Front Page Headlines
“No annexation, the goal is peace”
Meaningful message from CTP (Republican Turkish Party) following the statement made by Bahçeli. The leader of Turkey’s Nationalist Peoples’ Party (MHP) Devlet Bahçeli’s latest remarks on Cyprus drew a strong reaction. Bahçeli accused Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akıncı of serving Enosis and called on him to resign. He said that Akıncı should express gratitude to Turkey and the Turkish Nation.
- CTP leader Tufan Erhürman: “Everyone needs to exercise common sense and responsibility. Respect for Turkish Cypriots’ existence, culture, identity and will requires refraining from all forms of manipulation.”
- (Turkish Vice President) Fuat Oktay to Akıncı: Not befitting of the office he holds.
- Akıncı’s Spokesman to Bahçeli: We return your insults.
- (National Unity Party (UBP) leader) Ersin Tatar to Akıncı: Even though Mr Akıncı’s baseless claims are aimed at winning points for his campaign, this is wrong.
Akıncı has managed to upset Turkey again
President Mustafa Akıncı, who responded to a question during his interview to The Guardian on chances of a Crimea-style annexation, referred to Tayfur Sökmen, Hatay’s last president who had accepted the merging of the French mandate state with Turkey following a referendum in 1939. His remarks that he was not going to be a second Tayfur Sökmen drew harsh criticism from Turkey.
- Both support and reactions to Akıncı’s words that the TRNC could become a de facto province of Turkey – Tatar: “Akıncı is causing harm.” Arıklı: “We will not fall into Akıncı’s trap.” Erhürman: “Our people will not accept any outside intervention. Republican Turkish Party (CTP): “We need reconciliation not conflicts.”
- Özersay: “I will not imprison the Turkish Cypriot community to the negotiations table.”
There is no facility to destroy expired medicines. They are being stored
A special parliamentary sub-committee, which was established to look into the tons of expired medicine stored at warehouses belonging to the Department of Medicine and Pharmacies, found out that there is no means to destroy expired medication.
- Reactions rain on Akıncı’s statement to The Guardian – President Mustafa Akıncı’s interview with the British daily The Guardian has generated harsh criticisms as well as support from both Turkey and the TRNC.
“I risked death”
36-year-old Duygu Üstündağ, who was turned down at job interviews due to her weight even though she speaks four languages, underwent surgery to lose 89kg. She was 158kg in 2017 and is now 69kg.
Atmosphere becomes tense
Prime Minister Ersin Tatar slammed President Mustafa Akıncı who said he wouldn’t become the next Tafur Sökmen for his remarks. Many citizens expressed support to Tatar on social media.
- ‘The goal is to end the invasion’ – Greece’s new ambassador to Cyprus Lalakos presents his credentials to Nicos Anastasiades.
- ‘Exocet missile on the way’ – €240m worth of weapons are being purchased for the Greek Cypriot army from France.
Pro-annexation supporters want his head
Akıncı’s interview to “The Guardian” newspaper outraged pro-annexation supporters in Turkey and within our community. They got in line to bombard Akıncı with criticism. MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli who called on Akıncı to resign said, “Akıncı has long entered Enosis’s orbit.”
- “We return the very same remarks” – Barış Burcu hits back at all of them. He said he was returning all the strong insults made by Devlet Bahçeli.
- Fuat Oktay: The remarks he made are not befitting of his office – “We shall not allow anyone to exploit the Republic of Turkey for election purposes.”
- (Turkey’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) Spokesman) Ömer Çelik: Akıncı has a mind-set that is even disturbed by Hatay being a part of Turkey.
- Turkey’s Communication Director Altun: He will pay the price at the ballot box
Main News
Akıncı’s words draw harsh criticism from Turkey
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Afrika
Governance & Power Sharing, Regional/International Relations
OVERVIEW
President Mustafa Akıncı’s recent interview to the British daily The Guardian drew fierce criticism from Turkish and Turkish Cypriot politicians. Akıncı, during the interview, had warned of permanent division on the island if efforts to reach a federal settlement.
He also said that under such circumstances the north’s reliance on Ankara would grow eventually transforming it into a Turkish province.
On Saturday, the leader of the Turkish Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), Devlet Bahçeli called on Akıncı to resign because of his remarks.
In a written statement, Bahçeli asked Akıncı to “hand back the political will to the Turkish Cypriot people” and added, “It must not be forgotten that Cyprus is Turkish and will remain so.”
Bahçeli also accused Akıncı defending the Greek Cypriot side’s positions while turning his back on the Turkish nation and Turkey.
“It is obvious that Mustafa Akıncı is not fit for the post he occupies, therefore, he must immediately resign,” Bahçeli concluded.
Presidential spokesman Barış Burcu hit back at Bahçeli on Saturday with a written statement, rejecting all the accusations and insults made by MHP leader.
“Bahçeli resumed today his bad habit of insulting the Turkish Cypriot people,” Burcu said.
Burcu clarifying Akıncı’s response said, “What Mr Akıncı was simply saying in his response to a question on the prospect of Turkey’s annexation of the north was that the Turkish Cypriot community did not have such a desire and that not only would annexation be horrible but would also be to Turkey’s disadvantage.”
Burcu also reiterated Akıncı’s position regarding the Turkish Cypriot community.
“Turkish Cypriots neither want to be a minority in a Greek Cypriot state nor to be annexed by Turkey,” he stressed.
Burcu concluded his statement by rejecting all accusations and returning all the insults and the accusations made by the MHP leader.
In a separate development on Saturday, Turkish Justice and Development Party (AKP) spokesman Ömer Çelik asked Akıncı to issue an apology for what he described as an “aggressive attack against the achievements of the Turkish Cypriots and Turkey.”
“The Office of the President is an honourable and a respectable institution but Mr Akıncı has disrespected both Turkey and the righteous cause of the Turkish Cypriots people. The TRNC President has once again made remarks that contradict the cause he represents,” Çelik concluded.
AKP Deputy leader Numan Kurtuluş joined the attack on Akıncı.
“It is neither acceptable nor approvable to see Mr Mustafa Akıncı using his title as the TRNC President to make such a statement,” Kurtulmuş said while speaking to members of the press at an event in Istanbul.
He said that Akıncı needed to “swiftly correct his unfortunate remarks to rectify the situation.”
He added that the TRNC has always been an inseparable part of Turkey.
“Above all, Mr Akıncı knows at best that Turkey has been working to keep the TRNC on its feet while protecting the Turkish Cypriots’ interests, rights and their independence,” Kurtulmuş stressed.
Kurtulmuş said Akıncı’s words were disrespectful to both Turkish Cypriots and to the struggle waged by Turkey in Cyprus.
Fahrettin Altun, director of the Communications Unit at the Turkish Presidency, also condemned Akıncı for his remarks. “The voters will punish Akıncı in the upcoming elections,” Altun claimed, arguing that the Turkish Cypriot leader was making such statements to win points as he had exhausted his credibility as a politician.
“Remarks made by Mustafa Akıncı are not befitting the office he holds,” Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay said on Saturday.
Oktay, in a message on Twitter, said: “I condemn what was said for Turkey, which has always been on the side of the Turkish Cypriots and has been protecting the rights and interests of TRNC.”
“We will not allow Turkey to be used in the elections in the TRNC for political positions that lack political visions,” Oktay concluded.
Leader of the National Unity Party (UBP), and presidential rival Ersin Tatar brushed off Mustafa Akıncı’s statement to the British daily as “investment to the upcoming elections.”
In a written statement on Saturday, Tatar said that Akıncı’s claim that the north will become a Turkish province has no basis whatsoever. “
We are certain our people will give Akıncı the necessary response at the ballot boxes,” Tatar said.
He noted that the TRNC and Turkey must continue to work together on the Cyprus Problem harmony and Akıncı was far from this line.
“Mr Akıncı disregards the understanding and efforts displayed by Turkey on the solution of the Cyprus problem and dares to accuse Turkey of wanting to make the TRNC a province of Turkey,” Tatar claimed.
“Even if Mr Akıncı made such a statement against Turkey with the aim of winning more votes at the elections, it is still very wrong,” Tatar concluded.
The leader of the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) Tufan Erhürman on Saturday called on Ankara to respect the will of the Turkish Cypriot community.
In a post on social media, Erhürman said, “We are currently in an election process. Everyone will express their views and positions. Our voters will have the final say. The Turkish Cypriot people have a rich culture of expressing thoughts freely and democratic debate. It has the ability to evaluate all views rationally and with tolerance.”
He added that the Turkish Cypriot community also did not require to be guided on how to evaluate issues correctly.
“Our people had proven at every opportunity that it will not accept any outside intervention no matter for which purpose it is being made,” he said.
Erhürman also said that respect for Turkish Cypriots’ existence, culture, identity and will requires refraining from all forms of manipulation.
“Everyone needs to act with responsibility,” he added.
In a similar statement, the CTP on Saturday said that it rejected all interventions against Turkish Cypriot identity, democracy and political will not matter where it came from.
“Turkish Cypriots will continue their struggle for communal existence as they have done in the past. The goal of Turkish Cypriots is not annexation or integration but to unite with the world through a peace to be achieved on the basis of political equality and mutual respect. We would like to repeat once again that there is a need for an agreement, not conflict. We need to establish good relations with the whole world on the right basis,” the statement read.
Policies for swift economic development must be implemented
Yenidüzen
Economy
OVERVIEW
“The priority should be given to implementing policies that will ensure swift economic growth in the north,” President of the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce (KTTO) Turgay Deniz said in an interview with Yenidüzen published on Sunday.
Deniz said it must be every government’s responsibility to keep north Cyprus less expensive in comparison to neighbouring markets. He also said the government should introduce necessary measures to ensure that the upcoming presidential election does not cause instability in the Turkish Cypriot economy.
Asked to comment on the economic situation of the north, Deniz said slow growth in the real estate and construction sectors had led to a fall in the imports of main construction materials.
In addition to a general 15 per cent decrease in imports, there is a 62 per cent decrease in furniture; 41 per cent in aluminium; and 37 per cent decrease in construction iron.
Moreover, Deniz said the devaluation of the Turkish Lira also resulted in a decrease in exports, particularly for dairy products.
In response to a question on the Green Line Trade, he said there has been a 16 per cent increase in Green Line trade in 2019 compared to the previous year.
“New items like prefabricated containers have contributed to the increase in trade figures, which amounts to €750.000,” Deniz said.
He noted furniture sales enjoyed the highest share of Green Line trade. Deniz said there is an 82 per cent increase, which amounts to €321.000.
Deniz added the furniture sales are followed by marble products with an 82 per cent increase amounting to €321.000 and a 79 per cent increase in mattresses, which amounts to €116.000.
He, however, added that the increase in trade did not mean that Green Line trade was without its problems.
“The Greek Cypriot side continues to obstruct sales of processed food and materials in contact with food even though these products have been approved by the European Union (EU) and are in accordance with EU standards,” Deniz complained.
He added some of the remaining significant problems are the psychological barriers, live animals, products of animal origin and the fact that the regulation is limited with local produce only.
Asked to comment on the Greek Cypriot side’s attempts to change the Green Line Trade regulation, Deniz said such changes can only happen with the approval of the European Commission (EC).
He added that the Greek Cypriot side has yet to implement the changes despite the fact it has been two-and-a-half months since they were announced.
“The Greek Cypriot side’s measures in limiting the crossing of people is an inhumane approach and I do not know how the EU will accept it,” Deniz stressed.
Deniz, in response to a question on the direct trade regulation, said it is unacceptable for the EU not to deliver its 15-year-old promise to the Turkish Cypriot community.
“The direct trade regulation would have contributed significantly to the solution perspective on the island,” Deniz said, adding that the EU should have shown more support to the Turkish Cypriot side’s will towards a comprehensive settlement in Cyprus and its efforts towards reaching the EU standards.
Responding to a question on the Brexit process, Deniz confirmed that it could very well that the UK’s exit from the EU could be an opportunity for the Turkish Cypriot side.
“We have to work seriously and be proactive regarding Brexit,” Deniz stressed.
Finally, asked to comment on the relationship between the chambers on both sides of the divide, Deniz noted the KKTO and the Greek Cypriot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KEVE) maintain their regular contacts.
“The KKTO believes that the two chambers have the responsibility in assisting the efforts to reach a comprehensive settlement on the island. Trade is the easiest and the most effective way to bring the two communities closer and rid them of their fears of each other,” Deniz said.
He also noted the KTTO maintains its regular meetings with the diplomatic community including Ms Elizabeth Spehar, Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Cyprus.
KEY ACTORS
Deniz (KKTO)
>> Priority should be given to implementing policies that will ensure swift economic growth in the north.
>> It must be every government’s responsibility to keep N. Cyprus’s price advantage compared with the neighbouring markets.
>> New items like prefabricated containers have contributed to the increase in trade figures, which amounts to €750.000.
>> There are still many problems in the Green Line trade.
>> The GC side continues to obstruct sales of processed food & materials in contact with food even though these products have been approved by the EU & are at EU standards.
>> Other remaining problems in Green Line trade are the psychological barriers, live animals, products of animal origin & the fact that the regulation is limited with local produce only.
>> Changes to the Green Line trade can only happen with the approval of the EC.
>> The GC side’s measures aimed at limiting the crossing of people is an inhumane approach.
>> The direct trade regulation would have contributed significantly to the solution perspective on the island.
>> EU should have shown more support tothe TC side’s will towards a comprehensive settlement in Cyprus & its efforts towards reaching EU standards.
>> Brexit is an opportunity for the TC side but has to work seriously and be proactive.
>> KKTO and KEVE have a responsibility in assisting the efforts to reach a comprehensive settlement on the island.
>> Trade is the easiest & most effective way of bringing the two communities closer.