Front Page Headlines
Higher inflation than Turkey again
This is the outcome of an economy made up mainly of imports and vulnerable to foreign currency rates. Inflation for the first four months: 4% in Turkey and 5.72% in North Cyprus.
- Istanbul “cancelled” – Supreme Election Council in Turkey orders rerun of Istanbul’s local elections.
- They stole the bells! – Four suspects, one of them an imam caught with historical church artefacts.
- The body belongs to Dam Thı Hop – DNA tests on body of female found near Ercan (Tymbou) airport on 6 January revealed her identity.
Tension in government arises over unexpected issue
Even though a government crisis was expected to erupt on other issues such as salary payments, foreign currency values and the delayed economic protocol agreement, the tension came from the land lease for the Rauf Denktaş University. The disagreement between the Democratic Party (DP) and People’s Party (HP) was reflected in the media.
- The US to be more active in the Eastern Mediterranean – Prof. Dr Gürkan Kumbaroğlu, head of the International Energy Economy Association, said the US will be more active on the hydrocarbons issue in the East Mediterranean, noting that tension is likely to escalate.
- Turkey determined to protect the rights of Turkish Cypriots – Turkish President Erdoğan stressed Turkey’s determination to protect the rights of the Turkish Cypriots during the NATO Mediterranean Dialogue meeting.
Case brought against Akacan’s newspaper
Bulut Akacan’s newspaper Haberci published the headlines “Facebook Judges” and “Politics intervenes in the judiciary”. As a result, the Attorney-general’s office is preparing to file a case against Haberci newspaper.
- Tension between DP and HP – Serdar Denktaş leased plots of land to his son through the Finance Ministry while Özersay and People’s Party General Secretary Yenan Senin expressed their party’s discomfort, describing the move as unethical. All are focused on the future of the four-party coalition.
- An Imam was about to sell items he stole from a Church – Police caught four people including an imam red-handed while attempting to sell items they stole from a church.
Chaos in Turkey
The Turkish Supreme Election Council (YSK) decided to annul the outcome of the Istanbul metropolitan municipal elections on Monday night and announced a revote for 23 June. AKP (Justice and Reform Party) announced the decision before the YSK while Ekrem İmamoğlu expressed his determination to win the election once more during his address to thousands.
- “Fatih” escalates tension in Turkish-US relations – US Department of State issued a statement criticizing Turkey’s hydrocarbon activities with the Turkish Foreign Ministry responding swiftly.
- Breaking fast causes a fortune – Most modest dinner for a family of four in the North costs at least 94.45TL. If meat were to be included in the meal, the cost goes up to 261.25TL.
Critical day
An inventory of all the state-owned properties leased during the four-party coalition’s term in office produced upon a request by Özersay will be discussed at the Council of Ministers meeting today.
- Perish the thought – The imam of Selemiye Mosque and three others were caught red-handed while trying to sell stolen artefacts from a church.
- Tensions rising – Greek Cypriot Administration threatens crew of Fatih which is expected to drill off the coast of Cyprus with an international arrest warrant.
- To the polls on 23 June – The YSK (Turkish Supreme Election Council) has ordered a rerun of Istanbul’s local elections and for İmamoğlu’s certificate of election to be cancelled.
Istanbul’s election to be held from the beginning
Erdoğan’s administration which lost Istanbul is expected to take it back. Turkey’s Supreme Election Council (YSK) bowed to pressure from Erdoğan ordering a rerun of Istanbul’s local election. Ekrem İmamoğlu is to return the certificate of election he received 19 days ago. The whole world is in shock. The value of the US dollar skyrocketed following the decision to repeat the election.
- Imam steals church property – Four men who stole historical artefacts from a church were brought before the court. One of the men is an Imam. Among the stolen artefacts are church bells and candlesticks.
Main News
Tensions in the Mediterranean over drilling continue to escalate
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Diyalog, Havadis, Afrika
Energy, Regional/International Relations
OVERVIEW
All six dailies reported on the latest developments regarding offshore drilling in the Eastern Mediterranean and rising tensions.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry on Monday responded to an earlier US State Department statement urging Turkey to reconsider its decision to start offshore drilling operations in Cyprus.
Morgan Ortagus, spokesperson for the US State Department, said in a statement on Sunday: “The United States is deeply concerned by Turkey’s announced intentions to begin offshore drilling operations in an area claimed by the Republic of Cyprus as its Exclusive Economic Zone.”
Ortagus called the move “provocative” and said it risked raising tensions in the region.
“We urge Turkish authorities to halt these operations and encourage all parties to act with restraint,” she said.
Ankara said on Monday that the US statement urging Turkey to reconsider its decision to start offshore drilling operations in Cyprus was “disconnected from the facts.”
The Turkish Foreign Ministry said the US statement that Turkey was intending to drill in an area “claimed” by Greek Cyprus falsely implied the Greek Cypriots had secured a legal right to the area, disregarding international law.
Turkey has long made public its actions in the Eastern Mediterranean to the international community and the United Nations, the ministry said.
It underlined that a fair agreement under international law for use of the continental shelf surrounding the island of Cyprus by all relevant parties had not yet been reached.
“Likewise, unless the Greek Cypriots include the Turkish Cypriots, as the equal partners of the Island, into the decision-making mechanisms regarding hydrocarbon resources or cease their unilateral hydrocarbon activities, Turkey will continue to protect the continental shelf rights of the Turkish Cypriots as well,” the ministry concluded.
The Greek Cypriot press reported that the Republic of Cyprus had carried out necessary preparatory work in relation to Turkey’s illegal actions in the Cyprus EEZ and was in constant communication with the European Commission as well as with EU member states.
The Greek Cypriot press also reported that authorities had begun procedures to have an international arrest warrant issued for the crew of the Turkish drillship operating in the northern part of Cyprus’ EEZ.
On Saturday, the EU High Representative Federica Mogherini had called on Turkey to refrain from what she described as illegal actions in the EEZ of the Republic of Cyprus (RoC).
She called on Turkey to show restraint and respect the sovereign rights of the RoC, warning that the EU stood in “in full solidarity with Cyprus” and would take necessary action.
The UK, Russia and Egypt also issued statements expressing concern over Turkey’s activities.
Prof. Dr Gürkan Kumbaroğlu, head of the International Energy Economy Association, said in an interview with Kıbrıs Postası that the US will be more active on the hydrocarbons issue in the East Mediterranean, adding that tensions are likely to escalate.
Kumbaroğlu said Turkey must act together with its allies and must change its policies towards the North.
In view of Turkey’s deployment of the ‘Fatih’ drilling platform to the west of Cyprus, Kumbaroğlu said should Turkey finds its own resources, it could be transferred to Europe much faster. In other words, Turkey has the geographical advantage with the North, therefore, making South Cyprus, Israel, Qatar and US ineffective in the hydrocarbons sector.
In response to a question on the Greek Cypriot energy minister’s recent statement, Kumbaroğlu said even if the Greek Cypriot side were to utilize the natural gas, Europe will not invest in this project because the reserves are only good for 15 years. Kumbaroğlu underlined that the Greek Cypriot side is using the natural gas issue for populism.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Monday “Turkey’s rights and the rights of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in the Eastern Mediterranean are unquestionable. Addressing a meeting of the North Atlantic Council and NATO’s Mediterranean Dialogue partners, Erdoğan said that Turkey was adamant in protecting those rights. In reference to NATO’s role in the region, Erdoğan demanded that the alliance respect Turkey’s rights and must prevent any escalation of tension.
KEY ACTORS
Ortagus (US)
>> US deeply concerned on Turkey’s drilling in Cypriot EEZ.
>> Turkey’s move is provocative and will escalate tension.
>> US urges Turkey to halt its operations.
MFA (Turkey)
>> Turkey’s positions & actions in the E. Med clear to international community.
>> No fair agreement on use of Cyprus’ continental shelf under international law has been reached yet.
>> GCs must accept TCs as equal partners & include them in decision-making mechanisms regarding hydrocarbon resources or else cease unilateral hydrocarbon activities.
>> Otherwise, Turkey will continue to protect the continental shelf rights of the TCs too (as well as Turkey’s).
Erdoğan
>> Turkey’s and TCs’ rights are unquestionable.
>> Turkey determined to protect its rights.
>> NATO must respect Turkey’s rights and prevent escalation of tension.
Four caught red-handed trying to sell artefacts stolen from a church
Yenidüzen, Diyalog, Afrika, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Kıbrıs Postası
Internal Security
OVERVIEW
Four persons, including the imam of the Selemiye Mosque (Saint Sophia Cathedral) in Nicosia, were caught red-handed on Sunday while trying to sell stolen artefacts of historical value from a church. Police found the men trying to sell two church bells and two chandeliers.
Alpaslan Yavuz, the police officer who apprehended the suspects, testified in court on Monday and said the suspects were found on May 5 in a parked van, while waiting for the buyers to arrive.
Yavuz added the suspects were in possession of two bronze bells with a diameter of 58cm and 63cm in height; one 192cm tall chandelier and one 207cm tall chandelier; two chandeliers both at 190cm height and one chandelier at 133cm height. All the chandeliers are made from bronze.
Yavuz noted all the items found were confiscated while the suspects were detained on site.
He added that even though the suspects testified voluntarily, the police still needed to investigate which church the suspects stole the items from.
The judge ordered the suspects to remain in police custody for an
additional three days following the hearing.