Day: August 30, 2022

A virtual walk at the old Nicosia Airport is now possible thanks to a project titled “Recapturing the Spirit of the Old Nicosia Airport (NIC Project): Official Launch of the NIC Platform.”

A press release issued Tuesday by the Cyprus Institute says that during the summer 2021, a team from The Cyprus Institute composed of researchers from the Andreas Pittas Art Characterization Laboratories (APAC) of the Science and Technology in Archaeology and Culture Research Center (STARC), and the Unmanned Systems Research Laboratories (USRL) of the Climate and Atmosphere Research Center (CARE-C), with the support of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), completed the full digitization of the former Nicosia International Airport, today located in the buffer zone and inaccessible.

It is added that “after the events of 1974, the airport ceased its operations, with its surroundings hosting UNFICYP’s headquarters, but the building itself out of bounds”.

Today, the press release reads, the access to the airport terminal is deemed unsafe due to years of abandonment and lack of maintenance.

“Thanks to the NIC platform it is now possible to explore it again, virtually walking all its spaces including offices, shops, public and restricted areas, bringing back to the society a landmark of Cypriot history”, the press release says.

The NIC Project (named after the airport’s IATA code) focuses on an interdisciplinary 3D modelling and a visualization process to create interactive applications for virtual tours.

“After a meticulous and long data analysis and post processing, The Cyprus Institute is thrilled to release the first version of the NIC platform, which includes a full virtual tour including all accessible areas of the main terminal, the control tower, the hangar, and three planes sitting in the airport premises” it is added.

Additionally, the NIC platform features a collection of historical images and videos which aim to open a window to the days when the airport was fully operational and visited by numerous holiday makers.

The platform is freely available at https://nic-project.com

The NIC logo is inspired by the last flight which landed in Nicosia and designed according to the baggage tags used by airline carriers to route checked luggage to their final destinations.

“It aims to remind that the Nicosia International airport was once fully operational. Flight CY317 was operated by Cyprus Airways with a Hawker Siddeley HS-121 Trident 1E plane, registration 5B-DAE. It was the last flight which landed in Nicosia departing from London via Rome on 19 July 1974”, the press release says.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will be making representations to the United Nations over an incident that took place Monday, in the buffer zone near the village of Deneia. The MFA is also in contact with the local authorities and was briefed on the event.

According to a complaint made by a young farmer, Turkish soldiers who carried guns, chased him away while he was in the area with his sheep. They also threw rocks at him.

The UN is investigating the incident.

Deneia’s head of the local council Christakis Panagiotou told the Cyprus News Agency that the event took place Monday at around 6pm local time, 500 meters within the buffer zone and that there is a video material that shows what happened.

He said that 6 Turkish soldiers left their posts and with guns threatened the farmer and ordered him to leave the area.

He also said that one of the soldiers adjusted the hammer of the gun, in a move against the farmer, who eventually left the area. Panagiotou said that he was informed by the farmer who videotaped the incident.

According to Panagiotou, no UN soldiers were present at the area at the moment. He added that he informed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the UN and the National Guard.

UN spokesperson Aleem Siddique told the Cyprus News Agency that they are investigating the incident and that we need to allow the investigation to be completed before making any conclusions.

The safety of civilians inside the UN buffer zone remains our top priority, he said.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

The roadmap regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, in view of the imminent return of students to schools, will be discussed at a meeting of the Minister of Health, Michael Hadjipantela, and the Advisory Scientific Committee (ACC), on Tuesday afternoon.

Constantinos Athanasiou, Communications Advisor to the Minister of Health, told CNA that “all the issues pertaining to the roadmap” will be discussed at the meeting. Specifically, decisions will be made regarding the return of students to schools and the conditions under which this will take place, he noted.

In addition, Athanasiou said that the roadmap, which will be submitted on Wednesday before the Council of Ministers in order to be approved, includes actions that the Ministry of Health will take in the next period and that concern vaccination, patients with long COVID and the provision of therapeutic means. “These are issues that will help us manage the pandemic. We will build on this roadmap every time”, he concluded.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Cyprus Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides will have bilateral meetings with the Foreign Ministers of Estonia and Ukraine on the margins of his participation in the informal meeting of the European Union’s Foreign Ministers, which will be taking place on Tuesday and Wednesday in Prague.

One of the main issues expected to be on the agenda is the proposal by Estonia and other Baltic and eastern European countries for a total ban of issuing tourist visas for Russian citizens in all member states of the EU.

Cyprus, as well as Greece, have rejected this proposal, while Germany, as well as High Representative, Josep Borrell, on behalf of the Commission, have also disagreed.

The informal meeting (known as Gymnich) of the members of the EU’s Foreign Affairs Council is being held in Prague, under the ongoing Czech Presidency of the Council of the EU.

The informal meeting is not expected to produce results regarding the Russian tourist visa proposal. However, international media have reported on the possibility of a proposal to suspend the visa facilitation agreement with Russia, which wouldn’t result in an outright ban but would slow down applications.

According to a press release issued by the Cypriot Foreign Ministry, Kasoulides will have separate meetings on the margins of the informal summit with Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.

The meeting begins on Tuesday with a discussion on EU – Africa relations and with a dinner at the Czech Foreign Ministry.

On Wednesday morning the Foreign Ministers will focus on developments regarding the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and will then participate in a lunch organised by the Czech Presidency along with the Foreign Ministers of Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

The “tragic” impact of the war both on Ukraine and at the international and regional levels, as well as its consequences for global energy and food security, noted Cyprus’ Defence Minister, Charalambos Petrides, on Tuesday in the context of the informal meeting of EU Ministers of Defence, held in Prague.

According to a Defence Ministry press release, the global impact and consequences of the Russian invasion of Ukraine were discussed in the framework of the informal meeting of EU Defence Ministers, in which Petrides also participated.

Petrides, it said, “noted the tragic effects of the war both for Ukraine and at the international and regional levels,” as well as the consequences for global energy and food security.

“He also stressed the importance of implementing individual aspects of the Strategic Compass, as soon as possible, to strengthen the EU’s resilience and security,” it added.

Steps to fill defence gaps through joint procurement of defence equipment were also discussed, according to the statement.

The Minister also supported the suggestion for incentives for armament programmes including European funding for the member states, it adds.

On the sidelines of the meeting, Petrides met with the Minister of Defence of Romania with whom he signed a Defence Cooperation Agreement which, as per the announcement, will help upgrade the cooperation between the two countries.

He also visited the Commonwealth War Cemetery in Prague where he laid a wreath and paid his respects to the graves of 17 Cypriot World War II soldiers, the press release concluded.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides has said that he expects an open but without decisions discussion during the informal EU Foreign Affairs Ministers meeting in Prague.

Kasoulides made a short statement upon his arrival to the informal meeting (known as Gymnich) taking place in Prague under the auspices of the Czech Presidency of the Council of the EU.

“We have an opportunity to discuss without taking decisions, an open discussion, so I expect that the issues that are now preoccupying us will be discussed in a much more relaxed way,” Kasoulides told journalists.

The informal meeting is expected to focus on a proposal by Baltic countries for a blanket ban on tourist visas for Russian citizens in the EU, as well as on a compromise proposal which according to the Financial Times has been brought to the attention of the Ministers.

According to the compromise proposal, the EU would suspend its visa facilitation agreement with Russia, thus reducing visas issued without banning them.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Cyprus’ Health Minister is expected on Wednesday to propose to the Council of Ministers the abolition of the obligation for the use of masks and lifting the restrictions on the number of people businesses and other places allow in their premises at the same time, according to information from the Health Ministry.

According to the information, during the meeting between Minister of Health, Michalis Hadjipantela and the Advisory Scientific Committee on coronavirus, the latest epidemiological data were evaluated and an improvement in all epidemiological indicators was recorded as well as a drop in the number of patients treated in hospitals.

It is therefore expected that a proposal to lift the obligation for the use of a protective mask will be submitted to the Council of Ministers tomorrow, excluding high-risk areas such as hospitals, nursing homes, closed structures for vulnerable groups, areas providing health services (outpatient clinics, medical and diagnostic centers, laboratories, rehabilitation centers), pharmacies and mass transportation.

It will also be suggested that a recommendation is made for the use of a mask in public places by vulnerable groups and by those who socialise with high-risk groups.

Other suggestions include a recommendation that pupils, teachers and other staff carry out a self-test or rapid test before returning to schools and that one free self-test kit is given to children attending primary and pre-primary education.

It is also expected that it will be suggested that all places, such as dining areas, churches, stadiums, showrooms, can use again 100% of their capacity as regards how many people they let in their premises.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

The European Commission has approved the N4CY project proposal which has to do with the development of the National Cybersecurity Coordination Centre of Cyprus (NCCC-CY), securing EU co-financing for the project, the Digital Security Authority (DSA) announced on Tuesday.

DSA, along with Cyprus Research and Innovation Foundation (RIF) will start the implementation of the project, which includes setting up the necessary processes and capabilities to act as NCC, designing calls for proposals to distribute available cascading funds, establishing procedures for the community members, contributing to education and awareness activities, the Authority says in a press release.

The N4CY project, it adds, aims at developing the National Cybersecurity Coordination Centre of the Republic of Cyprus and enhancing its ability to accomplish its mission and objectives. Following official appointment by the Council of Ministers, the DSA will coordinate the National Cybersecurity Coordination Centre in collaboration with the RIF, which will lead activities relating to financial support to third parties. The Deputy Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy will contribute as an Associated Partner.

“The N4CY project objectives and implementation are in line with the implementation of the Cybersecurity Strategy of the Republic of Cyprus, and the project will greatly assist the NCCC-CY to be in a position to contribute well to the relevant European efforts in this area”, the press release notes.

According to DSA, the government of Cyprus has adopted decisions to ensure the sustainability of the NCCC-CY, through the co-financing of future calls for proposals to be announced by the NCCC-CY and by supporting complementary actions besides those planned in the scope of this project.

“The project has a 24-month duration, and it has been designed to meet its objectives and provide Cyprus with a capable and well-developed National Coordination Centre,” the statement concludes.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Sixty clay amphorae were placed on Tuesday in the marine protected area of Larnaca in Voroklini, on the reef next to the LEF1 ship wreck to further enhance marine life around the reef.

On Tuesday morning, local officials, including the head of the Voroklini community council, went to the site in a boat, where divers placed the amphorae in such a way to attract various fish species that live in the area.

This action was carried out under the guidance of the Department of Fisheries and Marine Research and the support of the Deputy Ministry of Tourism, with the aim of attracting and increasing the fish population as well as attracting even more diver interest.

Head of the Larnaka Tourism Board, Dinos Lefkaritis, expressed his satisfaction, that, after three years, this action was made possible, in a bid to enrich the various species of marine life but also to help tourism and diving tourism in particular.

He said that the new artificial reef of Larnaca was created on the initiative of the Tourism Board and Fisheries Department, with the support of local authorities, agencies and businesses of the city, in December 2019, when the 63-metre ship Elpida was sunken as well as the 15-metre boat LEF1, donated by Lefkaritis Bros Ltd. In addition to the 60 amphorae that were placed on Tuesday, another 30 will be placed at a later stage, he said, and noted that the amphorae are clay and do not contain any materials that may negatively affect marine life.

Fisheries Department official, Giorgos Payiatas, who is in charge of the artificial reefs areas, said that every action that contributes to the marine protected areas and especially in Larnaca, was “important”. “The Department of Fisheries has also used ceramics, amphorae in other areas and the results have been spectacular,” he said.

The reef where the two boats are located, is approximately one kilometre from the coast and at a depth of 13 metres. It hosts various types of marine life, and can be visited also by swimmers with a snorkel mask.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

The European Commission is concerned over the news of the expulsion of Brussels accredited Greek correspondent Evangelos Aretaios from Turkey, as well as over “Turkey’s attempts to undermine freedom of expression and the pluralism of media”, spokesperson Nabila Massrali said, responding to a question by the Cyprus News Agency during the day’s midday briefing.

Aretaios is the Brussels correspondent for Cypriot media group Dialogos and Greek newspaper Real News, has worked as a correspondent for Cypriot media over a period of years, and is also a research associate at the University of Nicosia and ELIAMEP.

“While granting permission to foreign nationals to enter a country’s territory is a national competence and Turkey’s prerogative in this case, the EU views with concern Turkey’s attempts to undermine freedom of expression and the pluralism of media” Massrali said.

“Targeting of media and journalists runs contrary to Turkey’s obligations as a candidate country and long-standing member of the Council of Europe” she added.

“The EU has been unequivocal in recommending that Turkey ensures a safe, plural and enabling environment for the media to carry out their work independently” the spokesperson underlined.

“We will be following the developments closely. Our concern about the state of freedom of expression and of the press in Turkey persists” she stressed.

Source: Cyprus News Agency