Front Page Headlines
It’s supposedly forbidden
Even though it is forbidden for TRNC citizens to enter casinos police caught 1034 people gambling and launched legal action. The Casino Operators Association said that many of those who entered Casinos did with IDs or passports of other countries.
Erhürman is a likely candidate
Following the decision by the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) to nominate a candidate for the upcoming presidential elections, CTP leader Tufan Erhürman, in an interview with Kıbrıs Postası said CTP, for the exception of two occasions, has always nominated its party leader as its presidential candidate. He emphasized the sensitivity displayed in complying with the party bylaws.
- “The Greek Cypriot side is being deceived. It might even lose what it has gained” – Prime Minister Ersin Tatar said.
The Turkish Cypriot side did not gain anything from the trilateral summit
Kıbrıs media group owned polling company COMAR in its latest survey asked: “who benefitted the most from the trilateral meeting in Berlin”. The participants believe the Greek Cypriot side benefitted the most from the outcome of the trilateral meeting in Berlin.
- Unemployment increased by 47 per cent in three months – According to the Central Bank newsletter, the unemployment in the country from 692 in the second quarter of 2019 to 1013 by the end of August 2019.
Upsetting possibility
The autopsy results for Halil Karakız changed the course of events. Police are investigating the possibility of murder rather than an accident detaining Arif Gökçek as part of the investigation.
- Land cannot be produced – President Mustafa Akıncı said it was possible to plan 3,300km2 of the TRNC logically and rationally and warned about the dangers of economic planning to serve the selected few. He said he needed to emphasize the importance of land at a time when people were debating over Famagusta-İskele (Trikomo)-Yeniboğaziçi (Agios Sergios) development masterplan.
Damn him
An autopsy carried out on the body of 25-year-old Halil Karakız who was claimed to have committed suicide by jumping into the sea revealed that he had been murdered. The victim’s friend Arif Gökçek has been arrested as the lead suspect.
- Crossings will ease – Foreign Minister Özersay who visited the Metehan (Agios Dometios) crossing point announced the measures will be taken by the government to ease the process of crossing.
No end to traffic accidents
Well-known lawyer Mahmut Tekinay and his wife were injured in a traffic accident near the Gönyeli round-a-bout. Tekinay who was seriously injured is in intensive care.
Main News
Survey shows GC side gained more from Berlin meeting
Kıbrıs
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
A survey conducted by COMAR, polling company owned by Kıbrıs media group revealed that a majority of Turkish Cypriots believe the outcome of the trilateral meeting in Berlin was negative.
The company asked the question “who benefitted the most from the trilateral meeting in Berlin” in its December 2019 poll, which was carried out with 2,189 randomly selected participants.
The poll shows that 42 per cent of the participants believe the outcome of the trilateral meeting in Berlin is negative whereas 25.2 per cent even said they did not hear about the meeting at all.
21.6 per cent of the respondents said the outcome was positive and 11.2 ticked the option of neither positive nor negative.
In a further geographic breakdown of the poll results, 27.3 per cent of the participants from Morphou said the outcome is positive, whereas 56.5 per cent from Lefke (Lefka) found the outcome to be negative.
When the results are analysed according to the birthplace, 24.4 per cent of the participants born in Cyprus found the outcome to be positive compared to 14.4 per cent born in Turkey.
When asked as to whether they believed positive developments have taken place towards a federal solution following the trilateral meeting in Berlin, 71.3 per cent of the participants said “no” compared to 22.5 per cent who expect positive developments. 6.2 per cent said they had no idea.
31.7 per cent of the participants said they believe the outcome of the trilateral meeting in Berlin benefitted the Greek Cypriot side the most. 29.9 per cent expressed the belief that the outcome did not benefit anyone while 17.5 per cent said the outcome of the meeting benefitted both sides.
Only 7.4 per cent of the participants said the outcome of the Berlin meeting benefitted the Turkish Cypriot side.
55.4 per cent of the participants said they believe the outcome of the trilateral meeting has resulted in a rift between the Turkish officials and Mustafa Akıncı compared to 35.5 per cent who did not agree with this view.
When asked to point out who is responsible for the absence of a solution on the island, 52.9 per cent of the participants said the Greek Cypriot side was responsible.
10.1 per cent pointed to Turkey whereas 5.7 per cent said the Turkish Cypriot side was responsible for the failure to solve the Cyprus Issue.
The poll also reveals that 29.6 per cent of the participants supported a “confederation model based on two independent states” as the solution model to the Cyprus problem.
29.7 per cent said a “bicommunal, bizonal federal solution (BBF).”
18.7 per cent of the participants said the “recognition of the TRNC” was the solution model and 11.4 per cent said they want annexation with Turkey.
In response to a question as to whether they believed the trilateral meeting in Berlin was being used for the presidential elections in the north, 46.8 per cent said they did not believe so compared to 42.5 per cent who said this was the case
The poll instead of asking directly to the participants to pick a possible candidate for the upcoming presidential elections of their choice presented a breakdown of the viewpoints of the participants on the possible solution models vis-à-vis their preferred presidential candidate.
In this regard, 52.4 per cent of the participants, who ticked the “BBF solution option” as their preferred solution model, also said they will vote for Mustafa Akıncı. 22 per cent of those who will vote for Akıncı said their preferred solution model is the confederation model.
43.6 per cent from those who want the BBF model compared to 30.3 per cent who want to see the confederal option said they will vote for Tufan Erhürman.
38.1 per cent of the participants who ticked the “confederal solution” option, said they will vote for Kudret Özersay.
21.8 per cent of Özersay supporters said they want to see a BBF solution model.
37.9 per cent of Ersin Tatar supporters said they want the confederal solution compared to 13.8 per cent asking for the BBF model among his supporters.
26.3 per cent of those who said they will vote for Serdar Denktaş said their preferred solution model is the BBF. 17.5 per cent ticked confederal solution and 13.8 per cent annexation with Turkey.
New measures at Metehan (Agios Dometios) to ease crossings
Diyalog
CBMs, Economy
OVERVIEW
Turkish Cypriot Foreign Minister Kudret Özersay announced on Sunday changes which will be introduced at the Metehan (Agios Dometios) crossing point to ease the process of crossing across the divide.
Özersay inspected the crossing point on Sunday and talked with staff working at the checkpoint.
Speaking to Diyalog, he said that the changes will include improving the working and pay conditions of staff at the crossing point in a bid to boost motivation.
He pointed out that most of the traffic at the crossing point was from the south following the fall in the value of the Turkish Lira against the Euro with many Greek Cypriots crossing over to the north to shop and buy cheaper fuel.
Özersay also said that additional lanes will be opened and the booth where car insurance is issued for those crossing from the south will be moved elsewhere enable the queue to move forward faster.
An additional road will also be built to offer drivers with an alternative to escape congestion. Özersay says that they planned to introduce the new measures by Christmas.