Front Page Headlines
‘There is some confusion’
The government continued to make conflicting statements on the decision regarding the fenced-off city of Maraş (Varosha). Özersay said on Friday: “There has been some confusion. The TRNC government has not taken a decision to open Maraş (Varosha).”
- Goodbye, comrade Christofias!
- “The Özgürgün [corruption] file” stirs tensions within National Unity Party (UBP) – (Ersin)Tatar and (Hüseyin)Özgürün exchanged accusations through statements made to Yenidüzen. Özgürgün: Tatar and (Kudret) Özersay set me up. Both need to be wiped out of politics. Tatar: “My signature is not in the file. UBP MPs will defend Özgürgün at the committee.”
“I am not some scarecrow”
Mustafa Akıncı said he was upset for not being informed about the (Anastasiades-Özersay) dinner, not about the dinner itself.
- Comrade Christofias passed away – 75-year-old former Greek Cypriot leader Demetris Christofias passed away.
- Syria included in the list of countries that require visas – The Council of Ministers acted on Kıbrıs Postası’s news reports on refugees arriving in North Cyprus from Syria. Cabinet included Syria on the list of countries that require visas for its citizens to enter North Cyprus.
It’s all a mess
The debates on Council of Minister’s Maraş (Varosha) initiative without informing Akıncı; Özersay-Anastasiades dinner and establishment of a committee to lift UBP MP Hüseyin Özgürgün’s political immunity escalated further.
- Demetris Christofias passed away – 6th president of the Greek Cypriot administration passed away while undergoing treatment at a hospital in the south.
“I am not a scarecrow”
President Mustafa Akıncı criticized the government’s attitude of disregarding his authority on the Maraş (Varosha) initiative. He made important statements regarding the Maronite Initiative and the hydrocarbons issue.
- Dangerous refugee operation cancelled – TC Foreign Ministry closed down the “refugee camp” established at Ercan (Tymbou) airport and decided to impose visas on Syrian nationals.
- Died without seeing his dream solution – 6th president of the Greek Cypriot administration Demetris Christofias passed away while undergoing treatment in hospital.
There is a 45-day period
The seven-person parliamentary committee which will be responsible for investigating corruption allegations against Özgürgün on behalf of the prosecutor’s office will consist of three MPs from the UBP and two MPs each from the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) and the Peoples’ Party (HP).
- He passed away at the age of 72 – Former Greek Cypriot leader Demetris Christofias passed away at the hospital he was receiving treatment in.
Both the Maronite Initiative and the Maraş (Varosha) Initiative a fiasco
Mustafa Akıncı who held a press conference following claims of a civilian coup carefully refrained from criticizing Ankara. He said that attempts to exclude the president on an issue which is directly linked with the Cyprus Problem are far from being serious. As for the Maronite initiative, he said that the intiative fell short of achieving its goal, only enabling the return of a handful of families to Karpaşa (Karpasiea).
- Christofias also passed away before seeing a solution – The 6th President of the Republic of Cyprus (RoC) passed away at the age of 72. Only two of seven who served as president is alive today, (George) Vassiliou and (Nicos) Anastasiades. Those who passed away are (Archbishop) Makarios, (Spyros) Kyprianou, (Glafcos) Clerides and (Tassos) Papadopoulos.
- Former vice president of APOEL to serve five-year prison sentence –Former APOEL football club’s vice president Iosif Iosif who was caught hiding in Famagusta with 100 bullets and two guns in his possession was sentenced to five years in prison.
- Visas to be applied to Syrian citizens entering TRNC from now on.
Main News
Akıncı blasts government for trying to sideline him
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Afrika
Governance & Power Sharing, Property, Energy, Negotiations Process, Regional/International Relations, Human Rights
OVERVIEW
The rift between President Akıncı and the National Unity Party (UBP)-Peoples’ Party (HP) government deepened on Friday when Akıncı slammed the coalition partners for what he described were their attempts to sideline him on crucial issues.
Referring to the ‘cabinet’ decision announced earlier in the week by Foreign Minister Özersay regarding plans to conduct a scientific inventory of Maraş (Varosha), Akıncı denounced the move which he said excluded the ‘presidency’ and was announced before a study could be carried out.
“The president is not a scarecrow. He represents the will of the people. I do not think that Turkey does not want to consult with me, but it is evident that there is a deficiency on this issue,” he said.
Akıncı added that any move in Maraş (Varosha) must be in line with international law, as well as promote peace and cooperation between the two communities, and respect the rights of previous property owners.
“It is possible to bring onto the agenda the opening [of Varosha] for the Greek Cypriots under UN supervision and for joint businesses and in return of beginning direct flights to Ercan (Tymbou)… I want to emphasize the importance of international law. Stating that decisions on Maraş (Varosha) were taken by excluding the president is far from being serious.”
He also said that the coalition partners were making contradictory statements on the issue and that it was not clear what the government was trying to do.
He reiterated his proposal for the creation of a bicommunal committee for natural gas, noting that there was still time to avoid additional tension and to use the issue as a field for cooperation rather than conflict.
“The reasonable thing to do on this issue is to start with discussing it. Let us advance step by step from an environment of tension to an environment of common benefit, cooperation. There is a ship sent by Turkey. The second one is also coming. Within this framework, the continuation of increasing tension seems unavoidable. It is possible to turn around this course,” he said.
He also said Turkey has weak relations with countries in the eastern Mediterranean such as Israel and Egypt, adding that this was not something that he feels positive about as he would like to see Turkey enjoying strong regional relations.
Akıncı extended his criticisms of the government on the Maronite Initiative, stating that it had been reduced to the return of a few families to the village of Karpaşa (Karpaseia) rather than the initial plan to resettle the former residents of the three villages of Gürpınar (Agia Marina), Özhan (Asomatos) and Karpaşa (Karpaseia).
“Despite all legal arrangements and planning carried out with the support of my office, the resettlement scheme had been postponed due to the financial crisis. The new government however reduced this project to the return of a few families to the village of Karpaşa (Karpaseia). The scheme needs to be implemented as a whole,” he said.
Asked whether he will be running for a second term, Akıncı said that he would announce his decision when the time came and that the process led by the UN Secretary General’s envoy was still continuing.
“We are in the middle of a process that is unfinished,” Akıncı said, highlighting that it was not the UN parameters but the Greek Cypriot side and its “maximalist positions” that were responsible for the dead-end in the negotiations. He pointed to the chances of holding a meeting attended by five parties – the two sides and guarantor powers Turkey, Greece and Britain – formal or informal, would be clear after the Greek and Turkish municipal elections.
Akıncı said that he would do whatever was possible to ensure that the Cyprus problem moved towards the direction of peaceful coexistence, with security and political equality between the two communities.
Asked by reporters regarding the controversial dinner between Anastasiades and Özersay which came to light earlier in the week, Akıncı expressed concern that the meeting took place without him knowing.
“The meeting took place on June 4 but the photograph was published on June 18. He [Özersay] first said he didn’t need to ask for anyone’s permission to have a social dinner but then announced that he had informed the cabinet and that backdoor diplomacy was frequently used,” he said.
Akıncı said that Özersay’s stance had changed lately as he no longer respected state tradition, ceased exchanging information and stopped dialogue with him.
KEY ACTORS
Akıncı
>> The president is not a scarecrow. He represents the will of the people.
>> Any move in Maraş (Varosha) must be in line with international law, promote peace & cooperation between the two communities, & respect the rights of previous property owners.
>> Opening [of Varosha] for the Greek Cypriots under UN supervision and for joint businesses and in return of beginning direct flights to Ercan (Tymbou).
>> Coalition partners were making contradictory statements on the issue and that it was not clear what the government was trying to do.
>> Time to advance step by step from an environment of tension to an environment of common benefit, cooperation on hydrocarbons.
>> Maronite Initiative reduced to the return of a few families to the village of Karpaşa (Karpaseia) rather than initial plan to resettle all three villages of Gürpınar (Agia Marina), Özhan (Asomatos) and Karpaşa (Karpaseia).
>> Greek Cypriot side and its “maximalist positions” are responsible for the dead-end in the negotiations.
>> Akıncı would do whatever was possible to ensure that the Cyprus problem moved towards the direction of peaceful coexistence, with security and political equality between the two communities.
Farewell comrade Christofias
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Afrika
Governance & Power Sharing
OVERVIEW
72-year old former Greek Cypriot leader Demetris Christofias passed away on Friday after a month-long battle with respiratory problems. President Mustafa Akıncı, former President Mehmet Ali Talat and Foreign Minister Kudret Özersay expressed their condolences.
Mustafa Akıncı published a message both in Turkish and in Greek on social media to express his condolences. He wrote: ‘I express my sincere condolences to his wife, family and to AKEL and the Greek Cypriot community.’
Christofias’s counterpart from the talks Mehmet Ali Talat said Christofias had passed away before he could see his life-long dream of a solution in Cyprus. Talat expressed his condolences to his wife, family, all comrades, to AKEL and to all Cypriots.
Foreign Minister Kudret Özersay in his message noted he had had the opportunity to spend time with the former leader. “I both had heated discussions and laughed with Mr Christofias. He had a unique sense of humour,” he said. He expressed his condolences to his family and to the Greek Cypriot community.
North introduces a visa requirement for Syrian nationals
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis
Migration & Citizenship
OVERVIEW
The Turkish Cypriot Foreign Ministry shut down a holding area set up at Ercan (Tymbou) airport for migrants and refugees.
The move was followed with cabinet decision on Friday to introduce a visa requirement for Syrian nationals wishing to enter the TRNC.
The foreign ministry stated it has been collaborating with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) regarding the Syrian refugees arriving in the North and was facilitating their crossing to the Greek Cypriot administration controlled areas in a statement issued on Friday. The Ministry stated there has been a recent increase in the number of arrivals resulting in overflowing of the capacity of the holding facility at Ercan (Tymbou) airport.
It said that a result of the situation, those being held at the facility were forced to reside in inhumane conditions.
“As a result, it has been decided to halt use Ercan (Tymbou) airport as a transit point and to impose visa requirement for Syrian nationals,” the Ministry concluded.
Greek Cypriot wanted for murder, sentenced to five years in jail in North
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis
Internal Security
OVERVIEW
Iosif Iosif, a Greek Cypriot was sentenced to five years in prison by a TRNC court on Friday for entering the area illegally and possession of weapons and ammunition.
The 40-year-old is also wanted by Greek Cypriot police in connection with investigations into an attempt on the life of Nicos Rodotheou and illegal possession of drugs with intent to supply.
Also known as Sifis, Iosif has served as vice president of the Greek Cypriot football club APOEL, the dailies reported on Friday.
He was arrested on January 9 in Famagusta after he was found with 100 bullets and two weapons in his possession. He was also found using a fake ID, under the name of Nicos Nikolaou.