Front Page Headlines
‘Mass quarantine’ days. Straight to quarantine from the runway
The new implementation of an obligatory 14-day quarantine for all arrivals to the north at a central facility as part of coronavirus measures has started. All arrivals from sea and airports since Tuesday have been transported to hotels where they will be accommodated for 14 days. Buses parked on the runway transported the passengers who go off the planes at Ercan (Tymbou) directly to Malpas Hotel in Çatalköy (Agios Epiktitos)
- Council of Minister’s evaluation of the situation: “We are thinking of economic measures” – All arriving passengers at ports of entry will be placed in a central quarantine facility for 14 days. Two flights are expected to be arranged for Friday and Saturday. Priority will be given to students studying in the UK. There are enough test kits in the country, orders have been placed for respiratory machines. Concrete economic measures have started to emerge.
- (Tufan) Erhürman: “The creation of a central quarantine facility is the right move. We need to prevent the virus from spreading from these facilities.
- Health Minister Ali Pilli in hospital.
- Cyprus (south) Transport Minister Yiannis Karousos: “All flights will be suspended as of March 21”
- All eyes on parliament. Parliament to convene to postpone the election.
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Anyone coming to the north goes to quarantine
Everyone arriving in the north is taken to central observation facilities by buses, in line with measures adopted against the coronavirus. They will be kept under quarantine for 14 days. In the meantime, 5000 of the total 6000 students residing at the Turkish state-owned dormitories (KYK) in the north have returned to their homes.
- Turkish Cypriots in Pile (Pyla) and Beyarmudu (Pergamos) isolated from the north – Turkish Cypriot Mukhtar of Pile (Pyla) Veysal Güden reacts to the cabinet’s decision to impose quarantine restrictions on Turkish Cypriots living in Pile (Pyla) and the Sovereign Base Areas (SBA).
- Shortage of blood becoming a problem – Thalassemia patients, who are considered to a primary risk group for coronavirus are experiencing a shortage of blood supply. People are afraid to go to the hospital to donate blood.
Don’t be afraid of the quarantine
Both Turkish and TRNC citizens, who arrived in the north by plane were taken from the runway by bus to Malpas Hotel, which has been converted into a quarantine centre. Turkish Cypriot student Ada Diren Kurt, who was among the passengers taken to the quarantine facility, talked to Havadis web TV. There are now 102 people under quarantine at the Malpas Hotel.
- Gürkut: “Don’t go the hospital unless it’s an emergency” – Dr Özlem Gürkut, head of the TC Doctors’ Association talked to Havadis Web TV about the latest situation in the coronavirus pandemic and the health system in the country. She also urged people not to the hospitals unless it was an emergency.
- Corona stress wears out the minister – Health Minister Ali Pilli taken to hospital for hypertension. An angioplasty will be performed on Pilli today (Thursday).
- “Be patient” – Kudret Özersay announced the cabinet has launched efforts to prepare an economic package but asked for the public to be patient regarding the economic measures.
- Four more people tested – Results came back negative.
- 31 cases spread through contact – Total coronavirus positive cases in the south increased to 58 with the latest nine cases.
A package is on the way
(Labour) Minister Sucuoğlu said their goal when paying salaries was not to drop below the minimum wage. Speaking to Diyalog, The Minister of Labour Faiz Sucuoğlu pointed out that some people received salaries up to ₺20,000 (approx. €2857). “Those who receive ₺20,000 could do with ₺5000 (approx. €700) for three months,” he added. Touching upon the economic crisis, Sucuoğlu said that the state’s funds should be distributed equally.
- ₺100bn (approx. €14m) allocated –Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced a 19-point economic package for the coronavirus crisis.
- Second coronavirus death in Turkey, cases jump to 191.
Everyone to a central quarantine facility
New coronavirus measures adopted by the Council of Ministers. All those who enter the country, including residents of Pile (Pyla), will remain not in home-isolated by placed under quarantine at a central facility. Other measures include the obligatory use of antiseptics in supermarkets, butcher shops and pharmacies, while cashiers and salespersons will have to wear masks and gloves which must be changed every couple of hours.
- Pilli’s heart couldn’t take it – Pilli whose blood pressure spiked following an argument that broke out at the Council of Ministers was admitted to hospital. The argument was about whether or not two Turkish doctors coming to work for the Near East University Hospital should be placed under quarantine or not. It has been claimed Pilli insisted on the quarantine while the others opposed it. Pilli is expected to undergo an angioplasty today.
- 78 cases on the island in total –Nine new cases in the south. While the number of cases in the south reached 58 with the nine new positive cases, the figure in the north, 20, remains the same. There is a total of 78 cases on the island now.
Main News
TCs from Pile (Pyla) to be subjected to mandatory quarantine
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Afrika
Internal Security
OVERVIEW
“The exemption granted to the Turkish Cypriots living in Pile (Pyla) has been revoked temporarily,” Turkish Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Kudret Özersay said on Wednesday.
Announcing the latest council of ministers’ decisions, Özersay said the Turkish Cypriots living in the mixed-village of Pile (Pyla) will from now be subjected to the 14-day quarantine restriction.
The Turkish Cypriot Mukhtar of Pile (Pyla), Veysal Güden, told Yenidüzen before the announcement of this decision that possible restrictions would create many problems for them since many works and receive medical treatment in the north.
Güden had announced earlier on Tuesday that restrictions had been lifted through his efforts.
Özersay said that Pile (Pyla) residents crossing to the north will be subject to central quarantine, meaning being taken to facilities monitored by the state.
Speaking to Kıbrıs Postası on Wednesday, he noted that as a result of the measure, some of the families in the mixed-village will be separated while half of the family members will be stuck in the north and the other half in the north.
Güden added the decisions from both the Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot authorities had caused discomfort and concern in the village.
He also noted that the Turkish Cypriots working in the private sector in the north will suffer economic losses.
“Pile (Pyla) has been discarded by the Turkish Cypriot authorities. I wanted to create solutions but the state in the north has long forgotten about the community in the village,” Güden complained, adding that he will continue to speak with Özersay to solve the problem.
The Republican Turkish Party’s (CTP) Local Administrations Responsible Muhittin Özsağlam, urged both sides to find solutions for the communities in Pile (Pyla).
He argued the problems of the people living in the mixed village are increasing by the day.
“Now they are literally stuck between the two administrations on the island. The two sides must meet under the auspices of the United Nations (UN) to find a solution for the residents of Pile (Pyla),” Özsağlam said.
Özersay also brought clarification to the obligatory 14-day quarantine of persons arriving from abroad.
He said the quarantine procedures covered everyone, no matter where they travelled from or how they entered the north.
The new measure announced on Tuesday night was revised hours later following harsh criticism on social media when it emerged that Turkish Cypriots arriving from Turkey would not be placed under a 14-day quarantine in facilities monitored by the authorities.
Other measures announced are the obligatory use of antiseptics in supermarkets, butcher shops and pharmacies, while cashiers and salespersons will have to wear masks and gloves which must be changed every couple of hours.
Municipalities have been tasked with making sure these instructions are followed and they have been authorised to shut down businesses if the businesses do not comply.
Özersay also noted that there was is a significant decrease in the number of arrivals in the north, but that the government was organizing charter flights to bring Turkish Cypriot students studying abroad back to the country.
He added that the efforts were underway in collaboration with the representation offices abroad and the students’ organisations.
He pointed out there will be two charter flights to Ercan (Tymbou) airport on Friday and Saturday.
Responding to queries on medical supplies, Özersay said the health authorities had a sufficient number of testing kits and ventilation machines. He also said the purchase order for new respiratory machines had been placed.
He also stated that the economic measures are currently being prepared to mitigate the negative effects of the coronavirus pandemic and will soon be announced.
Concurring with the mandatory quarantine measure, CTP leader Tufan Erhürman said the creation of central observation or quarantine facilities was is a good idea to prevent further spread of the virus.
“Nonetheless, we have to ensure good service to the people kept in isolation,” Erhürman stressed.
CTP MP Armağan Candan on Wednesday questioned whether the mandatory quarantine procedure applied to conscripts and members of the armed services who arrived in the north on Tuesday night with the students who were later placed under quarantine.
“There are also conscript soldiers that arrived on Tuesday night with the same plane as the students. Are they subjected to any quarantine procedure?” Candan asked.
He argued that there were more soldiers than students on the plane that landed at Ercan (Tymbou).
In the meantime, Turkish Cypriot Prime Minister Ersin Tatar met with both the ministers of economy and tourism to discuss measures to tackle the economic crisis due to the coronavirus.
A package of measures is expected to be announced by Friday.
The Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce (KTTO) announced on Wednesday that it was donating ₺1m (approx. €143,000) for the purchase of equipment for the public health sector.
In a written statement, the chamber, which announced it would also accept donations from its members, said it wanted to contribute to the efforts against the spread of coronavirus.
DAU-SEN and DAU-Birsen, two trade unions at the Eastern Mediterranean University in Famagusta have already donated ₺100,000 (approx. €14,300).
The Social Democratic Party (TDP) and the People’s Party (HP) donated ₺100,000 (approx. €14,100) and ₺50,000 (€7200 approx.) respectively.
On the issue of the elections, the head of the Supreme Election Council (YSK), Narin Ferdi Şefik, told Bayrak on Wednesday that preparations for the April presidential elections will be abandoned once parliament ratifies a decision to postpone the elections for six months.
Asked to comment on the procedure following the expiration of the president’s term, Şefik said the Turkish Cypriot constitution lacked any provisions for the postponement of the presidential elections for the current conditions.
“Therefore, the YSK and the judiciary will have to wait for the adopted decision of postponement to identify the next steps,” Şefik said. She reminded that the legal advice was given by the Attorney-General to the cabinet and incumbent President Mustafa Akıncı.
In a separate development, the Health Advisory Board established by Akıncı’s office to assess the situation and present recommendations convened for the first time on Wednesday.
In a statement issued from Akıncı’s office, the board members shared their viewpoints on the ongoing efforts against the coronavirus pandemic and focused on what else was needed to be done.
Akıncı stressed the vitality of taking the necessary steps on time in the struggle against the pandemic.
A similar meeting was held earlier in the day at Turkish Cypriot Prime Minister Ersin Tatar’s office.
The Prime Ministry Coronavirus Science Council briefed Tatar on global developments on the coronavirus pandemic and presented recommendations on future steps.
In another development, Emrah Yeşilırmak, Mayor of Yenierenköy (Yialousa), and the Göksal Hacıhasanoğlu, Mukhtar of the Sipahi (Aiya Triada) village on Wednesday demanded that the UN stops carrying out supply deliveries to Greek Cypriots living in the Karpaz (Karpasia) peninsula immediately.
In a post on social media, Yeşilırmak demanded that Turkish Cypriot authorities take over from the UN the task of delivery.
He claimed that the villagers were being exposed to the risk of contracting coronavirus because of UN soldiers, who were not subject to screenings or medical checks when crossing over to the north.
“It is not possible to know whether those delivering goods are infected or not. Moreover, the people gather to collect their supplies in groups creating a risk of contamination,” he wrote.
Yesilirmak urges the authorities to establish a dialogue with the Greek Cypriot side and the UN officials to stop the delivery of humanitarian aid and instead give them monetary aid to minimize the risk posed to the villagers.
In the meantime, the two Turkish Cypriot university students who were placed in a quarantine facility in Troodos after arriving on the island on Monday were transferred to the central quarantine centre in the north.
The transfer was made possible following a request made by the Turkish Cypriot authorities through the bicommunal Technical Committee on Health.
The two students were brought to the Metehan (Agios Domethios) crossing point where they were handed over to Turkish Cypriot health authorities.
Later on Wednesday evening, Akıncı and the Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades discussed over the telephone the latest situation on both sides concerning the coronavirus pandemic.
In a written statement, Akıncı’s office said the two leaders in addition to reiterating their determination for a joint struggle against the common threat of coronavirus, focused on the importance of the continuation of the collaboration between the two sides through the bicommunal Technical Committee on Health.
“During the telephone conversation, they also discussed the initiatives that need to be launched with the UN and the European Union (EU) regarding the needs identified through the framework of the joint committee,” the statement concluded.