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**The Exploitation of the Pandemic by the Republic of Cyprus: An Update** | **The Exploitation of the Pandemic by the Republic of Cyprus: An Update** | ||
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In November of 2020 I published an article on this blog attempting to offer a summary of the various ways through which the government of the Republic of Cyprus has taken advantage of the covid-19 pandemic, advancing a set of authoritarian policies under the pretext of protecting public health. The article is available [[el: | In November of 2020 I published an article on this blog attempting to offer a summary of the various ways through which the government of the Republic of Cyprus has taken advantage of the covid-19 pandemic, advancing a set of authoritarian policies under the pretext of protecting public health. The article is available [[el: | ||
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I apologize in advance for the rather hectic writing that follows below, which at times loses its pacing, occasionally changes its tone rather rapidly and in some instances expresses uncompromising positions without detailed argumentation. This piece was written over several hours in a single day; during a lockdown that has admittedly been taking its toll on my mental capabilities. It has thus acted primarily as a form of mental catharsis, in contrast to the original article, the writing of which gave emphasis on a carefully articulated set of arguments, passing through a detailed editing process. There is currently no plan to translate the present article in Greek. The reproduction, | I apologize in advance for the rather hectic writing that follows below, which at times loses its pacing, occasionally changes its tone rather rapidly and in some instances expresses uncompromising positions without detailed argumentation. This piece was written over several hours in a single day; during a lockdown that has admittedly been taking its toll on my mental capabilities. It has thus acted primarily as a form of mental catharsis, in contrast to the original article, the writing of which gave emphasis on a carefully articulated set of arguments, passing through a detailed editing process. There is currently no plan to translate the present article in Greek. The reproduction, | ||
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**The Troubling Developments since November, 2020** | **The Troubling Developments since November, 2020** | ||
The Cypriot government introduced a series of contradictory measures in November, which could have been designed to promote the spread of covid-19 rather than restrain it. Such measures included an essential ban on accessing open-air public spaces by imposing a limit of two people interacting with each other on the precondition of wearing masks; regardless if they were socially distancing or not [2], while keeping malls, stores, cafés, churches, bars and restaurants open. In parallel, the government imposed a night curfew between 21:00 and 5:00, with most shops having to close at 19:00 [1]. This rather obvious attempt to accelerate the local economy by reducing people’s options to staying at home, going to work, shopping and going to a bar, restaurant or a café for socialization resulted in overcrowded cafés, malls and stores, a predictable development given the imposition of a curfew that reduces an individual’s free time to a handful of hours. Keeping squares, parks and camping sites empty while looking the other way at the overcrowding of privately-owned open and closed spaces unsurprisingly did not reduce the spread of the virus and if it accomplished anything at all, it probably accelerated it. With cases and hospitalizations rising rapidly, the government was eventually forced to take some sort of action. A partial closure of schools was introduced in December, while the hospitality industry, malls and other shopping centres were told to shut their doors, with the remaining stores kept open for that wonderful holiday shopping spree [3]. Protests being also banned since November, these last few months of 2020 saw yet another set of arrests of individuals who dared to share a protest event on social media, regardless if they actually attended it or not [4]. | The Cypriot government introduced a series of contradictory measures in November, which could have been designed to promote the spread of covid-19 rather than restrain it. Such measures included an essential ban on accessing open-air public spaces by imposing a limit of two people interacting with each other on the precondition of wearing masks; regardless if they were socially distancing or not [2], while keeping malls, stores, cafés, churches, bars and restaurants open. In parallel, the government imposed a night curfew between 21:00 and 5:00, with most shops having to close at 19:00 [1]. This rather obvious attempt to accelerate the local economy by reducing people’s options to staying at home, going to work, shopping and going to a bar, restaurant or a café for socialization resulted in overcrowded cafés, malls and stores, a predictable development given the imposition of a curfew that reduces an individual’s free time to a handful of hours. Keeping squares, parks and camping sites empty while looking the other way at the overcrowding of privately-owned open and closed spaces unsurprisingly did not reduce the spread of the virus and if it accomplished anything at all, it probably accelerated it. With cases and hospitalizations rising rapidly, the government was eventually forced to take some sort of action. A partial closure of schools was introduced in December, while the hospitality industry, malls and other shopping centres were told to shut their doors, with the remaining stores kept open for that wonderful holiday shopping spree [3]. Protests being also banned since November, these last few months of 2020 saw yet another set of arrests of individuals who dared to share a protest event on social media, regardless if they actually attended it or not [4]. | ||
- | The arrival of 2021 saw the introduction of a second lockdown, which came as a surprise to no one, since leaked information documenting what measures might be enforced became a regular aspect of our newsfeeds. Taking force from January 10, this second lockdown was meant to last until the 31st and had nothing to be jealous of from the lockdown of 2020, save that this time airports were allowed to operate under the already existing restrictions [5]. As has been the case in every set of government measures, this lockdown has also been characterized by blatant contradictions, | + | The arrival of 2021 saw the introduction of a second lockdown, which came as a surprise to no one, since leaked information documenting what measures might be enforced became a regular aspect of our newsfeeds. Taking force from January 10, this second lockdown was meant to last until the 31st and had nothing to be jealous of from the lockdown of 2020, save that this time airports were allowed to operate under the already existing restrictions [5]. As has been the case in every set of government measures, this lockdown has also been characterized by blatant contradictions, |
As part of the lockdown measures the government decided to impose restrictions on the functioning of courts, including which court cases are to be allowed to proceed and which to freeze, in parallel restricting the presence of employees in courts and lawyer offices [5] [6]. The implications of these declarations did not escape the attention of the Cyprus Bar Association, | As part of the lockdown measures the government decided to impose restrictions on the functioning of courts, including which court cases are to be allowed to proceed and which to freeze, in parallel restricting the presence of employees in courts and lawyer offices [5] [6]. The implications of these declarations did not escape the attention of the Cyprus Bar Association, | ||
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A development that passed almost unnoticed was the publication of a decree by the Ministry of Health on the 12th of January; declaring that all final year nursing university students of private and public universities are obliged to staff public hospitals from the 18th of January to the 17th of February, without specifying any pay. In a language familiar to anyone who has ever received a drafting letter from the National Guard, the decree stipulated that students would have to present themselves to “the office of the Head Nursing Officer of the General Hospital [of their] Province, at 7.15 am wearing [their] uniforms”; | A development that passed almost unnoticed was the publication of a decree by the Ministry of Health on the 12th of January; declaring that all final year nursing university students of private and public universities are obliged to staff public hospitals from the 18th of January to the 17th of February, without specifying any pay. In a language familiar to anyone who has ever received a drafting letter from the National Guard, the decree stipulated that students would have to present themselves to “the office of the Head Nursing Officer of the General Hospital [of their] Province, at 7.15 am wearing [their] uniforms”; | ||
- | At the end of January the government introduced the first phase of easing the lockdown, announcing that some restrictions would be lifted in February. Despite the self-congratulatory statements of a government declaring that we are exciting | + | At the end of January the government introduced the first phase of easing the lockdown, announcing that some restrictions would be lifted in February. Despite the self-congratulatory statements of a government declaring that we are exiting |
Yet another development that has passed unnoticed is the cancelling of local elections at Liopetri via decree in the middle of January, with the decision for a new election date assigned to the Minister of Interior [15]. The Ministry of Health has apparently claimed the power to decide when elections are safe to take place and when they are not, providing an interesting precedent for the democratic functioning of our little state. | Yet another development that has passed unnoticed is the cancelling of local elections at Liopetri via decree in the middle of January, with the decision for a new election date assigned to the Minister of Interior [15]. The Ministry of Health has apparently claimed the power to decide when elections are safe to take place and when they are not, providing an interesting precedent for the democratic functioning of our little state. |