The approval of Simon Aykut’s request to serve the remainder of his sentence in Israel, the Justice Minister’s statements on measures to tackle organised crime, the police investigation into the Mayor of Paphos, the delay in the arrival of new generators in Dhekelia and questions raised about the selective investigation of Annie Alexui’s allegations are the main topics on the Greek Cypriot front pages on Tuesday.
Alithia, under the headline “The fiasco of usurpation has been completed,” reports in its main story that the Aykut case is moving toward a transfer procedure to Israel. In a separate matter, it notes that France’s Supreme Court refused to execute a European arrest warrant, citing the suspension of the acquis communautaire in the occupied territories. Elsewhere, the paper writes that the new generators in Dhekelia will arrive in 2030, while the operating licence of the polluting units expires in 2029. It also describes the government’s stance in the Annie case as “suspicious.”
Politis, in its main story titled “At war with organised crime,” writes that the Justice Minister outlined his priorities with measures and actions to combat organised crime, including, among other things, a bill on surveillance, asset confiscation and a “Cypriot FBI.” In another story, the paper reports that Kostas Fytiris revealed that Simon Aykut will serve the remainder of his sentence in Israel. Elsewhere, it refers to a “party with thousands of euros and a brass knuckle” in Paphos, about which police had information of a meeting of organised crime members.
Phileleftheros, in its main story titled “Pandora’s box opens for Phedon,” writes that the full range of the Paphos Municipality’s activities is under scrutiny, including Turkish Cypriot properties, landfills, project awards and planning permits. Elsewhere, it publishes a photo of the Kouris Dam, whose water level stands at 12.17%, with the church of Agios Nikolaos completely above water. In another item, it reports the first death from RSV in Cyprus, with flu deaths reaching 26.
Haravgi, under the headline “Cyprus on the brink of energy collapse,” focuses in its main story on the lack of planning, noting that three power generation units will only be delivered after 2030. In another item, it publishes a photo of a dam and cites a study ranking drought and water scarcity at the top of risks to the economy. Elsewhere, it refers to statements by the Justice Minister that organised crime illegally uses every available technology, and that a police delegation may travel to Russia to take testimony from Annie.
The English-language Cyprus Mail, under the headline “No to selective justice – the ‘rotten apples’ must go,” writes in its main story that recent cases raise questions about selective investigation of Annie’s allegations. In another item, it refers to a video released by police as part of an organised crime investigation, showing torture taking place inside a casino in Pyla. Elsewhere, it reports that the new Dhekelia generators are delayed and may not arrive until 2030.
The dominant issue in today’s Turkish Cypriot press is the dispute over doctors’ salaries and working hours in the “public hospitals,” with their union refuting figures provided by the “health minister” and strike action continuing. At the same time, newspapers highlight the rejection of the opposition’s proposal for early elections with ‘prime minister’ Ünal Üstel saying the election date will be announced in 11 months. Also covered are the strike at the Turkish Cypriot company Ektam, the reaction of the telecommunications workers’ union against the protocol with Turkey, and efforts to build consensus on a referendum on judicial constitutional reform.
Avrupa (Europe), under the headline “Özlem Gürkut: 140,000 TL,” highlights the dispute over doctors’ salaries in the “public hospitals” in the north. The president of the doctors’ union categorically rejected ‘health minister’ Hakan Dinçyürek’s claim that salaries reach 719,000 Turkish lira, stating that the real figure is 140,000 lira – a statement that triggered political reactions. Elsewhere, the paper covers the ongoing strike at Ektam, with a report (accompanied by a photo of demonstrators) accusing management of trying to block unionisation by saying “we are a family.” It also features the intervention of the telecommunications workers’ union Tel-Sen, which calls for rejecting the protocol signed with Turkey on the “telecommunications department,” describing it as a “sell-off”.
Halkın Sesi (Voice of the People), in its main story titled “Full working hours will not bring benefit,” focuses on criticism by Dr Bülent Dizdarlı, who warns that introducing full working hours in “public hospitals” will not solve structural problems in the health system nor help patients find doctors. Politically, the “assembly’s” rejection of the Republican Turkish Party’s (CTP) proposal for early “parliamentary elections” is highlighted, with the opposition accusing the ruling coalition of fearing the people’s verdict. In response, ‘prime minister’ Üstel said the government has nothing to hide and that the election date will be announced in 11 months. The paper also covers tensions in the health sector over salaries.
Kıbrıs (Cyprus) headlines “Elections in 11 months,” referring to the rejection of the opposition’s call for immediate polls. Üstel announced that the election date will be set in 11 months and spoke of measures to address high prices. The paper also covers the health sector clash, with ‘health minister’ Dinçyürek saying “the law will be applied without compromise” on full working hours, while doctors continue their strike. Finally, it reports on efforts to reach consensus for a referendum in May on “constitutional reform of the judiciary,” with the opposition warning of risks given the current political climate.
Yeni Düzen (New Order), under the headline “Don’t be afraid – face it! The people want early elections,” reports on CTP leader Sıla Usar İncirli’s attack on the “government,” accusing it of losing legitimacy and corruption. While Üstel said his party does not fear elections, he voted against the opposition proposal – even making a slip of the tongue in the “assembly,” saying “we did not cover up irregularities; we always paved the way for them,” which drew laughter. The paper also covers the collapse of negotiations with Ektam workers.
Source: CNA