ΕU leaders broke a diplomatic deadlock on Friday and imposed sanctions on Belarus after hours of summit talks, assuring Cyprus that the bloc would also punish Turkey if it continues oil and gas drilling in disputed areas of the Mediterranean.
The text of conclusions reflects the positions of Greece, as expressed by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis upon his arrival to the special summit of the European Council, government sources said early on Friday.It was a very difficult negotiation, the sources noted, adding, however, that the final text adopted as regards the positions of Greece and Cyprus is better than the one that was originally proposed.
The president of the European Committee, Ursula von der Leyen, stressed that “nobody can drive a wedge between us.”
“Thus, the EU is sending today a message of unity, solidarity and determination. Turkey’s unilateral are condemned,” she said while sending a clear message that should these actions continue, the EU has a ‘toolbox’ ready to be used.
The island of Kythnos, near Attica, will go under special restrictive measures as of 05:00 on Friday to limit the spread of novel coronavirus infections, authorities announced on Thursday.
The restrictions will last through October 16, and were approved by Civil Protection Deputy Minister Nikos Hardalias following the recommendation of the Health Ministry’s coronavirus advisory group.
In addition to Kythnos, three doctors and two nurses were found infected by the virus at the the Thoracic Surgery Clinic of the “Sotiria” hospital, which holds the weekend emergency rotation on Saturday (Oct. 3). For preventative reasons, all staff at the Clinic (38 people) are being tested for the virus, while the clinic was disinfected and the 4 patients in the facility remain in place.
A total of 17 schools in Greece have suspended operation; 7 of them are in Attica, the Education Ministry announced. In addition, 25 grades have suspended operation as well as 172 individual sections, on a national level.
US President Donald Trump has said he and First Lady Melania Trump have tested positive for coronavirus and are now in quarantine.
The president, aged 74 and therefore in a high-risk group, announced the news in a tweet. “We will get through this together,” he wrote.
It comes after one of his closest aides tested positive for coronavirus.
Hope Hicks, the 31-year-old adviser to the president, was the closest aide to Mr Trump to test positive so far.
She travelled with him on Air Force One to a TV debate in Ohio this week.
And the weather forecast…
High temperatures-for the season- are expected this weekend and next week in Greece, combined with dust coming from Africa.
Cloudy in Attica, with a possibility of rain in the afternoon. The temperature will reach a maximum of 27 degrees Celsius.
