CYPRUS NEWS BRUSSELS EDITION
Monthly Bulletin June 2011 Issue No. 16 Covering the period 1-31 May Common space Next EU “Trio” programme nalised for co-operation Cyprus News Agency inaugurated The importance of rapprochement between the two Cypriot communities was stressed by President Demetris Christo as at the inauguration of a “Home for Co-operation” (H4C) on 6 May in the UN bu er zone in Nicosia. An initiative of the Association for Historical Dialogue and Research, the Home was described by Association president Chara Makriyianni as “a common meeting space bridging the island’s two communities, where teachers, academics, researchers and NGO activists can come together to discuss history and learn from each other”. President Christo as said that rapprochement is a necessary precondition Ŗ9CTUCYOGGVKPI2TGUKFGPV%JTKUVQſCUYKVJ2QNKUJ2TGOKGT6WUM EGPVTG CPF&CPKUJ2TGOKGT4CUOWUUGP for a settlement and will safeguard its viability, because “our common home is our An agreement, in principle, was reached in Commission’s working programmes. These island”. He also expressed the hope that a May on the text of the programme of the priorities are expected to include the reunited Cyprus will be a bridge between forthcoming Trio of EU Presidencies as a discussion and possible agreement for the the Middle East, North Africa and Europe result of productive meetings in Warsaw next Multiannual Financial Framework, and will contribute to political stability and and Nicosia. At the Warsaw meeting on the EU2020 Strategy, issues of economic economic progress in the region. 9 May, President Demetris Christo as, governance, as well as the EU’s policies A prompt manifestation of the purpose together with the Polish and Danish towards its Neighbourhood and on of the Home for Co-operation was the Prime Ministers, respectively Donald Tusk enlargement. holding of a bicommunal junior basketball and Lars Rasmussen, discussed in depth The Trio programme will have to be tournament on 7 May, with the participation the underlying principles of the joint approved through the respective national of over 150 Greek Cypriot and Turkish programme and established the next steps procedures of the three countries and be Cypriot boys and girls. of co-operation and co-ordination between endorsed by the EU member states at the zFurther UN-sponsored negotiations on their countries, which will be in charge of General A airs Council on 21 June 2011. a Cyprus settlement took place between the EU agenda over an 18-month period zCyprus’ forthcoming EU Presidency also President Christo as and Turkish Cypriot starting with Poland on 1 July 2011. featured in discussions which EU Internal leader Dervis Eroglu in Nicosia on 5 and 12 Agreement on the Trio programme Market and Services Commissioner Michel May. It was agreed that further tripartite was reached at a high-level meeting of Barnier had with President Christo as and talks would be held between the two leaders delegations from Poland, Denmark and other Cypriot o cials during a visit to and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in Cyprus held in Nicosia on 27 May. The Nicosia on 11-12 May as part of a tour of Geneva on 7 July. An added strain was put Head of the Secretariat of the Cyprus EU European capitals to discuss future reform on relations on 14 May when Mr Eroglu was Presidency, Andreas Moleskis, described the of the single European market. M. Barnier reported to have told a newspaper that “war programme as “very ambitious” but at the told a press conference on 12 May that will break out” if the Cyprus Government same time “attainable”. The three head co- European Commission proposals in this continues with exploration for oil and gas ordinators made a commitment to do their sphere were expected to reach “legislative in the Cypriot exclusive economic zone utmost to deal with the many challenges maturity” during the period of Cyprus’ (EEZ). Cyprus Government Spokesman and issues that the EU will face during the EU Presidency, which would therefore be Stephanos Stephanou responded rmly that three rotating Presidencies in a transparent, “extremely important” for the future course any such statements by Mr Eroglu “are truly inclusive and e cient manner and to the of the EU. M. Barnier also said that Cyprus’ unacceptable and dangerous”, stressing that bene t of the EU as a whole. EU Presidency will be important for Europe’s “the Republic of Cyprus has a sovereign right The Trio will also have inherited priorities relations with its southern neighbours across to manage its EEZ”. as a result of the Council’s and European the Mediterranean.
Call to EU on migration Parliamentary elections in Cyprus €1.3m court award Christofias in Australia Positive economic forecasts Illegal Turkish shipping ban censured Visitor from Slovakia Cyprus Trade Fair inaugurated Call for EU action on migration ow Strong relations The call for joint action, commitment and solidarity fund for unforeseen humanitarian with Australia solidarity from all EU member states on the crises, with full mobilisation of EU assets. Cyprus News Agency challenges of migration, made by Ministers The Cyprus Minister called for an of six Mediterranean countries meeting expansion of the operations of the European in Nicosia in April, was presented to an Agency for the Management of Operational extraordinary EU Justice and Home A airs Co-operation at the External Borders of the Council meeting in Brussels on 12 May by EU (Frontex) with a view to stepping up Cyprus Interior Minister Neoclis Sylikiotis. its presence in the eastern Mediterranean Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Malta and area. He also stressed the need for the Spain were represented at the April meeting, conclusion of readmission agreements with all facing additional problems of illegal the countries of origin of illegal immigrants immigration and mass population ows as a and the development of voluntary return result of developments in North Africa. programmes. Mr Sylikiotis said that massive cross- zThe need for EU solidarity on immigration Mediterranean population movement was stressed on 6 May by the president of was creating for EU member states in the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and the region additional social, economic, Democrats in the European Parliament, ŖVisiting Australia... President Christo as is welcomed by administrative and demographic burdens. Martin Schultz, during a visit to Cyprus. Prime Minister Julia Gillard. The prolongation of such in uxes, he said, Following a meeting with Mr Sylikiotis, Mr cannot be managed without operational Schultz echoed the Cypriot call for more The strong relations between Cyprus and as well as nancial support from other EU e ective border controls to cope with Australia were highlighted by an o cial member states and the creation of a special increasing immigration ows. visit by President Demetris Christo as on 25-30 May. As well as having talks with Prime Minister Julia Gillard and other Australian leaders, the President also met New House of Representatives elected representatives of the 80,000 Australians of House of Representatives Cypriot stock, who form the second largest Democratic Party (DIKO) lost votes. Cypriot diaspora after the one in the UK. A total of 412 candidates were in the Addressing a state banquet given in his running for the 56 Greek Cypriot seats, honour in Canberra by Governor General plus nine for three representatives of the Quentin Boyce, President Christo as said Maronite, Latin and Armenian communities, that Cyprus is highly appreciative of the who do not vote in the House. The total support given by Australia to its e orts to electorate numbered 531,463, including reach a settlement of the Cyprus problem. 326 Greek Cypriots enclaved in the Turkish- A joint communiqué recorded that Australia occupies area and 544 Turkish Cypriots recognises the Republic of Cyprus as the residing in the Government-controlled only legitimate authority on the island and area. commends the President’s e orts to reach a solution to the Cyprus problem. Both sides Results of elections, 22 May 2011 stressed their support for a just and lasting ŖForum of the people... The House of Representatives has settlement in accordance with relevant UN been elected for the tenth time since independence. % Seats Security Council resolutions. Cyprus’ tenth parliamentary elections 2006 2011 2006 2011 since independence in 1960, held on 22 May, resulted in six parties again DISY 30.52 34.28 18 20 winning representation in the House of AKEL 31.31 32.67 18 19 ECHR awards €1.3m Representatives. They were headed by DIKO 17.98 15.76 11 9 the centre-right Democratic Rally (DISY), EDEK 8.96 8.93 5 5 to property owner EVROKO 5.79 3.88 3 2 which secured 20 seats, followed by the Greek Cypriot plainti Kostas Kalisperas was left-wing Progressive Party of the Working Greens 1.96 2.21 1 1 Others 3.48 2.25 0 0 on 24 May awarded pecuniary and non- People (AKEL) with 19 seats. Both parties pecuniary damages of €1.3 million by the gained ground compared with the previous Total 100.00 100.00 56 56 European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in elections in 2006, whereas the centrist Strasbourg, on the strength of a ruling by the ECHR in September 2009 that his property rights had been breached as a result of the Well-informed internet websites on Cyprus Turkish occupation of the northern part of Cyprus since 1974. Turkey was ordered to The six websites of the Press and Information Main o cial website (in Greek and English): pay the damages as the e ective power in O ce (PIO) in Cyprus were presented at a www.moi.gov.cy/pio the occupied area. press conference on 17 May by Government Cyprus on lm (in Greek, English and French): The Court had ruled that Mr Kalisperas Spokesman Stephanos Stephanou. He www.cyprus lm.com and 27 other plainti s had been deprived of said that the PIO, having introduced its Information about Cyprus (in Greek): their right to respect for private and family www.peri-kyprou.com life and the home, under Article 8 of the rst website in 1996, is leading e orts to Aspects of Cyprus (in English): promote the use of the internet by those www.aspectsofcyprus.com European Convention on Human Rights, as interested in Cyprus. On the absence of any Archives of the PIO (in Greek and English): well as their right to protection of property website in Turkish, an o cial language of www.piopressreleases.com.cy under Article 1 of Protocol No. 1. Turkey was Cyprus, he said that the addition of one is a 2011 elections (in Greek): also ordered to pay a total of €15,000 jointly priority. The websites are listed alongside. www.ekloges2011.gov.cy to the plainti s for costs. Cyprus Trade Fair Positive Commission and IMF forecasts opens its doors Finance Minister Charilaos Stavrakis on 13 to meet its budget de cit target of 4.5 per May expressed satisfaction at the latest cent of GDP in 2011, forecasting instead a Inaugurating the 36th Cyprus International economic forecasts for Cyprus produced shortfall of 5.1 per cent, whereas the IMF Trade Fair held in Nicosia on 6-15 May, by the European Commission and the did expect the 4.5 per cent target to be President Demetris Christo as delivered International Monetary Fund (IMF). Both achieved. Neither the Commission nor the “a message of optimism for the economy projected that continued recovery in 2011 IMF expected the Government’s budget of Cyprus and its prospects”. He said that would gain further momentum in 2012, de cit target of 3 per cent in 2012 to be the Government’s priority is “not only to with estimates of likely above-target budget achieved, the former forecasting a 4.9 per overcome the current crisis but to establish de cit levels being described as “fully cent shortfall and the latter 3.7 per cent. a stable economy with sound foundations manageable” by Mr Stavrakis. He added zThe Fitch ratings agency on 31 May and dynamics for growth”. that the Government “is fully aware of the downgraded Cyprus’ credit rating from President Christo as pointed out challenges and continues to work seriously AA- to A- because of worries about the that the Fair has become established as for the support of development and the exposure of Cypriot banks and Cyprus’ a major event aiming at bringing Cypriot common welfare of all”. public nances to the sovereign debt crisis and foreign companies into contact and According to the Commission, Cyprus’ in Greece. The Cyprus Finance Ministry creating opportunities for co-operation and economy exited from recession in the rst disagreed with Fitch’s reasoning, saying that exchanges with mutual bene ts, whilst at half of 2010 and then experienced steady “the Cypriot banking system is particularly the same time providing the people with GDP growth of 1 per cent in 2010 overall, robust, with a high capital basis and very the opportunity to become acquainted with expansion of 1.5 per cent being high cash ow rates, and can cope with any with new products and pioneering forecast for 2011 and of 2.2 per cent for theoretical scenario of restructuring the developments in technology. 2012. The IMF expected GDP growth of 1.7 Greek debt”. The Ministry added that the Taking part in the Fair were 120 per cent in 2011 and 2.4 per cent in 2012. Government would continue working for exhibitors representing over 1,000 The Commission did not expect Cyprus the consolidation of the public nances. companies from Cyprus and 23 foreign countries. Kuwait was designated as the “honoured country” at the Fair, signifying Cyprus’ role as a bridge between Europe and Turkish embargo harmful to EU trade the Middle East. In an innovation this year, an “honoured” designation was bestowed The startling gure that some 2,800 ships a from Cyprus represents 25 per cent of the on the Turkish-occupied municipality of year are prevented from trading in Turkey world third-party ship management market Lapithos. by its illegal ban on the entry into its ports in terms of gross tonnage, it is quite obvious
Cyprus News Agency of vessels linked to Cyprus was given by how harmful such restrictive measures are Communications and Works Minister Erato and how extensive the nancial losses are, Kozakou-Marcoullis in an address on 5 May especially for EU interests.” to a conference of the European Sea Ports zAttending the EU Telecommunications Organisation (ESPO) meeting in Limassol. Council meeting in Brussels on 27 May, Mrs The calculation includes vessels ying the Marcoullis raised the serious problems faced Cyprus ag, as well as those managed from by Cyprus in its co-ordination of the radio Cyprus or having Cyprus as their last port of spectrum caused by illegal interference call, regardless of their ag. from the Turkish-occupied area. She Calling for the lifting of the illegal expressed appreciation for a satisfactory Turkish embargo, Mrs Marcoullis said: reference to the problems in the draft “Taking into account that Cyprus features Council decision, making it clear that action the largest ship management industry in needs to be taken by Turkey as the e ective the world, and that the total eet managed power in the occupied area. tPresident Christo as inaugurates the 36th Cyprus Fair Slovak support for Cyprus solution rea rmed
Speaking after talks with Cyprus Foreign Cyprus News Agency New Green Line Minister Markos Kyprianou during an o cial visit to Cyprus on 5-7 May, Slovak Foreign Minister Mikulas Dzurinda rea rmed his trading rules country’s active engagement in the search Under new rules for trade across the for a peaceful and just solution the Cyprus Green Line in Cyprus, as adopted by the problem, which will preserve the territorial European Commission on 31 May, Turkish integrity of the island. Cypriot farmers living and working in the Our aim, noted Mr Dzurinda, is to Turkish-occupied areas will be allowed to further support the solution of the issue by sell potatoes in the Government-controlled bicommunal dialogue and by the presence areas provided they are grown from farm- of the Slovak contingent in UNFICYP. He saved seeds. As stated in previous reports, also reassured his Cypriot counterpart of the Green Line Regulation, which came his country’s readiness to cooperate with into force when the Republic of Cyprus Cyprus in the EU context of the forthcoming acceded to the EU in 2004, continues to Cyprus EU Presidency. provide a workable basis for allowing the The visit of the Slovak Foreign Minister passage of persons and goods to and from followed the opening of a Cypriot embassy the Government-controlled areas of the in Bratislava by President Christo as in tEsteemed visitor... Foreign Minister Markos Kyprianou Republic of Cyprus. November 2010. (right) welcomes Slovak counterpart Mikulas Dzurinda. N otes & N ews Anna Lindh National Network Cyprus News Agency zA new Armenian Cultural Centre was inaugurated in Larnaca on 5 May by President Demetris Christo as, who paid tribute to the Armenian community’s positive contribution to the social and cultural development of Cyprus. The inauguration followed the marking on 25 April in Nicosia of the 96th anniversary of the start in 1915 of the World War I genocide of 1.5 million Armenians in the Ottoman Empire. In that great disaster, the then British-ruled island of Cyprus was one of the rst places of refuge of Armenians eeing tStriking photographs... “Faces of the Mediterranean” are Turkish persecution. on display in a new exhibition in Nicosia. zLimassol Mayor Andreas Christou on 16 work of young photographers from six May launched his city’s bid to be chosen as Mediterranean countries. Featuring the a European Capital of Culture for 2017, faces and situations of the many di erent when Cyprus and Denmark will jointly share yet similar peoples of the Mediterranean the honour of providing the EU’s cultural region, the exhibition was an initiative of the capitals for the year. Nicosia launched its bid Cyprus National Network of the Anna Lindh for the accolade in April, backed by Larnaca. Foundation, created to promote dialogue tPrestigious appointment... Cyprus’ Health Minister zInternet access via broadband will be between cultures in memory of the Swedish Christos Patsalides at the WHO. available throughout the Government- Foreign Minister assassinated in 2003. controlled areas of Cyprus by the end of zA new desalination plant in Pafos was zCyprus’ Health Minister Christos 2011, said Communications and Works inaugurated by President Christo as on Patsalides was on 16 May elected as the Minister Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis on 4 May, to supplement operating plants 2011-12 President of the Assembly of the 17 May in a message to mark World in Dhekelia and Larnaca and a oating World Health Organisation (WHO), which Telecommunication and Information Society desalination platform o Limassol. The subsequently held its 64th annual session in Day. She added that Cyprus will also achieve new plant brought desalination capacity to Geneva on 16-24 May with the participation access of at least 2 megabits per second in about 222,000 cubic metres of water a day, of 193 countries and organisations. 2011, two years ahead of the target set by su cient if necessary to cover the water zThe Central Bank of Cyprus on 26 May the EU, as part of improved information and needs of the whole population and the announced the issue of a second collector communication technologies for the general tourist industry without any need to rely on set of Cyprus euro coins depicting the economic bene t. rainfall. Roman mosaics of Pafos, which are a zThe discovery of a rare tulip growing UNESCO World Heritage site. There are in a vineyard in the Pitsillia mountains 10,000 sets available at a price of €25, with was announced by the Cyprus Forestry sales to the general public starting on 20 Department on 4 May. Nature lovers and Sporting highlights
June either over the counter in cash or Forestry Department through the Central Bank’s website (www. Football. OMONIA of Nicosia gained centralbank.gov.cy). some consolation for losing out to arch-rivals zAn exhibition of historic photographs and APOEL in this season’s league championship printed material entitled “Hungary-Cyprus: by winning the 2010-11 Cyprus Cup Final Time-Honoured Relations” was on display on 18 May, defeating Apollon Limassol, at the Famagusta Gate Cultural Centre on last year’s winners of the competition. The 13-22 May to mark Hungary’s tenure of scores were level at 1-1 at full time and after the EU Presidency in the rst half of 2011. extra time. OMONIA then won the penalty Organised by the Ministry of Foreign A airs shootout 4-3. and the University of Cyprus, the exhibition Tennis. The poor recent form of Cypriot o ered a retrospective of relations between tennis star Marcos Baghdatis continued Cyprus and Hungary from the Middle Ages at the French Open in Paris, where he was up to the present day. It will be transferred knocked out in the second round on 25 May. for display in Hungary and will be covered in He made a promising start by defeating a book to be published soon. Frederico Gil of Portugal in straight sets in zThe Pancyprian Gymnasium of Nicosia the rst round. But in the second he lost in straight sets to Leonardo Mayer of Argentina, on 4 May became one of 28 schools from tTulipa agenensis... Beautiful ower found in Pitsillia. 18 countries and ve continents belonging who is 217th in the world rankings whereas to the Pierre de Coubertin International researchers George and Fani Constantinou Baghdatis is No. 29. Network of Schools, dedicated to furthering found the threatened ower - Latin name CYPRUS NEWS - BRUSSELS EDITION is produced the ideas of Frenchman Baron Pierre de tulipa agenensis - ourishing at a much monthly by the Permanent Representation of Cyprus to the EU. Editor: Marianna Karageorgis. To receive Coubertin (1863-1937), who is regarded as higher altitude than its usual low-level a regular copy, by post or email, please contact: the founder of the modern Olympic Games. habitat in Cyprus. It was still in bloom a The Press Counsellor, Permanent Representation Speaking at the foundation of the Cyprus month later than usual because of the high of Cyprus to the EU, 61 Avenue Cortenbergh, 1000 Pierre de Coubertin Committee, Education altitude. Brussels, Belgium, Tel: 02 7395188, Fax: 02 7366573, GOCKN RTGUUQHſEGDTWUUGNU"OHCIQXE[ and Culture Minister Andreas Demetriou z Foreign Minister Markos Kyprianou Links Cyprus Government: www.cyprus.gov.cy stressed the importance of translating on 4 May inaugurated an exhibition of Ministry of Foreign Affairs: www.mfa.gov.cy principles of the 19th century into today’s photographs in Nicosia entitled “Faces Permanent Representative of Cyprus to the EU: world. of the Mediterranean”, showing the www.mfa.gov.cy/permrepeu