Front Page Headlines
Additional taxes ranging from ten per cent to 60 per cent to be introduced
The draft law aimed at increasing tax on immovable properties is ready. The government is preparing to tax on immovable properties such as houses, businesses and plots somewhere between ten to 60 per cent depending on the category. 15 per cent of the revenues to be collected will be used for the Immovable Property Commission (IPC) while another 15 per cent will be used for improving the infrastructure of schools.
“We are all ready but not able to produce milk”
Candan Avunduk, head of the Chamber of Industry, said even if the two sides were to agree on the hellim (halloumi) production, the Turkish Cypriot sector will collapse! “Everything is ready but we do not have milk,” Avunduk added.
- Erhürman: “We are ready to share and co-manage the hydrocarbons”
Laws and regulations wait while people die in traffic
According to experts, without implementing the necessary laws and regulations, people will continue to die on the roads even if the authorities were to repair the roads four times a year. Mechanical Engineer Ayer Yarkıner emphasised the need for new laws to ensure road safety.
- Bicommunal Technical Committee on Health to discuss coronavirus today (on Monday).
Every organ donated is a new life
Tugay Kavuzkoz, who received kidney transplantation in 2018 talked about his experiences. He underlined the importance of being a donor.
Measures necessary
According to former politicians, the country’s domestic problems are growing and the economy is getting worse. While former TRNC Prime Minister Hakkı Atun claimed that the Cyprus Problem was one of the island’s main problems he said that the idea of reaching a federal settlement had died. He also argued that politicians were insensitive towards the country’s problems. Retired MP Ergün Vehbi said that the only thing the politicians were concerned about was re-election.
- ‘It would collapse immediately’ – Greek Cypriot newspaper Phileleftheros which likened a federation to a “tower made of paper” suggested defending the Republic of Cyprus.
- According to Greek Cypriots it’s on the way – There is discussion of legal sanctions against Turkey by the EU on the issue of natural gas drilling.
Torture like punishment for book
Berna Farah Kişin who had her home raided by police two years ago has been prisoned to the island since after a book belonging to Kurdish writer Selçuk Şahan was found in her possession. Berna who is prohibited from leaving the island does not even have a residency permit in Cyprus!
- Support for Akıncı is growing – The Sol Hareket (Left Movement) and the Bağımsızlık Yolu (Independence Road) have announced they will be supporting Akıncı in the upcoming election.
Main News
Erhürman, “We are ready for a solution and to co-manage hydrocarbons”
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası
Negotiations Process, Energy, Regional/International Relations
OVERVIEW
The leader of the Republican Turkish Party and presidential candidate Tufan Erhürman said on Sunday that Turkish Cypriots had as much a right as Greek Cypriots over the island’s offshore natural resources.
Erhürman was speaking during a campaign visit to Famagusta.
“We are ready for a solution. We need to solve the Cyprus Problem in the next five years. We are also ready to co-manage the island’s natural resources. We are ready to work to bring peace not only to Cyprus but to the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East.
He also said that transporting the island’s natural gas to Europe via Turkey was the most logical route.
“This view was expressed by Akel General-Secretary Andros Kyprianou on TV but the Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades insisted on going ahead with the EastMed project which plans to transport the gas to Europe via Malta to Italy. This is not economically rational,” he added.
Erhürman pointed out that Turkish Cypriots were still subjected to embargoes and isolation despite having demonstrated their will for a settlement, the latest at Crans Montana.
“Turkish Cypriots are still unable to benefit from direct trade and direct flights. Are unable to compete in international sporting events and much more. There are no legitimate grounds for these embargoes and we need to explain this to the world,” he said.
Erhürman argued that the elected leader of the Turkish Cypriot community needed to more active diplomatically and that he or she should not sit in Nicosia and wait for things to change.
In a separate campaign visit to Güvercinlik (Acheritou) on Sunday, the leader of the National Unity Party (UBP) and presidential candidate Ersin Tatar said he expected to win the April 26 election in the first round.
He vowed to work towards the development and recognition of the TRNC.
Touching upon the issue of hydrocarbons, Tatar said that the latest developments in the Eastern Mediterranean had raised the importance of the TRNC.
Meanwhile, the Sol Hareket (Left Movement) also announced on Sunday that it will be supporting Mustafa Akıncı in the upcoming April election. The movement is the newest political grouping to express support to Akıncı.
Earlier on Saturday, the Bağımsızlık Yolu (Independence Road) had announced that it would be supporting Akıncı on grounds he was the best candidate reflecting the political will of the Turkish Cypriot community and that who supported a federal settlement.
KEY ACTORS
Erhürman (CTP)
>> TCs have as much a right as GCs over island’s offshore resources.
>> CTP ready for a solution & to co-manage hydrocarbon resources.
>> CTP ready to bring peace not only to Cyprus but to the East Med & Mid. East.
>> Turkey most logical route to transport East Med gas to Europe.
>> No legitimate grounds for embargoes on TCs & elected TC leader needs to explain this to the world.
Tatar (UBP)
>> Latest developments in East Med has raised importance of TRNC.
Fatih anchors off at Mersin
Kıbrıs Postası
Energy, Regional/International Relations
OVERVIEW
Turkey’s first drillship, the Fatih, has anchored off the coast of Mersin, Turkey for refueling and supplies before heading off to its new drilling location, Kıbrıs Postası reported on Monday.
The drillship which is 229m long and possess the capability of drilling to a depth of 12,200m will embark on its new location in the coming days.
Taxes for GC immovable properties in the north to be increased
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis
Property, Territory
OVERVIEW
The government’s draft bill on the property tax for Greek Cypriot properties in the north has been published in the official gazette, some dailies report on Monday.
The new tax on Greek Cypriot properties in the north aims at creating new funds for the Immovable Property Commission (IPC), which has become redundant and is not able to close concluded cases due to its inability to make the compensation payments.
According to the bill, the property tax amounts will be identified by the Municipalities for each property (homes, businesses, plots of land) within their jurisdiction and 15 per cent the tax collected will be transferred to the IPC to facilitate compensation payments. In other words, if the bill is enforced, all property owners in the north would be contributing to paying the compensation for the Greek Cypriot properties in the north.
The bill, which is now published in the official gazette in line with the law on public consultation, also introduces new taxes and increase percentages of some of the existing ones.
TC & GC art exchanged as CBM to be exhibited at Ledra Palace
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis
Human Rights
OVERVIEW
Art and audiovisual material exchanged last September between the two sides as a Confidence-Building Measure (CBM) will be exhibited for the first time at Ledra Palace on Monday, Yenidüzen reported.
The exhibition will be attended by the two leaders, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Cyprus Elizabeth Spehar, as well as members of the UNDP and the EU.
The exhibition will showcase 50 works by Greek-Cypriot artists as well as audiovisual material from the CyBC archives on the work of Turkish-Cypriot artists.
The exhibition on February 3 and February 4 will only be open to members of the diplomatic corps, journalists, artists whose works will be on display, and relatives of deceased artists.
In September of last year, works of art and audiovisual material were exchanged between the two communities as part of a CBM agreed between Akıncı and Anastasiades on February 26.
The agreement stipulated the return by the Turkish-Cypriot side of artworks by Greek-Cypriot artists, and the return by the Greek-Cypriots of audiovisual material about Turkish-Cypriot artists.