Day: January 23, 2023

Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides briefed his EU counterparts on the assistance that Cyprus is providing Ukraine, in cooperation with Poland, to help the country purchase electricity generators, in an intervention during Monday’s meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) of the European Union in Brussels.

The main topics of discussion were the latest developments regarding Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the security situation and the increase of terrorist activity in the Sahel and the coastal states of West Africa, according to a statement. The EU’s Foreign Ministers also had a working lunch with Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh.

Speaking during the discussion on Ukraine, Kasoulides informed his counterparts about the Cypriot contribution to initiatives in support of Ukraine’s resilience. These include the provision, together with Poland, of 300,000 euro in assistance for the purchase of electricity generators. He also referred to the need for the EU to play an active role in efforts to end the war.

The Foreign Minister also welcomed the renewal of the UN’s Black Sea Grain Initiative, and expressed his disappointment that Cyprus cannot participate due to the bans imposed on Cypriot ships by Turkey.

Kasoulides also referred to the need for the effective implementation of sanctions, and stressed that the practice of sanctions circumvention by some countries is hindering the overall efforts to affect Russia’s ability to continue its war against Ukraine.

The Cypriot Foreign Minister also expressed concern about the deteriorating situation in the Sahel region and noted that it is important for the EU to maintain its presence there.

He also thanked the European External Action Service for the support provided to his personal envoy who recently visited Gambia, in the context of the efforts of the Republic of Cyprus to prevent the upgrading of the unrecognised “TRNC”.

Kasoulides also expressed satisfaction with the establishment of a non-military mission in Armenia to support efforts to normalize relations with Azerbaijan. He made specific reference to the ongoing blockade of the Lachin corridor, underlining the importance of the EU’s presence, in particular to mitigate the humanitarian consequences of this blockade.

In an intervention during the working lunch in the presence of the Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority, the Foreign Minister also said that Cyprus supports further deepening of EU relations with Palestine. He reiterated the country’s support for a two-state solution in the framework of the Middle East Peace Process, and called on the EU to take an active role in relaunching the process.

He also referred to recent rising tensions in Jerusalem, and underlined the need for restraint and de-escalation in order to preserve the religious status quo in the Old City.

Finally, in the margins of the FAC, Kasoulides met with EU Special Representative for the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue Miroslav Lajcák.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

The Cyprus Children’s Fund announced it supports eight non-profit organisations in Cyprus with $64,000, while declaring its dedication to its mission with the continuation of its yearly grants.

The Fund, in a press release, said that, Nicos Zittis, National Chairman and President of the Cyprus Children’s Fund (CCF) and the Board of Directors announce the support of eight non-profit organizations in Cyprus with donations totaling $64,000. “The organization renews its dedication to its noble mission with the continuation of its yearly grants”, it said, adding that the funds are revenues from its annual fundraising event and donations made to the Fund from individual contributors and organizations.

The 2022 donations are being distributed to the Independent Social Support Body, headed by the First Lady of the Republic of Cyprus, Andri Anastasiades, which financially supports students studying at universities in Cyprus. The Theotokos Foundation, the Ronald McDonald House Charities Cyprus, the Association of Parents & Friends of Children with Special Needs (Limassol), the Autism Society – Paphos, the Margarita Liasidou Foundation, the St. Loucas Community, and the Archangel Michael Hospice, are also recipients of the grants for 2022.

“For yet another year, the Cyprus Children’s Fund is continuing its support of non-profit, charitable organizations in Cyprus which provide essential services to children and young adults with a diversity of special needs”, Zittis said. He added that, this year, they will be donating “the notable amount of $64,000 as a result of our very successful annual fundraising event and the generosity of donors to whom we are indebted”.

The press release notes that the Cyprus Children’s Fund continues to support children, families and organizations with noble missions.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

A €21,000 fine was issued by the prosecuting authorities a few days ago for the killing of wild birds using poison baits. The fine represents a big step forward that will hopefully have a strong deterrent effect on similar illegal actions, which have a devastating impact on Cyprus wildlife, a BirdLife Cyprus press release said.

The fine was issued for offenses that took place in December 2021, where three birds of prey, two Bonelli’s Eagles and one Long-legged Buzzard, were found dead near Dierona village in the Limassol district.

The identification of the precise location of the above dead birds was made possible through the signals of the GPS transmitter that had been fitted on one of the eagles, which is what mobilized the Game and Fauna Service to investigate in the area in collaboration with the Police, BirdLife Cyprus said.

Upon investigation, evidence collected linked the mortality of the bird victims to a specific individual. The individual was handed a fine for the offense of killing wild birds with the use of poison and the offense of intentionally killing and/or capturing a protected wild bird. The necropsy and related toxicological analyses on the dead birds showed that their death was caused by carbofuran, a highly toxic and banned substance.

The suspect was fined €21,000 under the provisions of the Protection and Management of Wild Birds and Game Law of 2003.

In the case that the fine is not paid, the suspect will be taken to court. According to the provisions of the above legislation, the court can impose a prison sentence of up to 3 years or a fine of up to €20,000 or a combination of these for each offense separately.

According to Melpo Apostolidou, PRogramme Coordinator at BirdLife Cyprus, Cyprus is prepared to follow the examples of other European countries and to further invest in prevention policies and other policies that fight the illegal poisoning of wildlife.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Cyprus’ foreign trade registered a significant increase in the first ten months of 2022, according to data released on Monday by the Statistical Service of Cyprus. The trade deficit also increased due to the great increase in imports.

In particular, according to the official data, total imports of goods in January-October 2022 amounted to €9,394.7 mn as compared to €6,991.0 mn in January-October 2021, recording an increase of 34.4%. Total exports of goods in January-October 2022 were €3,241.3 mn compared to €2,652.4 mn in the same period of 2021, registering an increase of 22.2%.

The trade deficit was €6,153.4 mn in January-October 2022 compared to €4,338.6 mn in the corresponding period of 2021.

The European Union was the main source of supply of goods to Cyprus with a share of €5,675.4 mn of total imports, while imports from all other European countries totaled €881.7 mn in January-October 2022. Imports from the rest of the world amounted to €2,837.6 mn.

Exports to the European Union accounted for €923.5 mn, while exports to all other European countries for €305.5 mn in January-October 2022. Exports to the rest of the world amounted to €2,012.3 mn.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

European University Cyprus Career Center of the organized a professional seminar entitled “How to Become a Digital Nomad” on Tuesday, February 27, 2024. Students and alumni connected to the online seminar to explore the possibilities of a location-independent career. A digital nomad is a remote worker with the option to live a travelling lifestyle. Often, that means moving from location to location and staying connected digitally.

Under the guidance of Mr. Markos Korvesis, Career and Business Advisor at LeadCompass, participants gained valuable insights into the lifestyle of a digital nomad, practical strategies for transitioning to remote work, and essential tools to thrive in a dynamic, global environment.

During the seminar, participants had the opportunity to explore the benefits and challenges of the digital nomad lifestyle. Mr. Korvesis simultaneously shared methods through which candidates could explore remote work opportunities and platforms for freelance professional activity. Using examples from
his own life as a nomad, Mr. Korvesis explained techniques for maintaining productivity and balance between work and personal life as a digital nomad.

Markos Korvesis, with his wealth of experience and expertise, captivated participants with his engaging presentation style and personalized insights. Attendees praised the seminar for its informative as well as interactive format. The seminar also provided the opportunity to network with fellow digital nomads from around the globe.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

The missing persons issue and the fight which their relatives are giving to ascertain their fate is part of our history and will not be erased, pledged Presidential Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs and Overseas Cypriots, Photis Photiou.

He was speaking during an event on Sunday where a municipal park in Strovolos was renamed after Ioannis Lazaros Skalistis, a soldier who died during the 1974 Turkish invasion.

Photiou said that “our duty towards the relatives who passed away is to do whatever is possible to complete our mission.”

Despite the problems and obstacles, he said, we cannot give in to Turkey’s tactics. Photiou said the Turkish aggressiveness and intransigence are escalating on a daily basis and we are witnessing Turkey’s revisionist policy and unlawful actions and threats on a daily basis.

However, he said “we will not give in to the occupation force’s threats”. Instead we are continuing to fight to reverse the occupation and reunite our country”.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37% of its territory. Since then, the fate of hundreds of people remains unknown.

A Committee on Missing Persons has been established, upon agreement between the leaders of the two communities, with the scope of exhuming, identifying and returning to their relatives the remains of 492 Turkish Cypriots and 1,510 Greek Cypriots, who went missing during the inter-communal fighting of 1963-1964 and in 1974.

According to statistical data published on the CMP website by December 31, 2021 out of 2002 missing persons 1,183 were exhumed and 1,023 were identified. Out of 1510 Greek Cypriot missing persons 732 were identified and 778 are still missing. Out of 492 Turkish Cypriot missing persons 291 were identified and 201 are still missing.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

A rare green comet, a unique traveller, is revisiting our solar system these days after 50,000 earth years when people still lived in caves.

Astrophysicist Dr. Stelios Tsangarides told CNA that comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) will reach its closest distance to Earth on February 1, 2023, when it will be at a distance of 42 million km from our planet. In dark areas it will be visible as a faint, cloudy object.

The comet was discovered on March 3, 2022 by astronomers Bryce Bolin and Frank Masci (Zwicky Transient Facility, USA), when it was still on its way to the inner solar system. Almost a year later, the comet has already orbited the Sun and will soon pass close by the Earth.

What makes C/2022 E3 interesting is its greenish colour, he said, and explained that the colour is caused by the presence of molecular carbon (C2) on its surface. The comet, Tsangarides noted, is also interesting because as a long-period comet, its orbit around the Sun may take about 50,000 Earth years.

“This means that the last time it was in our neighbourhood – if there was a previous time – people were still living in caves and not even oral historical records have survived – the oldest of which, the songs of the Australian aborigines, are estimated to be around 40,000 years old,” he told CNA.

Tsangarides said “it will reach its closest distance to Earth on February 1, 2023, when it will be at a distance of 42 million km from our planet. It will become visible to the naked eye, but at the limits of human vision, as a faint, nebulous object near the north celestial pole in the constellation Camelopardalis.”

For those who would like to see it with the naked eye, its dim appearance and the fact that the Moon will be more than half – February 5 is the full moon – will make it invisible from the cities, with their intense light pollution, he noted.

“It may only be visible from the areas of our island with the darkest skies”, Tsangarides concluded.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Cyprus’ Shipping Deputy Minister, Vassilios Demetriades, welcomed on Monday Royal Caribbean’s plans to open an office in Cyprus, noting that this was “a tangible example of the way the Government turns a crisis into an opportunity”.

In a written statement, Demetriades also welcomes Royal Caribbean’s decision to register one of its cruise ships, the Spectrum of the Seas, in the Cyprus Ships Registry. The vessel flies the Cypriot flag since last Friday, Demetriades said.

“The company’s decision is a tangible example of the way the Government turns the crisis into an opportunity”, he added, noting that, Cyprus, during the coronavirus pandemic, through coordinated efforts in collaboration with the Ministries of Transport and Health and the Deputy Ministry of Tourism, had facilitated the repatriation and crew changes of more than 65,000 seafarers while “the National Programme we adopted for the vaccination coverage of 40,000 seafarers was implemented with great success”. All the above, together with the services offered “have put Cyprus on the global cruise map,” he adds.

The company’s decision to establish a permanent office in Cyprus, which will be the centre of its shipping activities in the eastern Mediterranean, as well as the trust the company has shown in the Cypriot Flag, says the Deputy Minister, create conditions for further strengthening of cooperation, which will bring significant benefits both for Cyprus Shipping but more broadly, also consolidate Cyprus as a centre of quality cruises, “a fact that further strengthens our tourism product, contributing substantially to the local economy.”

“The improvement of our shipping product and the strengthening of our incentives and services, as planned and implemented through the national Strategy “SEA Change 2030”, have laid a solid foundation for a prosperous future for Cyprus Shipping,” Demetriades’ statement concludes.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Both Turkey and Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar put in writing what they have long been aiming for, namely the creation or recognition of two separate states during an informal five-party meeting in April 2021 held under the auspices of the United Nations and calls for a two-state solution from Tatar are not new, President Nicos Anastasiades said on Monday.

Invited to comment on Tatar’s interview published in daily Phileleftheros on Sunday, President Anastasiades said that the messages for a two-state solution sent both by Turkey and Turkish Cypriot leader are not new.

Asked by the Press on the sidelines of an event where he laid the foundation stone for the new Cyprus Museum, whether a date has been set for a dinner with Tatar before the end of his presidency, the President said that that no arrangement has been made. He pointed out that “even if it were to be set, it would be of an absolutely social character given the positions of Mr. Tatar that in order to discuss the Cyprus problem, we must recognize sovereign equality, or in essence the existence of an illegal entity”.

Asked if there is any development regarding a visit of US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken to the region, the President said he has no news.

Finally, asked if the UN resolution ensures that there will be no hint of a SOFA agreement with the illegal regime, the President said he has not yet seen the resolution, and asked if there was any problematic reference in it he replied that in the report “there was a problematic reference and we are trying in every way to correct it”.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Cyprus parliamentarian Kostis Efstathiou takes part in the works of the parliamentary assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) in Strasbourg and was elected in important positions.

A press release by the Cyprus parliament says that Efstathiou, who is member of the Cyprus delegation to the Assembly, during today’s first day of the deliberations, was elected unanimously in one of the positions of Vice President of the Socialist Group in the Assembly.

Efstathiou was also unanimously elected as the PACE representative to the European Commission for Democracy through Law (Venice Commission) for 2023.

The Commission examines constitutional reforms that affect the operation of the judicial system in the member states of the Council of Europe, submitting relevant recommendations to the member states.

The Cypriot Member of the Parliament was also elected as a representative of the Assembly to the Committee of Works of Art of the Council of Europe.

Source: Cyprus News Agency