Updates from Cyprus
A total of 9,735 vaccinations took place on Thursday, the Health Ministry announced.
In Paphos 1,186 vaccinations took place, in Famagusta 382, in Larnaka 1,581, in Nicosia `s State Fair B center 1,744, E center 1,150, at latsia 819, at a mobile unit 69 and at home 12. In Limassol at Spyros Kyprianou center the vaccinations were 2,071 at Linopetra 612 and at Kyperounta 109.
Source: Cyprus News Agency
Greece`s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis met on Thursday, December 9, with a delegation of the French Senate, led by its President Gérard Larcher, in Athens, during which they discussed, among other issues, the Cyprus problem.
During the meeting, the two sides overviewed issues of common interest noting the excellent level of bilateral relations. Emphasis was also given on the prospects of deepening bilateral cooperation at all levels.
Source: Cyprus News Agency
Cyprus Health Ministry announced on Thursday 2 deaths from COVID, 635 new cases and 139 hospitalisations. Total deaths rose to 607 and of cases to 139,368. The positivity rate stands at 0.72%.
Of the 139 patients receiving hospital treatment, 44 are in a serious condition and according to figures 76.65% of the patients are unvaccinated.
The Ministry said that 5 post-COVID patients who are no longer infectious are getting treatment in an ICU and their condition is serious. The new cases were detected from a total of 87,780 tests (rapid and PCR).
The deceased are a female 84 years old who passed away today at the ICU of Nicosia General Hospital and a female 86 years old who passed away at a nursing home a year ago (December 20, 2020) and as the Ministry notes her death was detected during the checks done by the Health Monitoring Unit for death
Source: Cyprus News Agency
Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades met on Thursday with Felipe VI of Spain, at the Royal Palace in Madrid.
During the meeting which was attended by Foreign Minister Nicos Christodoulides and Cyprus` Ambassador Helena Mina, the President discussed with the Kind the Cyprus issue, the pandemic, climate crisis and the migration crisis, a presidency press release says.
President and the King then had a private luncheon.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkish troops invaded and occupied the island’s northern third.
Source: Cyprus News Agency
Police carried out 2,449 checks in the last 24 hours and reported 13 citizens and six establishments for violations of COVID-19 measures.
A Police spokesperson told CNA that in Nicosia there were 1,323 checks and five people and four establishment owners were fined while in Limassol after 143 checks three people were reported and one establishment. In Larnaca from 378 checks an individual was fined while in Paphos from 134 checks, two people were fined and one establishment owner.
Source: Cyprus News Agency
Minister of Health Michalis Hadjipantela and his Spanish counterpart Carolina Darias signed on Thursday a memorandum of Understanding for cooperation in the field of health between the two countries.
Hadjipantela is in Madrid where he is accompanying the President during his meetings in the Spanish capital.
A presidency press release said the signing took place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Madrid, where the two Ministers signed the Memorandum which provides, among other things, for the transfer of know-how and expertise in relation to transplants and the transfer of know-how for the regulatory framework of the distribution of pharmaceuticals.
Source: Cyprus News Agency
Cypriot shipowner Philippos Filis was elected head of the European Community Shipowners’ Associations – ECSA during the General Assembly that was held Thursday in Brussels. His tenure begins January 2022 for a period of two years, the Cyprus Shipping Chamber has said in a press release.
Filis and the Director of Cyprus Shipping Chamber Thomas Kazakos represented Cyprus in the Assembly which discussed issues related to EU`s strategy on environmental challenges and shipping, the pandemic and ship recycling.
Source: Cyprus News Agency
The discussion on the draft options paper regarding the European Union’s response to the actions taken by Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot leadership in the fenced off area of Varosha will be continued at the Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) on Monday December 13th, CNA has learned.
The draft was discussed on late Wednesday afternoon during the meeting of the permanent representatives of the member states (COREPER), as part of the preparation for the next meeting of the Foreign Ministers at the FAC.
The options paper was prepared by the European External Action Service after being given a mandate by the previous FAC.
Source: Cyprus News Agency
EU Foreign Ministers will discuss developments in Varosha and the EU’s draft option paper under the heading of current affairs according to the agenda highlights of the Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) which will take place on Monday in Brussels.
According to the highlights published on Thursday, the Council will be informed about Belarus, Varosha and Ethiopia under the current affairs heading.
The options paper will contain potential EU actions responding to Turkey’s and the Turkish Cypriot leadership’s actions in Varosha.
Source: Cyprus News Agency
A group of member states is supporting an initiative by Cyprus to request that the Commission`s temporary support measures for air transport be extended beyond the first half of 2022 and put on a systematic basis with a three-year time horizon, according to a proposal presented by Transport Minister Yiannis Karousos in Brussels on Thursday, which is supported by another 11 member states, CNA sources have said.
The proposal, which has been seen by CNA, also underlines that the Commission’s proposals towards the environmental sustainability of aviation need to take into account the connectivity of countries on the EU periphery, especially countries like Cyprus that have limited connection options with other member states.
CNA learns that the initiative has so far been supported by eleven other Member States: Greece, Estonia, Lithuania, Hungary, Poland, Roman
Source: Cyprus News Agency