TCC Press Review 16 May 2020

Front Page Headlines

Yenidüzen

The impact of Covid-19 on the economy: A life with loans

800 applications, 417 approved, ₺29.796m (€27,533) in loans. Economy and Energy Minister Hasan Taçoy said three new loan schemes were being implemented. The loan schemes were offered by the Development Bank, the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Shopkeepers and Artisans, the Credit Bond Central Cooperative, EU supported projects and state guaranteed one-year loans are included in these schemes.

  • Outrage at crossing point: “We want to go to our jobs” – Turkish Cypriots who work in the south staged a protest at the Metehan (Agios Dhometios) crossing point with their vehicles for not being allowed to cross over due to the quarantine based restrictions. “We are telling the TRNC government. We do not want your money. We want to go back to our jobs,” said the workers. They also called on the Republic of Cyprus (RoC) authorities. “Test us for Covid-19. If we test negative, allow us to return to work without having to go into quarantine,” they said.

Kıbrıs Postası

Ceased Print/Online Only

Kıbrıs

Be careful!

As the weather becomes hotter, we’ve started to see an increase in fires. Following the scrapyard fire in Haspolat (Mia Milia), there were two big fires in Geçitkale (Lefkonoioko) and Güzelyurt (Morphou). Dunams of arable land and many trees were destroyed. The farmers’ year-long efforts turned into ashes in several hours.

  • We want to return to our work – Workers who could not go back to their jobs in the south due to the closure of the crossing points, staged a protest at the Metehan (Agios Dhometios) crossing point.

Havadis

N/A

Diyalog

Listen to our plea

Those who can’t cross over to their jobs for the past two months staged a protest at the Metehan (Agios Dhometios) crossing point. The protestors opened placards and chanted slogans before a statement was readout. A call was made to authorities on both sides. The protestors said the authorities on both sides could discuss the issue and find a solution to the situation. The protestors also called on Greek Cypriot authorities to test them. They said they were faced with the risk of losing their jobs.

Afrika

Around six thousand workers and their families affected

Turkish Cypriot workers employed in the south staged a protest Metehan (Agios Dhometios) with their vehicles. The workers called on the authorities in the north and the south. The workers said, “the authorities haven’t even bothered to ask us how we have been getting by for the past two months. We, together with our families, are nearly 6,000 people.” The workers told the authorities in the north that they do not want any from them except to be allowed to go back to their jobs.

  • What matters is to live honourably – Tacan Reynar, who had resigned from his post as a senior judge, said “We live once and we have to live our life honourable,” when reminded about his resignation.
  • Support loan for the businesses – The ₺1bn (€134m) low-interest ‘support loan for the businesses’ approved.
  • Good news for sergeants and privates – Turkish Cypriot Security Forces (GKK) announced both sergeants and privates can start using their home-leave options starting as of today (Saturday).
  • 80 dunams of barley burnt – 80 dunams of barley belonging to Bilen Agriculture Company in Güzelyurt (Morphou) burns to ashe

Main News

Turkey defends Larnaca-bound flight decision

Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Afrika
Human Rights, Internal Security, External Security, Regional/International Relations

OVERVIEW

Turkey on Thursday defended its decision to deny overflight clearance to a plane carrying medical aid to the Republic of Cyprus (RoC).

Ankara said a Larnaca-bound plane never submitted a timely request to fly through Turkish airspace, accusing the Republic of Cyprus of using the pandemic to score points for political gain.

“In line with our established policy regarding the Greek Cypriot side, permissions for overflights through Turkish airspace are not granted to Greek Cypriot-registered aircraft or aircraft transporting cargo to and from South Cyprus,” Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hami Aksoy said in a statement.

Aksoy noted that as long as an application is submitted, overflight clearances are granted to ambulance aircraft transporting patients, evacuation flights or aircraft carrying medical supplies as an exception with humanitarian considerations.

He added that aircraft requesting permission for technical or emergency landings are also included among the exceptions, irrelevant of their registration.

Referring to the news carried by some media outlets that an aircraft transporting medical supplies from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to the RoC was denied overflight clearance, he said:

“The aircraft in question, which departed from the PRC, did not submit a timely overflight clearance request prior to its takeoff and requested an overflight clearance with a declaration to land in Larnaca, only while approaching the Turkish airspace.”

“Under these circumstances, the aircraft was denied permission to enter Turkish airspace as per the standard restrictions regarding flights involving the Greek Cypriot side. In any event, a reasonable period of time to allow for any coordination of exceptional permission was not accorded,” Aksoy added.

He said if they had submitted an application for overflight permission for the flight in question in a timely manner, it could have been possible to grant an exception with humanitarian considerations.

“As a matter of fact, clearance for such flights has been granted before, in so much as allowing the landing of Greek Cypriot-registered aircraft at airports in Turkey,” he said.

“The failure to submit a timely application for overflight and the subsequent abuse of the humanitarian attitude of Turkey by the Greek Cypriot side, despite being fully aware of regular practice, is a manifestation of its efforts to exploit certain issues for a political agenda, contrary to the interests of its own people,” Aksoy concluded.


TC workers say no to support, demand to return to their jobs

Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Afrika
CBMs, Economy, Internal Security

OVERVIEW

Hundreds of Turkish Cypriots who work in the south, gathered on Friday morning at the Metehan (Ayios Dhometios) crossing calling on the government to be allowed to get to their workplaces.

The workers shouted slogans such as “We want to get back to work”, stating they did not want money from the state.

A representative of the protesters, Bulat Ergin, said that this situation affected around 6,000 people altogether when the families of the workers were accounted for.

Ergin also read out a declaration prepared by the workers that were directed separately to the authorities on both sides across the divide. 

“The Turkish Cypriot cabinet closed off the crossings without giving the workers any time to prepare or collect our salaries,” Ergin complained.

Ergin also referred to the cabinet’s plans to provide the workers financial assistance between ₺900 (€120) and ₺1200 (€160) depending on their marital status. “We want to reiterate. We do not want money from the cabinet. We want to be allowed to get back to our work,” Ergin stressed.

He also asked the Turkish Cypriot authorities to “get in touch” with the authorities in the south to work on a model similar to the one considered for the people in Pile (Pyla).

Addressing the Greek Cypriot authorities, Ergin Ergin urged them to allow them to get to their workplaces.

“The statements that the crossings are open do not reflect reality, and it does not mean we can get to our workplaces,” they said.

Ergin asked the Greek Cypriot authorities to test the workers for coronavirus and allow those who test negative to cross to the south and reclaim their jobs.

“There have been no positive coronavirus cases in the north. The entry to the north from abroad is banned and in the exceptional cases people are let in, there is a mandatory 14-day quarantine requirement. You can test us at the crossings. It must not be difficult to carry out 1,500 to 2,000 tests,” Ersin said, adding that they were prepared to pay for their own tests.

Ergin also noted that their employers would back them on this issue. He also said that many among the workers, if allowed to cross, are willing to remain and settle in the south side until the restrictions at crossings are lifted so that they can go to their work daily.

“Otherwise, we are faced with the risk of losing our jobs and our employers well-trained and loyal employees,” Ergin stressed.

“Please hear our cry,” Ergin pleaded.


Remaining 100 Syrian migrants deported to Turkey

Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Afrika
Human Rights, Migration & Citizenship, Regional/International Relations

OVERVIEW

The remaining 100 of the 175 undocumented Syrian migrants, who had been placed in an apartment complex in İskele (Trikomo) after being rescued on March 21 March when their boat capsized, have been deported back to Turkey, all dailies reported on Saturday.

The migrants were shipped to Mersin, Turkey from t Famagusta Port on Friday where they will be placed under quarantine for 14-days.

75 of them had been deported on April 25 April following an agreement reached between the Turkish Cypriot Interior Ministry and Ankara.

The group of 175 Syrian migrants which included 69 children and 30 women, had been placed at a nearby residential estate in İskele (Trikomo) since their rescue when their boat capsized in shallow waters on March 22 off the coast of the Karpaz (Karpasia) peninsula.

Since their rescue on 22 March, the Syrian migrants had expressed their desire to be allowed to cross to the south as it was their initial destination to be reunited with their family members.


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