Cyprus agrees to buy Israeli vessels costing €100m

PENDING funds approval from parliament, the government yesterday went ahead with an agreement to purchase two Israeli naval craft that are to be used primarily for patrolling the waters in the Exclusive Economic Zone.

After a political decision during the Cabinet session earlier in the day, the purchase agreement was concluded in the afternoon at the Defence Ministry in Nicosia.

According to reports, a clause was added to the agreement that, in the event the House defence committee does not release the funds, the contract shall be considered null and void.

All defence appropriations must pass through the House defence committee. The committee, which yesterday was scheduled to examine the item, deferred its decision.

The deal includes training to be provided to the Navy branch of the National Guard.

The two Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs), to be built from scratch for Cyprus by Israel Shipyards Ltd, reportedly carry a combined price tag of €100m. The cash will be paid in installments.

According to Israel Shipyards’ website, the weapon-carrying, ‘combat proven’ OPV performs a wide range of coastal defence, security and law-enforcement missions, including open sea patrol and surveillance, interception of terrorist, smuggling or illegal activities and protection of offshore facilities.

 

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.