Front Page Headlines
“Unjust and illegal”
From ₺2674 (€348) to ₺1,500 (€200)! The Council of Minister’s decision to lower unemployment benefit from ₺2674 (€348) to ₺1,500 (€200) during the pandemic drew criticism from everyone. Circles speaking to Yenidüzen said the move was unjust and illegal.
- Unrest in Pile (Pyla) over testing
- The quarantine period at dorms completed. Seven-day self-isolation at home begins
- This quite for the first time in 17 years
Ceased Print/Online only
The goal is to reopen (sectors) from 4 May onwards with measures adopted
Prime Minister Ersin Tatar and Economy and Energy Minister Hasan Taçoy held a meeting with the economic organisations and chambers to discuss reopening sectors. Tatar announced that some rectors could resume economic activity as of May 4 if preparations are completed and arrangements are made. He also said the flights to and from Turkey and the opening of the crossing points will depend on the developments in the coming few months.
- Social problems on the rise due to lack of social services – Senior social worker Barış Başel highlighted the community is faced with various social problems like domestic violence and addiction due to disregarding of social services policies in the north.
- Public transport companies want economic measures – One of the sectors that ceased operations is the public transport sector. With a high risk of infection, the public transport companies want the cabinet to also adopt economic measures in their favour because they have not been able to pay their employees or their bank loans due to the crisis.
Chaos over masks
The decision making it mandatory for everyone to wear a mask when going out has become one of the most debated issues. The cabinet adopted the measures but failed to say what will happen should people violate the move. The public, especially people from lower-income groups, are demanding the state distribute masks as the retail prices have skyrocketed. Head of the Turkish Cypriot Doctors’ association, Dr Özlem Gürkut urged everyone to comply with the ruling as the virus can remain suspended in the air for up three hours. Gürkut also noted the healthy people could easily produce their masks at home or wear a scarf to cover their mouth and nose.
- A Festive mood at 167 homes – 167 people who were placed at a quarantine facility in Güzelyurt (Morphou) have been sent to their homes following the 14-day quarantine period and after their tests came back negative.
- The latest situation: North 108 cases, four deaths; South 795 cases 13 deaths; Turkey 101790 cases 2491 deaths.
- IBAN solution for salary support payments – Labour Minister Faiz Sucuoğlu said there are no changes in the current system of the salary support scheme and added the online payments will be made through IBAN transfers.
They’ve doubled (in prices)
The prices of gloves, masks and other hygiene products which the public needs have sky-rocketed. Some supermarket owners who spoke to Diyalog admitted that prices of these products were cheaper before the pandemic but said the reason for the hikes was the rise in the prices of goods imported. They argued that importing goods had also become harder during the pandemic. “Prices have gone up because demand is high and production is low. We are not the source of the price hikes. Not even the importing companies are. The problem is finding supplies,” they said.
- All came back clean – 352 people tested in North Cyprus yesterday (Thursday)
- 40,000 tests – The total number of cases in South Cyprus rose to 795 with five new cases.
- Death toll reaches 2,491 – Turkey’s total number of cases reach 101,790 with an increase of 3,116 cases.
23 April fills people with joy
A memory for the future from the coronavirus days. Never has the 23 April (Turkey’s Children’s and National Sovereignty Day) been celebrated like this in our history. While in some areas, people celebrated on their balconies, playing and singing the Turkish National Anthem, the Prime Minister and his team marked the day in front of his office with flags in their hands.
- No new cases in the north for a week now – No positive cases found in the 352 tests administered on Thursday. There are 17 patients undergoing treatment now. Five new cases identified in the south, bringing the total tally to 795. There are 903 cases on the island.
- When and how to relax the measures? – Dr Emre Vudalı said due to a decrease in the number of cases and provided that the health system is ready, we could gradually ease the measures.
- Media workers will be tested – Health Minister Ali Pilli called the media and press associations informing them the health ministry will carry out Covid-19 tests on them next week.
Main News
Another day without new cases
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Afrika
Internal Security
OVERVIEW
Thursday became the fifth consecutive day no positive cases of coronavirus (Covid-19) was seen in the north.
The last positive case had been detected on Saturday, April 18.
Another individual in Famagusta had tested positive on Sunday but repeated tests carried out in Nicosia revealed that he did not have the virus.
Turkish Cypriot Health Minister Ali Pilli, announcing the news with a written statement, said none of the 352 tests carried out on Thursday came back positive.
He added that the tests had been carried out on Famagusta and İskele (Trikomo) municipal workers, individuals with symptoms referred to the Fever and Cough Outpatient Clinics at the Dr Burhan Nalbantoğlu State Hospital in Nicosia and the Famagusta General Hospital, individuals in isolation at the Güneş Residence Dorms and others identified to have been in contact with positive cases.
Pilli reminded that there were still 17 patients receiving treatment and a total of 7877 tests carried out.
The total number of confirmed cases in the north remain at 108.
In a related development, 167 Turkish Cypriots repatriated from the UK on April 8 were released from their mandatory quarantine on Thursday after their final tests came back negative.
A second group will be discharged on Friday.
Also on Thursday, the Turkish Cypriot Doctors’ Association warned that the Turkish Cypriot community was far from having acquired herd immunity to the coronavirus.
A statement from the association said that only 0.036 per cent of the population in the north had contracted the virus.
It argued that measures and restrictions could only be eased after the necessary preparations to improve conditions at the pandemic hospital are completed to deal with a possible spike in cases
Meanwhile, it was announced on Thursday that media sector employees and journalists will be tested for Covid-19.
According to a statement issued by Basın-Sen (Press Workers’ Union), journalist and media sector employees will be undergoing Covid-19 tests as of next week.
The union said that journalists who continued to carry out their duties during this time of crisis to inform the public were among the high-risk groups against the virus.
Basın-Sen thanked the health minister and healthcare workers for the sensitivity they have shown.
The statement was co-signed by KTBG (Turkish Cypriot Journalists’ Union), Dev-İş (The Revolutionary Workers’ Union), the Foreign Press Association, Bay-Sen (Bayrak Employees’ Trade Union), the News Cameramen’s Association and KTSYD (Turkish Cypriot Sports Writers’ Association).
UCN urges the Cypriot authorities to reopen the crossings
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Afrika
Internal Security
OVERVIEW
“The reopening of the crossing points before opening airports to international flights will allow life to return for normal for hundreds of thousands of ordinary Cypriots,” UniteCyprusNow said on Thursday.
In a written statement issued on the 17th anniversary of the opening of the crossing points, UCN urged the two sides not to use the coronavirus as an excuse to transform the divide into a ‘hard internal border’.
“Between April 2003 and March 2020, there have been around 20 million crossings with the peaceful intermingling of fellow Cypriots, after 29 years of being kept apart,” the UCN statement noted.
Citing World Bank and European Union surveys, the UCN said one in every three Cypriots had experienced contact with at least one member of the other community in the previous seven days in 2019, which was equivalent to around 420,000 people.
“The survey found that this increase in contact had a positive impact on trust,” the statement stressed.
Emphasizing the importance of contact between the communities, the UCN also drew attention to economic consequences of the closure of the crossings and said as a result 1525 Turkish Cypriots employed in the south according to social security records, have lost their jobs and/or their income.
Also touching on the positive course of the coronavirus with a decreasing trend in cases on both sides of the island, the UCN underscored the importance of the decision to reopen the crossing points on the island.
“Decisions made in the next few days and weeks will determine whether our political leaders have given up on the opportunity to unite the island in peace and have decided on a permanent partition, without asking the public,” the statement stressed and urged the people of Cyprus to demand the opening the crossings and reject the permanent partition of the island.
In the meantime, the Turkish Cypriot Mukhtar of the mixed village of Pile (Pyla) Veysel Güden expressed his disappointment on Thursday over claims made by his Greek Cypriot counterpart Simon Mytides that Özersay had discouraged people from participating in the coronavirus testing in the village.
Güden in a written statement said that Mytides had made baseless accusations and that unfortunately a humanitarian issue had once again been politicized.
“I’m disappointed by Simon Mytides’s behaviour. I hope that he abandons this attitude, apologises for his mistake and changes his stance for harmony and the future of this village which is based on sensitive balances,” he said.
Güden explained that he had been in contact with his Greek Cypriot counterpart on the issue from day one of the outbreak at the village.
He recalled that an announcement had been made a week ago that there were four confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the village.
“We knew that three of the cases had sought treatment but there was an unknown concerning the fourth person. This caused panic in the village and we as the village’s community leaders discussed this issue with the United Nations Peacekeeping Force. However, they were not able to provide me with information about the fourth case,” he said.
Güden added that a decision had been made to test everyone in the village and that Mytides had told him he could arrange free testing.
“This was positive news but some of the business owners I shared this information said they did not wish to seek treatment in the south in the event they tested positive,” he added.
Güden said he had informed Mytides of the views of the Turkish Cypriot business owners and residents and that they had both launched separate initiatives with their respective communities.
“I requested help from Mr Özersay. The Turkish Cypriot cabinet approved our request and said it would send the necessary testing kits to the village,” he said.
Güden said that he had then learned on Tuesday that the Greek Cypriot authorities had launched an initiative with the UN to prevent the health team from the north from entering the village to conduct the tests.
“I discussed this matter with my Greek Cypriot counterpart, the UN and the British Sovereign Bases representatives. I also informed the Turkish Cypriot Foreign Ministry. Unfortunately, the matter was politicized,” Güden stressed.
He called on the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) to take on a responsibility and to solve this problem as soon as possible.
“Turkish Cypriot healthcare workers should be allowed to enter the village and to carry out duties against the virus. I also call on the British High Commission to stop preventing the health team from crossing,” Güden said.
In another development Senior PRIO (Peace Research Institute of Oslo) researcher Mete Hatay announced on Thursday several Greek Cypriot residents of Dipkarpaz (Risokarpaso) village were allowed to cross to the north to be reunited with their families.
In a social media post, Hatay welcomed the move, stating that “(Foreign Minister) Kudret Özersay had kept his promise”.
He said Özersay had raised the matter during the cabinet meeting on Wednesday.
“The Greek Cypriots, who were stranded in the south and could not return to their homes, have now been allowed to cross to the north and admitted into the quarantine facility for 14 days,” Hatay said.
Hatay also recalled the plight of the Greek Cypriots, who had crossed to the south to visit other family members but were then stuck the after the crossing points were closed due to the pandemic.
He also reminded the issue was raised during a Radio Mayıs programme and the host of the programme Damla Dabis Özel had personally requested assistance from Özersay to solve the matter.
Readjustment of unemployment benefit draws criticisms
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Afrika
Internal Security, Economy
OVERVIEW
The cabinet’s decision to level the unemployment benefit with salary support benefit for private-sector employees affected by the pandemic drew strong criticisms from both the business community and trade unions.
The cabinet had announced on Wednesday that it was lowering the unemployment benefit from ₺2617 (€348) to ₺1,500 (₺200).
Güven Bengihan, head of KTAMS (Turkish Cypriot Public Servants’ Union), slammed the decision on Thursday, describing it as unfair.
He said the government had first decided to slash the salaries of the public servants and pensioners when the economic crisis hit the north and had now as an extension of the unfair practice, lowered the amount the Social Security Department pays for unemployed persons.
He argued that the unemployment benefit scheme was safeguarded by the Social Security Law in force and is paid against the beneficiary’s premium payments over the years.
Bengihan also claimed that the cabinet was still refusing to force higher income groups from to chip in economically.
He argued that the authorities continued to protect their wealth with the incentives and the exemptions granted to them by the cabinet.
“The National Unity Party (UBP)-People’s Party (HP) coalition must revise its decision without further delay and stop trying to make the lower-income groups pay the price of the economic crisis,” Bengihan concluded.
In another development, General Secretary of KTAMS (Turkish Cypriot Public-Sector Employees’ Union) Devrim Barçın on Thursday accused the Turkish Cypriot Labour Minister Faiz Sucuoğlu of providing false information to the public regarding the ‘salary support scheme.
Barçın told Havadis web TV, that contrary to the claims of the labour minister, those who wish to benefit from the salary support scheme must have a bank account.
“It is one of the prerequisites of the online application system. The minister is deceiving the people or if Faiz he intends to change the system, then he should immediately issue a statement informing the people about the change,” Barçın concluded.
Another criticism of the cabinet’s move on unemployment benefit came from the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce (KTTO).
“The labour ministry is trying to introduce new provisions which will be to the disadvantage of the employers. Its reduction of the ‘unemployment benefit is the latest example of this,” KTTO said in a statement on Thursday.
The chamber also accused the ministry of creating confusion among employers regarding the support schemes while attempting to instil a lack of trust among the public in the employers.
“The ministry has shown a lack of trust in the business community by repeatedly announcing the payments will be directly deposited in the employers’ bank accounts. The business community did not deserve such labelling and will respond accordingly once the pandemic process is over,” KTTO concluded.
In the meantime, Turkish Cypriot Finance Minister Olgun Amcaoğlu was the bearer of good news on Thursday.
“A significant drop in the retail prices of fuel oil and bottled gas will be announced in a day or two,” Amcaoğlu told HaberKıbrıs Web TV.
He also noted the cabinet had not lowered petrol prices despite the drop in global oil prices mainly because there was a 75 per cent decrease in the sales of fuel oil in the north due to the curfews in place.
Also on Thursday, Prime Minister Ersin Tatar and Economy Minister Hasan Taçoy held a meeting with the Economic Organisations’ Platform on Thursday to exchange ideas and to develop a strategy for the gradual reopening of economic sectors.
Tatar told reporters before the meeting, that they were working towards reopening several sectors as of May 4.
“As a result of the measures adopted so far, the coronavirus curve has hit the bottom. If we can be a bit more patient and continue to practise social distancing, we might be able to overcome this problem with minimum losses,” Tatar noted.
He added the issues like flights to and from Turkey and the reopening of the crossing points will become clearer in the coming months.
Tatar also reminded that the officials from the Economy, Labour and Health ministries will be meeting again with the economic organisations and chambers on Friday to evaluate the possibility of reopening.
He struck a note of caution, however, stating that sectors, where there is a lower risk of contact, will most probably be the first to be allowed to resume activities on the condition that they meet necessary health conditions.
Also speaking, the Minister of Economy and Energy Hasan Taçoy pointed out that most of the businesses in the country were shut for the past 42 days which brought the economy to a grinding halt.
Praising the cabinet for taking swift and effective measures to curb the spread of the virus, Taçoy said that the time had come to address the economic fallout caused by the outbreak.
Avcı: “The GC MP was out of line”
Kıbrıs Postası
Regional/International Relations
OVERVIEW
Nabi Avcı, head of the Turkish delegation to the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly (OSCEPA) said that a Greek Cypriot MP speaking during a video-conference on Covid-19 and its economic impact, was “out of line” for accusing Turkey of being an occupying force on Cyprus, Kıbrıs Postası reported on Friday.
Avcı, who is also a Justice and Development Party (AKP) MP from Eskişehir, briefed the members of the OSCEPA on Turkey’s efforts to contain the spread of the coronavirus.
He also touched on the issue of migration and urged the international community to pay more attention to Turkey’s calls on the matter.
In the closing remarks of the OSCEPA conference, when the Greek Cypriot representative accused Turkey of being an occupying force on the island, Avcı reacted and said Turkey’s presence on the island was within the framework of international treaties.
“The Turkish intervention in 1974 was carried out based on rights stemming from the 1960 Treaty of Guarantees. Since then, there has not been any bloodshed on the island. Moreover, the Greek Cypriot delegation’s accusation during a meeting on Covid-19 is out of line,” Avcı concluded.