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Life sentence for premeditated murder in the middle of the street
Mehmet and Meryem Doğu who murdered Memduh Ulugün in the middle of the street in Alsancak (Karavas) in 2018 were sentenced to life in prison for committing premeditated murder.
- Erhürman: “We want a results-oriented process that will not be open-ended”
People have different expectations from the foreign ministry
People evaluated the foreign ministry’s 300-day goals. Kıbrıs Postası asked people about their views on the foreign ministry’s goals. People’s priorities are different. While the Cyprus problem is the most important issue for some, it is developments in the Eastern Mediterranean for others. Some highlight the importance of the Maraş (Varosha) issue.
- “The Yavuz drilling ship preparing for its next operations” – Turkish Energy Minister Dönmez announced.
- Özersay participated in the unofficial meeting of the Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO)
Murderer couple to serve life sentence
Kyrenia Criminal Court holds the sentencing hearing for Mehmet and Meryem Doğu who murdered Memduh Ulugün.
- “Initiative to form ‘single alliance’ in parliament – Democratic Party (DP) will launch an initiative to unite the opposition parties in the parliament as one to become more effective. DP to meet with Re-birth Party (YDP) on Monday.
Reacting to the pillage
The news on allocating the shoreline reserved for a fishing shelter in Karaoğlanoğlu (Agios Georgios) to an investor to build a hotel and Alsancak (Karavas) Mayor’s plans to build a marina continue to draw strong reactions. Republican Turkish Party (CTP) MP Özdil Nami urged the mayor to cancel his project. Doğan Sahir, President of the Green Peace Movement, said the mayor’s project cannot be realised as the depth of water is not suitable.
- Tripartite meeting in October – Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades spoke positively about holding a tripartite meeting in October to finalize the term of reference following his meeting with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
‘Brutal and cold-blooded’
The court sentenced Meryem and Mehmet Doğu to life in prison for the stabbing to death of Mehmduh Ulugün 18 times, describing the murder as brutal and cold-blooded.
Life sentence
The street in front of the court building was cordoned off by police during the sentencing hearing with a squad of riot police waiting on standby. Judge Nüvit Gazi read out the sentence, saying that the defendants had stabbed Mehmduh Ulugün to death 18 times, revealing the brutality of the murder.
Main News
Özersay: “International community needs to convince GC side”
Kıbrıs Postası
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
Speaking during a round table meeting organized by the Turkish Heritage Organisation in New York, Turkish Cypriot Foreign Minister Kudret Özersay said that as long as the international community does not lean on the Greek Cypriot side, the latter will be reluctant to share governance and wealth with the Turkish Cypriots.
Özersay shared his evaluations on the developments in the Cyprus problem and spoke on the natural gas issue during the meeting, in which representatives of think tanks, researchers, representatives from various universities and members of the media participated.
“The international community has failed to take any steps on the natural gas issue or on ending the isolation of Turkish Cypriots,” Özersay said.
He added that the international community also failed to question the claim of the Greek Cypriot side to be the sole government on the island. “It is for this reason, the Turkish Cypriot side together with Turkey is taking steps on the natural gas issue to force the Greek Cypriot side to change its attitude and force them to be willing to share governance and wealth with the Turkish Cypriots,” Özersay stressed.
He pointed out nothing has changed on the island since December 2017, noting that two options currently existed.
“Either the international community will use its weight against the Greek Cypriot side to force them towards a solution or the two sides will start talking about collaboration models instead of models based on sharing,” Özersay said.
Responding to a question on Maraş (Varosha), Özersay said: “The Turkish Cypriot side will no longer tolerate anything that serves the status quo on the island.”
Özersay highlighted the Turkish Cypriot side was taking out-of-the-box steps on Maraş (Varosha), breaking the 50-year long cycle of the status quo.
“It is obvious that the Turkish Cypriot side feels the consequences of the continuation of the status quo the most,” Özersay stressed.
However, in international conflicts, to end the conflict, both sides must be affected by it, he added.
“The Greek Cypriot side’s distress on the Maraş (Varosha) issue must be read from this perspective,” Özersay concluded.
KEY ACTORS
Özersay
>> International community needs to lean on the GC side to be ready to share governance and wealth with the TCs.
>> Either this pressure leads GCs towards solution or else sides start talking about collaboration instead of sharing models.
>> The international community did not take any step either on the natural gas issue or on ending the isolations, nor did it question the GC claim of being the sole government on the island.
>> TC side together with Turkey are taking steps on the natural gas issue to force the GC side to change its attitude and force them to be willing to share governance and wealth with the TCs.
>> The TC side will no longer tolerate anything that serves the status quo on the land.
>> TC side has decided to break the 50-year long cycle of the status quo by taking out of the ordinary steps on Maraş (Varosha).
>> It is obvious that the TC side is most harmed by the continuation of the status quo.
>> Both sides must be bothered by the conflict to end it. The GC side’s distress on Maraş (Varosha) issue must be read from this perspective.
Yavuz preparing to depart to a new location
Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog
Energy
OVERVIEW
Turkey’s Energy and Natural Resources Minister Fatih Dönmez said on Friday that the Yavuz was preparing to conduct new drilling operations off the coast of Cyprus.
Yavuz is currently in port in Turkey’s Mediterranean coastal province of Mersin and will depart for a new location in the coming weeks.
The second ship, Fatih, is continuing operations west of Cyprus, Dönmez said.
“The Yavuz ship has finished drilling in Karpaz. The data there is being evaluated,” he said. “The ship is waiting in Mersin’s Tasucu port for preparations, supply and checks for the next operation.”
Dissolution of foundations legally not possible
Kıbrıs
Property, Territory
OVERVIEW
The former general director of Evkaf Administration of Cyprus, Taner Derviş said it is not possible to dissolve the Abdullah Paşa Foundation according to the north’s legal system on the island which dates back to the British colonial era. Derviş responded to and refuted Ferdi Sabit Soyer’s claims with a written statement issued on Friday.
Derviş also accused Soyer of disregarding the Turkish Cypriot people’s property rights emanating from these religious foundations, which are now under the Evkaf Administration.
“Maraş (Varosha) in its entirety belongs to the Abdullah Paşa Foundation, to the Lala Mustafa Paşa Foundation, and Bilal Ağa Foundation,” Derviş said.
He added that all three foundations are recognized in the British colonial laws, Cyprus laws, 1960 Constitution of the Republic of Cyprus, Cyprus Establishment Laws and international treaties.
“The laws in place in the judicial system on the island prohibits the sale, transfer or dissolution of any foundation, Derviş said, and provided further explanations on the legal provisions.
Derviş also claimed that the majority of the properties in Maraş (Varosha) had been unlawfully transferred to individuals during the British colonial rule. He urged Soyer to protect Turkish Cypriot people’s property rights.
KEY ACTORS
Derviş
>> Not possible to dissolve the Abdullah Paşa Foundation according to island’s judicial system dating back to colonial rule.
>> Maraş (Varosha) in its entirety belongs to the Abdullah Paşa Foundation, Lala Mustafa Paşa Foundation & Bilal Ağa Foundation.
>> All three foundations are recognized under British colonial laws, Cyprus laws, 1960 Constitution, Cyprus Establishment Laws, and international treaties.
>> Majority of properties in Maraş (Varosha) had been unlawfully transferred to individuals during British colonial rule.