Day: January 29, 2023

CYPRUS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY

FORECAST FOR THE SEA AREA OF CYPRUS (A)

FOR THE PERIOD FROM 0600 29/01/2023 UNTIL 0600 30/01/2023

Area covered is 8 kilometers seawards.

Winds are in BEAUFORT scale. Times are local times.

Atmospheric pressure at the time of issue: 1014hPa (hectopascal)

Weak low pressure affects the area. The weather will be partly cloudy with isolated showers. Risk of isolated thunderstorm mainly over the northern and eastern coastal areas after noon. Thin dust in suspension.

Visibility: Good to moderate, locally poor

Sea surface temperature: 19°C

Warnings: NIL

Source: Cyprus News Agency

The Troodos ski center can be a jewel, an attraction and reference point for Cyprus, President Nicos Anastasiades said on Saturday, at the center’s foundation stone laying ceremony.

He spoke of a historic day for Cyprus, adding that although we don’t get much snow in Cyprus, being a Mediterranean country, we could not accept the fact that athletes and visitors for decades were hosted ‘in shacks’, for which he felt ashamed when he visited them.

The President said that the state funded the center with a sum of 2 mln euro and the country’s ski club contributed with approximately 1,5 mln.

He said that there’s not going to be any backsliding or backtracking from the decision and the determination to set up a modern ski center for Cyprus.

He also said that this center will benefit the residents, the visitors, the growth in the area, adding that although Cyprus is a small country, the sport of ski is emerging and the center will be constructed as a contribution to the whole effort of those who love this sport.

President Anastasiades also noted that Cyprus has not been absent for more than ten years from international skiing events, regardless of whether we have snow or not.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Today marks a historic milestone for Larnaka region, President Nicos Anastasiades said, during the inauguration of the gas terminal of the VLPG consortium in Vasiliko area.

He said that the operation of the gas terminal, marks the completion of the process of moving the oil, gas and asphalt facilities from the Larnaca waterfront to the Vasiliko Energy Center, noting that in addition to the numerous benefits for the local economy, the Energy Center paves the way to full development of an area of the city that has been degraded for decades.

In his speech the President spoke about the determination shown by the Government and the Municipality of Larnaca and the cooperation with the companies in making the investment possible. He congratulated the VLPG consortium for the investment, which exceeds 35 million euros, without any state contribution.

President Anastasiades noted that the highest standards of quality, safety and environmental protection apply, adding that the energy infrastructure has a total capacity of 4,000 metric tons and includes, among other things, an automatic tank depot, a bottling plant and a gas cylinder maintenance facility.

Anastasiades said that the Energy Center now brings together almost all the energy infrastructure of the island, noting that the safety of the workers and facilities of the Vasiliko Energy Center and the residents of the communities in the wider area, was put as a high priority.

To this end, he said that a ministerial committee was set up with the participation of a representative of the communities in the area in order to supervise and coordinate all the procedures. The President also said that a Security Coordinating Body of the Vasiliko Energy Center was established, in order to manage and deal with security issues.

He also referred to many other projects which were completed or are under construction in Larnaka, including the upgrade of the road network, the installation of perimeter fencing which will include security systems and controlled entrance gates to the Energy Center, the construction and operation of a Special Police Security Center which, including the cost of transporting oil products to the Center, amount to approximately 58 million euro.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

The mandate for United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) is expected to get renewed annually, instead of every six months, from now on.

According to CNA information, in the resolution of the United Nations Security Council that is expected to be approved on January 30th, at the international organization’s headquarters, the renewal of UNFICYP’s mandate is expected to be for 12 months instead of six months as before. A competent source has told CNA that this was an idea put forward by the British and that this issue has been discussed for a long time.

The source added that the Cypriot government has given its consent to this, on the understanding that the UN Secretary General’s reports on Cyprus will come out normally every six months, so that the Cyprus issue can be discussed.

The reports will come out every six months and the resolution will be approved every 12. If there is a serious violation by the Turkish side, the Cypriot government can appeal to the UN Security Council for a special resolution or a special statement, as in the case of the fenced off city of Famagusta, the same source added.

UNFICYP, comprising over 800 military personnel from about seven troop contributing countries, arrived in Cyprus in March 1964 after inter-communal fighting broke out. UNFICYP’s mandate is to contribute to the restoration of normal conditions and entails the facilitation of an increasingly wide range of civilian activities.

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 operation of a Fire Station at Vasiliko, where the Energy Center is located, enhances the feeling of safety for the state and the residents, President Nicos Anastasiades said, inaugurating the Station on Sunday.

He said that earlier today he toured the Energy Center, which he described as a model, state-of-the-art Center. Anastasiades noted that the main concern and priority was the safety not only of the facilities but also of the residents, therefore he feels particularly happy because he saw that the Energy Center operates with the highest safety and functionality factors, compared to the rest of the European Energy Centers.

The President said that the Fire Station in the area is well-equipped and can deal with emergency situations and protect the lives and properties of the residents of the area. The President said that the Government’s decision for the autonomy of the Fire Service was taken so that it can focus on fire safety, without further conflicts or overlapping responsibilities.

He thanked the communities of the area for their cooperation with the state authorities and expressed hope that the Energy Center, which is a model, will benefit the country, the wider economy, the well-being of the communities in the region and all the people of Cyprus.

Earlier and before inaugurating the Fire Station, the President inspected the facilities of companies at the Vasiliko Energy Center. During his visit to the facilities of EKO, the President addressed the executives and staff of the company and congratulated them, saying that the contribution of Hellenic Petroleum to the entire energy planning of the country was important.

The President was accompanied on the tour by the Ministers of Labor and Energy, the Government Spokesperson and the Deputy Government Spokesperson, the Director of his Press Office and other officials.

Source: Cyprus News Agency