Day: June 24, 2022

The European Council has expressed its deep concern regarding Turkey’s recent rhetoric and actions, in a paragraph on the Eastern Mediterranean in its conclusions adopted Thursday in Brussels.

Paragraph 28 of the conclusions contains no changes to the draft that was developed in previous days. The text, as published, says that “the European Council expressed deep concern about recent repeated actions and statements by Turkey. Turkey must respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all EU Member States. Recalling its previous conclusions and the statement of 25 March 2021, the European Council expects Turkey to fully respect international law, to de-escalate tensions in the interest of regional stability in the Eastern Mediterranean, and to promote good neighbourly relations in a sustainable way”.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Cypriot swimmer Kalia Antoniou finished 10th in the 19th FINA World Championships in Budapest, on Friday becoming “the 10th fastest woman of the world,” the Cyprus Swimming Federation has announced.

The Federation said that the Cypriot champion reached the finish line at 24.94 in the first semifinal, recording yet another “amazing” Cypriot performance, after the 25.14 of the morning qualifier.

Antoniou said she was “very happy”, adding she has waited a long time for a great success.

Asked if she expected this success, she said that she did, because she worked very hard and based on her training results.

The 22-year-old athlete barely missed the chance to make it to the final since the 8th athlete, who got the ticket for the final, the Dane Jules Jensen finished at 24.86.

Antoniou is to also take part in the Mediterranean Games that will be held in Oran, Algeria.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

The 5th Cyprus-Greece-Armenia Trilateral Meeting on Diaspora Issues was held on Friday, June 24, in Patras, Greece.

“The three countries are united by many things, such as history, common struggles for vindication and the challenges they have to face. Cypriots, Greeks, and Armenians can work together and make good use of the potential of our expatriates and the organised groups of our Diaspora”, Presidential Commissioner of Cyprus Photis Photiou said.

At the same time, Photiou expressed Cyprus’ full support to Greece as regards the ongoing and escalated provocations by Turkey which “are dynamiting the climate in Greek-Turkish relations”.

Moreover, the Presidential Commissioner stressed that “Turkey continues to refuse to accept the Republic of Cyprus’ proposal for Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) and continues its violations in the enclosed area of Varosha, which violate the relevant UN Security Council resolutions”.

He added that the Turkish Cypriot side should return to negotiations to resume the talks from where they have been interrupted in Crans Montana and on the basis of the relevant UN Security Council resolutions for a bizonal bicommunal federation.

As regards the Trilateral Meeting’s agenda Photiou said that the three countries have strong diasporas in important countries such as the USA, France, England, and Australia. “We will activate, through this cooperation, the organised groups of our Diasporas in order to bring them closer together,” he noted.

During the Trilateral Meeting a Memorandum of Cooperation on Diaspora Issues was signed, with the goal of further deepening cooperation between Cyprus-Greece-Armenia. The Memorandum specifies the three countries’ further joint actions on the sectors of youth participation, culture, traditions and exchange of best practices, Photiou explained.

On his part, Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Andreas Katsaniotis said that the three countries have a rich history and strong spiritual and cultural ties, which are further strengthened by the Orthodox faith.

“Recognising the importance of cooperation and the remarkable role of the Diaspora, today we are taking another important step to strengthen trilateral cooperation on Diaspora issues by signing a Memorandum of Understanding”, Katsaniotis said.

“We are working together for the international recognition of the Armenian Genocide and the Genocide of the Pontians, as well as for the international condemnation of the occupation of the northern part of Cyprus”, Katsaniotiis said, adding that the Cyprus Problem is “primarily an international issue of illegal invasion and occupation.”

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Cumulative cash inflows since the beginning of the operations of the Cyprus Asset Management Company (KEDIPES) reached €1.340,5 million until the 31st of March, 2022.

According to its progress report covering the period between September 2018 – March 2022, cash inflows in the first quarter of 2022 increased by 1%, reaching €116.3 million, compared to the fourth quarter of 2021 and an increase of 13%, compared to the corresponding quarter of last year.

KEDIPES also proceeded to full repayment of state support of €740 million and announced that its board of directors approved the revised Service Level Agreement with Altamira.

Cash inflows of the 1st quarter of 2022 amounted to €116.3 million, recording a small increase of 1%, compared to €115.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2021, and an increase of 13.8%, compared to €102.2 million in the corresponding quarter of 2021.

The progress report notes that challenges in the first quarter of 2022 continued due to the pandemic, however inflows from loans remained high at €66.9 million compared to €72 million in the fourth quarter of 2021 recording a decrease of 7.1% and an increase of 29.9% compared to €51.5 million in the first quarter 2021.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

EMA has recommended granting a marketing authorisation for COVID-19 Vaccine (inactivated, adjuvanted) Valneva for use in the primary vaccination of people from 18 to 50 years of age.

COVID-19 Vaccine (inactivated, adjuvanted) Valneva contains inactivated (killed) whole particles of the original strain of SARS-CoV-2 that cannot cause disease.

A press release issued on Friday by the Health Ministry says that it is the sixth vaccine recommended in the EU for protecting against COVID-19 and, together with the vaccines already authorised, will support vaccination campaigns in EU Member States during the pandemic.

After a thorough evaluation, EMA’s human medicines committee (CHMP) concluded by consensus that the data on the vaccine were robust and met the EU criteria for efficacy, safety and quality.

The main study conducted with Valneva’s vaccine is an immunobridging trial. Immunobridging trials compare the immune response induced by a new vaccine with that induced by an authorised comparator vaccine proven to be effective against the disease.

Results from the study, which involved nearly 3,000 people aged 30 years and older, showed that the vaccine triggers the production of higher levels of antibodies against the original strain of SARS-CoV-2 than the comparator, Vaxzevria. In addition, the proportion of people who produced a high level of antibodies was similar for both vaccines.

Additional data from this study also showed that the vaccine is as effective at triggering the production of antibodies in people aged between 18 and 29 as it is in people aged 30 years and older.

The CHMP therefore concluded that COVID-19 Vaccine (inactivated, adjuvanted) Valneva is expected to be at least as effective as Vaxzevria at protecting against the disease. Based on the data provided, it was not possible to draw any conclusion on the immunogenicity of Valneva’s vaccine (its ability to trigger the production of antibodies) in people above 50 years of age; therefore, the vaccine is currently recommended only for use in people between 18 and 50 years of age.

There are limited data on the immunogenicity of COVID-19 Vaccine (inactivated, adjuvanted) Valneva against variants of concern, including Omicron subvariants which are currently the dominant strains in many EU countries.

The side effects observed with COVID-19 Vaccine (inactivated, adjuvanted) Valneva in studies were usually mild and cleared within a couple of days after vaccination. The most common ones were tenderness or pain at the injection site, tiredness, headache, muscle pain and nausea (feeling sick) or vomiting.

The safety and effectiveness of the vaccine will continue to be monitored as the vaccine is used across the EU, through the EU pharmacovigilance system and additional studies by the company and European authorities.

Based on the available evidence, the CHMP concluded that the benefits of COVID-19 Vaccine (inactivated, adjuvanted) Valneva outweigh its risks and recommended granting a standard marketing authorisation in the EU.

Standard marketing authorisation

The dossier for the vaccine includes the results from an immunobridging trial. Although efficacy placebo-controlled trials have been the gold standard for authorising COVID-19 vaccines so far, EMA considers that a well-justified and appropriately designed immunobridging study is adequate for authorising future COVID-19 vaccines at this point in the pandemic. This is because there are now a number of COVID-19 vaccines authorised in the EU that are proven to be safe and effective and that can be used as comparators in studies. Additionally, at present, it would be difficult to recruit enough individuals who have not been vaccinated nor previously exposed to the virus to conduct large efficacy clinical trials.

The European Commission will now fast-track the decision-making process to grant a decision on the standard marketing authorisation for COVID-19 Vaccine (inactivated, adjuvanted) Valneva, allowing this vaccine to be included in vaccination programmes rolled out across the EU. A standard marketing authorisation is considered appropriate for this vaccine since the immunobridging study met its objectives and data provided are considered sufficient.

More information

The product information for COVID-19 Vaccine (inactivated, adjuvanted) Valneva contains information for healthcare professionals, a package leaflet for members of the public and details of the vaccine’s authorisation.

An assessment report with details of EMA’s evaluation of COVID-19 Vaccine (inactivated, adjuvanted) Valneva and the full risk management plan will be published shortly. Clinical trial data submitted by the company in the application for marketing authorisation will be published on the Agency’s clinical data website in due course.

More information is available in an overview of the vaccine in lay language, including a description of the vaccine’s benefits and risks and why EMA recommended its authorisation in the EU.

How the Valneva works

COVID-19 Vaccine (inactivated, adjuvanted) Valneva works by preparing the body to defend itself against COVID-19. The vaccine contains whole particles of the original strain of SARS-CoV-2 that has been inactivated (killed) and cannot cause the disease. It also contains two ‘adjuvants’, substances that help strengthen the immune responses to the vaccine.

When a person is given the vaccine, their immune system identifies the inactivated virus as foreign and makes antibodies against it. If, later on, the vaccinated person comes into contact with SARS-CoV-2, the immune system will recognise the virus and be ready to defend the body against it.

COVID-19 Vaccine (inactivated, adjuvanted) Valneva is given as two injections, usually into the muscle of the upper arm, 28 days apart.

Monitoring the safety of COVID-19 Vaccine (inactivated, adjuvanted) Valneva

In line with the EU’s safety monitoring plan for COVID-19 vaccines, COVID-19 Vaccine (inactivated, adjuvanted) Valneva will be closely monitored and subject to several activities that apply specifically to COVID-19 vaccines. Although large numbers of people have received COVID-19 vaccines in clinical trials, certain side effects may only emerge when millions of people are vaccinated.

The company is required to provide monthly safety reports in addition to the regular updates required by legislation. In addition, independent studies of COVID-19 vaccines coordinated by EU authorities will give more information on the vaccine’s long-term safety and benefits in the general population.

These measures will allow regulators to swiftly assess data emerging from a range of different sources and take any necessary regulatory action to protect public health.

Assessment of COVID-19 Vaccine Valneva

During the assessment of COVID-19 Vaccine (inactivated, adjuvanted) Valneva, the CHMP had the support of EMA’s safety committee, the PRAC, who assessed the risk management plan of the vaccine, and the COVID-19 EMA pandemic task force (COVID-ETF), a group that brings together experts from across the European medicines regulatory network to facilitate rapid and coordinated regulatory action on medicines and vaccines for COVID-19.

COVID-19 Vaccine (inactivated, adjuvanted) Valneva was evaluated as part of ‘OPEN’, an initiative started in December 2020 with the aim of increasing international collaboration in the EU review of COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics. More information can be found on the EMA’s governance during COVID-19 pandemic webpage.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

The European Commission has today announced its plans to issue €50 billion of EU-Bonds to finance the NextGenerationEU recovery programme between July and December 2022, to be complemented by short-term funding (EU-Bills).

The funds will go to support Member States’ economic recovery following the coronavirus pandemic under the Recovery and Resilience Facility.

Alongside funding for NextGenerationEU, the Commission may also be called upon to issue up to €9 billion for loans to support Ukraine under a new exceptional Macro-Financial Assistance (MFA) programme and up to €6.6 billion for loans under the SURE programme, subject to Member States’ requests and completion of relevant procedures.

Commissioner in charge of Budget and Administration, Johannes Hahn, said: “Building on our good performance as a large-scale issuer to date, in the second half of the year we will continue to support the recovery, fund the green and digital transitions and Europe’s long-term resilience through market funding.”

Issuances in the second half of 2022 will build on the successful execution of the NextGenerationEU recovery programme to date. Since June 2021, when the Commission debuted on the market with NextGenerationEU, issuances under the programme stand at €118.5 billion via long-term EU-Bonds, of which €28 billion through the NextGenerationEU green bond issuance. In addition, the Commission continued to raise funds under its back-to-back funding programmes – SURE, MFA and European Financial Stabilisation Mechanism (EFSM). Most recently, and in response to the war in Ukraine, the Commission successfully disbursed €1.2 billion under an emergency MFA programme.

In the first half of 2022, the Commission has so far issued €47.5 billion of EU-bonds, in respect of its €50 billion funding target. A further bond auction is planned for 27 June 2022. Its issuance in the first half of 2022 has been fully in line with the amounts communicated in the funding plan for the period January-June 2022.

The current funding plan is based on the latest forecasts for forthcoming NextGenerationEU payment needs. Payments under the Recovery and Resilience Facility – which accounts for 90% of payments under NextGenerationEU – depend on completion of milestones and targets in Member States’ national Recovery and Resilience Plans. As a result, the precise timing and volumes may vary. However, the European Commission is confident that the amounts communicated in this funding plan should remain stable.

In line with its diversified funding strategy, the Commission will continue to use a mix of syndications and auctions, as well as short-term EU-Bills. This will enable it to obtain the best possible market conditions and be able to meet the payment needs of the EU Member States.

Thanks to this approach, the Commission has so far been able to disburse €100 billion under the Recovery and Resilience Facility and several billion under other EU budget programmes which benefit from NextGenerationEU financing.

The Commission will announce its issuance plans for the first half of 2023 at the end of the year.

Background

NextGenerationEU is a temporary recovery instrument of more than €800 billion in current prices to support Europe’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic and help build a greener, more digital and more resilient Europe.

To finance NextGenerationEU, the European Commission – on behalf of the EU – will raise from the capital markets around €800 billion between mid-2021 and end-2026.

Around 30% of the funds are being raised via NextGenerationEU green bonds, issued in respect of the NextGenerationEU green bond framework.

In parallel to NextGenerationEU, the Commission runs several back-to-back funding programmes to finance specific needs of the EU’s Member States and third countries.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Tourist arrivals in Cyprus during May increased significantly compared to the same month of 2021, however they were still lower compared to May 2019 and with obvious losses from the Russian and Ukrainian markets.

According to the Statistical Service of Cyprus the arrivals of tourists reached 315,018 in May 2022 compared to 100,852 arrivals that were recorded in May 2021. However, these arrivals are still down by 119,560 compared to May 2019, which was the last May with no travel restrictions due to COVID-19. In May 2019, tourist arrivals had reached 434,578, of which 104,221 came from Russia and Ukraine.

On the contrary, arrivals from the United Kingdom have recovered and were the main source of tourism in Cyprus in May 2022, with a share of 40.1% (126,324) of total arrivals. In May 2019, arrivals from the United Kingdom reached 156,820. No other market seems to have a significant contribution to tourist arrivals, however there was an increase in arrivals from Poland which had a share of 7.4% (23,197) of total arrivals, when in May 2019 the arrivals from the country had only reached 10,427.

In May 2022 arrivals from Israel were 6.9% (21,749) of total tourism, from Germany 6.5% (20,592), from Sweden 5.1% (15,943) and from Greece 4.4% (13,905).

For the period of January – May 2022, arrivals of tourists reached 849,058 compared to 156,825 in the corresponding period of 2021, 246,556 in the period of January – May 2020 and 1,121,361 in the period of January – May 2019.

For a percentage of 79.5% of tourists, the purpose of their trip in May 2022 was holidays, for 12.5% visit to friends and relatives and for 7.9% business. Respectively, in May 2021, 80.7% of tourists visited Cyprus for holidays, 9.8% visited friends or relatives and 9.4% visited Cyprus for business reasons.

Trips abroad abroad at pre-pandemic levels in May

According to Statistical Service’s data, a total number of 135,661 residents of Cyprus returned from a trip abroad in May 2022, compared to 23,251 in the corresponding month last year, recording an increase of 483.5%.

In particular, in May 2019, which was the last May with no travel restrictions due to COVID-19, the residents of Cyprus who travelled abroad reached 141,709

The main countries from which the residents of Cyprus returned in May 2022, were the United Kingdom with 25.3%, Greece with 25.0%, Germany with 4.7% and Italy with 4.6%.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign and European Affairs Harris Georgiades held a meeting Friday with Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Armed Forces of the French Senate, Olivier Cadic, on the occasion of Cadic’s visit to Cyprus as a speaker in a conference organised by The Cyprus Institute.

According to a press release by the Cyprus House of Representatives, during the meeting they referred to the opportunities and the importance of further upgrading the already excellent Cyprus-France relations in various fields, including the parliamentary field.

They also discussed about ways to strengthen trade cooperation especially in view of the opportunities that arise for French companies, from the use of Cyprus as a gateway to the countries of the wider region.

Georgiades stressed that strengthening the military and defence cooperation between the two countries will contribute to achieving their common goal of ensuring conditions of peace and stability in the Eastern Mediterranean region, noting the ability of Cyprus to act effectively as a credible factor of security and stability in the wider region.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

The relationship between poetry and translation was emphasised in the presentation of the book “Giorgos Christodoulides: Selected Poems (1996-2021)”, which took place on Wednesday in Nicosia, under the auspices of Armida Books.

The book, which consists of 100 poems drawn from eight poetry collections by Giorgos Christodoulides from 1996 to 2021 and translated into English by Despina Pirketti, was discussed by poet and author Stephanos Stephanides and poet Gürgenç Korkmazel.

In his speech, Stephanos Stephanides pointed out that translation is a performative intervention, which “is like taking a script from one place and space, and making it perform in another.” Citing the view of translator Despina Pirketti that translation is a “bold intervention” and a “dynamic process”, Stephanides stressed that the poetry of Giorgos Christodoulides “nurtures decentralised notions and gestures.”

As writers we probe differences in the play of literary language, and this is repeated/doubled in translation, Stephanides pointed out, adding that “translation like poetry opens up new spaces”.

On his part, Gürgenç Korkmazel focused on the power of Giorgos Christodoulides’ poetry in order to explain where his poetic strength is coming from. He cited lack of hope as a first reason for this, adding that his poetry is neither dark nor bleak.

The second reason is death, Korkmazel pointed out. “We need poetry to remind us that death is in the corner and we are transient. And we need poets like Giorgos to tell us this, and with his poetry prepare us for death,” he concluded.

Poems by Giorgos Christodoulides were recited in Greek by his children, Orestes and Kyveli Christodoulides. The event ended with closing remarks by the poet himself.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

The leaders of the European Union should work together to address the rising cost of living for their citizens, says President Anastasiades in a post on Twitter on the agenda of the second day of the summit of the European Council, taking place in Brussels.

In his post, accompanied by a short video of his arrival to the morning summit, Anastasiades notes that the Euro summit is taking place in the presence of European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde and Eurogroup President Pascal Donahue.

We “will have discussion on current economic situation, including high inflation and energy prices” Anastasiades wrote, adding that we “should work together to effectively address rising cost of living of our citizens across the EU.”

Source: Cyprus News Agency