Front Page Headlines
“It’s not the crossing point but the shops that have closed”
Nicosia’s historic shopping area has fallen into silence following the closure of the Lokmacı (Ledra Street) crossing point. Shopkeepers are complaining there is no business. Pro-peace supporters will be staging another demonstration today to protest the decision to shut down four crossing points. They vowed to continue their struggle until all crossings are opened and peace is reached on the island.
- Health Ministry: No cases of coronavirus have been detected yet.
He has been searching for his siblings for over a year. Authorities are silent!
Adnan Umay Elmaslar who lives in İzmir, Turkey has been looking for his siblings living in Cyprus. Elmaslar who believes he has two or three siblings in Cyprus has applied to all state and government offices but there are no records available. The response he got was that all the records were either destroyed in fires or floods.
- Erhürman: “We can create a self-sufficient structure that can stand on its own feet”
- Arıklı: “The idea of a federation is dead, it has become a thing of the past”
- Akıncı: “One of the roads reached at the junction we have arrived leads to a dead-end”
- Uluçay met with MPs who attend meetings at the European Parliament and the Parliamentary Assembly of Europe: “This mistake needs to be corrected as soon as possible”
Million-dollar corruption
The captain of a ship which arrived at the port of Famagusta the other day was arrested. The Famagusta Port Authority had announced earlier the all of the ship’s documents were fake or forged. Police are looking for a second person.
Sufferers of Anastasiades’ policy
The closure of the Derinya (Dherynea) crossing point has also hit shopkeepers in Famagusta’s old town. The business owners criticized the Greek Cypriot Administration’s unilateral decision to shut down four crossing points. They claimed that the coronavirus excuse to shut the crossings was not convincing.
- Students stranded in Italy – The health ministry which announced there were no cases of coronavirus in the TRNC urged citizens travelling to the island from Italy to contact the ministry.
Allegations of a $1.2m scam
A ship which departed from Zonguldak, Turkey under the name “Lady Maria” to transport 3000 tons of iron to Libya changed its name on route to “Pohneixs” before turning its course to Famagusta. Police are currently questioning the captain of the ship. It emerged the ship’s cargo which was unloaded at Famagusta Port using fake or forged documents was sold to a company for $238,528. Police, however, did not announce the name of the company which purchased the cargo.
Another protest at the checkpoint
Citizens who organised themselves on social media are staging a protest today (Saturday) at 11:30 am. Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriot citizens called on everyone to attend the demonstration. The Turkish Cypriot Teachers’ Union (KTÖS) and the Turkish Cypriot Secondary School Teachers’ Union (KTOEÖS) have announced they will be attending today’s (Saturday) protest.
Main News
Shopkeepers in the north suffer consequences of closed crossing points
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Afrika
Internal Security
OVERVIEW
The Greek Cypriot side’s decision to keep the four crossing points closed until Monday drew negative reactions from various segments of Turkish Cypriot society on Friday.
President Akıncı on Friday conveyed his opposition to the decision to French Ambassador to Cyprus Isabelle Dumont.
He repeated his argument that the decision to temporally shut down the four crossing points lacked any scientific basis and urged that this mistake be corrected as soon as possible.
Akıncı asked France, a leading EU member country and permanent member of the UN Security Council (UNSC) to help correct this mistake which he said was in contradiction with the United Nation’s and European Union’s (EU) philosophy.
He also informed Dumont on the views put forward by the bicommunal Technical Committee on Health.
Meanwhile, shopkeepers in Famagusta’s and Nicosia’s old town have been arguing that the closure of the crossing points is pushing them to the edge of ruin.
Shopkeepers speaking to Yenidüzen and Havadis complained that business has reached an all-time low since the Lokmacı (Ledra Street) and Derinya (Dherynea) crossing points were temporarily closed by the Greek Cypriot authorities, citing the threat of the spread of coronavirus as an excuse.
One shopkeeper complained that the decision was the outcome of the government’s wrongful policy concerning Maraş (Varosha).
Other shopkeepers pointed out that their customers were not just Greek Cypriots but tourists as well.
Shopkeepers in Famagusta’s old town who complain that business has come to a standstill have called on the Greek Cypriot side to change its decision and to open the crossings as soon as possible.
Some business owners who spoke to Havadis said that the Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades had lost his credibility as being a statesman.
They question how the coronavirus posed a threat for some crossing points but not to others.
“The intention behind the decision is something else. This decision was taken upon someone’s suggestions,” they said.
In the meantime, the Turkish Cypriot health ministry on Friday announced that there were no cases of coronavirus in the north.
In a statement issued on Friday, the ministry said that the measures taken at the open crossing points were unscientific and that measures to be introduced at entry points to the island were far more important.
The coronavirus was also discussed during a high-level meeting at the Turkish Cypriot parliament on Friday.
The meeting chaired by the Speaker of the Turkish Cypriot parliament Teberrüken Uluçay was attended by MPs who represent Turkish Cypriots at meetings of the European Parliament (EP) and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE).
Uluçay, speaking to the press after the meeting, said that the decision to shut the crossings were unjustified.
He said that any measure to be taken should be taken in coordination between the two sides.
Uluçay said that the mistake needed to be corrected immediately and that no such measure should be repeated in the future.
He reminded that all decisions to open the crossing points had been opened through the joint will of the two sides.
“Such a decision should have been subject to the approval of the EU. Our contacts at the EP revealed that no such approval or consent was sought,” he said.
Uluçay pointed out that serious measures against the coronavirus were in place in the north and that EU officials will be informed of the measures taken.
“The EU officials and institutions will also be informed that the move will harm relations between the two sides as well as efforts to solve the Cyprus Problem,” he added.
Uluçay also said that they will continue to hold contacts with Greek Cypriot political parties and politicians who oppose the move.
Presidential candidates step up campaigns ahead of elections
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Afrika
Governance & Power Sharing
OVERVIEW
Presidential candidates in the north have stepped up their campaign visits and statements ahead of the April presidential election.
Incumbent president and candidate Mustafa Akıncı on Thursday night said that equality, freedom and security could only be achieved through a determined struggle.
Addressing supporters at an event in Güzelyurt (Morphou), Akıncı said there were two roads at the current junction reached on the Cyprus Issue, one which leads to a dead end.
“We shall either progress on the right path with determination to reach a settlement in Cyprus which will ensure a future of equality, freedom or security or partition will become permanent,” he said.
Akıncı pointed out that a two-state solution under the umbrella of the EU was not possible under the current conditions.
He warned that this would have disastrous consequences for Turkish Cypriots if brought to the negotiating table.
“How can we expect other countries to recognize us in a political environment where even the Republic of Turkey, which recognizes the TRNC, refrains from holding friendly matches with us,” he said.
Akıncı criticized the government and the National Unity Party’s (UBP) presidential candidate, Ersin Tatar, for advocating this.
The leader of Republican Turkish Party (CTP) and presidential candidate Tufan Erhürman during a campaign visit in Kyrenia on Friday said that the discovery of hydrocarbons in the Eastern Mediterranean had drawn the attention of the greater powers to the region.
“We need to find a way to exist, to preserve our culture and identity in these difficult conditions,” he added.
Erhürman also added that it was important to establish a self-sufficient economy and for Turkish Cypriots to establish a more balanced economic relationship with Turkey.
“The idea of a federation is dead and a thing of the past,” the leader of the Rebirth Party (YDP) and presidential candidate Erhan Arıklı said on Friday.
Arıklı told supporters during a visit to Yukarı Bostancı (Pano Zodeia) criticized Akıncı’s efforts to revive federation talks.
“What we are saying is the idea of a federation is dead. It is in the past. Mr Anastasiades, the UN Secretary-General (UNSG) Antonio Guterres and more importantly motherland Turkey are all talking about new alternatives. But those who support a federal settlement are refusing to discuss new solution models,” he added.
Arıklı also argued that the age of federations was over and that most federations had collapsed in the last 30 years.
“We’ve seen the emergence of 40 new states. The age is that of nation-states. Are we to dissolve this state just because those who want to live together with Greek Cypriots get their way? Or are we going to work for the recognition of this our state and live with the pride of having a state,” he asked.
KEY ACTORS
Akıncı
>> Equality, freedom & security can only be achieved through a determined struggle.
>> There were two roads at the current junction, one which leads to a dead end.
>> TC side will either progress on the right path with determination to reach a settlement in Cyprus which will ensure a future of equality, freedom or security or partition will become permanent.
>> A two-state solution under the umbrella of the EU is not possible under the current conditions.
>> Attempting to bring this to the negotiating table will have disastrous consequences for TCs.
Erhürman (CTP)
>> Discovery of hydrocarbons in the East Med has drawn the attention of the greater powers to the region.
>> TCs need to find a way to exist, to preserve their culture & identity.
>> TCs need to establish a self-sufficient economy & for TCs to establish a more balanced economic relationship with Turkey.
Arıklı (YDP)
>> Idea of federal settlement is dead & thing of the past.
>> Anastasiades, UNSG & Ankara are all talking about new alternatives.
>> The era of federations is over & most federations have collapsed in the last 30 years.