TCC Press Review 13 Apr 2019

Front Page Headlines

Yenidüzen

World Bank’s poverty report on the Turkish Cypriot community: “Majority of poor are private sector employees”

The “Poverty and Social Assistance in the Turkish Cypriot community” report prepared by the World Bank has been published. The February 2019 dated report provides a map of poverty in North Cyprus and puts forward suggestions.

  • Today and the future – Public sector trade unions protested the high cost of living… they marched to the Prime Ministry. Students in Famagusta demonstrated on the streets to raise awareness on climate change.

Kıbrıs Postası

The church is at risk, bones have gone missing

Human bones found at the ongoing construction in Karakum (Karakoumi) belonging to Girne (Kyrenia) University. It is not known whether the bones belong to missing persons or are remains from an ancient burial site as the bones are now nowhere to be found. Kyrenia Municipality has halted construction on the project, which does not have all the necessary permits to carry out its activities.

  • Turkey’s guarantees very important for Turkish Cypriots – Turkish Foreign Minister Çavuşoğlu said the entire world is focused on the Eastern Mediterranean and that tensions in the area are on the rise during NATO’s Parliamentary Assembly in Antalya, Turkey.
  • Excitement over new Ercan (Tymbou) Airport – The new Ercan (Tymbou) Airport, which will cost nearly 300m Euro to build, is expected to be open for business by the end of the year.

Kıbrıs

92% increase in divorce cases in 14 years

9,735 couples divorced from 2005 to 2018. 937 couples divorced only in 2018 while 1,144 couples got married.

  • The state wants to punish the protestors for the gate – State filed lawsuits against 24 protestors who broke down the corrugated iron gate at the prime ministry while protesting against state negligence on the road collision that resulted in the death of three people.
  • Countries that can achieve digital transformation can be competitive – The 11th Competitiveness report, which was prepared under the theme “Digitalizing in establishments in view of Industry 4.0”, highlighted that only the countries that can achieve digital transformation can be competitive.

Havadis

Tragedy of TRNC

The tragedy of the North revealed once again in a court case held on Friday. Three juveniles and a 24-year-old formed a gang to rob homes. The High Criminal Court sentenced them to jail but the Judge reading out the verdict accused the parents of neglecting the children.

  • TRNC ranked at 89th place – Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce announced the results of its 11th competitiveness report.
  • Price hikes unite the workers – TC public servants’ union (KTAMS), TC civil servants’ union (KAMU-SEN) and TC public workers’ union (KAMU-İŞ) united after a long time to protest together against price hikes.

Diyalog

Morale not too good

Three MPs from the Peoples’ Party (HP) say they’re not as positive as they used to be towards the government. 

Afrika

Protestors bombarded with charges

They’re calling to account those who protested the death of three of our citizens three years ago in an accident on the Girne (Kyrenia) mountain road. Charges have been brought against 24 protestors by the prosecutor’s office for the protest action held in front of the Prime Minister’s office after the traffic accident on the Girne (Kyrenia) mountain road on November 29, 2016, which claimed the lives of three people, two of them students. 

  • They protested the price hikes – Three trade unions on strike. “If they’re going to run to the (Turkish) embassy for every step to be taken in the country then there is no need for them to be in government.”

Main News

Turkish Cypriots are part of Europe

Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis Diyalog
EU Matters

OVERVIEW

Turkish Cypriots are European and are part of Europe, Republican Turkish Party (CTP) MP and the party’s Foreign Relations Secretary Armağan Candan said in a joint interview with Italian MP Roberto Ramp to Radicale media, according to state-run TAK news agency.

He said that the Turkish Cypriots had demonstrated this to the world by voting overwhelmingly in favour of the UN-sponsored Annan Plan in 2004.

Candan said that it was their desire to achieve peace in Cyprus through a partnership with Greek Cypriots.

We are still working for this goal, said Candan, underlining the need for Greek Cypriots to share power and governance with Turkish Cypriots.

The CTP MP drew attention to the fact that Turkish Cypriots were subjected to restrictions and isolation.

Turkish Cypriots cannot trade freely or do many other ordinary things, Candan said.

‘Competing in international sports organisations is one of these,’ he added.

Candan pointed out that Turkish Cypriots had a special representation status within the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe which included the right to address PACE sessions but excluded the right to vote.

He said that a way must be found to strengthen the status of the Turkish Cypriots until a settlement is reached on the island.

‘During yesterday’s meeting of the General Assembly, I raised the issue of the sports embargo imposed on Turkish Cypriots. Everyone is aware of the symbolic power of football. Turkish Cypriots have a right to play friendly matches. We cannot take part in the Olympic games either. I believe that a solution can be found for Turkish Cypriots just as solutions are found for other problem areas in the world,’ said Candan.

Italian MP Roberto Rampi said that PACE was the only international institution where Turkish Cypriots were represented.

He said that PACE could set up an example for the European Parliament.

Rampi pointed out that Turkish Cypriots, who are EU citizens, will not be able to find the chance to be represented. ‘This is a problem because North Cyprus is a part of Europe. The goal of Turkish Cypriots is a federal settlement, just as it was during the Annan Plan period. Europe needs to take steps on this issue and should give younger generations hope. Turkish Cypriots are part of the EU and do not deserve to be excluded from anything, particularly sports,’ Rampi added.

KEY ACTOR
Candan (CTP)
>>
TCs are part of the EU and Europe.
>> TCs’ goal is to reach a federal solution with GCs.
>>
Way must be found to strengthen TCs’ status with PACE until settlement is reached.
>>
Solution can be found for TC participation in sporting activities similar to other areas with problems.


Çavuşoğlu says TCs more sensitive than ever on guarantees

Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis Diyalog
Negotiations Process, External Security, Regional/International Relations

OVERVIEW

Turkey’s guarantees are of vital importance for Cyprus and the Turkish Cypriots, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said on Friday at the NATO Parliamentary Assembly in Antalya, Turkey.

Çavuşoğlu’s remarks came in response to statements by Greek parliamentarians claiming that Cyprus was an EU member and that the system of guarantees was outdated.

He said that the world’s attention was focused on the Eastern Mediterranean where tensions were on the rise.

Unfortunately, all efforts to transform the Eastern Mediterranean into a region of peace, including solving the Cyprus Problem had failed, he said.

The Turkish FM also criticized the Greek Cypriot side for its unilateral hydrocarbon exploration activities.

He argued that the fact the Greek Cypriot side had launched such activities without securing the rights of the Turkish Cypriot side was proof there was a need more than ever for Turkey’s presence in Cyprus as a guarantor country.

‘On the one hand, you’re going to launch such activities with third countries while claiming that the Turkish Cypriots have rights over these resources, only to ignore these rights. Who is to defend the Turkish Cypriots’ rights. Obviously, it will be none other than Turkey,’ said Çavuşoğlu.

He further pointed out that Turkish Cypriots were more sensitive than ever on the issue of guarantees, adding that only Turkish Cypriots had a say in the matter.

Obviously, you as Greece support the idea of scrapping the system of guarantees, said Çavuşoğlu.

He said the importance of the guarantees could not be played down by arguments that the system of guarantees was outdated.

KEY ACTOR
Çavuşoğlu
>>
All eyes of the world focused on East. Med. Tensions on the rise.
>> Guarantees of vital importance for Cyprus and TCs.
>> GCs launch unilateral hydrocarbon activities while claiming TCs have rights over these resources but at the same time ignoring them.   
>> No one else but Turkey will defend rights of TCs.
>> TCs are more sensitive than ever on the issue of guarantees. Only TCs have a say on the matter.


The church is at risk, bones have gone missing

Kıbrıs Postası
Human Rights

OVERVIEW

According to Kıbrıs Postası, human bones were discovered at the ongoing construction in Karakum (Karakoumi) belonging to Girne (Kyrenia) University. It is not known whether the bones belong to missing persons or are part of an ancient burial site as the bones have now gone missing.

The Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus (CMP) was alerted to carry out tests on the bones, the paper reported.

Kyrenia Municipality stopped the construction on grounds the company had not received all necessary permits to continue with the construction.

The construction, which reached the perimeters of a historical church in the area, was first reported on social media on Thursday and the newspapers reported on the developments on Friday.

The Turkish Cypriot co-chair of the Bicommunal Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage, Ali Tuncay, who had initially shared a photograph of the ongoing construction on social media, told Kıbrıs Postası the technical committee will launch a special investigation at the site to assess whether the church is at risk of collapse or not.


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