Front Page Headlines
Two accidents, two deaths, 11 wounded: a real tragedy
Mother who was rushing to hospital following news her family was in a traffic accident, crashed with another car and died.
UBP supports constitutional amendment that will meet people’s expectations
National Unity Party (UBP) leader Ersin Tatar expressed support for constitutional amendments as well as switching to a presidential system as suggested by FM Kudret Özersay.
- Two accidents, two dead, 11 injured – Mother trying to get to her children who were injured in a traffic accident, died after she collided with an oncoming car.
- Mixing up the headline and what to cook for tonight – On International Women’s Day, Kıbrıs Postası speaks to female journalists.
Two accidents, two dead, total 11 injured (including five children)
Talay died on the way trying to get to her children who were injured in the first accident.
- “Women’s quota must remain until perceptions change” – Former Speaker of the Parliament Sibel Siber spoke to Kıbrıs on International Women’s Day.
Horrific tragedy
Two women killed and 11 injured in consecutive accidents.
- Middle East Technical University scared of KIBTEK – Turkish Cypriot Electricity Authority (KIBTEK) Board members wanted to meet with METU scientists to speak about KIBTEK report but METU rejected the request.
We are in mourning
31-year-old Asiye Çınar Talay and mother of five Elif Demir lost their lives in a head-on collision as Talay was rushing to the hospital upon news that her husband and children were injured in a separate accident.
- Towards a new economic model – Turkey’s Vice President Fuat Oktay said that they wanted a (North) Cyprus that could stand on its own feet.
Deepest of sorrows: 2 deaths, 11 injured
Asiye Çınar Talat, who was rushing to a Famagusta hospital to see her husband and children injured in an accident near the village of Ziyamet (Leonarisso), was killed in a head-on collision with Ali Demir between Pamuklu (Tavrou) and Kumyalı (Koma Tou Gailou).
- Enemies of Turkey are those running the country today – Hearing held on Thursday on trial of journalists Şener Levent and Ali Osman Tabak over a cartoon of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s published in Afrika newspaper.
Main News
Akıncı meets with electricity officials on CBM
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Kıbrıs Postası, Diyalog, Afrika
CBMs
OVERVIEW
President Mustafa Akıncı met with Economy and Energy Minister Özdil Nami, Turkish Cypriot Chair of Technical Committee on Economy Günay Çerkez and Turkish Cypriot Electricity Authority (KIBTEK) officials on Thursday.
During the meeting, the Turkish Cypriot side reiterated its readiness to implement the permanent connection of electricity grids as agreed by the two leaders at the 26 February meeting.
The participants also evaluated the benefits of the permanent connection of the electricity grids for the two communities on the island. It is reported that the Bicommunal Technical Committee on Economy and Trade will convene on 13 March.
Turkey wants to see North Cyprus stand on its own two feet
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Kıbrıs Postası, Havadis, Diyalog
Negotiations Process, External Security, Economy
OVERVIEW
Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay said on Thursday that the Cyprus problem remained unresolved due to the Greek Cypriot side’s insistence on having its way. Speaking to the editorial board of Turkish state-run Anadolu News Agency, Oktay said that the Greek Cypriot side wanted to benefit from every potential while expecting the Turkish Cypriots and Turkey to trust them without any guarantees. Oktay added that Turkey, contrary to the Greek Cypriots, wanted to see equal rights on the island.
There are two sides in Cyprus – the Greek Cypriot side and the Turkish Cypriot side. Turkey wants to see both sides having equal rights and every resource equally shared, said Oktay.
Oktay said that due to past experiences the system of guarantees will continue, adding that Turkey would not be persuaded with words but only through action.
On the economy, Oktay emphasized that Turkey wants to see a self-sufficient (North) Cyprus that is able to stand on its own feet instead of relying on financial assistance from Turkey.
He drew attention to certain obstacles due to lack of recognition of the North, noting that Turkish diplomatic missions abroad could help overcome these barriers.
Oktay also pointed out that there was an agricultural and livestock sector in the North which could be supported.
The Turkish Vice President said that Turkey’s assistance to North Cyprus would continue but that the two countries were heading towards a collaborative economic model.
KEY ACTORS
Oktay (Turkey)
>> Turkey wants rights & resources equally shared between two sides.
>> Guarantees will continue due to past experiences. Turkey cannot be persuaded by words but through actions.
>> North should be self-sufficient and not rely on financial assistance from Turkey.
>> Economic obstacles due to non-recognition could be overcome through Turkey’s diplomatic missions abroad.
>> Turkey and TCs heading towards a collaborative economic model.
Candan draws attention to sports embargoes on TCs
Kıbrıs
EU Matters, Human Rights
OVERVIEW
Republican Turkish Party (CTP) MP Armağan Candan spoke about sports embargoes imposed on the Turkish Cypriots during a meeting of the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination held at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) from 3-5 March.
Candan highlighted the international restrictions imposed on the Turkish Cypriot youth and violations of human rights. He stressed that Turkish Cypriots are not allowed to participate in many international tournaments.
Candan referred to the Committee report on participation in sports activities and said this is one of the basic rights of every individual however Turkish Cypriots have been deprived of their rights in Europe.
KEY ACTOR
Candan (CTP)
>> TCs have been deprived of their basic right to participate in sports activities due to the political situation.
Töre says Turkey only guarantee for Turkish Cypriots
Diyalog
External Security
OVERVIEW
Deputy Speaker of Parliament and UBP MP Zorlu Töre on Thursday said that Turkey’s guarantees and the Turkish Armed Forces were the only sources of security for Turkish Cypriots. Töre was responding to statements made by Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades that the British Prime Minister Theresa May had told him Britain no longer wanted to retain its position as a guarantor power.
He said May’s remarks proved that she did not understand the atrocities committed against Turkish Cypriots.
Töre added that neither Britain’s nor Greece’s position on the guarantees binded Turkey or the Turkish Cypriots.
The issue of guarantees is a taboo for Turkey and us, said Töre.
The Deputy Speaker said Turkish Cypriots did not trust Britain or Greece on the issue of guarantees due to historical developments.
KEY ACTOR
Töre (UBP)
>> Turkish Armed Forces only safeguard of TCs’ security.
>> Britain’s and Greece’s position on guarantees do not bind Turkey & TCs.
>> Issue of guarantees a taboo for Turkey and TCs.
>> TCs don’t trust Britain and Greece on guarantees.
Health impact of CMC to become a bicommunal project
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog
Economy, Human Rights
OVERVIEW
The Lefka Civil Society Organizations Platform and Laona Foundation are to carry out a joint study on the health effects of the waste and leftover debris at the Cyprus Mining Cooperation (CMC) site.
Operation at the CMC site ceased in 1974 and the firm left behind large quantities of waste and leftover debris in the open air. The waste is believed to have contaminated the earth and underground water resources causing a high cancer rate in the area.
The project will initially measure the heavy metal pollution in water resources and in the ground. The bicommunal project will collect blood samples and nail clippings to research levels of cadmium, arsenic and lead among cancer patients residing in the area and from people living in high-risk areas.
The project was announced at a press conference on Thursday. Laona Foundation Deputy General Manager Kostas Horundiodis, Teoman Oktay representing Lefka Civil Society Organizations Platform addressed the members of the media.
Oktay reminded CMC, which left the island in 1975, had been negligent in its operations and harmed the environment. He added that the health impact of CMC waste will be the initial phase of wide scope research.
Horundiodis said the project is being financed by a 10,000 Euros grant provided by philanthropist Sir Stelios Hadji Ioannou.
Horundiodis added that the project will research the impacts of CMC waste on human health by analyzing blood and nail samples to measure known carcinogenic elements.
Defence presents its case at Afrika hearing
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Diyalog, Afrika
Human Rights, Regional/International Relations
OVERVIEW
Editor in Chief of Afrika newspaper Şener Levent and the paper’s Director Ali Osman Tabak appeared before a court in Nicosia on Thursday to present their defence in the Afrika cartoon case.
The two are on trial for a cartoon of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan published in the paper in January 2018.
Addressing the court, Ali Osman Tabak said that Afrika was a leftist newspaper which supported the co-existence of Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots under the roof of the Republic of Cyprus.
Levent in his defence said that he did not remember who produced the cartoon but published it after he saw it on the popular social media platform Facebook.
He argued that such a case against a newspaper would not be opened anywhere else in the world and that the cartoon in question would not constitute an insult to anyone.
The prosecution argued that the cartoon was insulting and defamatory.
Women’s quota needed until perceptions change
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog
Human Rights
OVERVIEW
Former Speaker of the Parliament Sibel Siber on Thursday stressed the importance of the mandatory 30 per cent female quota for political parties’ candidates in parliamentary elections to ensure women’s representation in the political sphere.
Siber, speaking to Kıbrıs, said there is a perception in the country that politics is solely a male profession hence the quota must remain until the numbers of women increase in the political arena.
The Interior Ministry organized an event at the Central Prison to increase awareness of the inmates on societal gender equality on Thursday.
Minister Ayşegül Baybars said women are struggling for equality in the community, adding that the Ministry will increase efforts to promote productivity of the female inmates.
The Labour Ministry’s Department of Societal Gender Equality held a panel discussion entitled “Eight Women, Eight Lives on 8 March”. Speakers shared their experiences and the difficulties they face as women in the community with the participants.
Representatives of women’s branches of Trade Unions DEV-İŞ (Revolutionary Workers’ Union), KTAMS (Cyprus Turkish Public Servants Union) and PEO (Pancyprian Federation of Labour) visited female workers at the Nicosia General hospital on Thursday as part of events to mark 8 March International Women’s Day. The representatives spoke with women employees at the hospital, listening to the problems they experienced in the workplace, particularly in the field of health.
KAYAD (Association of Women to Support Living) activist Mine Atlı spoke to Kıbrıs regarding an increase in domestic violence and said according to police statistics, 4,005 women suffered from domestic violence in 2017 and 2018.
Atlı said a domestic violence bill has been prepared and submitted to the parliamentary sub-committee, awaiting feedback from female members of the parliament. Atlı noted that there is only one women’s shelter opened by the Nicosia Turkish Municipality while a project has been approved by the Municipal Council to build a second one.
KEY ACTORS
Siber (CTP)
>> 30% quota for women in political parties’ candidates for elections must remain until number of women in politics increases.
Ayşegül (HP)
>> Women are struggling for equality within the community.
Atlı (KAYAD)
>> Increase in domestic violence against women in 2017 & 2018.