Day: March 6, 2023

Cyprus’ new Foreign Minister, Constantinos Kombos, had a first exchange of views on Monday with UK High Commissioner, Irfan Siddique, on further deepening the ties between the two countries and in relation to the Cyprus problem. A tweet by the Foreign Ministry notes that, Kombos ‘had today a first exchange of views’ with the UK High Commissioner to Cyprus. It is noted that substantive discussion took place on further deepening the two countries’ historic ties, as well as in relation to the Cyprus question.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

A total of 38 bounced cheques have been registered in the Central Information Registry (CIR) for dishonoured cheques in February, compared with 23 in January, the Central Bank of Cyprus (CBC) said on Monday. According to the CBC, the value of these cheques increased to pound 101,065 compared with pound 59,817 in January 2023 and pound 93,811 in February 2022. In the first two months of 2023, a total of 61 cheques have been registered in the preliminary CIR, which is the same as in the respective period of 2022, with the total value amounting to pound 160,882 which is significantly reduced compared with pound 243,369 in the first two months of last year. In February, a total of 37 persons have been registered in the CIR of which 14 are legal persons, 4 natural persons and 19 persons controlling legal entities, the CBC added. Furthermore, 20 persons have been registered in the CIR’s preliminary list of which 12 legal entities and 8 natural persons.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Foreign Minister, Constantinos Kombos, discussed on Monday with the French Ambassador to Cyprus, Salina Grenet Catalano, about the Cyprus problem, the Cypriot-French bilateral cooperation, European and international issues, and energy. According to a post on the Foreign Minister’s Twitter account, the excellent level of relations between Cyprus and France was reaffirmed during a meeting which Kombos and Catalano had. It is also noted that discussion focused on issues related to the Cypriot-French bilateral cooperation, the EU and international agenda, energy and the Cyprus question.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

The funerals of the two Cypriot students who lost their lives in a recent train crash in Greece, took place on Monday in their hometowns. The funeral of 23 year old Kyprianos Papaioannou was held on Monday morning, at the church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, in the village of Avgorou, Famagusta district. The family asked those attending the funeral to be dressed in white clothes. The Law School of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, where Kyprianos Papaioannou was a student, announced that it would propose to the State Scholarships Foundation of Greece to launch a scholarship in his memory. The funeral of 24 year old Anastasia Adamidou was held on Monday afternoon at the church of Agioi Anargyri in Paphos. The family requested instead of wreaths, to make contributions in support of the family of a relative with a serious health problem. The President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides, attended the funerals. It is noted that both families asked the media to respect their wish and not cover the funerals.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Hybrid open lecture: “The Implementation of the Total Quality Management (TQM) Model in Higher Education and its Possible Success at the Primary and Secondary Education Level”

The Postgraduate Programme “Educational Leadership and Policy” of the Open University of Cyprus (OUC), and the Cyprus Association of Educational Leadership, are co-organising on April 17, 2024 a hybrid talk titled “Implementing the Total Quality Management (TQM) Model in Higher Education: Potential Applications in Primary and Secondary Education”. The invited speaker is Dr. Iman Rabah, Dean of Quality Assurance and Associate Professor of Management, Leadership and Policy at the Modern University for Business and Science (MUBS). The lecture will shed light on adapted business models within various educational levels, and will offer insights into the integration of TQM principles across higher, secondary, and primary education sectors. The event will be held at 18:30 (GMT+2) at the Main OUC Building (33 Yiannou Kranidioti Avenue, 2220 La
tsia, Nicosia), and will be broadcasted live through the OUC e-learning tools at this weblink: https://bit.ly/3qc8lTL

The purpose of this hybrid lecture is to highlight the modified business models used in higher, secondary, and primary education. The focus is on a modified Total Quality Management (TQM) model that does not damage the scholarly values of higher education, and which enhances professional autonomy, including academic freedom and academic quality in teaching and research. While TQM practices are well established in higher education, their application in primary and secondary schools is less well established. Hence, the lecture will introduce different applications of TQM in school education, and several case studies will be examined and described providing insight into the effect of TQM practices on school environments.

Dr. Iman Rabah is Dean of Quality Assurance at the Faculty of International School of Business at the Modern University for Business and Science (MUBS) in Lebanon. Her main tea
ching experience is in Business Research, Business Statistics, Research Methods, Quality Management, Cross-Cultural Management, Leadership, Strategic Management, Educational Management, and Change Management at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

The funerals of the two Cypriot students who lost their lives in the tragic train crash in Greece, will take place today. Their remains, that were identified through the DNA process, were transported to Cyprus on Sunday. Minister of Foreign Affairs Constantinos Kombos told CNA yesterday that “Cyprus is devastated by the unspeakable tragedy” and the loss of its children, Kyprianos Papaioannou and Anastasia Adamidou, and all the victims who were on board that train in Greece. Kombos expressed the state’s support to the families of the deceased victims, saying that “we stand by them in every way and means at our disposal.” It is recalled that President of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulides declared a three-day mourning period until the funerals. The state will cover the cost for the funerals. Meanwhile, both families have issued press releases requesting the media to respect their wish and not cover the funerals.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior Dr. Costas Constantinou requested during the informal Ministerial Meeting of the MED5 (Greece, Italy, Spain, Malta and Cyprus) the assistance of FRONTEX to limit the flow of irregular migrants from Turkey through the Green Line, while the issue of the Green Line was also included in the joint communiqué that was signed by the participants. The meeting, which dealt with issues related to migration, asylum and returns, took place in Valletta, Malta, on 3 and 4 March and Dr Constantinou participated representing the Minister of Interior. According to a statement by the Ministry of Interior, the Permanent Secretary had the opportunity to provide information on the migration situation in Cyprus and, in particular, in relation to the arrivals of irregular migrants from Turkey through the Green Line, the efforts made by the country to manage migration flows, and the actions taken to increase the number of returns of irregular migrants to their countries of origin. It is added that Dr. Constantinou asked the new Executive Director of FRONTEX for the Agency to assist Cyprus’ efforts in order to limit these flows, which mainly come from the Istanbul airport, Turkey, whose troops have since 1974 occupied the island’s northern third, and through the buffer zone to the government controlled areas of the Republic, while he informed about problems that are also observed in Cyprus in relation to the implementation of the relocation programme for international protection applicants from Cyprus to other Member States of the European Union. This is the fifth meeting in a row of the group, the previous one having been organised in Cyprus last October. As stated, the meeting was divided into four thematic sections, the first one dealing with the issue of the external dimension of migration and return procedures, during which the necessity of cooperation with third countries – countries of origin was stressed in order to prevent irregular arrivals, as well as to increase the chances of returning to the country of origin of persons whose applications for international protection have been rejected or who continue to remain in the country without a valid residence permit. The second issue, according to the Ministry, concerned asylum and migration in general, in the context of the Solidarity Pact agreed between the Member States. It was noted that all countries expressed their disappointment with the Resettlement Mechanism, as the effective assistance ultimately offered to frontline countries is either very limited, while the administrative costs are a multiple of the benefits received. It was also re-emphasised that a permanent and compulsory relocation mechanism should be established, so that there is a real sharing of responsibility and obligations between Member States. It is added that the third theme included a discussion on return support operations and the role of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (FRONTEX) in particular, followed by a briefing by the newly appointed FRONTEX Executive Director, while in the fourth theme the Spanish Interior Minister presented the priorities of the upcoming Spanish Presidency of the Council of the EU on Home Affairs Council issues. It is also noted that in addition to the Ministers and representatives of the five MED5 Member States, the Swedish Minister of Interior was present at the meeting and participated in the discussions, commenting on the issues in conjunction with the Swedish Presidency’s priorities on migration issues. As stated, the MED5 group informed the Swedish Minister of the serious problems faced by the frontline countries in relation to migration and asked that their positions be taken into account in the final formulation of the New Pact on Immigration and Asylum. At the end of the meeting, the five representatives of the MED5 group signed a joint communiqué, restating their positions on the external dimension of migration, the returns and the resettlement mechanism, as expressed during the preceding discussion, making specific reference to important issues concerning Cyprus, including a specific reference to adequately address the issues concerning the “Green Line” due to the particularities that apply, despite the fact that it is not an external border crossing point, the statement concludes.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

UN Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, Rosemary DiCarlo, will visit Cyprus next week to hold meetings with President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, and Turkish Cypriot leader, Ersin Tatar, CNA has learned. The aim of the UN official’s visit is to continue the efforts made by the international organization, at the highest level, aiming at revitalizing the process for a solution to the Cyprus problem. A well-informed source told CNA that once the date of DiCarlo’s visit is finalized, arrangements for her meetings with Christodoulides and Tatar will be made. The same source did not rule out the possibility of DiCarlo having meetings with other stakeholders on the island as well. Furthermore, the source noted the fact that DiCarlo is more senior in the UN hierarchy in relation to UN Assistant Secretary-General for Europe, Central Asia and Americas in the United Nations Department of Political Affairs, Miroslav Jenca, who had visited Cyprus in April, July and November last year. DiCarlo reports directly to the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, whereas Jenca reports to DiCarlo, the source explained. It added that DiCarlo will come to Cyprus from New York and after her visit to the island, she will visit Brussels, where the UNSG will also be present to attend a working lunch with the EU leaders, in the framework of the European Council meeting that will take place on March 23 and 24. 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

In January 2023, the seasonally adjusted volume of retail trade increased by 1.1% in Cyprus and by 0.3% in both the euro area and the EU, compared with December 2022, according to estimates from Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. In December 2022, the retail trade volume had decreased by 0.2% in Cyprus, by 1.7% in the euro area and by 1.6% in the EU. In January 2023 compared with January 2022, the calendar adjusted retail sales index increased by 4.9% in Cyprus, and decreased by 2.3% in the euro area and by 2.2% in the EU By retail sector, the volume of retail trade In the euro area in January 2023, compared with December 2022 (i.e. on monthly basis), increased by 1.8% for food, drinks and tobacco and by 0.8% for non-food products, while it decreased by 1.5% for automotive fuels. In the EU, the volume of retail trade increased by 1.8% for food, drinks and tobacco and by 1.1% for non-food products, while it decreased by 2.1% for automotive fuels. Among Member States for which data are available, the highest monthly increases in the total retail trade volume were registered in the Netherlands (+4.9%), Luxembourg (+4.6%) and Slovenia (+4.1%). The largest decreases were observed in Austria (-9.8%), Slovakia (-1.4%) and Hungary (-0.6%). By retail sector on an annual basis, that is in January 2023 compared with January 2022, the volume of retail trade in the euro area decreased by 5.0% for food, drinks and tobacco and by 1.0% for non-food products, while it grew by 5.4% for automotive fuels. In the EU, the retail trade volume decreased by 4.7% for food, drinks and tobacco and by 1.0% for non-food products, while it grew by 5.6% for automotive fuels. Among Member States for which data are available, the largest yearly decreases in the total retail trade volume were registered in Belgium (-8.9%), Germany (-6.8%), Denmark and Sweden (both -5.8%). The highest increases were observed in Slovenia (+18.5%), Romania (+5.8%) and Malta (+5.7%).

Source: Cyprus News Agency

The President of the European Council had a discussion over the phone with the President of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulides regarding future cooperation, particularly regarding the Eastern Mediterranean, Charles Michel said in a short tweet. ‘In first phone call with Cypriot President Nikos @Christodulides, we discussed our future cooperation, especially in Eastern Mediterranean. I look forward to working with you ahead of this month’s #EUCO’ Michel wrote.

Source: Cyprus News Agency