Current Events

The spread of coronavirus disease has caused panic all over the world, and Cyprus is no exception. The island nation has closed four of its checkpoints for a weeklong period for the first time.

Closed for the first time since 2003, the decision for the closure was made despite the fact that it would have political ramifications for the divided island. The island has had a tough history being divided into Greek and Turkish Cyprus after Turkish forces made in coup in 1974.

Although the island nation has not reported any coronavirus cases, Health Minister Constantinos Ioannou said that the checkpoints will be closed for a period of 7 days to prevent even the chance of the rapidly-spreading pandemic entering Cyprus.

The only checkpoint that was not closed was the one in Ayios Dhometios – contrary to initial reports of the checkpoint being curbed, the checkpoint will continue to operate.

Over 12.2% of people in Cyprus are unable to pay their utility bills within the stipulated time, making the island nation to have one of the highest number of individuals in the EU in this position.

A study by Eurostat has revealed that as of 2018, over 7% of households could not pay their utility due to financial problems. This included water, gas, heating, and electricity.

The island nation is currently 6^th on the list, other countries above it being Slovenia, Romania, Croatia, Bulgaria, and Greece. Greece tops the list, with over 36% of its citizens defaulting on bills regularly in 2018, followed by Bulgaria at 30%.

The lowest percentage of households which defaulted on timely payment of utility bills were Czechia, Sweden, Austria and the Netherlands – it is around 2% for all of them.

In a bid to improve their financial status, the Hellenic Bank and the Bank of Cyprus will be selling-off their bad loans worth a combined total value of €4 Billion.

Constantinos Herodotou, the governor of Central Bank of Cyprus recently announced in a brief to the House Financial and Budgetary Affairs Committee that the move is being made in light of the fact that the quantity of non-performing loans (NPLs) remain practically unchanged over the last few months. He went on to highlight how the offloading would help both of Cyprus’ largest lending institutions improve their portfolio dramatically.

Sales for the Bank of Cyprus will expectedly happen by the end of February, while that for the Hellenic Bank will happen at a slightly later date. The offloading will help both banks expel over 10% of their non-performing loans and help them concentrate on other more dynamic issues.

Cypriot Foreign Minister Nicos Christodoulide and Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud met in Riyadh and discussed various topics pertaining to the improvement of relations between the two countries they represent.

Furthermore, they discussed how they could boost co-operation in other areas where mutual cooperation was needed – this included defense, finance, security and tourism. The launching of planned direct flights between the two nations was also heavily discussed. They also discussed the relations between Saudi Arabia and the European Union, especially in light of recent developments in the Middle East and in the Gulf area at last.

Mr. Christodoulides then went on to inform his counterpart regarding the recent developments of the island nation’s relations with Turkey, both in light of the unification matter and the Cyprus EEZ issue.

Cyprus joins the international organization “The Mars Society”.

The Cyprus Space Exploration Organization (CSEO) will become a member of The Mars Society after the Cyprus chapter of the latter organization will be established. This will serve to help promote Mars-related research on a domestic level and increase cooperation with other countries working domestically.

The Mars Society’s website says that it is the largest space advocacy organization in the world that is committed to exploration and subsequent colonization of Mars. It was founded in 1998 by Dr. Robert Zubrin along with his associates, and serves to educate the media, government and the public on the plus sides of the exploration and creation of settlement on Mars.

The Police are on the hunt for two men for reportedly conducting a robbery at a bakery in Larnaca.

Two men with their faces covered in masks entered the bakery at around 0.45am and demanded money from one of the employees at knifepoint.

The men managed to steal €300 from the scene before they fled.

The employees did manage to get some detailed descriptions – they described one of the perpetrators as 1.85 to 1.90m tall, wearing dark clothes and having a normal physique. He was speaking English during the robbery. The second man was described as around 1.50 to 1.55m tall, and also wearing dark clothes.

The Cyprus Greens party heavily criticized the Paphos Municipality for building an illegal building in Sodap beach.

According to the Green Party’s announcement, the municipal authorities of Paphos removed the rocks to have a canteen built illegally, violating the Barcelona protocol regarding the protection of the coastal Mediterranean region. Despite outraged and angry messages and letters from the locals, the Municipality has refused to listen.

The Green Party has called upon the Paphos Municipality to answer if a permit had been obtained.

In the latest incident – the fourth one this year, a 24-year-old woman died in a car accident that happened on the Avgorou-Liopetri.

The woman, Rafaella Pattichi, resided in Avgorou but was originally from Achna. She was on her way from Avgorou to Liopetri reportedly lost control of her vehicle, veered off the road, overturned multiple times and finally stopped in the field. The exact circumstances of her losing control is currently being investigated.

The woman had died on the spot. The fire service ultimately cut her free from the wreckage, after which she taken to the Famagusta Hospital where she was declared dead on arrival.

Turkey has vetoed Greek Cyprus’ request to participate in the capacity of an observer at Conference on Disarmament in Geneva later this year.

According to a source who refused to be named, this happened during the General Assembly meeting of the conference, which was held on 21^st January.

Despite a well-made application made by Greek Cyprus, Turkey chose to have it barred by vetoing against the island nation attending as an observer in the conference and in the following meeting. On the other hand, applications by 37 other countries were approved.

Established in 1979. the Conference on Disarmament is an international forum that functions to negotiate the control of arms and agreements pertaining to disarmament agreements. The forum has and 65 member countries, Turkey included.

United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has canceled his upcoming trip to Cyprus.

According to the announcement made by the US State Department, Secretary Pompeo will not visit Cyprus as per his schedule in light of the ongoing tensions with Iraq that ensured after the attacks on the American Embassy.

The announcement further added that the cancellation of travel plans would extend to Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Belarus, and Kazakhstan as well, since the Secretary was needed more in Washington, D.C. to continue monitoring the ongoing tensive situation within Iraq. His priority right now is to make sure that American citizens are safe in the Middle East. That said, the trip is not all canceled and will once again be scheduled sometime in the future.

This comes as quite the disappointment to several countries, especially since the cancellation of the  much awaited Kyiv visit, and how it would reflect on the ongoing situation of the impeachment proceedings against Donald Trump over the supposed pressures he made on President Volodymyr Zielensky in the alleged investigation of former Vice President Joe Biden and his son.

The Cyprus visit too was very strategic due to the importance of the region in general, and the tense atmosphere that has permeated there due to recent actions by Turkey.

Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for the Foreign Ministry of Russia has denied all rumors of Moscow having any plans and considerations to recognize Turkish Cyprus.

According to several reports, Russia had allegedly planned to recognize the “nation” in exchange for the recognition of Abkhazia by Turkey.

Ms. Zakharova quashed all reports and rumors, however, clearly stating that Russia does not and will not recognize Turkish Cyprus as a nation, but in fact supports the potential reunification of the divided island nation on the basis of the resolutions of the UN Security Council.

According to her, the news spread was in fact misinformation fabricated by miscreants who would prefer to Russia-Cyprus relations undermined and the level of stability and security essentially damaged.

Flash floods have been a recurring problem all over Europe, and Cyprus is no exception. The island nation has been suffering the effects of flash floods, and the latest of developments is the closure of part of the Larnaca-to-Paralimni road that lies near Sotira.

The move was made to mitigate damage and ensure public safety; both directions of the road was closed all the way from Sotira exit till Xylophagou.

All the same, drivers are being encouraged to be alert maintain vigilance at all times.

The flash floods happened due to the unwanted accumulation of excess water after the heavy rain and hail, which in turn caused flooding on the streets of Xylophagou.

The union of State doctors, popularly known as Pasyki has confirmed that its members would be going on a three-hour strike, during which they will not be working.

The protest in question is against the lack of change in stance of Okypy (the state health services organization) on the matter of making incentives for specialists’ services.

Soteris Koumas, the union leader said in a statement that all members of the Pasyki will not be working in their respective state hospitals in the morning for protests. He further defended the Payski, saying how protesting is a course of action they had to take up due to the lack of suspension by of certain rules by Okypy. The explained how the union is upset over various issues such as incentives given to state specialists, the lack of doctors and other medical staff in state hospitals, the abject lack of vocational training, among others.

Okypy’s spokesman Charalambos Charilaou, on the other hand, claimed that they were highly surprised to see Pasyki’s decision especially since dialogues and negotiations were underway with all state doctors’ unions.

The records have revealed that the island nation’s GDP has increased quite a bit since the last quarter.

According to the Cyprus Statistical Service’s data, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for the fiscal year’s third quarter has increased by 3.4 percent since the last one.

In a statement, the Statistical Service revealed the figures, adding that the GDP growth rate is in real terms and is based upon both working day and seasonally adjusted data.

Credits to the increase in GDP growth rate is being given to key areas, from administrative and support service systems, technical, scientific and professional activities, and even the arts, recreation, and entertainment.

The only area where there was a negative growth rate was in the insurance and financial activities sector.

The police has arrested two more men in its investigation into a spate of fake marriages that help third-country citizens stay on the island illegally.

The men, aged 32 and 43, were the latest among the 27 people who were found guilty in connection to the investigation, and against whom was found compelling evidence.

The conclusion of the investigation was that of the 13 marriage cases that happened at the town hall (the one that was the focus of the investigation), the employment papers for the third-country citizens for registration was in fact fake.

Before the above 6 people, three of whom were women aged 19, 27 and 33, and three men aged 24, 25 and 47, have been arrested.

Nicos Nouris, the country’s Interior Minister recently announced that authorities would be introducing additional security measures in order to regulate migrant influx.

Measures to be introduced will include 24-hour-long patrols along the 185-kilometer long buffer zone by both soldiers and the police. Said buffer zone is very strategic since it is what separates Greek Cyprus from its Turkish counterpart. It is currently controlled by a UN peace keeping force.

The island nation has claimed several times about a dramatic increase in the incoming of unregulated immigrants from, who cross over the buffer zone (called the ‘Green Line’) in order to ask for Asylum.

While most of them are from the heavily conflict-ridden Syria, there are other migrants from Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, and even the African countries Nigeria and Cameroon.

According to statistics, migrants make up approximately 4 percent of the population.

The American Congress will be sitting to approve the lifting of ban of arms on Cyprus – one that was originally instated 1987.

The move comes as a part of the National Defense Authorization Act for the financial year of 2020, in the aftermath of an agreement between Democrats and Republicans on the bill’s more divisive aspects.

According to reports, the bill will serve to repeal the existing restrictions on the United States when it comes to exporting weapons, defense articles and other defense-related services to and/or via the island nation.

The ban was lifted by the US Senate in the previous summer.

Cyprus has begun the creation of what will be the country’s first ever artificial reef by sinking a 63-meter cargo ship off of its coast.

The move comes after the island country’s concerns of coral reefs being endangered due to climate change; authorities and scientist believe that the latest attempt will help combat the situation and helping marine life to thrive as well as attract divers from abroad.

In a statement to the press, Costas Kadis, the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment for Cyprus, explained how pursuing sustainable development project which has a positive contribution to the ecosystem is one  of the their biggest priorities, and that they plan to see them through to fulfill their goal of helping both enrich and protect marine biodiversity, while furthering the country’s economy and touristic products.

The sunken vessel, called Elpida, which was originally destined for scrap, is now going to be the beginning of a reef.

The Elpida will be joined by another smaller one in the span of a few days.

The Hilton Park hotel in Nicosia has been renamed as simply ‘Hilton Nicosia.’ This makes it the single-most hotel of that brand in all of Cyprus.

Located in Engomi, the Hilton Nicosia has made renovations to match its change in names – the owners of the property Louis Hotels announced how the hotel had only recently refurbished all of its rooms, upgraded all common rooms, and started a brand-new bar as well.

The company went on to highlight how Hilton International, which had proved its its trust in Louis Hotels is once again renewing its partnership for a minimum for 10 years.

The President of Cyprus, Nicos Anastasiades, has announced that he will be reshuffling his cabinet in order to make up for the absence of his long-serving finance minister.

Outgoing Finance Minister, who is credited for overseeing the rebound of the Cypriot economy from its debilitating financial crisis will be replaced in his post by now outgoing Interior Minister Constantinos Petrides.

Mr. Petrides will be taking over after a 6-year term by Harris Georgiades, who was appointed immediately after a multibillion-euro rescue deal that Cyprus had to sign after having to face a severe banking crisis that almost bankrupted the country’s banking system.

The move has not been a surprising one, given Georgiades’ announcement earlier this year that he would be vacating his position after an inquiry into the end of the one the Cyprus’ banks partially put him to blame.

There were other moves in the shuffling as well, including making Democratic Rally party lawmaker Nicos Nouris take the Interior Minister post, and having government spokesman Prodromos Prodromou take up the post of the Education Minister.