TCC Press Review | 19 Mar 2019 |

Front Page Headlines

Yenidüzen

“Murder suspects were illegal for the past 3.5 months

As the police widen their investigation into the murder of Gökhan Naim, an island-wide search for the fugitives is continuing. While two of the suspects have been arrested, it’s been revealed that the three at large are responsible for the murder. It has also been revealed that the two arrested suspects were residing in North Cyprus illegally for the past three and a half months.

  • Investigative journalist nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize

Kıbrıs Postası

New tariff scheme for electricity confused all

The Cyprus Turkish Electricity Authority launched a new tariff scheme introducing three slots in a day for consumption, however people saw the implementation as a covert price hike.

  • President not going to the south – President Akıncı met with the Peace and Sports representatives on Monday evening and informed them he will not be attending the football match unless it is held in the buffer zone.
  • “They are testing our patience in Cyprus and in the Eastern Mediterranean” – Turkish President Erdoğan reiterated Turkey’s determination not to allow anyone to usurp Turkey’s rights.

Kıbrıs

The population must be known for planning purposes

The lack of a population census in the country for the past eight years is causing numerous problems. Planning is not carried out properly because the population is not known. Speaking to Kıbrıs, economists discuss the effects of not holding a census for years.

  • Journalist Sevgül Uludağ nominated for Nobel Peace Prize
  • Erdoğan: They’re testing our patience in Cyprus, Syria and the Eastern Mediterranean – Turkish President Erdoğan speaks at a ceremony commemorating Çanakkale (Battle of Gallipoli) martyrs.

Havadis

Two and a half times more than the EU

Professors Glenn Jenkins and Nagmeh Niroomand conducted a scientific survey on pedestrian deaths due to traffic collisions and revealed the horrific reality.

  • Priorities in construction are different – Tel-Za Construction Director Yakup Tel emphasized that the EU’s priority in constructions is to protect the workers whereas, in the North, the priority is to conclude the construction. Tel talked about workplace health and safety measures in the north.

Diyalog

One hundred fines in two hours

Police who carried out controls in the capital Nicosia clamped down on drivers without licences, registration or insurance.

  • Two thousand complaints in thirteen days – Complaint line in South Cyprus for drivers who don’t wear seat belts working.
  • No agreement yet – Chairman (sic) of the Greek Cypriot Chamber of Commerce and Industry Leonidas Paschalides says technical committee set to continue to work on GSM interoperability.
  • Eyes on Zacharias – Authorities waiting for information from Greek Cypriot police regarding three suspects connected to Gökhan Naim’s murder believed to be hiding in South Cyprus.

Afrika

Fetö hunt by police

Following the ban on books, police are now in pursuit of new targets. Police have brought the blood feud between Erdoğan and Fetö (Fethullah Gülen’s organisation) into our community.  

  • Akıncı to become a candidate againPolitis newspaper claims President Akıncı revealed to his close circle his intention to run for a second term.
  • Violence and abuse in prisons in the North – US Embassy’s report reminds that the police in the TRNC operate under the Turkish Armed Forces.
  • Nobel nomination for Sevgül Uludağ – Assoc. Dr Anna Agathangelou from York University in Canada nominates investigative journalist Sevgül Uludağ for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Main News

Bicommunal match at Pyla marred by venue dispute

Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Kıbrıs Postası, Havadis, Afrika
CBMs

OVERVIEW

President Mustafa Akıncı said on Monday he would attend a highly publicised bicommunal football match on Tuesday only if it took place in the buffer zone near the mixed village of Pyla as he was initially told, and not on the Greek Cypriot side.

Akıncı was invited to attend along with President Nicos Anastasiades the bicommunal football match in Pyla, between Greek Cypriot Nea Salamina Ammochostou FC and Turkish Cypriot Mağusa Türk Gücü FC which will be attended by ex-Chelsea superstar Didier Drogba.

But less than 24 hours before the event, the Presidential spokesman Barış Burcu said that he would only attend if the match took place in the buffer zone as was initially announced.

Burcu said the President had accepted the invitation extended by the Peace and Sports organization for the MTG-Nea Salamina friendly football match because the match was initially to take place on the pitch located in the buffer zone, ensuring equal treatment for both sides. He said after officials shuttled back and forth on the decision, the President was informed on Sunday by the Peace and Sports officials that the match would take place in the buffer zone.

Burcu said that the same officials had confirmed both the football teams and the mukhtars were in agreement with the decision. Akıncı’s spokesman noted that Akıncı had contacted Anastasiades who told him he had no objection if the match took place in the buffer zone.

Nonetheless, Burcu stressed that UNFICYP officials had expressed concerns over providing security in the buffer zone, and following that the Greek Cypriot Administration launched an initiative to relocate the match to the football pitch located on the Greek Cypriot side.

“President Akıncı is willing to attend the football match as long as it is held in the buffer zone just as the Peace and Sports organizers had initially planned. It is unfortunately not possible for the President to attend an event that will take place on the Greek Cypriot side,” Burcu said.

Joel Bouzou, head of the Monaco-based organization ‘Sport and Peace’ which is in charge of the event, met with Akıncı Monday afternoon and said they would be exploring with the UN the option of relocating the match to its original venue.

Bouzou told Akıncı they understood his sensitivities.

Akıncı for his part repeated that he would be ready to attend if the venue was changed to its original location.

Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, founder of the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation, said on Monday during a press conference to announce the 11th bicommunal Stelios awards, that the football match was one of the bicommunal projects to receive a Stelios Foundation award. By arranging this, the organisers are planning to reach a different audience he said.

“The match is no ordinary game. In the first half the two teams will compete against each other, and in the second they will be mixed, to demonstrate it is possible to build peace,” Haji-Ioannou added.

At his press conference, Sir Stelios did not refer directly to the venue dispute but said what counted was that it was taking place in the mixed village of Pyla. He hoped it could become an annual event, he added.

As regards the bicommunal Stelios awards, 500,000 Euros will be offered to a total of 50 bicommunal teams that could win 10,000 Euros each. The foundation has paid out a total of 3.75 million Euros in bicommunal awards over the past 11 years.


Sevgül Uludağ nominated for Nobel Peace Prize

Yeni Düzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Afrika
Human Rights

OVERVIEW

Investigative journalist Sevgül Uludağ has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts in determining the fate of the missing persons in Cyprus and dedicating 18 years of her 39-year-long journalism career to the issue.

In addition to her investigative journalism efforts on the missing persons, trying to find possible burial locations, and researching and writing about their tragic stories, Uludağ has helped to establish a bicommunal association of relatives of the missing persons named “Together we can”.

Uludağ is an internationally renowned Turkish Cypriot journalist and an award-winning writer for her book entitled: İncisini Kaybeden İstridyeler (Oysters with the Missing Pearls).

Uludağ’s name was put forward by Anna Agathangelou, a professor of political science at York University in Canada.

In a joint statement, the chief editors of Yeni Düzen and Politis, Cenk Mutluyakalı and Dionysis Dionysiou welcomed the nomination of Uludağ, who writes for both newspapers.


Erdoğan: “Turkey’s patience over Cyprus and East Med tested”

Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs
Regional/International Relations

OVERVIEW

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Monday accused various countries of testing Turkey’s patience over Cyprus, Syria and developments in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Speaking at an event to commemorate the Çanakkale (Battle of Gallipoli) martyrs, Erdoğan said that they were testing the TCs and Turkey’s rights in the Eastern Mediterranean.

The Turkish President also accused foreign powers of meddling in Turkey’s internal affairs and of attempting to create a corridor for terrorists along Turkey’s southern border with Syria.

The Turkish President reiterated Turkey’s determination not to allow anyone to usurp Turkey’s rights.

KEY ACTORS
Erdoğan
>>
Turkey’s patience over Cyprus and Eastern Med being tested.
>> Turkey will not allow anyone to usurp its rights.


The population must be known for planning purposes

Kıbrıs
Economy, Migration & Citizenship

OVERVIEW

Economists Göksel Saydam and Okan Veli Şafaklı told Kıbrıs newspaper that not knowing the population in the country causes numerous problems for various sectors ranging from health to transportation.

Saydam stressed that the state fails to make plans and economic projections due to the unknown population. Şafaklı argues that the authorities use the situation as an excuse.
He said the government could easily find out what the population was if it had the determination and will to do so.  

Both economists urged the government to launch efforts to find out the exact number of people living in the north and highlight the need for the government to be in close cooperation with local administrations in identifying the number.


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