Front Page Headlines
He has returned to his village, starting from the beginning
Greek Cypriot Nikolas Skourides built a house in the 349 square metre plot in Kozanköy (Larnaca tis Lapitou) returned to him by the Immovable Property Commission (IPC). Skourides had been forced to leave his village on August 15, 1974, at the age of 34. He invited Yenidüzen to his welcoming party. The gathering was attended by his family, Turkish Cypriot friends and local residents.
Enough with the fighting! Focus on Turkey and the producers
President of Citrus Producers’ Association Turgut Akçın reacted to the Cypfruvex General Director Cemal Redif’s statement on improving exports to Turkey. Akçın said the Turkish export market is already open and added he could not understand why Cemal Redif made such a statement.
- TC Chamber of Commerce: “The decision not to withdraw the direct trade regulation is pleasing.”
- Çağatay: “It is not a fantasy to expect the implementation of the direct trade regulation.”
Trust in the parliament, the government and the politicians are low
Even though the level of trust in the parliament, the government, the political parties and the trade unions has gone up according to the latest survey conducted by the Centre for Migration, Identity and Rights Studies (CMIRS), these institutions are still listed at the bottom of the list containing 11 institutions.
- Problems in the education sector are growing, making it harder to find solutions – The 2019-2020 school year started more than a month ago bu there are many schools without teachers, secretaries or janitors.
Chinese occupation at the Büyük Han (Great Inn)
Chinese products now dominate the shelves of souvenir shops at the Büyük Han, visited by thousands of tourists all year round. The shops are originally rented out on the condition they sell Turkish Cypriot handicrafts but this restriction only exists on paper. Many of the shopkeepers are violating their lease agreements. The shop owners, who do fulfil the requirements complain about the lack of inspections from the Evkaf Administration, which leases out the shops.
We love the job we do
TRNC’s female mukhtars expect more interest and support from the state.
- We’re poor – Tevfik Kaya and Ali Tokay were caught while trying to cross to the South illegally through the Yiğitler (Roccas) bastion in Nicosia said they had attempted to jump because they were living in poverty.
Serious allegations
Leftist UK newspaper “Morning Star” claimed that Turkey was carrying out genocide against the Kurds of Rojava in northern Syria.
Main News
Greek Cypriot returns to his village after 45 years
Yenidüzen
Property
OVERVIEW
79-year-old Nikolas Skourides quest to return to the village of his birth in the north, came to a happy ending with him returning to the village of Kozanköy (Larnaca tis Lapitou) and building a new house on his property, Yenidüzen reported on Sunday.
The 349 square metre plot was returned to Skourides in September 2017 by the Immovable Property Commission (IPC).
Skourides is the first Greek Cypriot to be able to return to his property in the north after the IPC returned his property.
According to an exclusive report in Yenidüzen, a house has now been completed on the property.
He said he wanted to spend the last part of his life in the village where he grew up.
He left the village on August 14, 1974, and spent seven years reclaiming his property through the IPC
When the crossings opened, he began over to the north frequently, where he met almost all the Turkish Cypriots living in the village, with whom he maintains excellent friendly relations.
After 2003, I ate, drank and had fun with Turkish Cypriots and Turks from Turkey. I see people as humans. I don’t care about their religion, their language or their ethnicity,” Skourides said.
At the party pictured in Yenidüzen, Skourides was pictured with his family, Turkish Cypriot friends and people from the village.
He said he has met Turkish Cypriots in the same position as him, who had to leave their homes in the south. “I understand very well the feelings of those who have to leave their homes and have to leave.”
Skourides said he applied to the IPC when he learned that his land had not been put to another use.
“At first my intention was to make a room for myself, but when my children said they wanted to come and stay on the weekends, I decided to make a house,” Skourides told the daily.
“I’m 79 years old and I don’t know how much I have left. I want to spend time with my children and the rest of my life where I was born and raised,” Skourides was quoted by Yenidüzen as saying.
He added that there were no words that could describe his happiness.
He said that he had learned from the press that several of the villagers had opposed his return to the village and had collected signatures to overturn the decision of the IPC.
“I was surprised and disappointed to see the faces of some of those protesting. It seems they had been provoked by others. Now they apologize to me every time we meet and we are all good friends now,” he said.
Skourides said that he had not built a fence between his neighbours because he was against barriers between people.
Speaking about the Cyprus problem, he said: “I want it to be a solution, but I don’t see a solution too close. We’ve all made mistakes in Cyprus, we need to learn from them”.
“It’s easy to find a solution if we approach issues from a human perspective not pursue interests,” he added.
KTTO happy with the decision on direct trade regulation
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Afrika
Economy, EU Matters
OVERVIEW
The Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce (KTTO) on Saturday welcomed the European Parliament’s (EP) decision to keep the direct trade regulation on its agenda.
The chamber however warned that the move did not mean that the regulation will be put into force any time soon, all six dailies reported on Sunday.
In a written statement, KTTO said it was closely monitoring the developments on the direct trade regulation, which has been suspended for the past 15 years since the referendum on the 2004 UN-sponsored Annan Plan.
The chamber also argued that the Turkish Cypriot parliamentary delegation and the chamber’s Brussels office were instrumental in presenting a solid counter-argument to those who wished to remove the regulation from the EP’s agenda.
“KTTO will continue its comprehensive efforts to implement the direct trade regulation in cooperation with the relevant stakeholders and will intensify its initiatives at the EP and the EU,” the statement noted.
“The failure to implement an effective instrument that will allow the Turkish Cypriots, who have displayed a political will in favour of the comprehensive settlement and who are living in EU soil, to carry out direct trade with the Union is unacceptable,” the chamber said.
It added that the regulation must be implemented as soon as possible in view of the substantial contributions the direct trade regulation could have on closing the economic gap between the two sides on the island and help the economic development of Turkish Cypriots
Peoples’ Party (HP) MP Erek Çağatay on Friday provided a different argument stating that it was possible for the direct trade regulation to be implemented.
“I believe our arguments are strong,” Çağatay added during a news programme on Bayrak.
Çağatay said “forcing a community to live under economic isolations is a violation of human rights.”
As the member of the Turkish Cypriot parliamentary delegation, Çağatay also noted that the Turkish Cypriot side will intensify its efforts for the implementation of the regulation.
“We will work in collaboration with both the Turkish Cypriot institutions and Turkey to lobby for the implementation of the direct trade regulation,” Çağatay said.
Çağatay explained that the Turkish Cypriot delegation had held 12 meetings with MEPs.
“As far as we can see, our efforts yielded positive results because, despite the Greek Cypriot side’s attitude, many of the members of the EP took a stance in favour of the Turkish Cypriots,” Çağatay said.
He recalled that the Turkish Cypriot side has voted in favour of the solution of the Cyprus problem in 2004 and that the former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan (UNSG) had drawn attention to this fact in his report.
“This report was not adopted as a Security Council resolution because of the permanent members but the report is still there,” Çağatay added.
He noted that imposing economic restrictions on a community in an attempt to prevent them from becoming part of the international community constituted a violation of the UN Human Rights Convention.
“All these prove that the Turkish Cypriot side’s hand is strong from a legal point of view,” Çağatay said but drew attention to the fact that all decisions adopted were political.
“We believe we should continue our struggle within the framework of international law in parallel with our political initiatives,” Çağatay concluded.
KEY ACTORS
KTTO
>> EP’s decision does not mean direct trade regulation will be implemented any time soon.
>> KTTO is closely monitoring the developments on the direct trade regulation..
>> KTTO will continue its comprehensive efforts to implement the direct trade regulation in cooperation with the relevant stakeholders & will intensify its initiatives at the EP & the EU.
>> Failure to implement direct trade regulation as an effective instrument which will allow the TCs to carry out direct trade with the Union is unacceptable.
>> Direct trade regulation should be implemented as soon as possible in view of the contributions it could make on closing the economic gap between the two sides & economic development of TCs.
Çağatay (HP)
>> It is possible for the direct trade regulation to be implemented.
>> TC arguments are strong.
>> Forcing a community to live under economic isolations is a violation of human rights.
>> TC side will intensify its efforts for the implementation of the direct trade regulation by working in collaboration with both the TC institutions & Turkey.
>> TC efforts have yielded positive results. Many MEPs have taken a stance in favour of the TCs.
>> TC side should continue its struggle within the framework of international law in parallel to its political initiatives.
Taçoy: “We shall also drill for gas”
Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog
Energy, Regional/International Relations
OVERVIEW
“If there is gas in the Eastern Mediterranean, we shall also drill and utilize it,” Turkish Cypriot Economy and Energy Minister Hasan Taçoy said during a conference in Kastamonu, Turkey on Saturday.
Addressing the International 15th Anatolian sciences conference, Taçoy said Turkey had achieved both a diplomatic victory and in the playing field.
He pointed out that Turkey, with its seismic research vessels and drillships, were carrying out their activities with determination.
“The Greek Cypriots are trying to create a fait accompli in the Eastern Mediterranean but these ships are proof of Turkey’s determination in the region,” Taçoy stressed.
Taçoy also said that efforts to find natural gas in the Eastern Mediterranean will continue until Turkey makes a discovery.
He claimed that the Greek Cypriot side’s moves, which were taken in collaboration with Egypt, Israel and Greece, constantly raised tensions in the region.
“The most feasible way to transfer the natural gas found in the region to Europe is via Turkey,” Taçoy said to conclude his remarks on the hydrocarbon issue.
KEY ACTORS
Taçoy (UBP)
>> Turkey will drill for gas & exploit it if there is gas in the Eastern Mediterranean.
>> Turkey achieved a victory both at the table & in the field.
>> Turkey seismic research vessels and drill ships are carrying out their duties in line with Turkey’s determination.
>> GCs are trying to create fait accompli in the East Med. but these ships are proof of Turkey’s determination in the region.
>> GC side’s steps on hydrocarbons constantly escalate tensions.
>> The most feasible way to transfer the natural gas found in the region to Europe is via Turkey.