Papadopoulos also acknowledged that compromise was necessary, but the party would remain true to its principles.

According to Phileleftheros, Papadopoulos said, however, that DIKO will be in the next government “as we believe that we no longer have the luxury of not cooperating in a government and letting others make decisions that have led us in recent years to economic and national impasses. “

Alithia reports that elections expert Nasos Orinos told Radio Proto that opposition should consider a female candidate arguing that AKEL MP Irene Charalambidou would be a good choice since she had garnered the most votes in the last legislative elections among her party and in general. Such a move would mean garnering support by people who vote for other parties, given that 140,000 women did not vote in the parliament elections, he said. Orinos suggested that Charalambidou could cooperate with DIKO. He also said no candidate will be able to get elected without party backing.

The dailies report that Stefanou said that reported scenarios about the party’s moves do not correspond to reality since AKEL has yet to decide on anything.


Concerns over chapel in Limnitis area

Phileleftheros
CBMs, Property

OVERVIEW

The daily reports that a bicommunal Technical Committee has intervened to halt interventions outside the chapel of Ayia Varvara that falls within the jurisdiction of Galini village in the Tylliria region, after suspicion they were aimed at its collapse.

According to the paper, people driving to Kato Pyrgos through the Limnitis area saw that a ditch had been dug around the chapel, which overlooks the Karavostasi bay, assessing that this was done so that the building’s weakened foundations would collapse from the rain.

The paper reports that the occupation regime intervened in efforts by the Bishopric of Kykkos and Tylliria to have the chapel restored.  

In 2019, the Bishop of Kykkos, after consultations with the so-called Lefka mayor, had hired a TC contractor to restore the chapel, a project estimated at €10,000. The local authority had even cleared the area of rubbish but following intervention by Ersin Tatar, who, at the time was the ‘prime minister’ works were halted. The TC regime had argued that the chapel should not be restored because it had been used by EOKA but sources told the daily this was not true. The chapel they are referring to was built by Archbishop Makarios after the EOKA struggle to honour his nephew who was killed in the battle of Soli, the daily reports, whereas this one, dedicated to Ayia Varvara was built in 1957 by Ariadne Demosthenous after her husband, who was ill, was cured.

The real cause of objections to the chapel’s restoration is linked with efforts by an individual who wants to usurp the property for a private development that he has already started, Phileleftheros reports. The daily reports that the Technical Committee [does not specify which committee, probably the one on Cultural Heritage] has intervened and works have been halted for now.


French frigate in Cyprus for regional tour

Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros
External Security, Regional/International Relations

OVERVIEW

The dailies report that the Auvergne French frigate docked at Larnaca port on Monday as part of her Eastern Mediterranean tour which is set to last until January.

On Friday the Auvergne will conduct a QUAD (East Mediterranean Coordinated Military Initiative) exercise with the Cyprus and Italian navies, the dailies report.

Captain Paul Merveilleux du Vignaux, commanding officer of the frigate, said Cyprus is one of France’s top partners in the Eastern Mediterranean region. He also said that the simultaneous deployment of an ATL2 maritime patrol aircraft in Paphos underlines how important France considers this part of the Mediterranean Sea. “Our mission here could be summed up in three words: operate, cooperate, stabilise,” he added.

Du Vignaux said this kind of cooperation underlines the quality of the two countries’ relationship and the fact that France is a credible and reliable partner.

France is willing to “contribute to the stabilisation in this important area” in an impartial way, he said according to the dailies.

Phileleftheros, in a short article on its front page, also reports that the air force is being modernised and shows the photo of a drone plane recently acquired by the force.

The daily reports that National Guard chief Lieutenant General Dimokritos Zervakis, attended on Monday celebrations of the Air Force’s patron saint (Archangel Michael) at the Andreas Papandreou air base in Paphos.

“In these special conditions that are taking shape in our region with Turkey having occupied part of our island for 47 years but also daily challenging the sovereign rights of the Republic of Cyprus on land, sea and air, we must increase our combat power and our operational readiness,” Zervakis said.

The daily reports that the Air Force administration contributes to the reinforcement of the National Guard with the acquisition of state-of-the-art systems.


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