TCC Press Review 30 Oct 2019

Front Page Headlines

Yenidüzen

The sky is in mourning

An ultralight type plane crashed during a training flight near Geçitkale (Lefkonoiko) airport. Training pilots Serkan Özcezarlı and Hakan Çetinkaya died in the crash. The incident has drowned the country in sorrow. The families of the pilots and many politicians rushed to the scene of the accident. A team of experts will be examining the crash to try and identify the cause of the accident.

Kıbrıs Postası

We have lost two of our pilots

Ultralight type training plane belonging to the Federation of Aviation Sports crashed near Geçitkale (Lefkonoiko) airport around 12:30 on Tuesday for reasons unknown yet. Highly experienced pilots and staff members of the TRNC Aviation Sports Federation Hakan Çetinkaya and Serkan Özcezarlı died in the crash.

  • “Turkish Cypriots cannot tolerate yet another disappointment” – Republican Turkish Party (CTP) Central Executive Committee member Muhittin Tolga Özsağlam said ahead of the tripartite meeting.
  • Faiz Sucuoğlu: “Past practices tell us the party leader should be the presidential candidate.”

Kıbrıs

Great sorrow

A newly purchased training plane belonging to the Aviation Sports Federation crashed half an hour after taking off from the Geçitkale (Lefkonoiko) airport, near the runway. Two experienced pilots flying the plane died as a result of the crash.

  • The government purchased the “Orams Villa” – The TRNC government is now the owner of the villa, which was the subject of a lawsuit from 2004 to 2010. Greek Cypriot Meletios Apostolides had taken David Oram and Linda Oram to court demanding for the demolition of the villa, which the couple had built on his plot of land.

Havadis

Mystery accident, great sorrow

Experienced pilots from the Aviation Sports Federation Hakan Çetinkaya and Serkan Özcezarlı died when a newly purchased training plane they were flying crashed shortly after take-off from Geçitkale (Lefkonoiko) airport. An initial investigation into the crash revealed that the plane had not caught fire in the air as some claimed.

Diyalog

We lost two of our brave pilots. Our sorrow is great

An ultralight type plane belonging to the Aviation Sports Federation crashed in Geçitkale (Lefkonoiko) during a training flight due to reasons yet to be identified. Serkan Özcezarlı and Hakan Çetinkaya lost their lives in the horrific accident. Both pilots were 46-years-old.

Afrika

Disaster at Geçitkale (Lefkonoiko) Airport. Training plane crashed, two dead

Serkan Özcezarlı and Hakan Çetinkaya died after the training plane belonging to the Aviation Sports Federation which they were flying crashed at Geçitkale (Lefkonoiko) Airport. The death of the two experienced pilots led to great sorrow within the community.

Main News

Tatar: “A solution based on sovereign equality is more realistic”

Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog
Negotiations Process, Energy

OVERVIEW

“A solution based on sovereign equality is more realistic than a federal solution because there are currently two-states on the island,” Prime Minister Ersin Tatar said during a visit paid to him on Tuesday by members of a Turkish war-veterans association.

According to a written statement, Tatar said the Greek Cypriots had not abandoned their dream of transforming Cyprus into a Greek island and granting Turkish Cypriots minority status.

He pointed out that the debate on what needs to be discussed should there be negotiations continued.

“The name of the game is a solution in Cyprus! According to Greek Cypriots, a federation means a unitary state within the EU. The goal is to gradually cut off Turkish Cypriots’ ties with Turkey,” Tatar noted.

He added that the aim of the tripartite meeting in Berlin which coincides with the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall was to give the message that Nicosia remains to be the EU’s divided capital.

Tatar also expressed the view that Turkey’s status in Cyprus as a guarantor power could never be abandoned.  

“50 years of talks for a federal solution have failed to yield the desired outcome. “Therefore, the [solution] agreement should be based on sovereign equality, which emanates from the two states instead of political equality,” Tatar added. He stressed, “this is the realistic option ahead because there is the Greek Cypriot state in the south and the Turkish Cypriot state in the north.” 

Touching on the developments in the Eastern Mediterranean, Tatar claimed: “the TRNC has now become important and vital for Turkey’s security.”

He underlined the importance of the ongoing hydrocarbon drilling activities carried out jointly by Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot side.

In the meantime, the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) has expressed cautious optimism regarding the launch of new talks on the Cyprus Problem.  

“Turkish Cypriots cannot tolerate yet another disappointment,” CTP Central Executive Committee member Muhittin Tolga Özsağlam said on Tuesday during an evaluation of the upcoming leaders’ meeting in Berlin.

He added the CTP was ready to contribute to the process in any way possible.

Speaking at an interview with Kıbrıs Postası, Özsağlam said CTP wanted a process that was not open-ended.

“It is vital not to disappoint the pro-solution circles on both sides of the island,” Özsağlam added. 

Asked to comment on the latest developments on the Cyprus issue and the forthcoming presidential elections, Özsağlam noted it was too soon to make any predictions and urged to wait until after the tripartite meeting in Berlin was held on November 25.

Asked to comment on the status of the north’s relations with Turkey, Özsağlam said the CTP’s priority was to serve the interests of the Turkish Cypriot community and added that his party valued good relations with Turkey.

“What’s important is to find the common ground, which CTP has a successful record of during its terms in government,” Özsağlam said.

In response to a question on relations with the south, Özsağlam noted the CTP is in frequent contact with both AKEL and DISY.

He, however, admitted that relations and dialogue with AKEL were more advanced. “Both CTP and AKEL support a solution to the Cyprus problem,” Özsağlam said. He went on to say that the goal should be to continue with the dialogue between the two parties within the framework of a joint state. “The dialogue must continue between two equal political parties and in line with the ideas and opinions put forward by the two,” Özsağlam concluded.

KEY ACTOR
Tatar (UBP)
>>
A solution based on sovereign equality is more realistic than a federal solution because there are currently two-states on the island.
>> GC’s have not abandoned their goal to transform Cyprus into a Greek island & granting TCs minority status.
>> For GCs a federation means a unitary state within the EU. The goal is to gradually cut off TCs’ ties with Turkey.
>> Aim of holding a tripartite meeting in Berlin on the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall is to give the message that Nicosia remains EU’s last divided capital.
>> Turkey’s status in Cyprus as a guarantor power could never be abandoned.>> TRNC has now become important & vital for Turkey’s security in East Med.


Siber: “The country needs an all-embracing president”

Kıbrıs, Kıbrıs Postası, Diyalog
Negotiations Process, Governance & Power Sharing

OVERVIEW

Former speaker of parliament Sibel Siber has been the latest to join the chorus of criticism directed at President Mustafa Akıncı, several dailies reported on Wednesday.

“The country needs a president, who will embrace every member of the community, who will stand at an equal distance to all and a leader that will not polarize the community,” Sibel Siber said speaking on a programme on Bayrak on Tuesday.

Siber argued that the Turkish Cypriot community wanted a solution but that did not necessarily mean a federal one.

“Mr Akıncı says he is expecting a change in the Greek Cypriot side’s mentality but fails to explain why there should be a change after all this time,” Siber added.

She also criticized Akıncı of agreeing to the Guterres framework without seeking parliament’s consent.

“I was shocked! The president should have explained the framework to parliament in detail,” she said.

Siber argued Akıncı should have sought consent and approval of parliament before agreeing to the Guterres framework. 

“According to the constitution, the president is responsible and accountable towards parliament,” Siber stressed.

“We do not have the presidential system,” Siber said, arguing that just because he was elected by the people did not mean he could do whatever he wished.

“I would like to ask those who support his actions. What would their reaction be if he announced a decision to annex the north to Turkey without seeking the consent of parliament or anyone else? Would they still support his actions on the grounds he was elected by popular vote?” Siber asked.

“Democracy that changes according to circumstances is unacceptable,” Siber said, adding that the president’s authority is limited by parliament.  

Responding to a question on Berlin meeting, Siber said the government should use its power to convince Akıncı to call for an extraordinary meeting of parliament.

A binding decision should then be taken by parliament on whether or not Akıncı should attend the tripartite meeting, he said.

KEY ACTOR
Siber (CTP)
>>
Country needs a president, who will embrace everyone, who will remain impartial & who will not polarize the community.
>> TC wants a solution but this does not necessarily mean a federal one.
>> Akıncı says he is expecting a change in the GC mentality but fails to explain why there should be a change.
>> Akıncı made a mistake by agreeing to Guterres framework. He should have consulted & sought the approval of parliament.
>> According to TC constitution, Akıncı is responsible & accountable to parliament.
>> Having being elected by popular vote does not allow him to do whatever he wants.
>> Akıncı should hold an extraordinary meeting of parliament.
>> Parliament should produce a binding decision on whether or not Akıncı should attend Berlin meeting.


TC government purchases Orams villa for £160,000

Kıbrıs
Property, Territory

OVERVIEW

The land and property that was at the heart of a lengthy legal wrangle involving a British couple, its original Greek Cypriot owner and Cherie Blair, the wife of former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, has been “bought” by the Turkish Cypriot government for £160,000, Kıbrıs newspaper reported on Wednesday.

According to Kıbrıs newspaper’s English subsidiary Cyprus Today, the abandoned luxury villa in Lapta (Lapithos), built by David and Linda Orams on land they purchased in 2002, has been transferred to the Finance Ministry’s Public Estates and Supplies Department.

The site, which also has a swimming pool, will be converted for “social” or “charitable” use, possibly as an orphanage or a home for elderly people, the paper said.

Mr and Mrs Orams flew into North Cyprus earlier this year to sign the “necessary paperwork” to “compensate them for their investment”, their lawyer Güneş Menteş confirmed on Thursday.

In 2004 the couple was sued by the original owner of the land, Meletios Apostolides, who demanded that they vacate it.

A South Cyprus court ordered the Orams to demolish the property, an order which was not recognised by Turkish Cypriot authorities. Mr Apostolides then took his case to the UK in bid to use EU-wide regulations to apply the South Cyprus court ruling against the Orams’ property in Britain.


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