Letymbiotis decries international media’s ‘exaggeration’ after Cyprus drone strike

Government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis on Thursday pointed the finger at international media for its “exaggeration” in its reporting regarding the situation in Cyprus after the island was hit by an Iranian-made drone last week.

“What I think is easily understood is that it has been observed that an image is being presented with a high degree of exaggeration, mainly by the international media, regarding the prevailing situation, the real prevailing situation in our country,” he said during a press briefing at the presidential palace.

He added that “I am sure that you know very well that normality in our country continues”.

To this end, he said that “the flight schedules of the majority of airlines have been restored”, and that “our country continues to be an attractive tourist destination”, though the Cyprus chamber of commerce has already expressed concerns regarding tourism booking cancellations and a slowdown in bookings.

Meanwhile, upwards of 30 flights per day in and out of the Republic of Cyprus’ two airports continue to be cancelled, with most of those flights concerning routes between the island and the Middle East.

Letymbiotis also said that “all the measures taken”, including the deployment of naval frigates by five European Union member states to the waters off Cyprus and the deployment of four Greek F-16 fighter jets to the island, are “preventative”, before expressing appreciation for the actions taken by other EU member states.

“I note that the simultaneous visit of the president of France and of the Greek prime minister to our country, with statements, expressions of solidarity, support, and identification of the European Union by the side of the Republic of Cyprus, have, beyond the strong symbolism, a very strong, essential significance,” he said.

Nonetheless, he said, “of course, what we want and what we communicate at every possible opportunity is to present the true image of our country, of a country, of a member state of the European Union, in which normality prevails and which the measures taken are measures that a state in the region would take in the midst of a regional crisis”.

He said that these measures are being taken “certainly without exaggeration” and “without news which does not correspond to reality”.

“Again, I repeat, this refers mainly to the way in which international media present the situation which prevails today in Cyprus,” he said.

At this point, a journalist pointed out that when French President Emmanuel Macron and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis had visited Cyprus on Monday, they had made speeches “against the backdrop of a military helicopter”.

To this, Letymbiotis said that “a meeting which takes place at an airbase, precisely to assess the level of coordination of these preventative measures, takes place where the venue is”.