Front Page Headlines
“Both fines and controls should increase”
We talked to lawyers and legal experts about road fatalities. While lawyers point out that the longest prison sentence for fatal road accidents is seven years, they underline the need for more laws which will deter drivers. They also highlight the need for more inspections on roads and higher road safety standards.
- Anastasiades proposes new crossing points – Contents of documents submitted to the UN disclosed.
“Problems with the protocol solved, the protocol is not a figment of imagination”
Finance Minister Olgun Amcaoğlu said that the problems concerning the protocol signed with Turkey have been solved and that the last technical file is being sent to Ankara on Monday.
- Hulusi Akar’s November 10 message highlights Cyprus and the Blue Homeland.
- Kumbaroğlu: “The gas will only be commercially viable if there is cooperation with Turkey”
We are inviting disaster
While we are unsuccessful in using collected rainfall for agricultural production we are at the same time turning a blind eye to the threat it poses. Water collected in reservoirs which aren’t being used for any purpose carries the risk of causing floods once the winter rains arrive.
Turkish Lira lost value, balancing prices
The loss of the value of the Turkish Lira against foreign currency has reflected on prices between North and South. Havadis compared the price of vegetables, fruit and meat between North and South Cyprus.
15,000 workers
There has been a five times increase in the past eight years in the number of workers from countries such as Pakistan, Bangladesh, Turkmenistan and India arriving in the country to work.
- We can’t even manage a crossing point – The TRNC which spends millions to attract tourists to the country is subjecting those trying to cross to torture.
Another disgraceful incident
Look at the books which are being distributed to children at schools despite the fact they’re not part of the curriculum. The Society to Perpetuate Rauf Denktaş and his Thoughts headed by Latif Akça has started distributing books at schools with the permission of the Education Ministry which incites racism, discrimination and hatred. The distribution of the books has sparked a reaction.
- Five to ten thousand troops should withdraw – Contents of confidence-building measures proposal presented by Anastasiades to the UN disclosed. Anastasiades among other things proposed for troop reductions, withdrawal of troops along the cease-fire line and clearing of mines.
Main News
Cooperation with Turkey essential for the commercial viability of East Med gas
Kıbrıs Postası, Diyalog
Energy, Regional/International Relations, External Security
OVERVIEW
Natural gas discovered off the coast of Cyprus can only be commercially viable if there is cooperation with Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots, the head of the International Association for Energy Economics (IAEE) Dr Gürkan Kumbaroğlu told Kıbrıs Postası in an interview published on Monday.
“Even if they start production by 2025 who are they going to sell the gas to?” he asked.
Kumbaroğlu pointed out that ENI and TOTAL had pushed back their scheduled drilling activities in block seven to the end of 2020 and would be concentrating on blocks six and eight.
He expressed the view that Turkey’s initiatives and show of military force had played a determining factor in the energy firms decisions.
“However, block six and eight are also located within disputed areas which is why the issue is yet to continue,” he added.
Kumbaroğlu also pointed out that speakers from four different countries had confirmed their attendance to an Eastern Mediterranean Energy Conference which will take place in Morphou.
“The participants faced enormous pressure from the Greek Cypriot administration not to attend. Four of eight participants bowed down to the pressures. You wouldn’t believe the methods they resorted to,” he said.
The IAEE president said that one of the speakers attending was from the US Department for Energy while a second speaker was the CEO of an Israeli energy firm.
“Let me remind you that the energy firms which will extract the gas at the Aphrodite well are American and Israeli. This should be read correctly and we need to make use of this opportunity,” he added.
Earlier on Sunday, Turkey’s Defense Minister Hulusi Akar reiterated Turkey’s determination as a guarantor country in Cyprus to protect the rights and interests of Turkish Cypriots.
In his message issued to mark the anniversary of the death of Turkey’s founder Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, Akar reiterated Turkey’s resolve to protect its rights and those of Turkish Cypriots in the Aegean, the Eastern Mediterranean and Cyprus.
In a separate development, Turkey launched a large-scale naval exercises named “Eastern Mediterranean -2019 Davet “in the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea, Turkish media reported on Monday.
Some 47 warships and 4,700 servicemen from 15 countries are taking part in the exercises.
In particular, servicemen from Spain, Italy and Canada are also involved in the exercises.
KEY ACTORS
Kumbaroğlu (IAEE)
>> Cyprus’ gas can only be commercially viable through cooperation with Turkey & TCs.
>> ENI & TOTAL pushed back drilling in block seven to end of 2020. Turkey’s initiative & military show of force was a determining factor.
Akar (Turkey)
>> Turkey will continue to defend its rights and those of TCs in Aegean, Eastern Mediterranean & Cyprus as a guarantor state.
Ordeal of long queues at crossing points continue
Diyalog
CBMs
OVERVIEW
Diyalog newspaper on Monday continued to focus on the ordeal experienced by people at crossing points, criticizing the Turkish Cypriot authorities of not addressing the issue.
Crossing from one side to other, whether by car or on foot, has become an ordeal recently due to congestion at the checkpoints mainly due to staff shortages.
The paper reports that Nicosia’s only vehicle crossing point, the Metehan (Agios Dometios) crossing is the worst.
The daily reports that Greek Cypriots spend good money in the North purchasing petrol, groceries and cigarettes due to the strong value they get for their Euros.
It however warns that authorities are failing to take action that will ease the process of crossing thus allowing the Turkish Cypriot economy to benefit more from the current situation.
The public complains that the process of ID checks at the Turkish Cypriot end of the crossing point takes too long while the same process at the Greek Cypriot end is done much quicker.
“If we can’t manage a simple crossing point how are we going to develop tourism,” members of the public complained.
In the meantime, an African woman was caught by Turkish Cypriot soldiers on Sunday as she attempted to climb down the Roccas Bastion in Nicosia with the intention of crossing illegally to the South through the Taksim football pitch.
She has been charged with violating a first-degree military zone.
Police said that the woman had arrived in the north in 2019 on a visa to attend a conference.
Police added it was currently investigating whether she had any accomplices.
Controversial book distributed at schools sparks reaction
Afrika
Human Rights
OVERVIEW
Afrika newspaper reported on Monday that a Turkish Cypriot society founded to perpetuate the late Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktaş and his ideas was distributing a cartoon book at public schools, through permission obtained by the Turkish Cypriot Ministry of Education, that contained racist, discriminatory and inappropriate content.
The daily said that families were shocked when they saw the book and its contents, spewing their anger and disapproval on social media.
The book is not part of the education ministry’s official curriculum, the daily reports.
It also said that some of the teachers refused to distribute the book in their classrooms.
A female character in the book who is a teacher during the island’s British colonial era boasts how she secretly worked to improve the Turkish language and knowledge of the Kuran of the Turkish Cypriot children and their families.
The character also implies that the Turkish Cypriots she met were not Turkish enough, had lost their national and religious identity after being assimilated by their Greek Cypriot neighbours.