Front Page Headlines
“They should explain to us what’s going on”
Residents of Famagusta and İskele (Trikomo) ask about the new master plan. The residents who complained of not having been informed about the latest version of the plan, are concerned over the disagreement on the issue between the coalition partners.
No roads, No MOT
The public has united in social media under a group named “No roads, no road tax.” Members of the public express their outrage on the page against the recent increase in road tax fees. They claim they will not pay road tax until the roads are repaired.
- EastMed is nothing but a theatre – Prof. Dr Gürkan Kumbaroğlu said.
The panic caused by “Sheep pox disease” continues
The public is gravely concerned about the outbreak of sheep pox disease in Dipkarpaz (Risokarpaso), currently brought under quarantine. Deputy Director of the Veterinary Department announced there is no threat to public health. The sheep tested positive which were culled were not disposed of properly only to be dumped in a ditch that was not buried. The Mayor of Dipkarpaz (Risokarpaso) apologized for matter citing the rainfall as an excuse for not covering the ditch.
Surprising constitutional amendments
The government has completed its proposal on constitutional amendments. The amendments were prepared with the aim of overcoming problems in the judiciary. The amendments dossier was sent to the parliament but the opposition has yet to be informed about the details.
Call for protest action
Public reaction towards the government which introduced hikes to road tax and driving license fees is growing after the money collected is not being spent on improving roads but on public salaries.
- Police carried out an ambush – Two people were arrested by police at the Metehan (Agios Dometios) crossing point attempting to smuggle 190 grams of illegal drugs from the south to the north.
Arab hell spilling over to us
The tense situation in the Middle East has escalated after the US killed the commander of Iran’s elite revolutionary guard General Qasem Soleimani. War drums are beating. Turkey which is preparing to go to war in Libya is fanning tensions in the region. The natural gas pipeline agreement signed between Greece, Cyprus and Israel have only made tensions worse.
- Agia Napa rape. Mother of British tourist pours her heart to the BBC – “Agia Napa is definitely not safe. No one will listen to you if something bad happens to you”.
- EastMed agreement. US support to the agreement – US expresses support to the agreement signed between Greece, Cyprus and Israel.
- They’re trying to reduce tensions – AKEL delegation visits TDP (Social Democratic Party). AKEL General Secretary Andros Kyprianou said they were different views regarding who is responsible for the growing tensions and armament campaign.
Main News
Turkish & TC officials slam EastMed agreement
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog,Afrika
Energy, Regional/International Relations, External Security
OVERVIEW
Turkish and Turkish Cypriot officials on Friday criticized the signing of the EastMed natural gas pipeline agreement which plans to carry Israel’s natural gas to Greece and later to Italy via Cyprus.
All six dailies gave room to the statements issued by Turkish and Turkish Cypriot officials.
Prime Minister Ersin Tatar expressed disbelief that the project could actually be implemented. Speaking to Demirören News Agency, Tatar claimed the project is also unlawful.
“This is outright wrong,” Tatar said, adding that the East Med project was the result of Turkey’s agreement signed with Libya.
Tatar warned that the consequences of discarding Turkey’s and Turkish Cypriot people’s rights would be grave.
“Turkey by far is still the biggest country in the region and is the regional leader, therefore, the rules of the game must be defined accordingly,” Tatar concluded.
“The EastMed pipeline project is the latest hostile and provocative act by the Greek Cypriot administration to exclude the Turkish Cypriot people and Turkey from the energy equation in the region, the Turkish Cypriot foreign ministry said in a written statement on Friday.
It argued that the project is both economically illogical and unfeasible.
The ministry claimed that the Greek Cypriot side constantly strives to exclude or to isolate Turkish Cypriots on the issue of hydrocarbons.
“This is nothing but a reflection of the Greek Cypriot side’s selfish mindset which believes that the Turkish Cypriots do not have a say on matters concerning the future of the island,” the ministry stressed.
The ministry also argued that the Greek Cypriot side believes it can take decisions concerning the future of the island without having to consult anyone.
The foreign ministry also claimed that the signing of the EastMed project aims at creating a “false impression” as the project envisages laying of 2000km of pipelines and will cost €10bn to complete.
“The project which has been criticized by Greek Cypriot political parties for being nothing more than a fantasy is the newest addition to efforts by the Greek Cypriot leadership to create and raise tensions on the island and the region,” the statement added.
It argued that the Greek Cypriot leadership’s stance proves the Turkish Cypriot side view that the GC side is not ready to share power or wealth.
The foreign ministry was also critical of the statement delivered by the Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades in Athens before the signing of the agreement.
“The Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades’ latest remarks prove that the Greek Cypriot side is insincere towards reaching a settlement on the island and that it is using the negotiations process as a cloak and stage to play its own game,” the ministry said.
“The Greek Cypriot leadership needs to understand that the Turkish Cypriot people will never make any concessions from its political equality, sovereignty and rights nor will it bow to those who ignore these,” the statement read.
“The Greek Cypriot side’s stance it pursues to win points by creating false impressions will only serve to raise tensions in Cyprus and in the region,” the ministry stressed.
“We shall continue our efforts for stability and cooperation despite the ongoing provocations,” the statement concluded.
The National Unity Party’s (UBP) Famagusta MP Oğuzhan Hasipoğlu on Friday said that it was not possible to implement the EastMed Pipeline Project both legal and technical reasons.
Hasipoğlu said that Turkey has claimed its rights in the Eastern Mediterranean with the separate agreements it signed with the TRNC and Libya.
He argued that the maritime boundaries agreement signed between Turkey and Libya had sliced through the EastMed project agreed between the Greek Cypriot Administration, Israel and Greece.
Recalling that Turkey and the TRNC had signed a continental shelf delineation agreement in 2011 following the Greek Cypriot side’s unilateral actions, the UBP MP said that the recent Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between Turkey and Libya marking the Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) of the two countries was very important.
He added that the energy pipeline agreement signed by the Greek Cypriot Administration was a direct infringement of Turkey’s and the TRNC’s red lines.
“Any agreement signed or step taken by the Greek Cypriot side which ignores the Turkish Cypriot side will not be valid,” he concluded.
Deputy speaker of the parliament and UBP MP Zorlu Töre joined in the chorus on Friday, claiming that Greek Cypriot side’s goal together with Greece was to keep both Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots out of any energy equation in the region.
He stressed any project in the Eastern Mediterranean can only be realised if Turkey is also included.
Meanwhile, the leader of the United Cyprus Party (BKP) İzzet İzcan urged the sides to take the matter to an international court if they fail to overcome their dispute through diplomacy.
In a written statement issued on Friday, İzcan reiterated that the natural resources on and off Cyprus belonged to the two communities on the island.
“Countries in the region must be in collaboration and in solidarity with each other on the basis of international law and the Cyprus problem must be solved in line with the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions,” İzcan concluded.
The signing of the agreement on the EastMed natural gas pipeline project is the latest instance of futile steps, aiming to exclude Turkey and the TRNC in the region, Turkish Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hami Aksoy said in response to a question during his routine and weekly press conference in Ankara on Thursday.
“Any project disregarding Turkey, which has the longest coastline in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Turkish Cypriots, who have equal rights over the natural resources of the Island of Cyprus, cannot succeed. We bring this fact once more to the attention of the international community,” Aksoy added.
He pointed out that Turkey is the most commercially feasible and secure route for the utilization of the natural resources in the Eastern Mediterranean and their transfer to the consumer markets in Europe, including Turkey.
“Refusing to cooperate both with us and Turkish Cypriots in spite of this fact, is actually a direct manifestation of some countries’ pursuit of futile political motivations instead of cooperation. We remind the proprietors of the project that such sordid plans will continue to fail in the future, as they did in the past,” Aksoy stressed.
KEY ACTORS
Tatar (UBP)
>> EastMed cannot be implemented because it is economically unfeasible & unlawful.
>> Signing of EastMed project is outright wrong following Turkey’s agreement signed with Libya.
>> The consequences of disregarding Turkey’s and TC’s rights will be grave.
>> Turkey by far is still the biggest country in the region and is the regional leader, therefore, the rules of the game must be defined accordingly.
MFA (TC)
>> The EastMed project is the latest hostile and provocative act by the GC side to exclude the TCs & Turkey from the energy equation in the region.
>> The project is economically illogical & unfeasible.
>> The GC side constantly strives to exclude or to isolate the TCs on the issue of hydrocarbons.
>> The GC side has a selfish mindset which believes that the TCs do not have a say on matters concerning the future of the island.
>> The EastMed project aims at creating a “false impression” as the project will cost €10bn to complete.
>> The project is the latest efforts by the GC leadership to create and raise tensions on the island and the region.
>> The GC leadership’s stance proves the TC side right in saying the GC side is not ready to share power or wealth.
>> Anastasiades’ remarks prove that the GC side is insincere towards solving Cyprob.
>> GC side is using the talks as a cloak and stage to play its own game.
>> GC leadership needs to understand that the TCs will never make any concessions from their political equality, sovereignty & rights nor will it bow to those who ignore these.
>> TC side shall continue its efforts for stability and cooperation despite the ongoing provocations.
Hasipoğlu (UBP)
>> EastMed Pipeline Project will not be possible either legally or technically.
>> Turkey has claimed its rights in the East Med with the separate agreements it signed with the TRNC and Libya.
>> The maritime boundaries agreement signed between Turkey & Libya had sliced through the EastMed project.
>> MoU signed between Turkey and Libya marked the EEZ of the two countries.
>> The energy pipeline agreement signed by the GC is a direct infringement of Turkey’s & the TC side’s red lines.
>> Any agreement signed or step taken by the GC side which ignores the TC side will not be valid.
Töre (UBP)
>> GC side’s goal together with Greece is to keep both Turkey & TCs’ out of any energy equation in the region.
>> Any project in the East Med. can only be realised if Turkey is also included in.
İzcan (BKP)
>> The sides should take the matter to int’l courts if they fail to overcome the dispute through diplomacy.
>> The natural resources on and off Cyprus belong to both communities.
>> Countries in the region must be in collaboration & in solidarity with each other on the basis of int’l law & the Cyprob must be solved in line with the UNSC resolutions.
MFA (Turkey)
>> The agreement on the EastMed project is the latest instance of futile steps, aiming to exclude Turkey & TRNC in the region.
>> Any project disregarding Turkey & TCs, who have equal rights over the natural resources of Cyprus, cannot succeed.
>> Turkey is the most commercially feasible & secure route for the utilization of East Med natural resources.
>> Refusal to cooperate with Turkey & TCs is a direct manifestation of some countries’ pursuit of futile political motivations instead of cooperation.
>> The proprietors of the project that such sordid plans will continue to fail in the future, as they did in the past.
Suspects are believed to be drug pushers
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Afrika
Internal Security
OVERVIEW
Police ambushed two foreign nationals at the Metehan (Agios Dometios) crossing point, arresting them for attempting to smuggle 190 grams of illegal drugs from the south.
Suspects Sanad Ali Blgasem Salem and Ahmed Mohammad Hassan Ahmed who testified voluntarily confessed to their crimes.
The suspects were also in possession of ₺9,310 believed to have been obtained through sales of drugs.
The Nicosia District Court in the North ordered the man to be remanded in police custody for three days until police complete its investigation.