Day: June 20, 2022

A trilateral meeting of Greece, Cyprus and Armenia on Expatriate issues will be convened in Patras on Friday, June 24, 2022.

The Greek side will be represented by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Andreas Katsaniotis, the Cypriot side by the Presidential Commissioner, Fotis Fotiou, and the Armenian side by the High Commissioner for Expatriate Affairs, Zareh Sinanyan.

According to the Greek Foreign Ministry’s announcement, after the meeting, a Memorandum of Understanding will be signed and statements to the press will follow.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Cyprus participated with many companies and an upgraded stand sponsored by the Deputy Ministry for Shipping in the International Shipping Exhibition “Posidonia”, held between 6 and 10 June 2022 in Athens, said the Cyprus Shipping Chamber in a press release on Monday.

In particular, the press release notes that “Posidonia” Exhibition was held with great success, with the participation of more than 1,900 companies and 27,000 visitors, and the participation of Cyprus Shipping Chamber aimed to offer its members the opportunity to be promoted and at the same time, actively promote Cyprus as a world class Registry and a leading International Shipping Center.

It adds that as part of its participation at “Poseidonia 2022”, the Shipping Chamber also attended a reception held by the Shipping Deputy Minister, Vassilios Demetriades, on 8 June, while the Chamber’s President, Themis Papadopoulos, its Immediate Past President, Philippos Philis and its Director General, Thomas Kazakos, had a courtesy meeting with the President of the Union of Greek Shipowners, Melina Travlos, at the Union’s offices in Athens.

Finally, it is noted that among the dignitaries who visited the Cyprus Stand at the “Posidonia 2022” Exhibition were the Prime Minister of Greece Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the Greek Minister of Mercantile Marine, Ioannis Plakiotakis, and the Ambassador of Cyprus in Greece, Kyriacos Kenevezos.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has started a rolling review for a version of Spikevax adapted to provide better protection against specific variants of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

In a press release, the Ministry of Health in Cyprus has said the review concerns a bivalent vaccine. This means it will target two strains of SARS-CoV-2, in this case the original strain and the Omicron variant of concern.

The review will initially focus on data from laboratory studies (non-clinical data) and data on chemistry, manufacturing and controls (CMC), which relate to the manufacturing of the vaccine. As the company makes progress in the development of its bivalent vaccine, EMA will receive more data, including data on the immune response against the original strain and the Omicron variant of concern.

By starting a rolling review, EMA will be able to assess these data as they become available. The review will continue until there is enough data for a formal application. EMA will communicate further on the outcome of the rolling review or an eventual application.

The composition of adapted COVID-19 vaccines will ultimately depend on recommendations of public health authorities and the World Health Organization (WHO) as well as the considerations of regulatory bodies such as EMA and other members of the International Coalition of Medicines Regulatory Authorities (ICMRA). These bodies are working closely together to determine the appropriate strains for adapted COVID-19 vaccines.

This rolling review process is one of the ways authorities in the EU are working to ensure that EU Member States have timely access to adapted COVID-19 vaccines they may need to combat current and emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants.

Spikevax works by preparing the body to defend itself against COVID-19.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

M/V Daleela has docked in Piraeus port after a journey of approximately 30 hours, marking the first sea connection between Cyprus and Greece after 21 years.

Deputy Minister of shipping Vasilis Demetriades who, among other government officials were onboard the ship which sailed from Limassol port on Sunday, expressed his satisfaction and excitement while Greece’s Deputy Minister of Tourism Sofia Zacharaki said that this journey boosts bilateral ties.

Piraeus Town Hall officials organised a welcoming event with the participation of the philharmonic.

Demetriades called on Cypriots and Greeks to embrace the sea connection and make it sustainable, adding that there is a lot of potential for the further enhancement of sea tourism between the two countries.

Zacharaki praised the efforts by the Cyprus government that made this connection possible and assured of Greece’s support.

The ship with 155 passengers aboard arrived at Piraeus port at 1800 local time.

Present at the welcoming ceremony were, among others, Shipping deputy minister of Greece Costas Katsafados, Cyprus Ambassador Kyriakos Kenevezos and deputy mayor of Piraeus Demetris Karydis.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

The Ministers of Defence of Cyprus, Greece and Egypt expressed their concern and condemned any unilateral actions that violate the sovereignty, sovereign rights and territorial integrity of any country in the wider East Mediterranean region and highlighted that its necessary for all countries to respect international law and the UN Charter, the UN convention on the law of the sea (UNCLOS) and all other relevant agreements.

General Mohamed Zaki, Commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces, Minister of Defence and Military Production of the Arab Republic Of Egypt, Charalambos Petrides, Minister of Defence of the Republic of Cyprus and Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos, Minister of National Defence of the Hellenic Republic met on Monday in Cairo.

A joint statement was issued following their 5th Trilateral Meeting which says that they reviewed the progress of the defence and security cooperation and expressed their appreciation of the joint accomplishments. They also reaffirmed their common will and determination to further develop coordination, cooperation and joint endeavors to boost security and stability as well as to support the creation of an environment in the Eastern Mediterranean conducive to growth well-being and prosperity of their people.

The Ministers of Defence also reviewed developments and perspectives concerning the security and strategic conditions in the Middle East and East Mediterranean as well as the tensions affecting the security and stability of the broader region, the joint statement reads.

The three Ministers also agreed on a joint vision that supports the continuously increasing strategic importance of the East Mediterranean in the present and future of the portfolio of energy climate change and security, the security of transportation lines and international maritime trade routes. They also stressed the importance of their cooperation for enhancing the security of energy supply, providing an additional source of energy supply of Europe and have recognized the military and security tasks and burdens that necessitate boosting coordinate and cooperation efforts.

According to the joint statement, the Ministers of Defence of the three countries expressed their deep concern about the restoration of terrorist organizations and their activity in many conflict and tension hotbeds in the Middle East and the African Sahel.

At the same time smuggling with all its forms, illegal migration and human trafficking, still pose a constant challenge, they agreed. Furthermore the mercenaries phenomenon, the transfer of foreign fighters and support for armed militias, all constitute a dangerous threat to regional and international peace and security and impose further responsibilities to cooperate and coordinate countermeasures against these challenges, the statement says.

The Ministers of Defence cherished the efforts exerted by the Armed forces of the their countries to implement the joint training programs for the three services (Army- Navy- Air Force) and welcomed the participation of friendly countries in these exercise which represent a cornerstone for coordination and capabilities integration to enhance regional peace, security and stability.

They also stressed the importance of international cooperation to contain global security tension, mitigate global polarization and end armed conflicts immediately. The settlement of crises through diplomatic and political means for avoiding long and geographically-stressed confrontations that will harm the entire world particularly the developing countries in terms of securing their basic and strategic needs of nutrition and energy security and defence requirements, were also highlighted during the meeting.

The statement furthermore says that the three Ministers of Defence agreed to intensify communications, consultations, exchange of information, evaluations and coordination of joint efforts to meet the scale of military and security challenges and threats regionally as well as to satisfy the requirements of enhancing the security and interests of the three countries.

The next trilateral meeting will be held in Greece in 2023.

In a brief statement to the press the Cyprus Defence Minister said that the three countries enjoy long-lasting and genuine relations which are enhanced not only in the areas of defence and security but also in other sectors such as energy and trade. He said that today they had the chance to review these ties and to talk about the recent developments in the eastern Med and the Mideast regions.

Petrides said that the three countries have excellent relations and there is potential for further cooperation with respect to international law. He also noted that all the goals and visions said in today’s meeting will be met until the next one in 2023 in Greece.

A press release by the Ministry says that in the context of his visit Petrides had a bilateral meeting with his Egyptian counterpart Colonel General Mohamed Zaki with whom they discussed matters of bilateral and regional interest placing an emphasis on the the countries’ defence cooperation.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Advocate Achilleas Emilianides was appointed by Attorney General, George Savvides, to carry out a criminal investigation into the allegations by the Governor of the Central Prison, Anna Aristotelous, and Senior official at the Cyprus Prisons Department, Athena Demetriou.

In a written statement, the Attorney General said that the terms of Emilianides’ mandate are to conduct a criminal investigation into possible criminal offences by a Senior police officer, an inmate at the Central Prison, and any other person in relation to the complaint filed.

According to the Attorney General, the investigation should be completed within a month.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) expressed disappointment today with the decision of the World Trade Organization’s Ministerial Conference, which fell short of substantively addressing intellectual property rights roadblocks to COVID-19 vaccine access in developing countries. What has been heralded by some wealthy countries as a breakthrough compromise may indeed prove to be a smokescreen for lack of political will to address global health disparities after two years of fruitless talks.

“We applaud Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala’s tireless efforts to reach a workable compromise on the patents – she kept this vital issue at the top of WTO’s agenda, despite many competing priorities. Regrettably, what the ministers at the WTO finally decided on is a far cry from the original proposal advanced by India and South Africa, which sought to rapidly expand generic production of COVID-19 vaccines,” said AHF President Michael Weinstein. “Aside from a few, elaborately convoluted exceptions in the ministerial decision—that few countries will qualify for or risk invoking—the disparity in global health equity will remain fundamentally unchanged and beholden to pharmaceutical patent monopolies.”

Countries impacted by the lack of COVID-19 vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics will be hard-pressed to apply the provisions of the decision in the real world. For one, the decision failed to address the biggest challenge with producing generic vaccines – the lack of access to knowhow, such as bespoke proteins, cell cultures, and nanotechnology needed to create them.

These components are trade secrets held by drug companies, without which it is not possible to produce a new generation of highly effective biosimilar vaccines in a reasonable amount of time, even if one has a theoretical blueprint from a patent. The scope of the ministerial decision focused entirely on patents; hence technology transfers were omitted from it.

Additionally, eligible countries may only invoke provisions of the decision for five years, and they only apply to patents on vaccines, even though at this stage in the pandemic, the need for treatment is arguably becoming more important.

The decision does stipulate that in six months, WTO Members will consider expanding the policy to include diagnostics and therapeutics. The eligibility criteria themselves, however, limit the practical usefulness of the decision to developing countries, of which many lack the capacity for domestic vaccine production at scale.

Some critics of the decision have argued that it is in fact a step backward from the prevailing status quo surrounding the TRIPS flexibilities because it has introduced a slew of minute parameters and constraints that might set a precedent unfavorable to the spirit of TRIPS – namely, to give countries the right and legal protections to ignore patents during emergencies in the interest of public health.

After a drawn-out struggle at the WTO, one thing is clear – advocacy to prioritize people’s lives over corporate profits is far from over for civil society and concerned citizens around the world.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

European University Cyprus became an official EURAXESS Service Centre on 6th of June, 2022.

Professor Marios Vryonides, Vice-Rector of Research and External Affairs, signed an agreement with the Research and Innovation Foundation – the EURAXESS Bridgehead Organization for Cyprus – declaring the University’s commitment to the EURAXESS Network’s aims.

As a member of a network of more than 600 Service Centers in 42 countries, the University will provide, through the EUC Research Office, free personalized information on available work positions, funding opportunities and grants, practical support and services, as well as anything else that could be useful to researchers working in Europe.

“EURAXESS – Researchers in Motion” is a unique pan-European initiative delivering information and support services to professional researchers. Backed by the European Union, member states and associated countries, it supports researcher mobility and career development, while enhancing scientific collaboration between Europe and the world.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades intends to send letters to the UN Secretary General, the EU, the guarantor powers and the US to inform them on the illegal protocol of economic and fiscal cooperation Turkey has signed with the regime in the island’s occupied areas.

He will also brief them on the rejection of Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) he put forward by the Turkish side, the Government Spokesperson Marios Pelekanos said on Monday, following a meeting of the National Council.

Pelekanos said that the President discussed with political leaders the new provocations by Turkey and Cyprus’ coordination with Greece to address the new situation. According to the Spokesperson the President will thoroughly study what is included in this new illegal protocol and will brief the international community.

Pelekanos said that the political leaders expressed their views, adding that the meeting was held in a good and constructive atmosphere. He also said that they exchanged views on the reforms that need to be pursued so that the Cyprus government could secure funding from the EU’s recovery and resilience mechanism.

The Spokesperson said that a new meeting will follow chaired by the Finance Minister on the issue.

Replying to a question about the letters the President will send, Pelekanos said that although the other side has refused to discuss the CBMs, the government and our side will continue their efforts in order for Ankara to terminate its illegal activities and for the Cyprus problem to be put in track for solution. He noted that we will not withdraw the CBMs from the table and that the issue of sanctions is still being discussed.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkish troops invaded and occupied the island`s northern third. Numerous rounds of talks under UN aegis to reunite the island under a federal roof failed to yield results.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Cyprus counts from the 1st of January until today 20 deadly road collisions with 22 dead, of which six did not wear a seat belt. As the Deputy Chief of Police, Demetris Demetriou said, this June, with 8 dead already, is described as a “dark month”.

On his part, the Minister of Transport, Communications and Works, Yiannis Karousos, announced a series of actions which he will take to address the phenomenon.

Speaking after a meeting at the Ministry of Transport, Demetriou said that “there is an increase of 33% in fatal road accidents compared to the same period last year and 37.5% in deaths.”

He expressed his concern that out of the nine drivers and car passengers, six who lost their lives did not wear seat belts, a rate that is around 66.3%.

However, according to the Deputy Chief of Police, the most tragic thing is that the ages of the dead who did not wear seat belts range from 20 to 39 years.

On his part, the Minister of Transport, Communications and Works, Yiannis Karousos, said that “we are particularly concerned about the increased fatal accidents, although based on statistics from 2011 to 2021 we had a 36.6% reduction in fatalities in Cyprus and we rank 17th in Europe in reduced fatal road accidents”.

He added that there was a “55% reduction in serious road injuries while in Europe there was almost no reduction in serious injuries”.

Also, 41% of this year fatal traffic accidents occurred from 4 pm to 8 pm and therefore the Minister called on everyone “to show the necessary attention, especially in those hours”.

As the Minister said, “until today we are at the level of deaths in 2018, which is why we all believe that we need to take more measures, to take more initiatives.”

In this direction, according to Karousos, several proposals are pending in Parliament, as well as amendments to laws submitted by the Ministry of Transport such as changes in driving licenses and additional protective equipment for those who use motorcycles for professional purposes.

Among other things, he said that the Ministry will be increasing its budget related to road safety while it will also go forward with studies in order to determine what should be done to be more effective in promoting road safety.

Source: Cyprus News Agency