Front Page Headlines
“He hit him on the head with a ruler”
It has emerged that children were subjected to violence at the Alsancak Guesthouse where illegal religious courses were given. The Mayor of Alsancak (Karavas) Fırat Ataser: “The child had bought a New Year’s present for his friend. The ‘teacher’ at the Alsancak (Karavas) Guesthouse who was angered by this broke a ruler on the boy’s head claiming such presents were inappropriate with Islamic rules. The incident emerged after the boy’s teacher at school noticed the bump on his head.”
- Erhürman: The public has not a minute to lose
No news of the ₺170m!
According to information obtained by Kıbrıs Postası, the ₺170m in funds for the north to be used for the country’s infrastructure and private sector has yet to be released by Ankara despite the fact that it has been two weeks since Prime Minister Ersin Tatar and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met at the Dolmabahçe Palace in Istanbul.
- Erhürman: The public has not a minute to lose
- Tatar: Disagreements and quarrels within the party must be put aside
- “The country does not have the luxury to waste another five years” – People’s Party (HP) MP Mesut Genç expressed support for presidential candidate Kudret Özersay.
The drug problem in the north
Police narcotics units seized 139 kilograms of drugs and arrested 2016 people from 2015 to mid-2019. According to the statistics announced by the police, 12 different types of drugs were seized during the operations.
“Even the air-conditioning at home breaks down”
Health Minister Ali Pilli confirmed on Wednesday, Havadis’s report that the heating the Nicosia’s Dr Burhan Nalbantoğlu state hospital had broken down. However, Pilli had a rather strange response in his defence of the situation: “Even the ACs at home break down”.
A night of horror
Özge and Nilgün Günbatı, as well as Mete Kuşappi, were injured in two separate traffic accidents last night that took place with an hour apart at the Kyrenia underpass and the old Nicosia-Kyrenia road.
May our hearts turn to stone if we forget
Former senior judge Tacan Reynar wrote on the second anniversary of the attack on our newspaper. Reynar said that the attack on Afrika newspaper upon instructions from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was one of the biggest acts of violence the Turkish Cypriot community has experienced to date. Our most basic human rights were under attack. The police force which is under the authority of the Turkish Cypriot Security Forces (GKK) watched the attackers and in fact aided them by hiding their identities.
Main News
Presidency’s five-year term must be spent productively
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Afrika
Governance & Power Sharing
OVERVIEW
“The Office of the Presidency is vital for the Cyprus problem and foreign policy,” Republican Turkish Party (CTP) leader and presidential candidate Tufan Erhürman said on Wednesday.
Speaking during a visit to Bostancı (Kato Zodeia) Erhürman said: “There is a need for an intense preparation period to convene the five-party conference for the solution of the Cyprus problem immediately after the elections.”
“A proactive foreign policy is needed,” Erhürman stressed.
Erhürman pointed out that until a solution is found on the island, the Turkish Cypriot side must relentlessly voice its position on direct trade, direct flights and finding ways for Turkish Cypriot athletes to compete at international competitions.
“The issue at this point is not to discuss who will win the elections in the coming three months but what the winner will do during the five years in office,” Erhürman said, adding that the key was to be able to work both for the solution of the Cyprus problem and voice the Turkish Cypriot side’s will towards a solution as well as its positions with the international community at times when there were no prospects for a comprehensive settlement on the island,” Erhürman said.
Erhürman added that the office of the presidency is also crucial in overcoming the inconsistency created by the frequent change of government in the north.
“The presidency is capable of implementing and managing a nationwide campaign for the Turkish Cypriot community to become economically self-sufficient during its five-year term,” Erhürman concluded.
“The importance of the TRNC in the region was growing in light of developments in the Eastern Mediterranean,” National Unity Party (UBP) candidate and Turkish Cypriot Prime Minister Ersin Tatar said on Tuesday.
He argued that the north has become the key to reshaping the dynamics in the region.
Addressing his party supporters in Morphou, Tatar said the UBP was the TRNC’s assurance and that this party protects the sovereignty and freedom of Turkish Cypriots.
Touching upon the Cyprus Issue, Tatar pointed to endless and inconclusive talks to reach a federal solution.
“The time has come to bring other alternatives to the negotiating table including a two-state solution,” Tatar argued.
He emphasized the importance of the continuation of Turkey’s active and effective guarantees as well as sovereign equality for Turkish Cypriots. “With Turkey’s guarantees, the Turkish Cypriot people, living side-by-side with the Greek Cypriots, could very well decide on their own future as sovereign equals on the island,” Tatar concluded.
People’s Party (HP) MP Mesut Genç on Wednesday claimed President Mustafa Akıncı had failed to keep his election promises during his five years in office.
He argued that had Akıncı had failed to maintain relations with Ankara at a decent level as he had promised and that the duty now to repair the damage fell to independent candidate Kudret Özersay.
Genç continued to praise Özersay’s proactive foreign policy moves, and argued that “the Turkish Cypriots have lost a valuable five years during Akıncı’s term.”
He claimed that Turkish Cypriots do not have the luxury to waste any more time.
“It is for this reason the HP will be supporting its former leader Kudret Özersay during the presidential elections,” Genç concluded.
KEY ACTORS
Erhürman (CTP)
>> Office of the President is vital for the Cyprob & foreign policy.
>> An intense preparation period is necessary for convening five-party conference immediately after the election.
>> TC side must relentlessly voice its position on direct trade, direct flights & sports embargoes until a solution is found.
>> The issue is not to discuss who will win the election but what the person who wins will do during the five-year term.
>> President-elect must work for a solution & voice TC side’s will & positions at the same time.
Tatar (UBP)
>> The importance of the TRNC in the region is growing in light of developments in the East Med.
>> The north has become key in reshaping the dynamics in the region.
>> UBP is the assurance of the TRNC & TC’s sovereignty & freedom.
>> The time has come to bring other alternatives to the negotiating table including a two-state solution.
>> Continuation of Turkey’s active & effective guarantees as well as sovereign equality for Turkish Cypriots is vital.
>> The TCs living side-by-side the GCs could very well decide on their own future as sovereign equals on the island.
CTFA to launch initiatives to end football embargo
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Afrika
Human Rights
OVERVIEW
The Turkish Cypriot Football Association (CTFA) has decided to take the sports embargo imposed on north Cyprus to the International Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS), all six dailies reported on Thursday.
Speaking to Demirören News Agency (DHA), Hasan Sertoğlu, President of CTFA said: “It is unacceptable to see the continuation of sports embargoes at this day and age.”
He added CTFA will hire a lawyer to defend the case at CAS.
Sertoğlu added that “We want FIFA and UEFA member teams to come to North Cyprus to hold training camps and play friendly matches with Turkish Cypriot clubs.”
Foreign Minister Kudret Özersay, also speaking to DHA said the foreign ministry will support the initiatives taken by the CTFA.
“If the Greek Cypriot side does not want to act together with the Turkish Cypriot youth, the international organizations must remove the condition of seeking the Greek Cypriot side’s consent and open the way forward for the Turkish Cypriots,” Özersay added.
He said there demand was a basic human right.
Also speaking to Havadis, Sertoğlu said the initiatives to overcome the sports embargoes imposed on the Turkish Cypriots will be carried out through Turkey and not through the Cyprus Football Association (CFA) in the south.
“However, we will also not allow the issue to be exploited by the upcoming presidential election, therefore we will not comment further on the CTFA’s initiatives.”
He noted that the CFTA member football clubs will decide on the way forward.
Asked to comment on Çetinkaya FC’s letter to FIFA, Sertoğlu said they appreciate and support Çetinkaya’s move but CFTA is the governing body, therefore, its approach would be different.
“When the day comes, we will also sit down and discuss the matter the Çetinkaya FC,” Sertoğlu concluded.
Vålerenga, which competed in Norway’s top football league, came for a mid-season training at the facilities of a hotel in the Turkish Cypriot resort town of Kyrenia, the dailies also reported.