Front Page Headlines
319 police officers for a population of 100,000
Chief of Police for Kyrenia district Sıtkı Erkıvanç spoke to Yenidüzen. He said that 319 police officers were working round the clock to ensure the security and safety of more than 100,000 people. “According to the last census, Kyrenia’s population was 75,000. In addition to this, 20,000 university students are living in the city. There are also 14,116 foreign workers from 115 different countries,” said Erkıvanç.
- Treating migrants like common criminals – 33 Syrian migrants are being detained in a prison cell like criminals. Civil society organisations are providing the migrants with food supplies since the state doesn’t cover these needs.
The promise of ‘transparency’ not kept
An investigation into the death of Atlas Rüstemoğlu has yet to be completed even though two months have passed since his passing away. The minister had promised to be transparent in the process. The undersecretary at the health ministry refused to comment on the investigation stating he had retired ten days ago.
- “We escaped the war but came face to face with death during the five days at sea” – Heartbreaking stories told by the refugees, who became victims of human traffickers. They appeared before the Famagusta court on Friday and said when the boat’s engine broke down; the captain abandoned them in mid-sea.
Nightmare storm at sea
The strong storm in the sea dragged a boat carrying 12 refugees to the shores of Famagusta. On the other hand, two fishing boats capsized and sank and a petrol tanker ran aground.
A matter of life and death on the junction of Cyprus
The irregular migrants fleeing from the war in Syria who embark on a perilous journey with the hope of reaching Europe end up either in the sea or in Cyprus. In 2019, the Greek Cypriot authorities rescued 455 irregular migrants. The Greek Cypriot coast guard intervened in 13 irregular migrant incidents. The 33 Syrian refugees who were found off the coast of Yeşilırmak (Limnitis) will be sent back to Mersin, Turkey. The most recently rescued 12 migrants, one Lebanese and 11 Syrians, who were found 28 miles off the coast of Famagusta, appeared before the court on Friday.
- Nicosia-1 is the new target destination for Yavuz
What is going to happen if he crosses over to the South
The €1m compensation demanded by a Greek Cypriot company for the home of Democratic Party (DP) Fikri Ataoğlu in Tuzla (Enkomi) has stirred the pot. Speaking to Diyalog, Ataoğlu said, “I don’t own such a house.” The matter was brought before the attention of Deputy Prime Minister-Foreign Minister Kudret Özersay. He said it will be discussed at a meeting at the foreign ministry. Asked whether he will be arrested if he crosses over to the south, Ataoğlu replied, “I don’t know but it doesn’t matter anyway because I don’t cross over to the south.”
- Big operation – Three arrested for stealing the car of a Greek Cypriot by spraying him with pepper spray will be kept in police custody for six more days.
Say no to the Turkish Directorate of Religious Affairs in Cyprus
The Turkish Religious Affairs Directorate is preparing to air its broadcasts in the TRNC. It has emerged that the radio station which has been on the airways since 2013 in Turkey has finalised preparations to broadcast in Cyprus. The directorate known for preaching religious nonsense in Turkey should not be allowed to spread its perverted ideas to our society.
Main News
Ankara slams East Med Gas Forum, Yavuz heads for a new location
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog
Energy, Regional/International Relations
OVERVIEW
Initiatives against Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots will never contribute to peace and cooperation in the region, the Turkish foreign ministry said, reacting to the agreement signed by Cyprus and six other countries on Thursday to formally establish the East Med Gas Forum (Emgf) as an international organisation.
In a written statement, the Turkish foreign ministry’s spokesman Hami Aksoy said this forum was in fact “an unrealistic initiative launched by some countries with political motives, under illusions of excluding Turkey from energy equation in the Eastern Mediterranean.”
The ceremony took place in Cairo and was attended by the energy ministers of Cyprus, Egypt, Greece, Israel, Italy, Jordan and Palestine. The forum’s stated aim is to develop the region’s gas market.
“Had the purpose of the forum indeed been cooperation, surely Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots would have been invited,” the Turkish official said.
He added that such initiatives launched against Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots will never contribute to peace and cooperation in the region or succeed.
“Consequently, this initiative constitutes further proof that countries which have left our calls for dialogue and cooperation unanswered are still pursuing vain hopes. It also demonstrates the rightfulness of our policies in the region.”
He reiterated that Turkey would continue to protect her legitimate rights and of the Turkish Cypriots in the eastern Mediterranean.
Meanwhile, Turkey’s second drillship, the Yavuz, departed from Mersin on Friday to its new drilling location, dubbed Lefkoşa-1 (Nicosia-1), Turkey’s Energy and Natural Resources Minister Fatih Dönmez told the Anadolu News Agency.
He did not, however, say where Lefkoşa-1 (Nicosia-1) was located.
Yavuz had been anchored off the coast of Mersin for the past two weeks for supplies and refuelling after completing drilling at a location to the west of Cyprus dubbed Güzelyurt-2 (Morphou-2).
He also said that Ankara was evaluating the possibility of purchasing a third drillship, which would most be likely used for natural gas exploration in the Black sea.
Dönmez also said that the Fatih had completed its drilling to the east of the island and was on its way to Mersin for refuelling and supplies.
“Fatih will be sent to a new location in a few weeks,” said the Turkish energy minister but did not disclose which location the drilling would take place.
He added that they will be sharing with the public the results of Turkey’s drilling activities soon.
KEY ACTOR
MFA (Turkey)
>> East Med Gas Forum is an unrealistic initiative launched with political motives, aimed at excluding Turkey from energy equation in the East Med.
>> Turkey & TCs would have been invited if the purpose of the forum was cooperation.
>> Such initiatives launched against Turkey & TCs will never contribute to peace & cooperation in the region or succeed.
>> Initiative is proof that countries which ignored Turkey’s calls for dialogue & cooperation unanswered are still pursuing vain hopes
>> It also demonstrates the rightfulness of Turkey’s policies in the region.
>> Turkey will continue to protect her legitimate rights and of TCs in the East Med.
Migrants arriving in the north treated as criminals
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis
Migration & Citizenship
OVERVIEW
Yenidüzen in an exclusive report on Saturday said that migrants who arrived in the north were treated not as refugees but common criminals.
It said that the 33 Syrian migrants intercepted off the coast of Yeşilırmak (Limnitis) on January 14 were currently kept in prison after being found guilty by a court of entering the north without permission.
The migrants had pleaded without success not to be sent back to Syria.
Only 20 of the 33 migrants had travel documents.
All will be deported back to Mersin, Turkey, on Sunday.
The daily also points out the migrants would have been treated as refugees had they arrived in the south instead of the north.
“They would be taken to a refugee camp or given suitable accommodation,” the daily said.
It said migrants were treated as such in the north because of the absence of a law on refugees.
The paper adds that the migrants currently held at the police station in Morphou are being cared for not by the authorities but by civil society organisations, trade unions, the Nicosia Turkish Municipality and a restaurant.
The organisations are providing the migrants with the basics such as food, water and clothing.
The Turkish Cypriot Teachers’ Union (KTÖS) said the situation was a gross violation of human rights and international human rights laws.
Meanwhile, a Turkish naval vessel assisted in the rescue 12 migrants stranded on a boat to the southeast of Cyprus, according to a tweet posted by the Turkish Defence Ministry, some dailies reported on Saturday.
The frigate TCG Bozcaada which was taking part in a naval exercise in the area came across the boat carrying the migrants drifting in international waters to the southeast of the island after being hit by a storm.
The Bozcada assisted the Turkish Cypriot Coast Guard which carried out the rescue operation.
The 12 migrants, (11 Syrian and one Lebanese) appeared before the Famagusta court on Friday.
The migrants had drifted in the sea for five days after the boat’s captain abandoned ship when the engine failed.
The police officer in charge of the investigation told the court the migrants will be charged but that they do not fall under any residency status in the north.
The court ordered the 12 migrants to be remanded under police custody for three more days.
DP leader gives a different account on the lawsuit
Diyalog
Property, Human Rights
OVERVIEW
The leader of the Democratic Party (DP) Fikri Ataoğlu denied having been served a summon to appear before the Famagusta court in the south after a compensation lawsuit was filed against him by a Greek Cypriot family for the illegal use of their property.
Ataoğu who spoke to Diyalog claimed that he had been informed of the matter from a family friend.
The DP leader had previously told Turkish Cypriot daily Yenidüzen that he had received an email summoning him to court and that he had immediately informed Turkish Cypriot authorities of the matter.
The Cyprus-Mail reported that the court had permitted the service of the lawsuit to be delivered by an email written in Turkish
Furthermore, Ataoğlu said that he did not own any property in Tuzla (Enkomi) and was currently living in an apartment flat owned by his father-in-law.
“I don’t own such a house. All I own is a petrol station in Famagusta and the plots around it. I informed the president, the prime minister, foreign minister and the Turkish embassy immediately after I learned of the matter. All these authorities got back to me, telling me they will deal with the matter,” he said.
Ataoğlu added that the issue will be taken up with legal experts at a meeting at the foreign ministry on Wednesday.
He said both the president and the Turkish embassy promised to look into the matter.
Ataoğlu claimed that he was targetted deliberately due to his political post in an attempt to set a precedent for similar cases in the future.
Asked what would happen should he attempt to cross over to the south, Ataoğlu said he was not worried as he was not someone who crossed over.
He, however, expressed concern that the issue may create problems when travelling to other EU countries.