Front Page Headlines
‘Who went back on his word?’
Writer and Journalist Metin Münir wrote that Ankara had encouraged the collapse of the four-party coalition and that the National Unity Party (UBP) and Peoples’ Party (HP) government had been set up with the promise that Kudret Özersay would be supported in the presidential race.
“Being unrecognized is not an obstacle for applying to CAS”
The Turkish Cypriot Football Association (CTFA) has launched an initiative to lift the sports embargo imposed on the TRNC. CFTA President Hasan Sertoğlu said they will apply to the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS). “Recognition of the TRNC is not a requirement for CTFA’s application to CAS,” Sertoğlu added.
An important step in food safety
Agriculture and Natural Resources Minister Dursun Oğuz said the law on regulating wholesale markets for fresh produce has been sent to the Attorney General’s office. The law will ensure food safety as well as a balanced retail price on fresh produce.
- Special committee to be established for Greatstone-2 – PM Ersin Tatar has asked for the establishment of a special committee regarding the Greatstone-2 housing estate, which was auctioned off resulting in the eviction of 13 Britons from their properties.
Outrage and Uprising
The outcry of the residents of Lefke (Lefka) keeps growing louder. For years they have been deprived of all economic, social and public investments. Despite being declared a “district”, nothing has been done in the town so far. The residents are outraged with the politicians who have failed to keep their promises.
The number of affected exceeds 3000
It has emerged that it is not only the Brits but a large number of TRNC citizens who have been deceived when purchasing a property. While the debate surrounding the eviction of British property owners who bought homes from Greatstone Ltd continues, it emerged that there are more than 3000 TRNC citizens who have or are currently experiencing the same issue. Speaking to Diyalog, the President of the Realtors’ Association Hasan Sungur said that it was important that property buyers bought real estate insurance.
Anti-Turkey sentiment has become a problem
The final communiqué of the conference organised by MEP Niyazi Kızılyürek and civil society organisations titled “Where are Turkish Cypriots going” has been published.
Main News
Akar: “Turkey cannot be excluded from the East Med”
Kıbrıs Postası, Havadis, Diyalog
Energy, Regional/International Relations, External Security
OVERVIEW
“It is not possible to execute any projects in Cyprus or the Eastern Mediterranean by excluding Turkey,” Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar said on Thursday.
He added Turkey is determined not to allow any fait accompli in the region.
Speaking during a visit to Turkey’s missile producer Roketsan with the top brass of the Turkish armed forces on Thursday, Akar said Turkey was is in favour of peaceful resolutions of the problems in the eastern Mediterranean in a good neighbourly fashion and in line with international law.
Akar recalled that Turkey is one of three guarantor states in Cyprus.
“Cyprus is our national cause. We have done all that was needed to be done and we are determined to continue to protect both the rights of Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots,” Akar said.
He pointed out that Turkey, in addition to its counter-terrorism efforts, was carrying out activities in the Aegean, the Eastern Mediterranean, Cyprus and Libya in accordance with international law and by respecting of the territorial integrity of the countries involved.
Touching on the issue of the islands in the Aegean, Akar claimed that Greece has been violating international law by arming 16 of 23 islands placed under demilitarised status.
Urging Greece to act in accordance with the international law, Akar said Turkey will never allow its rights violated.
“As we have repeatedly said during our contacts with our counterparts, we will never let our rights be violated. This is not a threat but saying that we favour of good neighbourly relations is also not a weakness,” Akar concluded.
KEY ACTORS
Akar (Turkey)
>> Not possible to carry out any projects in Cyprus or the East Med. by excluding Turkey.
>> Turkey is determined not to allow any fait accompli in the region.
>> Turkey is in favour of peaceful resolutions of the problems in the East Med. in a good neighbourly fashion & in line with int’l law.
>> Turkey is one of the three guarantor nations for Cyprus.
>> Cyprus is Turkey’s national cause. Turkey has done all that is needed to be done & is determined to continue to protect both the rights of Turkey & the TCs.
>> Turkey is carrying out its activities in the Aegean, the East Med., Cyprus and Libya in accordance with int’l law & in respect of the territorial integrity of the countries involved.
>> Greece has been violating international law by arming 16 of 23 islands placed under demilitarized status.
>> Turkey will never allow its rights to be violated.
TCs need a different future, states final communiqué
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Havadis, Afrika
Negotiations Process, Governance & Power Sharing, Economy, EU Matters, Regional/International Relations
OVERVIEW
Turkish Cypriots need to establish a different future, the final communiqué of a recent conference organized by Akel MEP Niyazi Kızılyürek states.
The final communiqué of the conference, organized in December 2019 with the contributions of eight civil society organizations, was released on Thursday.
The political, economic and social statuses of the Turkish Cypriot community was discussed and evaluated by 18 academics and experts.
A series of findings and recommendations were also included in the communiqué.
The final communiqué points out that Turkish Cypriots are stuck between Greek Cypriot elites who govern the Cyprus Republic on their own and Turkey which controls the north and perceives it as part of its geographical territory.
The communiqué which claims that Turkish Cypriot identity is under threat calls for an end to the granting of citizenship in the north except through natural means.
“Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots share a common destiny. The loss of one community is not the gain of the other. Everyone loses in the absence of peace,” it read.
The communiqué pointed out that the Turkish Cypriot community became totally dependent on Turkey after 1974 and attempts were being made to draw it closer to Turkey by changing the north’s demographic structure.
Among other things, it recommends that the north’s education system which is currently in sync with the Turkish education system should be changed.
The Turkish Cypriot education system currently in place should be replaced by a modern, secular, democratic and egalitarian system freed of nationalist elements, the statement said.
The communiqué also urged all civil society organizations to work towards integrating migrant children and youth into the Turkish Cypriot education system by offering them alternative options.
Regarding the economic life of Turkish Cypriots, the communiqué recommends the creation of a sustainable economy which is independent and less dependent on Turkey.
The conference findings also highlighted the importance of a federal settlement in Cyprus.
It stated that the federal partnership needs to be functional.
“Turkish Cypriots do not want a state that will lead to deadlock. They attach great importance to an administrative system that functions well. Turkish Cypriot associations or organizations abroad should also be included in Turkish Cypriot efforts for a solution.
It also calls on the European Union (EU) to look after Turkish Cypriots which are its citizens.
“The EU must take steps forward towards bringing the Turkish Cypriot community closer to the EU. Turkish Cypriots should be included in the EU’s motto ‘Unity in Diversity’. The EU must increase financial assistance to the Turkish Cypriot community and should focus more on projects that will bring the two communities closer together. The European Commission (EC) and European Parliament (EP) must establish closer relations with the Turkish Cypriot community,” the communiqué recommended for relations with the EU.
It also drew attention to the findings of the conference concerning the Turkish Cypriot community’s relations with Turkey.
It pointed out that Turkish Cypriots were living in a different historical and political environment than the population in Turkey.
“Turkish Cypriots are a different community politically and have a different identity. Irredentist approaches and policies which ignore Turkish Cypriots’ separate identity should end immediately,” it said.
It also recommended that Turkey should exert efforts to transform Cyprus into an island of peace. “A federal state in Cyprus will not only benefit the two communities but will also serve Turkey’s short and long-term interests. The peace we desire is not based on opposition against Turkey but of building a triangle of peace between Turkey, Greece and Cyprus, the communiqué concluded.
CMP recovers human remains at Bahçeler (Pervolia) beach
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Afrika
Human Rights
OVERVIEW
The Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus (CMP) has taken custody of the human remains found accidentally on a beach at Bahçeler (Pervolia) at the end of December 2019, a press release said on Thursday.
On Wednesday, CMP commenced excavation of a larger part of the beach which, thus far, has led to the recovery of additional remains of the same individual.
Upon completion of this excavation, the CMP will carry out anthropological and genetic analyses to identify the human remains.
The press release said that the CMP would like to extend its warmest sympathy to the families of the missing persons.
It called on all communities on the island to support the Committee’s efforts by providing information on possible burial sites by calling the CMP phone numbers.
“Being unrecognized is not an obstacle for applying to CAS”
Kıbrıs Postası
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), Kıbrıs Postası reports on Friday.
Speaking to Kıbrıs Postası, CFTA president Hasan Sertoğlu said “Recognition of the TRNC is not a requirement for CTFA’s application to CAS,” and added, “Everyone recognizes the federations but we are not allowed to play matches in the north.”
Sertoğlu said that sporting federations were different from states and should be treated as such.
He also said it is an important development for Vålerenga, which competed in Norway’s top football league, came for a mid-season training at the facilities of a hotel in Kyrenia.
GC, whose car was stolen, identified the perpetrators
Kıbrıs
Internal Security
OVERVIEW
Alexandros Georgiou, whose car with registration plate number KYL466, worth €30,000, was stolen by force by three Turkish Cypriots identified the perpetrators, the police officer in charge of the investigation told the Famagusta court on Thursday.
The police officer who informed the court about the details of the incident said two of the suspects confessed to their crimes while the third denied all the accusations.
The court ordered the three to remain in police custody pending trial.