Day: March 28, 2022

Interior Minister Nicos Nouris travels to Brussels to participate in an Extraordinary Meeting of EU Home Affairs Ministers on Ukraine.

Ministers will discuss the European Commission`s proposal to provide support to Member States to manage the flows of Ukrainian refugees and they will also review the implementation of the decision taken at the previous summit to grant temporary protection status to Ukrainian citizens, an Interior Ministry press release says.

In addition, it is noted that the Ukrainian Minister of Interior will also intervene during the summit via videoconference in order to inform his European counterparts about the current situation in the country.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Tourist arrivals will be at the same levels as last year’s summer season and might even be better, Deputy Minister of Tourism Savvas Perdios said Monday, after a meeting he had with AKEL Secretary General Stephanos Stephanou, who presented his party`s proposals to boost the sector.

During the meeting they discussed ways and means for Cyprus` industry to cope with the consequences of the war in Ukraine. Cyprus was expecting a total of 800,000 arrivals from Russia and Ukraine this season.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

? series of meetings with Ministers of Electricity, Petroleum and Trade, a briefing meeting for East Mediterranean Gas Forum and an address at a business forum were on the agenda of Energy Minister Natasa Pilides during her two day visit to Egypt.

A press release issued by Energy Ministry says that on Sunday Pilides met with Egyptian Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy Sources Dr Mohamed Shaker El – Markabi with whom she discussed ways to promote joint projects for RES such as floating photovoltaic parks and projects for energy storage.

They also assessed the course of works for the EuroAfrica Interconnector and they attended the first meeting of the technical committee set up following an MoU singed between Cyprus and Egypt in October 2021.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Cyprus supports the proposal for the creation of a joint registration platform for all refugees from Ukraine in order to assist member states towards efforts in relocation and solidarity, Ministry of the Interior Nicos Nouris said in a statement after the extraordinary meeting of the Justice and Home Affairs Council which was held in Brussels on Monday.

Nouris also noted that the situation in Moldova, as well as the country`s request for the resettlement of refugees, highlights the importance of Cyprus` proposal for “mandatory and not voluntary relocation and redistribution”. The Minister also stressed that the decision to provide 17 billion euros from unallocated resources to all member states to cover needs, will help the management of the situation.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

EU Health Ministers will discuss the health consequences of the war in Ukraine during Tuesday’s meeting of the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council in Brussels, where Cyprus will be represented by Health Minister Michalis Hadjipantela.

According to a statement from the Ministry of Health, the Ministers will discuss the effects of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on health, as well as the strengthening of cooperation among member states regarding rare disease, vaccination strategies and the development of a regulation on cross border threats.

In particular, the Ministers will be briefed by the Commission on the European response to the health challenges arising from the war in Ukraine, as well as the coordinated and inclusive response to them.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Armenia has been moved from the Red to the Green category according to Cyprus’ latest epidemiological risk assessment of countries for travel concerning COVID-19, which is to be in effect from March 31.

Cyprus’ Health Ministry said on Monday that its Epidemiological Monitoring Unit has made a re-evaluation of the epidemiological situation in various countries as regards COVID-19.

It said that the categorisation of countries shall apply for travel purposes to non-vaccinated passengers or passengers who do not hold a valid certificate of vaccination or recovery from COVID-19, and includes three risk area categories using the following colour code: green, red and grey.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Four businesses and 17 individuals were fined in the past 24 hours for violations of measures against the further spread of COVID-19, the Cyprus Police told CNA on Monday.

According to a Police spokesperson, 2,039 checks were carried out in total, in all districts.

In Nicosia, six individuals were fined during 631 checks while the manager of a business was booked after found working without a SafePass.

Source: Cyprus News Agency