TCC Press Review 2 Sept 2019

Front Page Headlines

Yenidüzen

‘It shouldn’t be this easy’

The Çiçek family whose life changed after a car rammed into them from behind as they were driving home with their three children spoke to Yenidüzen. Mother İpek Çiçek said that tighter traffic controls for foreigners were necessary.

  • Red Border survey: Only Akıncı and Erhürman are in the game – A survey conducted by the Red Border Research company said that there were only two names with a chance of winning the upcoming presidential elections to take place eight months from today. A group of 1,024 participants took part in the survey.
  • Two million tourists from south to northPhileleftheros announces figures for 2019.

Kıbrıs Postası

Sınırüstü (Sygkrasi) out of ‘state borders’

Villagers from Sınırüstü (Sygkrasi), mainly farmers, complain about the state leasing arable land to artichoke growers. They complain the artichoke fields deplete the area’s scarce water resources.

  • Lute’s hope in the second round – UN Special Envoy Jane Holl Lute held her first round of talks with the two leaders on Sunday. Lute will continue with her meetings on Monday.
  • ‘Kısmet’, a Turkish Cypriot production to be screened in eight more countries.

Kıbrıs

The reputation of the business community harmed

The business community agrees that a negative perception of the construction and real estate sectors has been created as a result of the charges of fraud brought against businessman Mehmet Eminoğlu.

  • Waste materials bought by Greek Cypriots – According to Green Line trade figures published by the Chamber of Commerce, nine types of waste material is being sold to the south. €570,000 worth of materials have been sold.
  • Lute met with Akıncı and Anastasiades – Presidential Spokesman Barış Burcu said Akıncı’s meeting with Lute was positive.

Havadis

Power generators cause tension in politics

Coalition partners cannot agree on the purchase of new power generators for KIBTEK (TC Electricity Authority) even though the previous four-party coalition government had agreed on launching a tender for their procurement.

  • Seeds of peace sown in Lefke (Lefka) on World Peace Day

Diyalog

It would be bad

Mayors react to ongoing reform work to reduce the number of municipalities in North Cyprus from 28 to six. Despite support for the reform from the Ministry of Interior, the majority of mayors are opposed to the idea of reducing the number of municipalities as envisaged by the economic protocol signed with Turkey. The mayors of Nicosia, Morphou, Yeniboğaziçi (Agios Sergios), Serdarlı (Kiados), Geçitkale (Lefkonoiko), Dipkarpaz (Rizokarpasso), Büyükkonuk (Komikebir), Tatlısu (Akanthou), Vadili (Vatili), Paşaköy (Assia), Esentepe (Agios Amvrosios), Lapta (Lapithos) and Alsancak (Karavas) all expressed their opposition to the move. They all propose that alternative projects be developed to deal with financial difficulties.

  • Atmosphere positive for now – Lute who met with Anastasiades and Akıncı is trying to determine ‘terms of reference’ for a new negotiations process.
  • Marios unhappy – Former head of the Greek Cypriot Hoteliers’ Association claimed that the number of tourists crossing over from the south to the north has reached two million.

Afrika

They got Erdoğan in trouble

Jihadists fleeing from the Syrian army in Idlib are now rushing to the Turkish border in anger. As the Russian-supported Syrian army is clearing Idlib of occupiers, Turkey which has 12 observation posts in the area can no longer protect the jihadists. The jihadists upset with Putin buying ice cream for Erdoğan in Moscow claim that Erdoğan sold them out. Outraged, they set fire to posters of Erdoğan. Turkey messed up big time in Syria.

  • Lute tested waters with Akıncı and Anastasiades – Lute who will continue her contacts today is trying to finalize terms of reference.
  • Two million tourists from south to north – Greek Cypriot press claimed that the number of tourists crossing over from south to north is between one and a half to two million.
  • Bağımsılık Yolu and Baraka were on the streets – Only the Bağımsızlık Yolu and Baraka Culture Centre were on the streets to mark 1 September World Peace Day.

Main News

UN envoy resumes efforts to finalize terms of reference

Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Afrika
Negotiations Process

OVERVIEW

The UN Secretary-General’s (UNSG) Special Envoy Jane Holl Lute met separately with the two leaders on Sunday within efforts to reach agreement on the terms of reference paving the way towards the resumption of Cyprus reunification talks.

In a written statement after the meeting, Akıncı’s spokesman Barış Burcu said that Akıncı and Lute had a positive meeting.

He added that Akıncı had once again outlined the Turkish Cypriot side’s positions to the UN special envoy.

Burcu said that the two will meet again on Monday, after midday, at Lute’s request.

All six dailies reported that Lute will meet again with Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akıncı on Monday.


Survey says Akıncı and Erhürman most likely contenders for upcoming elections

Yenidüzen
Governance & Power Sharing

OVERVIEW

Mustafa Akıncı and Tufan Erhürman will be the most likely contenders in the upcoming presidential race in the north next year, results of the latest survey conducted by Red Border Research has revealed.

Neither of the two have announced their candidacies yet.

Yenidüzen’s Editor-in-Chief Cenk Mutluyakalı evaluated the results in his daily column on Monday.

The survey in which 1,024 participants took part revealed that a narrow margin of four per cent existed between the two possible candidates should they decide to run in the elections eight months from now.

Mutluyakalı also points out that 40 per cent of the participants were undecided or refused to respond.

He says that it is the first time that voters will be seeking to elect a new president on criteria not determined by traditional party loyalties.

Mutluyakalı argued that the public will not be voting for candidates based on their political orientation or their approach to the Cyprus Problem but more on their personal characters.

The survey also revealed that Peoples’ Party (HP) leader Kudret Özersay’s popularity has gone down and that the governing National Unity Party’s (UBP) possible candidates do not have the popular support Akıncı or Erhürman enjoys.

According to the survey, UBP and the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) have maintained their numbers. The Rebirth Party (YDP) is on the rise while support for HP, the Social Democratic Party (TDP) and Democratic Party (DP) is falling.

Mutluyakalı concludes his column by claiming that voters are seeking credible, sincere and realistic goals. He adds that the picture will become clearer following the meetings held in New York.


Messages on World Peace Day highlight the need for lasting peace on the island

Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Kıbrıs Postası, Havadis, Diyalog, Afrika
Negotiations Process, Human Rights

OVERVIEW

All six dailies publish the messages issued by politicians and civil society organisations (CSOs) to mark 1 September World Peace Day. The need for lasting peace on the island was highlighted in the messages.

Speaker of the Turkish Cypriot parliament Teberrüken Uluçay in his message expressed hope to see an end to the Cyprus problem and a comprehensive settlement

“The Turkish Cypriot community maintains its political will for a bicommunal, bizonal federal (BBF) solution based on political equality,” Uluçay said. He stressed that the Turkish Cypriot side is also ready and willing to collaborate on the issue of hydrocarbons in the Eastern Mediterranean. 

“I hope the Greek Cypriot administration abandons its unilateral activities and ends its current policy of excluding Turkish Cypriots,” he added.

CTP leader Tufan Erhürman said on Sunday, the region and the world needs lasting peace.

In a post on social media, he referred to UN Special Envoy Lute’s meetings with the two leaders and expressed hope for identifying a new road map to resume the results-oriented negotiations process that will not be open-ended but will be subject to a timeframe.

The only two civil society organisations which organised a rally to mark the occasion were Bağımsızlık Yolu (Road to Independence) and Baraka Cultural Centre.

The rally was held in front of the Turkish Cypriot Foreign Ministry in Nicosia.

“The joint interest of the communities living on the island is a federal solution,” a joint press statement issued by the two organisations read.

“Today, we have a president of the Republic of Cyprus who is doing everything possible to avoid a federal solution. The TRNC foreign ministry is doing the same,” the joint statement read.

“None of these efforts change the fact that the best and common interest of the communities on the island is the federal solution,” it added.

The CSOs urged the public to take their struggle for peace to the streets.

KEY ACTORS
Uluçay (CTP)
>> Cyprob should be solved with a comprehensive settlement to bring peace to the island.
>> TCs maintain their political will for a BBF based on political equality.
>> TC side ready to collaborate on hydrocarbons issue.
>> GC administration should abandon its unilateral activities & put an end to its current policy on excluding TCs.

Erhürman (CTP)
>> The island, the region and the world needs lasting peace.
>> Lute’s meeting should result in a new road map to resume a results-oriented negotiations process subject to timeframes


North’s waste materials sold to the South

Kıbrıs
Economy

OVERVIEW

According to Green Line trade figures for 2018 published by the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce, nine different types of waste material were sold to the south, totalling €570,000 in sales. In 2017, the same waste material sales amounted to €556,000.

Among the nine different categories of waste material was waste plantal oils topping the list with a three per cent increase compared to the previous year. These materials were followed by recycled paper and cardboard, scrap metal, scrap aluminium, used car batteries, scrap steel, scrap copper, recycled plastic and scrap bronze.

In overall trade volume, a four per cent decrease was recorded compared to the previous year. Total sales to the south reached €4,582.402 in 2018 whereas the amount for 2017 was €4,792.380.

The highest increase in sales was recorded in pomegranate whilst the sharpest decrease was in potatoes. Wet-wipes has entered the list of items sold to the south as a new entry in 2018 with an €18,000 volume.


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