[PIO] Statements by the President of the Republic

"The Foreign Minister will have a meeting with the UN Secretary General during which he will convey some messages to him," President of the Republic Nicos Christodoulides said today.

In his remarks to journalists after the memorial service for those who died in Aglantzia during the Turkish invasion, the President of the Republic, in response to a journalist's remark that the reintroduction of taxes on fuel and electricity greatly displeases citizens, said: "You understand that the Government will have to make decisions on the basis of certain data and these data in terms of economics cannot be changed.

We have decided to continue this measure on targeted categories of our compatriots, I fully understand the dissatisfaction that exists, it is very understandable that this dissatisfaction exists, and all this will be re-evaluated.

You understand that the data before us is very specific. At the same time, the Government has taken specific decisions, whether on VAT or other decisions, because that is our first concern, how to meet the expectations of citizens, especially in this difficult context. All this will be evaluated.

The facts have also changed since these measures were adopted, and we are here to constantly evaluate."

In response to a journalist's remark that, with the increase in prices and the difficulties people are going through, some people say there is an incentive to go to the occupied territories for fuel, the President said: "The prices, when these decisions were first taken, the situation was very different from what it is today. And it is for this reason that, instead of taking horizontal measures, we have taken targeted measures for those categories of our compatriots who face the greatest problems. Beyond that, all this time other measures have been adopted which are important and show precisely our concern for our citizens. The issue of VAT and many others.

As regards the issue of the occupied territories, it is clear that for commercial purposes this is also prohibited by the regulation itself. The instructions that have been given are to make strict controls, so that no issue of unfair competition is created."

Asked to comment on criticisms from the opposition that his positions do not convince the Greek Cypriot side's will for a solution to the Cyprus problem, the President of the Republic said: "Whether we are convincing or not is recorded in the European Council Conclusions. It is recorded in the Conclusions of the European People's Party. You heard the Chancellor of Germany himself.

We are in contact with the UN Secretary General, who recognizes exactly our readiness for the resumption of talks and in a very few days, be patient, there will be a meeting in private with the Secretary General, not from my side, from the Republic of Cyprus, exactly how we are coordinating in continuation of the Secretary General's own contacts with the EU, with the aim of resuming the talks.

Beyond that, any criticism, you understand, is welcome, in this particular case I don't know what purposes it wishes to serve, but the facts are there for anyone to see, for anyone to hear and for the Cypriot people to judge us all."

Asked at what level the meeting with the UN Secretary General will take place, President Christodoulides said: "It will be at the level of the Foreign Minister," adding that the meeting "has already been concluded. Be patient, we will say the date and the subject."

Asked if any messages will be conveyed at this meeting, the President said: "Of course. I have also written to the SG, we just do not advertise the actions we are taking, we are not interested in the communication management of the Cyprus problem, we are interested in the actual management of the Cyprus problem and how we break the deadlock and resume the talks. In addition to the telephone communication I had - and I have written to the Secretary-General myself - the Foreign Minister will be there to deliver a specific message. A lot is happening. What we are interested in is how we break the deadlock, that is the focus of our efforts, any criticism is welcome."

Finally, asked if he had any information on the NATO exercise regarding the registration of the Republic of Cyprus based on coordinates and not on its name, the President of the Republic said: "I have not had an update on this issue so far, but I will certainly have one this week."

(PM/AF)
Contents of this article including associated images are owned by PIO
Views & opinions expressed are those of the author and/or PIO
Source

[/p