BREXIT - MICHAEL BARNIER TO BE SIDELINED BY EU LEADERS IN BID TO BREAK BREXIT DEADLOCK

 The Telegraph 5 September 2020 - by James Crisp, Christopher Hope

© BLOOMBERG Michel Barnier -  Cyril Marcilhacy/Bloomberg

European Union chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier is set to be sidelined by EU leaders in a bid to get a breakthrough in the negotiations about a trade treaty with the UK.

Representatives of the bloc’s 27 member states expect Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, to pave the way for heads of state and government to intervene in the deadlocked talks in a September 16 flagship speech.

EU leaders are hoping that by stepping in to get the talks moving, it will help bridge the deep divides between the two sides, allowing Mr Barnier and his UK opposite number Lord Frost to agree the details.

Two more rounds of trade negotiations are scheduled this month, with the first taking place in London next week, but the two sides remain divided.

Relations between the UK and EU have descended into mutual recriminations, with both sides blaming each other for the deadlock after no progress on the major issues of fishing and state aid.

Time is now running out, with Mr Barnier previously warning that a deal must be agreed by the end of October, to give the EU time to ratify the agreement before the end of the year.

On Thursday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson insisted the UK will "prosper mightily one way or the other" after the end of the Brexit transition period in December, with or without a trade deal.

Mr Johnson said: "We must make sure that people understand that, at the end of the year, whatever happens, we are leaving the EU, leaving the transition period.

"We will get through this. It's absolutely vital that our partners understand that the UK is going to do what we need to do.

"If we have to have an Australia-style deal, an Australia-style solution, then that is what we will achieve and we will prosper mightily one way or the other.

"They could of course be sensible and give us a Canada-style solution, which after all they've given Canada, and I hope very much that they will, but we're ready for either eventuality."

That came after reports that officials in Number 10 now consider that the chances of the UK leaving without a deal is 70 per cent.

EU diplomats warned that the expectations for next week's round of talks in London were "extremely low", while the leaders will not discuss Brexit at their Sept 25 summit.

Mr Barnier had been lobbying for leaders to get involved but those overtures have been rebuffed by Charles Michel, the president of the European Council, who is unhappy with the lack of progress in talks.  

That would mean Brexit would only be discussed in the next European Council meeting in October, ahead of the end of the month deadline.

The European Commission refused to comment on any aspects of Mrs von der Leyen’s “State of the Union” speech.

However one EU diplomat said they expected Mrs von der Leyen to "set the scene to sideline Barnier and Frost to find a high level political solution".

Germany's Chancellor Angela MerkelMrs von der Leyen, German chancellor Angela Merkel, whose country holds the presidency of the EU, and Charles Michel, the president of the European Council, are then expected to take over the talks for Brussels.

Despite the building pressure, failure to break the Brexit deadlock in trade negotiations in London next week will not be "fatal" to the chances of striking the agreement before the no deal deadline, EU diplomats said.

One said: "We always hope for progress but aren’t holding our breath. The next round would be good but absence of progress there won’t be fatal. This will be different if the second September round also fails."

Another diplomat added: "The window to clinch a deal will close quickly. Time would simply be running out."

Writing on Twitter on Friday night, Lord Frost said: "We have scheduled lots of time for discussions, as we should at this point in the talks.

"However, the EU still insists we change our positions on state aid and fisheries if there are to be substantive textual discussions on anything else.

"From the very beginning we have been clear about what we can accept in these areas, which are fundamental to our status as an independent country.

"We will negotiate constructively but the EU's stance may, realistically, limit the progress we can make next week."

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ELEVEN HOPEFULS ANNOUNCE THEIR CANDIDACY FOR 'PRESIDENCY' IN NORTH

 Cyprus Mail 5 September 2020 - by Evie Andreou

Current Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci

Eleven hopefuls on Friday officially announced their candidacies for the elections in the north for the new Turkish Cypriot leader.

Among the candidates, four are backed by parties and the rest are running as independent.

The elections will take place on October 11.

Running as independent are current Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci, ‘deputy prime minister’ and former head of the People’s Party  Kudret Ozersay, former head of Democratic Party Serdar Denktash, lawyer Alpan Uz who, at 37 is the youngest candidate,  Arif Salih Kirdag, teacher Mustafa Ulash, and doctor Ahmet Boran.

‘Prime minister’ and head of ruling National Unity Party (UBP)  Ersin Tatar, head of main opposition Republican Turkish Party (CTP) Tufan Erhurman, leader of Rebirth Party Erhan Arikli and head of the Nationalist Democracy Party (MDP) Fuat Turkoz Ciner, are also candidates. They are backed by their parties.

According to Turkish Cypriot media the candidates made brief statements about their goals if elected.

Akinci said he remains committed to a bizonal, bicommunal federal solution based on the political equality of the two constituent states and that, if he is elected, he will try to do more than his last five years in office based on a multidimensional policy.

He stressed the importance of staying true to the sought solution and referred to the statements by the UN Secretary-general after the meeting in Berlin with the two leaders last November on an informal meeting between the two communities on the island, the three guarantors – Greece, Turkey, UK – and the UN, when the time is right, in this case, after the elections.

Tatar said if he is the new leader he would strive for the north’s economic development, and its integration with the world and give it the place it deserves in the world. What’s important, he said, is the well-being of the Turkish Cypriots.

Ozersay stated that his goal was to advance the Turkish Cypriots’ struggle for existence, to defend their rights in the best way and to be able to say ‘we are here’ in the region.

Denktash said this election was ‘a test of history for the Turkish Cypriot voter’ based on who they will chose as their next leader.

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SCHOOLS TO STAY CLOSED UNTIL SEPTEMBER 14

 Cyprus Mail 5 September 2020 - by Peter Michael

Education Minister Prodromos Prodromou

The opening of schools was delayed for a week to September 14 instead of September 7 due to a heatwave gripping the island  that is expected to last into next week, Education Minister Prodromos Prodromou announced on Friday.

He said the decision was taken after meetings held with teachers’ unions, parents’ groups, and other education officials, where they discussed the extremely high temperatures expected for the week ahead, coupled with coronavirus protocols that includes mask-wearing in uncomfortable heat.

Masks are mandatory for all children over the age of 12.

“We are making this decision due to the high temperatures, the humidity, and dust levels in the atmosphere” he said.

Referring to the first day back, Prodromou said students would go to school at 9:30am, instead of 7:45am, and they will be given briefings from their teachers on the coronavirus protocols, and an informational packet on the measures will be given to the parents.

Secondary school students will also be assigned to their classes and be given their books.

Nursery school students will also be taken to schools at 9:30am, he added.

Asked about the possibility of students wearing face shields instead of masks, he said it was impossible for students to wear shields, but teachers would be able to under special circumstances.

Students in secondary school will be required to wear face masks in all indoor spaces of the school, as per prior decisions made on the matter.

Prodromou had a series of meetings earlier in the day, to discuss the original opening day of schools.  However, the teachers’ unions and parents’ groups came with an alternate proposal to delay school opening, leading Prodromou to hold meetings with former education ministers on the matter, as well as the labour and health ministers.

After the first meeting with the unions and parents, Prodromou said they also discussed the issue of providing air-conditioning.

“It is well-known that a discussion is being had about putting air-conditioning in schools, but a decision has not been made up until now, and there was no plan to do so, nor was there a practical capability of having them,” he said.

He added there was also a question of practicality to answer on the air-conditioning, since one of the main protocols says spaces should always be aerated, necessitating windows and doors being open.

Prodromou also said the education ministry would be running phone lines for teachers and parents to answer questions on the coronavirus protocols.

The help lines for queries from parents, guardians and the general public are; primary education 22800800; secondary schools and technical schools 22800755;

For teachers, the ministry’s help lines are; primary education 22800756, and secondary schools and technical schools 22800772.

“There will be immediate responses to questions, concerns, or in case it is necessary to report incidents to the ministry,” he said.

He added: “It is important we have the cooperation of everybody, the parents and of course the teachers, so we can give the children seamless education that is necessary.”

Earlier, the secondary school students’ parents’ group had sent a letter to the minister, saying the high temperatures forecast for the week would make conditions difficult.

Cyprus has been in the grip of a heat wave the past week. Temperatures are expected to start easing from Saturday but will remain above the seasonal average over the next few days.

In their letter, the parents said that children with respiratory problems as well as other pupils obliged to wear masks in classrooms with no air conditioning might have difficulties breathing.

The association urged the minister to review the situation and to delay the start of the new school year for two or three days if conditions are deemed unsafe.

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ALARM IN ANKARA AS CORONAVIRUS SWEEPS TURKISH CAPITAL

 in-cyprus 5 September 2020 - by Annie Charalambous

Surging coronavirus cases in Ankara are stretching hospitals to the limit and Turkish authorities need to impose a fresh lockdown to bring the virus under control, doctors in the Turkish capital say.

The city is now the epicentre of Turkey‘s COVID-19 outbreak, the government announced this week, and although authorities say there is no plan for a lockdown as yet officials privately say new measures may be needed soon.

“Ankara has become Wuhan,” said geriatrics professor Mustafa Cankurtaran at Ankara’s Hacettepe medical faculty, referring to the Chinese city where the new coronavirus first emerged.

“A 10-14 day lockdown should be imposed. Health capacity may be exceeded,” he tweeted on Wednesday, urging the government to open all medical centres, including private health units.

Two officials told Reuters the number of cases in Ankara was rising faster than anticipated, and current measures including mask-wearing and social distancing were not having the results they anticipated.

“The daily positive cases are high enough to cause discomfort now, and everyone has started seeing daily new cases in their close circles,” said one official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

“If new measures are not taken, it appears it will be more difficult to prevent new problems,” the official added, saying some “city-based” steps could be taken.

“SECOND PEAK”

Health minister Fahrettin Koca, describing a “second peak” in COVID-19 cases in Turkey, said the number of active cases in Ankara this week were twice the number in Istanbul – whose population is three times the size of the capital.

Ankara governor Vasip Sahin told reporters on Friday that he hoped the rising trend in the number of cases would not require stricter measures such as curfew.

“Curfew is a tough situation, we don’t want to impose that. We believe that it’s possible to reverse this trend in our city without such restrictions, Sahin said.

However, Ankara doctors and other health workers are exhausted, the Turkish Medics Association (TTB) says.

One doctor dealing with COVID-19 told Reuters there were over 1,000 daily cases at their Ankara hospital, not far below the official national daily total which stands at around 1,600. Patients were being treated in corridors, and doctors dying.

“Ankara is seriously in big trouble,” the doctor said. “They really need to impose restrictions on being outdoors.”

Asked about the numbers reported by the doctor, Turkey‘s Health Ministry stood by its figures.

Fatalities across the country have jumped to their highest since mid-May, when lockdowns were in place, with 49 deaths reported on Thursday.

At the weekend, the mayors of Istanbul and Ankara accused the government of playing down the scale of the pandemic, citing local information.

(Reuters)

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FOUR NEW CORONAVIRUS CASES TODAY

 Filenews 4 September 2020

The Ministry of Health informs that, according to an update received today by the Epidemiological Surveillance Unit from contracting laboratories, a total of 1,810 laboratory diagnoses identified 4 new cases of COVID-19 disease.

In detail, virus-positive individuals emerged as follows:

• Of 631 samples taken through a private initiative, 3 cases were identified.*
• Of 127 samples taken from the Microbiological Laboratories of the General Hospitals, 1 case was identified.

*Two were from abroad, one was from a refugee.

In addition, the following laboratory tests were carried out, without the detection of a case:

• From samples taken under the programme of referrals from Personal Physicians and special teams control through the Public Health Clinics, 58 laboratory diagnoses were completed,
• From samples taken through the process of tracing contacts of already confirmed cases, 110 laboratory tests were carried out,
• From samples taken in the context of passenger and repatriated checks, 847 laboratory diagnoses were completed,
• From samples taken at the barricades, 33 laboratory tests were completed, and
• Of the samples taken by the residents of Kato Pyrgos Tylliria, 4 laboratory diagnoses were completed.

Therefore, and on the basis of the data so far, the total number of cases amounts to 1,502.

In addition, five people tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus are being treated in a ward at Famagusta General Hospital. Two patients are being treated in the Intensive Care Unit of the Nicosia General Hospital.

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THE KARDS IN TALA - Sofreliana Tavern, Tala - 26 September

 

THE KARDS - LIVE IN TALA

Sofreliana Tavern, Tala

Saturday 26 September  Doors 1pm, music 2pm to 5pm

Tickets €20pp including Cypriot cuisine, beer, wine or soft rinks.

Booking essential - Al 97 799920 or Robin 99 258479

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BLUE AIR CANCELS ALL FLIGHTS FROM LARNACA TO GREECE UNTIL END OF MARCH 2021

 Cyprus Mail 4 September 2020 - by Evie Andreou

Low-cost Blue Air has cancelled all its flights between mid-September and end of March from Larnaca to Athens and Thessaloniki, its representative in Cyprus, Orthodoxou Aviation, said on Friday.

The decision was mainly due to restrictions in place because of the pandemic but also the large competition from other air carriers offering the same routes.

According to Orthodoxou Aviation, the flights to the two Greek destinations the airline is operating from Larnaca have been cancelled until the end of March. Affected passengers will get a refund.

Cyprus placed Greece in category B last August from category A after several people arriving from Greek destinations were testing positive to the virus.

After this development, many Cypriots cancelled their holidays to Greece while some airlines had cancelled routes to some Greek airports.

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PAYMENTS OF TAXES AND CONTRIBUTIONS ARE MADE ONLY ELECTRONICIALLY

 Filenews 4 September 2020

Payments of taxes and contributions are made only electronically, says the Department of Taxation, which recalls that in the context of modernisation in the service of taxpayers, from 1 September 2020 the collection of taxes and contributions to the Department's coffers in the local District Offices was terminated.

In today's announcement, the Department states that payments of taxes and contributions are made electronically through the Tax Portal of the Department of Taxation in https://taxportal.mof.gov.cy/ of both overdue and overdue debts (including interest and charges) and through the JCCSmart website in www.jccsmart.com for overdue debts.

It also states that payments to the Tax Department's Funds will be accepted exceptionally and only in cases where electronic payment is impossible. E.g., Property Tax (part payment) and non-Computerized types of taxes.

The Tax Office reports that, "No. Payment Report" obtained from the Tax Portal is used only for payments through your online bank and adds that the use of the "No. Payment Report" for payments made through JCCSmart is not recognised - at this stage - and will be rejected.

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MUNICIPAL WEDDING OFFICERS OUSTED, ONLY MAYORS AND THEIR DEPUTIES CAN OFFICIATE

 Cyprus Mail 4 September 2020 - by Bejay Browne

Municipal staff are no longer able to perform marriage ceremonies in Cyprus following a decision by the ministry of the interior to only permit mayors and deputy mayors to officiate, creating an ‘impossible’ situation according to local mayors.

Mayors in the Paphos district believe the decision, which was made without any discussion or consultation, comes in the wake of a number of ‘sham’ marriages, mostly involving third-country nationals, that have been recently uncovered in other municipalities.

“This will affect all of the municipalities in Cyprus, not just ours, but we have so many weddings particularly during the summer that there is no way I would be able to undertake this work,” the mayor of Yeroskipou, one of the four municipalities in the Paphos district, told the Cyprus Mail on Friday.

Cyprus is also a popular wedding destination with overseas couples marrying and honeymooning abroad; Paphos is particularly popular with the British market, which generates a substantial income for the municipalities.

Yeroskipou municipality usually carries out around 900 weddings a year, mostly in the summer months, said Pavlides, and five staff are employed to deal with the sector.

“I have only carried out around ten marriages in the last nine years and usually, this not something that we do. We have experienced employees for this, and in the summer we can have 25 weddings a day, it would be impossible to carry them all out,” Pavlides said.

The situation will also badly affect Peyia which carries out more than 500 weddings a year, and which yields an income of more then €350,000 annually, according to the mayor, Marinos Lambrou.

“Sometimes, we have three weddings at the same time. How will this be possible. I have performed a wedding today and I have two booked for Monday but they are at the same time, so I have had to ask one couple to change their time,” he said.

He added that the move is punishing all of the municipalities for ‘paid weddings’ that have taken place in other areas, which is not the right way to respond. No sham marriages have taken place in Peyia since he has been the mayor, he noted.

“Our two wedding employees are very experienced and only once has paperwork been submitted that was a sham. It was easy to tell that the couple were not legitimate. We didn’t accept their papers. The staff are upset, as this is their job and they have been stripped of their profession.”

Lambrou is using the wedding officers as secretaries but added, “no-one needs a secretary the whole time, and they would like to go back to doing their jobs.”

He added that instead of increasing this important part of the tourism sector, the latest regulations are creating huge problems.

Lambrou added that due to the pandemic, many weddings this year have been postponed until next year, when he expects there to be more than 500 booked. Peyia already has ten booked to be officiated in just one day in 2021.

“Who will do all of these, it is totally impossible,” he said.

The mayors of Paphos have sent letters to the ministry of the interior to reconsider the decision with the hope that the situation can be resolved swiftly.

Pavlides will meet with the minister of the interior Nicos Nouris on Tuesday when he will discuss the matter.

“I hope that he understands us and we can find a solution,” he said.

 

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EDUCATION MINISTRY HELP LINES ON CORONAVIRUS PROTOCOLS

 Cyprus Mail 4 September 2020 - by Staff Reporter

The education ministry is launching a call centre to handle queries from teachers, parents and the public more generally regarding its health protocol to contain the spread of coronavirus in schools.

The new academic year starts on Monday, though teachers’ unions and parents have requested a postponement of a few days because of the protracted heat wave.

In an announcement, the Health Ministry said it was operating the following help lines for queries from parents, guardians and the general public:

For primary education: 22800800

For secondary schools and technical schools: 22800755

For teachers, the ministry’s help lines are:

For primary education: 22800756

For secondary schools and technical schools: 22800772

The health ministry said the call centre aimed to provide comprehensive information so that all can cooperate for the smooth and unimpeded operation of the schools under the special conditions created by the pandemic.

The telephone lines will operate on Monday to Friday from 8.30 am to 1.30 pm.

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