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5101. Von der Leyen: rule of law violations through 'golden passports' won't be tolerated

The European Commission has prepared the first annual report the rule of law in EU member states, to be published later in September, Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen said Wednesday, indirectly referring to the Cyprus Investment Program....

5102. EU solidarity to go beyond words, Michel tells Anastasiades

In a meeting with the European Council President Charles Michel on Wednesday, the President of the Republic of Cyprus expressed hope that EU member states will show a united front during next week’s extraordinary European Council summit on Turkey....

5103. Turkey accuses Greece of treaty violations

Turkey has issued a navigational telex to mariners accusing Greece of violating the Lausanne Treaty by militarizing the Greek island of Chios just 10 miles from a Turkish port...

5104. EU foreign affairs chief asks for ‘space to work with Turkish leadership’

The European Commission’s vice president in charge of foreign affairs, Josep Borrell, on Tuesday urged leaders meeting later in month at an emergency European Council summit on Turkey and recent developments in the Eastern Mediterranean, “to create the urgently needed space to work with the Turkish leadership, to achieve a de-escalation that will allow to pursue lasting solutions to the underlying problems of today’s crisis.”...

5105. Cyprus-Piraeus ferry connection by May 2021 viable

The goal of launching the Cyprus-Greece ferry connection in May 2021 is on track, the Cyprus deputy shipping minister Vasilis Demetriades said Tuesday....

5106. Athens and Ankara in dialogue rehearsal

In the wake of the almost month-long standoff between Greece and Turkey in the Eastern Mediterranean, the foreign ministers of both countries, Nikos Dendias and Mevlut Cavusoglu, give their analysis of the situation and the way forward in articles they wrote exclusively for Kathimerini...

5107. European Council president to visit Cyprus

European Council President Charles Michel is due to visit Cyprus on Wednesday, ahead of a meeting of European Union leaders on September 24 and 25...

5108. NATO to host Greek-Turkish meeting in Brussels

Representatives from Greece and Turkey are due to meet at NATO headquarters in Brussels on Tuesday for technical military talks aimed at de-escalating tension in the eastern Mediterranean, diplomatic sources in Athens said on Monday....

5109. Sanctions unfeasible and ineffective

Nathalie Tocci was a close adviser to former EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, during the years when the Cyprus Problem came – according to many - closer than ever to a solution. Today, she is a close advisor to Josep Borrell and, having monitored the Cyprus Problem for many years and having played a central role in the effort to formulate a European strategy for foreign policy, she has a strong view not only on Cyprus but also on the Greek-Turkish conflict. At the same time, she takes a critical approach to the efforts exerted by Athens and Nicosia to link sanctions against Turkey with those against Belarus. ...

5110. Pompeo 'deeply concerned' over eastern Med

The United States remains 'deeply concerned' about Turkey's actions in the eastern Mediterranean, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Saturday, urging a diplomatic end to a simmering crisis over offshore natural resources...

5111. UK, Swedish travel agents regaining confidence in Cyprus

Major travel agents from Britain and Sweden seem to be overcoming their reservations regarding the mandatory coronavirus test and are starting to bring tourists to Cyprus again, Transport Minister Yiannis Karousos said Friday, speaking before the Parliamentary Transport Committee....

5112. Thousands protest after Greek refugee camp burns down

Thousands of protesting refugees and migrants left homeless on the Greek island of Lesbos after fires destroyed the notoriously overcrowded Moria camp gathered on a road leading to the island's main town Friday, demanding to be allowed to leave....

5113. Maltese FM calls for EU solidarity with frontline countries

Acting President of the Republic, President of the House of Representatives, Demetris Syllouris received Malta’s Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Evarist Bartolo on Friday, who called for more EU solidarity with frontline countries....

5114. Greek PM expected to unveil French defense deal on Saturday

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is due to unveil the details of a defense deal with Paris that was the subject of talks with French President Emmanuel Macron on the sidelines of a European-Mediterranean leaders’ meeting in Corsica on Thursday....

5115. Anastasiades finds sympathetic ear at MED7

Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades highlighted a need for a decisive EU stance towards Turkey, while praising his French counterpart for showing “practical and stable support” towards Cyprus...

5116. Turkey-Cyprus dispute holding up EU's Belarus sanctions, diplomats say

European Union sanctions on Belarus are being delayed by a separate dispute between Cyprus and Turkey over energy resources in the Eastern Mediterranean, four EU diplomats said, in the latest sign of paralysis in the bloc's foreign policy....

5117. EU must go beyond words, Cyprus President says

The EU must go beyond words, Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades said during a teleconference on Wednesday evening with European Council President Charles Michel, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and EU member states leaders ahead of the European Council Summit that will take place in Brussels on September 24-25....

5118. Homeless Moria camp residents to be moved into boats, tents

Thousands of refugees and migrants left homeless by a fire at Greece’s biggest camp on the eastern Aegean island of Lesvos, will be temporarily housed in a ferry boat, two navy ships and tents, Migration Minister Notis Mitarakis told a press conference on Wednesday, confirming that no deaths or injuries have been reported as a result of the blaze....

5119. Cyprus problem, Varosha on MED7 summit agenda

The Cyprus problem, Turkey’s activities in the eastern Mediterranean and in the fenced-off ghost town of Varosha, will be on the agenda of MED7 summit to take place on Thursday....

5120. ECHR asks Cyprus to explain boat incidents

The European Court of Human Rights has asked the government of the Republic of Cyprus to answer questions concerning recent refoulement of undocumented travelers at sea, in response to a request of an interim measure from a local attorney handling another case...

5121. Fires erupt at Moria refugee camp

Thousands of migrants fled a camp under COVID-19 lockdown after multiple fires gutted much of the site on the Greek island of Lesvos, authorities said early Wednesday...

5122. EU calls on Cyprus to manage migration flows in line with EU law

The EU said Tuesday that it acknowledges the difficulties faced by the Republic of Cyprus in terms of the flow of refugees it is called to deal with, but stressed that basic principles and EU legislation must be respected....

5123. Cyprus defends blocking migrant boats

A police task force from the Republic of Cyprus is hoping to hash out a plan with Lebanese authorities to deter “economic migrants” from traveling to the island, as government and state officials rush to respond to criticism over a decision to send back undocumented migrants to the neighbouring country...

5124. Passports under the watchful eye of the Commission

5125. Charles Michel reiterates EU support for Greece, Cyprus in East Med row

European Council President Charles Michel on Monday reiterated European Union solidarity with Greece and Cyprus during a telephone conversation with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in which the increasingly tense situation in the Eastern Mediterranean was the key topic of discussion, according to sources....

5126. Turkey: Russia to hold live-fire exercises in Mediterranean

Turkey has announced that Russia will hold live-fire naval exercises in the eastern Mediterranean, amid escalating tensions between Turkey and its coastal neighbors Greece and Cyprus over rights to search for energy resources in the region. ...

5127. Government extends support schemes until end October

The Cabinet on Thursday decided to extend current government support programs aiming to cushion the blow of the coronavirus pandemic until the end of October, Labour Minister Zeta Emilianidou said....

5128. Golden passports scheme to remain as is

The citizenship-by-investment program will not be terminated, nor will it be suspended for a short period as a way of managing the crisis developing crisis, the government decided during its Tuesday morning coffee at the Presidential Palace. What was strongly tabled was that a potential freezing or termination of the investment program at this point in time would send a message that the government is acting in light of the Al Jazeera publications, and that by extension, that it accepts them....

5129. Washington lifts Cyprus arms embargo

Washington has announced a partial lifting of a decades-old arms embargo to the Republic of Cyprus, with Turkey saying the decision ignores equality and balance between the two sides on the divided island...

5130. Boat carrying refugees pushed back by Cyprus, ends up in UN area

A boat carrying 21 refugees from Lebanon and Syria that reached the Paralimni shore on Monday was pushed back by marine and port police, only to disembark in a nearby UN-controlled area on Tuesday....