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3781. UNSG says willing to hear suggestions of all parties

The UN Security Council’s mandate refers explicitly to a bizonal, bicommunal solution in Cyprus, but this is not an impediment for the parties to present their positions, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres told a press conference on Thursday....

3782. Cyprus unveils plan to tackle corruption

Cyprus’ fight against corruption is based on three pillars, President Anastasiades said Friday, announcing the eagerly-awaited steps the government will take in a bid to restore credibility to the Republic after its reputation was shattered by revelations of corruption through the nixed Citizenship-by-Investment Program (CIP)....

3783. President lashes out at critics

Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades in a televised address on Thursday rejected allegations of corruption within his office and administration, accusing the opposition and media of singling out his former law firm for being involved with golden passports and appealing on the political parties’ patriotism to support a new strategic plan to fight corruption...

3784. Policy priorities unaffected by pandemic, FinMin says

Despite the crisis of the Covid-19 pandemic Cyprus’ economic policies remain the same, targeting macroeconomic and financial stability, prudent fiscal policies, and establishing a competitive, business-friendly regulatory environment of high standards, Minister of Finance Constantinos Petrides said on Thursday....

3785. 15 law firms being audited for involvement in 'golden passports'

Interesting new details on the involvement of law firms in the island’s disgraced citizenship-by-investment programme were presented before the Investigative Committee by the head of the Cyprus Bar Association, Christos Clerides....

3786. Gradual easing of measures starts next week

The President’s Cabinet approved a gradual lift of a partial lockdown starting on Monday, with the health minister saying the decision was designed to avoid making hasty moves...

3787. Officials want young people settle in Strovilia

Dherynia officials are seeking ways to have young people populate abandoned homes in Strovilia, on British Base soil, despite challenges stemming from restrictions that were somewhat eased last year...

3788. EU keeping close eye on Turkish moves

European Union foreign ministers have agreed to a “wait-and-see” approach towards Turkey, with some member-states appearing more skeptical of Ankara’s recent overtures....

3789. EU scrambles for supply amid vaccine clatter

Cypriot EU Commissioner Stella Kyriakides says AstraZeneca’s revised schedule for delivering fewer doses of the COVID-19 vaccine in coming weeks is “not acceptable” while the European Ombudsman embarks on an investigation into vaccine contracts...

3790. Informal Cyprob summit to take place in New York's Greentree

Cyprus’ outgoing Permanent Representative to the UN and Greek Cypriot negotiator, Andreas Mavroyiannis, said Monday that the informal five-party summit on the Cyprus Problem which the UN Secretary-General (UNSG) Antonio Guterres intends to convene is an ambitious project, adding that "we must not lose the window of opportunity that lies before us." ...

3791. Big if as Cyprus set to deliberate on measures

The Cypriot government is taking stock of recent restrictions against a further rapid spread of COVID-19, with reports pointing to plans being discussed to lift measures next month but also amid concerns over mutation fears and unknowns...

3792. Greece and Turkey resume exploratory talks

Exploratory contacts between Greece and Turkey are set to resume in Istanbul, with Ankara trying to gain an upper hand over the agenda and Athens appearing to have low expectations citing disagreement on both sides on what to discuss...

3793. Health Ministry announces one death, 122 new cases

The Health Ministry on Wednesday announced one coronavirus fatality and 122 new cases, raising the death toll to 179 and total cases detected so far to 29,758....

3794. Slow vaccine rollout affecting Cyprus strategy, President tells EU leaders

President Nicos Anastasiades briefed EU leaders in a videoconference on Thursday evening on the problems Cyprus is facing due to the slow rollout of coronavirus vaccines mainly brought about by the production delays of pharmaceutical companies supplying jabs for the EU....

3795. Dueling small parties help pass budget

The House in the Republic of Cyprus approved a revision of the government’s 2021 state budget on Thursday, following a month of consultations between the administration and small opposition parties that offered additional amendments to the bill...

3796. Greek MPs approve extension of Ionian Sea territorial waters

With 284 votes in favor and 16 “present,” lawmakers approved legislation on Wednesday to extend Greece’s territorial waters along its western coastline from six to 12 nautical miles....

3797. Biden rolls back Trump policies on Day One

US President Joe Biden on Wednesday began signing 15 executive actions addressing the coronavirus pandemic, climate change and racial inequality, and undoing some policies put in place by his predecessor Donald Trump...

3798. President Biden urges Americans to turn page

Democrat Joe Biden was sworn in as president of the United States on Wednesday, vowing to end the ‘uncivil war’ in a deeply divided country reeling from a battered economy and a raging coronavirus pandemic that has killed more than 400,000 Americans...

3799. UNSC backs federal solution to Cyprus Problem

The UN Security Council (UNSC) on Tuesday expressed its support to the efforts being undertaken by the UN Secretary-General (UNSG) to resume Cyprus Problem peace talks and unanimously stood behind a bizonal bicommunal federation settlement basis....

3800. Washington not taking any chances

Presidential inaugurations are normally high-security events, with metal detectors at key entry points, restricted ID-only zones and National Guard supplementing local and federal law enforcement, but the level of precautions this year is unprecedented...

3801. Former FinMin tells passport probe he shares part of blame

Former Finance Minister Harris Georgiades told the independent investigative committee probing the citizenships by exception granted via the Republic’s nixed ‘golden passports’ program that “as a member of the Council of Ministers, I have a portion of the blame”. ...

3802. Reporters to sit in on golden passport hearings

A number of reporters will be allowed from now on to attend ongoing probe hearings into alleged corruption in connection with Cyprus’ disgraced Citizenship by Investment Programme, with journalists being asked to commit in advance not to breach data privacy laws...

3803. Inoculated president sets tone for country

3804. Cypriot FM visits Gulf before US inauguration

Cypriot Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides flew to the United Arab Emirates on Monday to hold a private meeting with his counterpart, days after the two countries signed a military cooperation agreement but also days before a changing of the guard in Washington could spell trouble for US arms sales to Gulf states...

3805. President dares editor to prove allegations

Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades has called on journalist Andreas Paraschos to show proof or admit he was wrong, after the news editor claimed the commander-in-chief had chosen money from golden passports over chances of a swift resolution to the division of the island...

3806. Anastasiades invites National Council to informal Cyprob summit

President Anastasiades briefed the National Council on Thursday on the latest developments in the Cyprus Problem, and extended an invitation to Council members to accompany him on the informal meeting the UN is organising, that is expected to take place in New York in late February or early May....

3807. Top editor quits over Anastasiades claim

A renowned journalist and editor-in-chief at Kathimerini Cyprus has resigned his post amid backlash from a piece he wrote on Sunday, where he claimed Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades let slip information that he had been flying millions generated from golden passports to the Seychelles on private flights...

3808. Spehar meets leaders ahead of UNFICYP mandate renewal

The UN Secretary General’s Special Representative Elizabeth Spehar held tête-à-têtes with the leaders of the two communities on Wednesday morning ahead of the Security Council’s upcoming vote on the renewal of UNFICYP’s mandate....

3809. Five-party meeting within eyeshot

UN special envoy Jane Holl Lute on Monday got both leaders of divided Cyprus to commit to the possibility of informal talks as early as next month, with local media on both sides noting the lack of an official statement from the global organization...

3810. Ledra substation up and running in old Nicosia

A police substation is back up and running 24 hours a day in downtown Nicosia, with officials hoping not only to promote a sense of security in the old city but also carry out inspections to ensure compliance with the latest emergency health laws...