Front Page Headlines
They shouldn’t be buried but used to bring life
Organ donations save lives. Mehmet Ergören and Cevdet Özgüler who both underwent kidney transplants at the Dr Burhan Nalbantoğlu state hospital in Nicosia are now free of dialysis treatment and are counting down for heathier days. Dr Necmi Bayraktar, a urologist and kidney transplant expert, spoke to Yenidüzen about the need for health policy. Dr Bayraktar who has carried out 45 kidney transplants at the hospital complained that five health ministers have come and gone in the past five years.
- Erhürman is embracing all segments of society
- Presidential elections on April 26
- The total worth of smuggled meat ₺229,500 (approx.€42,000) – An operation was carried out in Yeşilırmak (Limnitis). 3.8 tones of smuggled meat, one arrested.
Those who abandon their pets onto the streets should be punished
Republican Turkish Party (CTP) MP Doğuş Derya said that many pets purchased from pet shops were being treated as ‘objects’ before being abandoned. She said that such acts should be deterred through heavy penalties. Derya also noted that while there are no problems in enacting new laws in the north there are problems implementing them.
- Presidential elections to be held on April 26 – Supreme Election Council (YSK) puts an end to the debate on the 2020 presidential elections, setting April 26 as the date. The “election bans” will commence on March 1. The deadline for candidacy applications to be March 31.
Prosecutor’s office launches investigation into allegations involving high ranking security officers
The Prosecutors’ office in the north has launched a broad investigation on high ranking soldiers and police officers as well as civilians following accusations posted through on fake social media account under the alias Ahmet Gaf. The accuser has also presented documents backing the allegations. The prosecutors’ office also informed the president’s office, parliament, the prime ministry, the deputy prime ministry and the Turkish Cypriot Security Forces regarding the investigation.
- 60 per cent of meat is smuggled – Halil Akbıçak, head of Butchers’ Association said the percentage of smuggled meat has exceeded 60 per cent. Furthermore, Turkish Cypriots’ spend ₺240m annually to purchase meat in the south. On the other hand, police seized 3825kg of meat in Lefke (Lefka) worth ₺229.500 (approx. €42,000).
- The presidential elections will be held on April 26 – The Supreme Election Council (YSK) has decided on the date of the 2020 presidential elections.
Malaria nightmare at Noah’s Arc Hotel
Erkan Yıldırım, who checked in to the Noah’s Arc Hotel for his honeymoon has had his life turned upside down. Yıldırım claims he was bitten by a mosquito infected with the lethal Leishmania type malaria, which is only seen in the Adana area in Turkey.
- Thousands of kilos of meat destroyed – Nearly four tons of meat seized in a police raid in Lefke (Lefka) area has been destroyed. The smuggler will remain in police custody for three days until an investigation is concluded.
A strange situation
The clothes, mobile phone, pocket money and other personal belongings of Durmuş Akınal who lost his life in hospital a month ago is still missing. Members of his family who spoke to Diyalog that Akınal had around ₺7000 (€1080) in his pocket when being admitted to hospital. A family member, Yusuf Koçarslan said, “he was admitted to hospital clothed but was later taken naked to the morgue. Therefore, we do not know who took his clothes, his money, his mobile phone and his car keys. The authorities need to investigate the matter.”
- We are deeply saddened – Many were killed and injured in the earthquake which struck Elazığ.
Elections to be held on April 26
The Supreme Election Council (YSK) announced that the presidential election will be held on April 26. The election timetable was announced yesterday (Friday). According to the timetable, the election bans come into force on March 1. Candidates will apply on March 20, the declaration of candidates on March 30. The campaigning period will begin on March 31 and will end on April 25.
Main News
Presidential election to take place April 26
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Afrika
Governance & Power Sharing
OVERVIEW
The Presidential elections in the north will take place on April 26, the Supreme Election Council (YSK) announced on Friday.
According to the election calendar, bans will come into force on March 1. The deadline for the candidates to submit their applications is set for March 20, whereas the final declaration of candidates by the YSK (following its controls on eligibility criteria) will be on March 30.
On the same day, there will be a draw among the candidates to identify the order of names on the ballots as well as on billboards.
The campaigning period will begin on March 31 and will end on April 25, 24 hours before the election.
The YSK will announce the list of voters on March 22 and will allow objections (if any) for seven days.
The list of constituents will be finalized by April 6. April 11 is also set as the deadline to publish any polls regarding the elections.
The presidential election requires the winner to obtain more than 50 per cent of the votes in accordance with Article 99 of the TRNC Constitution.
However, if none of the candidates achieves the 50 per cent threshold, a second round of the elections will be held between the two candidates who received the highest amount of votes.
There are four candidates, who have announced their candidacies so far. These are Republican Turkish Party (CTP) leader Tufan Erhürman; former leader of People’s Party (HP), Kudret Özersay; National Unity Party (UBP) leader Ersin Tatar and Rebirth Party (YDP) leader Erhan Arıklı.
Meanwhile, the Democratic Party (DP) broke its silence over the upcoming April election.
The uncertainty over former DP leader Serdar Denktaş’s candidacy continues.
Denktaş had stepped down as leader of the party in 2019 strengthening rumours that he would be running for president as an independent candidate.
Speaking to Bayrak on Friday, DP leader Fikri Ataoğlu said that his party was still waiting to see whether or not Denktaş will run in the election.
“the DP’s central executive committee will be discussing the issue in detail should he (Denktaş) decide not to run,” he said.
Ataoğlu said that he had recently met with a delegation from the National Unity Party (UBP) and was to meet with the leader of the Rebirth Party (YDP) Erhan Arıklı in the coming days.
He said both parties were seeking support for their own candidates.
Both the UBP leader Ersin Tatar and YDP leader Erhan Arıklı have announced their candidacies.
Ataoğlu stated that the DP was a party with principles and red lines.
“We shall not be following anyone with our eyes shut,” he said, adding that they will be taking into account the DP’s positions and principles when evaluating any proposals.
The DP leader said it was too early to comment on what the party’s position will be regarding the first round of the elections because Denktaş had still not decided whether or not he will be a candidate.
He said that nominating its own candidate was among the DP’s options but that such a decision would require detailed discussion within the party’s authorized bodies.
“Nevertheless, the DP will unite in solidarity behind its candidate. All the other parties, particularly those on the right have internal quarrels. We, however, have no such problem within the DP,” he added.
Asked to comment on the recent opinion polls, Ataoğlu said he did not find the polls convincing or sincere.
He questioned the credibility of the polls conducted so far and claimed that they do not reflect an accurate picture of the current political landscape.
“Everyone will witness the true strength of the DP in the coming elections. The DP is an indispensable party of this country,” he concluded.
TC/Turkish national detained at refugee camp for 45 days
Kıbrıs
Internal Security
OVERVIEW
Ümit Ertuğrul, who is both a Turkish and TRNC citizen, is being detained in a refugee camp in the south for the past 45 days, Kıbrıs reported on Saturday.
Ertuğrul’s lawyer, Sırdaş Kaptanoğlu said he will be applying to the Greek Cypriot Interior Ministry and the police to extradite him to the north.
Kaptanoğlu added that Ertuğrul had first crossed over to the south through illegal means but was later imprisoned for six months after getting involved in a fight.
After serving his sentence, Ertuğrul was sent to a refugee camp because he did not have any identification on him.
“Ümit Ertuğrul is suffering under very difficult conditions. Moreover, this situation is against the European Human Rights as well,” Kaptanoğlu concluded.
60 per cent of meat in the north is smuggled
Kıbrıs
Economy, Internal Security
OVERVIEW
“More than 60 per cent of the meat consumed in the north is smuggled into the country,” head of Butchers’ Association, Halil Akbıçak said on Friday.
He added that in addition to the large amounts of meat smuggled into the north, Turkish Cypriots’ were spending ₺240m annually to purchase meat in the south
Speaking to Kıbrıs, Akbıçak said the retail price of meat in the south encouraged smuggling. He said the retail price of lamb is ₺85 (approx.€13) per kg in the north and ₺65 (approx. €10) per kg in the south.
The monthly sale of meat in the north is about ₺20m (approx. €3m) even though it should have been double that amount, Akbıçak noted.
He also said that the meat smuggled meat into the north was usually done so under unhygienic conditions
Akbıçak argued that the only way to curb the smuggling of meat from the south was to lift the restriction on meat imports currently in place in the north.
Mustafa Naimoğulları, head of the cattle farmers’ union, argued otherwise, claiming that allowing meat imports would harm the local farmers gravely.
Naimoğulları added that the only way to end the smuggled meat problem would be for the state to support the farmers towards increasing the number of livestock in the country.
Emirali Deveci, Undersecretary of the Agriculture and Natural Resources Ministry, said the ministry is working in collaboration with the police and customs to stop the flow of smuggled meat from the south.
Police seized close to four tons of meat found Lefke (Lefka) on Friday. The meat was destroyed and the smuggler sent to prison pending an investigation., all six dailies report on Saturday.