Day: November 11, 2022

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cyprus, Ioannis Kasoulides, departs on Sunday for Brussels to attend the EU Foreign Affairs Council.

The meeting will take place over two days, gathering on Monday 14 November for the EU Ministers of Foreign Affairs, and on Tuesday 15 November the EU Ministers of Defence.

On 14 November, the Council, chaired by the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, will hold exchanges of views on the Russian aggression against Ukraine, the Great Lakes region and Western Balkans.

The Council will also have a discussion on current affairs during which Ministers will be able to exchange views on recent events and fast-moving developments in external relations, such as the situation in Lebanon, the recent COP27 and upcoming COP15, and the EU-CELAC ministerial meeting that took place in Buenos Aires on 27 October.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nicos Anastasiades conveyed his sincere appreciation to outgoing Israeli PM, Yair Lapid for his personal engagement in furthering relations between the two countries.

In a message on Twitter, President Anastasiades said that during a telephone conversation with Lapid, he conveyed his “sincere appreciation” for the latter’s “personal engagement in furthering the Cyprus-Israel strategic partnership.”

Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud Party, along with Religious Zionism and two ultra-Orthodox religious parties, gained 64 out of the 120 seats in the Israeli parliament in last week’s election. They are expected to form a new governing majority in the coming weeks.

Lapid’s outgoing coalition, a diverse collection of parties that included the first-ever Arab party to be part of an Israeli government, won 51 seats.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa Theodoros II arrived on Friday to Cyprus to attend the funeral service of Archbishop Chrysostomos II, head of the Autocephalous Church of Cyprus, that will take place on Saturday at the cathedral of Saint Barnabas in Nicosia.

In statements upon his arrival in Cyprus, the Patriarch said that he will always remember the late Archbishop “as a man who loved the church, he loved Orthodoxy, he loved all people”. He also recalled that the Archbishop said that he managed to carry out the work he wanted to do.

Later on, the Patriarch went to the Saint Barnabas cathedral in Nicosia where the body of Archbishop Chrysostomos II is lying in state until Saturday morning. The Patriarch also signed the book of condolences which opened at the Archbishopric in Nicosia.

The book of condolences was also signed on Friday by the religious leaders as well as representatives of the religious communities of Cyprus.

Maronite Archbishop of Cyprus Selim Jean Sfeir accompanied by a delegation, as well as the Armenian Archbishop of Cyprus, Khoren Doghramadjian and his delegation, sang hymns in the cathedral where the late Archbishop in lying in state. They then signed the book of condolences.

The book was also signed by the representative of the Latins in Cyprus as well as Imam of Hala Sultan Teke in Larnaca, Shakir Alemdar, on behalf of the Muslims in Cyprus.

The Imam wrote that “it was a great honor and privilege to work together with Archbishop Chrysostomos II for almost 14 years” and expressed his condolences to the Archbishop’s family, the Church of Cyprus and the entire Greek Orthodox world.

The funeral service will be conducted on Saturday by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew who will visit Cyprus for the first time.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

It is obvious that Turkey’s dead-end policy of granting a status of sovereign equality to the pseudostate and its insistence on an equal international status was and remains ineffective, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cyprus has stressed commenting on the results of the Summit of the Organisation of Turkic States.

The Foreign Ministry notes in a press release that during the deliberations of the Summit of the Organisation of Turkic States held on Friday in Uzbekistan, Turkey proposed changing the Statute of the Organisation, in a way that it would also allow the participation of “entities” under observer status.

It recalls that based on the Statute of the Organisation, only internationally recognized and sovereign states participate, either as full members or with observer status.

The Ministry notes that given the refusal of the other member states to accept the accession of the separatist entity of the pseudostate under observer status, Turkey proposed changing the statute, so that it provides for the participation of unrecognised “entities”.

“The fact that Turkey itself promoted and chose to accept the downgrading of the pseudostate’s participation to the status of ‘entity’ rather than ‘state’ proves the obvious. That is to say, that no state in the International Community, nor the Turkic states, accept or recognise any legal or international status for the separatist entity of the so-called “turkish republic of northern Cyprus”, the press release says.

The Ministry notes that as a result, “any attempt by Turkey to present this as a victory, is nothing but a meaningless development. With its actions, it managed to secure observer status for the pseudostate under the category of “entities” and this, of course, under the condition of the ratification of the new Statute by the member states of the Organisation”.

In addition, the Ministry points out the relevant public statements made by the President of Kazakhstan and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan, who expressed their countries’ support for International Law and the need to respect the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of all states.

“It is obvious that Turkey’s dead-end policy of granting sovereign equality status to the pseudostate and its insistence on an equal international status was and remains ineffective,” the Ministry concludes.

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.

On 15 November 1983, nine years after the Turkish invasion of the island, Turkey instigated and endorsed a “unilateral declaration of independence” in Cyprus` occupied areas, announced by the Turkish Cypriot leadership.

The United Nations Security Council with Resolutions 541 and 550 calls upon all States to respect the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity, unity and non-alignment of the Republic of Cyprus. They also describe the UDI as “legally invalid.”

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Small EU countries like Cyprus can achieve much more for their citizens when they have a big European family to rely on, said Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Stella Kyriakides on Friday, in her address at a Conference in Nicosia on the healthcare system of Cyprus, organised by the Cyprus Association of Research and Development Pharmaceutical Companies (KEFEA) in cooperation with the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries Associations (EFPIA).

The Commissioner, in her address, at the Conference entitled “A new era for healthcare in Cyprus: Embrace, Evaluate, Evolve”, referred to the importance of cooperation at EU level in tackling healthcare challenges such as the Covid-19 pandemic but also in offering quality healthcare to all of the bloc’s citizens.

Referring to the EU’s Pharmaceutical Strategy, she said that, “in a genuine European Health Union, patients should always have access to the medicines they need, regardless of where they live”.

“Their medicines should be available and affordable,” she said, adding that, at the same time, the pharmaceutical industry should be given the conditions it needs to thrive, and to remain a global leader.

“For myself, ensuring patients’ needs are covered, is paramount”, she noted.

The Commissioner said that the Pharmaceutical Strategy includes over 50 actions, both legislative and non-legislative, and aims to ensure this fundamental objective, while also making sure that Europe is consolidated as a place of innovation, with a vibrant pharmaceutical industry.

To achieve this, she added, “we are working with our industrial partners to enhance the security of supply and address structural issues around shortages of medicines, and build a flexible regulatory framework that will allow to innovate and produce medicines in Europe.”

Ultimately, she said, the Pharmaceutical Strategy is both for patients and industry. “We are putting the patient at the centre of our pharmaceutical policy, every step of the way, while ensuring the EU pharmaceutical industry remains competitive and innovative,” she added.

The Commissioner also said that, Europe “can, and should be” a leader in research, development and innovation but that, for innovation to have any value, it has to reach the patient.

A good example of this is the area of rare diseases, where no treatments are available for 95% of these diseases, she said, adding that, ‘orphan medicines’, once authorised, are not accessible to patients equally in all Member States.

“That is why, as part of the EU Pharmaceutical Strategy, we will review the current rules to promote innovation especially where it is needed most, and to address unmet needs for patients across the EU,” she said.

This vision, she added, “is central to our European Health Union, which represents our key response to the COVID-19 pandemic.”

The Commissioner also said that, building a European Health Union is not only about being ready to respond to crises but it is also about building the sustainable healthcare systems of tomorrow, so they deliver better care for EU patients.

She noted that success in efforts, from the upcoming reform of the pharmaceutical rules to the EU Cancer Plan, to digital health and all the European Health Union flagships, depends on collaboration, trust and vision.

The Commissioner said that a strong European Health Union was also a necessary step for a strong Cypriot Health System, while small EU countries like Cyprus “can achieve much more for their citizens when they have a big European family to rely on.”

In his own video message, Cyprus’ Health Minister, Michalis Hadjipantela, said that, the promotion of reforms was “a one-way street” and that his Ministry takes into account the positions, but also constructive criticism, of all agencies with the aim of improving functionality and efficiency of healthcare structures for the benefit of society. He also referred to the establishment, in the near future, of the National Pharmaceutical Authority, which, he said, will contribute to the modernization of the healthcare delivery system in Cyprus.

The Chairman of KEFEA, Kyriakos Mikellis, said in his address, that this conference was “extremely important”, as it takes place at a turning point for the healthcare sector, both in Cyprus and the European Union. He said that the Commission’s effort to revise the EU’s pharmaceutical legislation “is key for the future of the healthcare sector and access to medicines, not only in Cyprus, but Europe at large”.

He also referred the implementation of Cyrus’ General Health System three years ago, noting that, the new system “has significantly improved the supply and management of pharmaceuticals in the primary healthcare” but that there are still many outstanding issues regarding the second phase of the system and the introduction of innovative medicines and treatments.

Mikellis expressed the belief that solutions, which will lead to a sustainable health care system and at the same time ensure high quality services and access to innovative medicines, can only be reached through an open dialogue, respect and inclusion of all stakeholders in the processes.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

A cruise-liner passenger was flown to Limassol for urgent treatment after experiencing heart attack while onboard a cruise liner off the shores of Cyprus.

The Joint Rescue Coordination Center (JRCC) announced that on 10 November 2022, it received information from the Bahamas flagged cruise ship “Ambience” that as it was sailing 69 nautical miles off Cyprus, an 82 year old man presented cardiac arrest symptoms and needed immediate medical assistance.

The JRCC immediately mobilised the “Nearchos” plan and after medical consultation from a Nicosia General Hospital doctor, a helicopter of the National Guard with a specially trained nurse of the Ambulance Unit of the Republic picked up the patient who was transferred to Limassol General Hospital for further treatment.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

The Cyprus Economy and Competitiveness Council delivered its Annual Report for 2021 to the Minister of Finance, Constantinos Petrides, on Friday.

According to a statement by the Council, there is a special reference in the report concerning the work of the Long-Term Strategy for the Sustainable Development of the Cypriot economy, “which was formulated and completed through an intensive dialogue with a wide range of public and private sector entities.”

“The Council worked intensively during 2021 for the completion of the new ‘Vision 2035’ Strategy and the selection of the new economic model, which is oriented towards strengthening the sustainability, resilience, and international competitiveness of the Cypriot economy”, the statement reads.

In addition, an important milestone for the Council in 2021 was its contribution to the preparation of the national Recovery and Resilience Plan, it is added.

The Annual Report also presents the 2nd Competitiveness Report for Cyprus which records the comparative advantages, weaknesses and challenges faced by the Cypriot economy, and provides recommendations for addressing the challenges and strengthening its competitiveness.

According to the Council’s statement, the Minister of Finance thanked the Council “for the information and the excellent work that is being carried out”, and stressed that a number of measures implemented by the government stem from specific recommendations of the Council. He added that the good performance of the Cypriot economy observed during the period of the health crisis and the positive growth rate of the economy observed now “are not accidental.” “In these, the recommendations of the Council played an important role”, many of which are included in the Strategic Planning and budgets of the Ministries.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Minister of Labour and Social Insurance Kyriacos Koushos said on Friday the final decisions on the reform of the Cyprus pension system will be taken by the coming government.

Koushos met with Andre Picard, an actuary and chief technical advisor to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) to discuss the terms for a coming study to be carried out by the ILO on the Cyprus pension system, following a contract signed by Cyprus and the organisation.

Koushos said ILO will conclude its initial study by the end of the year and the study will be discussed with the social partners (trade unions and employers associations) with a view to drafting the guidelines by early 2023 that will be given to ILO which will complete its final study over the overhaul of the Cypriot pension system, that has been established in 1980.

Replying to a question whether the final reform will be passed to the next government, Koushos said the reform will take time and should be discussed thoroughly, noting that apart from ILO study and the meetings with the social partners, an actuarial study will be undertaken while discussions should also take place with the Ministry of Finance over the state’s contribution and all parameters should be discussed in length.

“What’s important is that we have made the first step and, yes, we will further this reform, so that the coming government will undertake to continue and implement it,” Koushos said. Cyprus will hold presidential elections in early February with the new government to assume office on March 1 2023.

Koushos said the reform aims to “a fair and descent pension for all our fellow citizens.”

He noted that the reform aspires to address distortions observed in the current pension system, while responding to a question, Koushos said the reform will also assess whether it could integrate the basic pension and the supplementary pension into “a national minimum pension.”

Source: Cyprus News Agency