TCC Press Review 27 June 2020

Front Page Headlines

Yenidüzen

Chaos

PCR tests for those arriving from Turkey free. Confusion is being experienced about flight planning before the north opens up its airports to commercial flights on July 1. Airline companies have prepared their flight schedules but authorities have only authorised a number of limited flights to prevent pile-ups. There is no final flight schedule.

  • PCR tests for children from Pile (Pyla) – PCR tests carried out for TC children from Pile (Pyla) so they can cross through Beyarmudu (Pergamos).

Kıbrıs Postası

Ceased Print/Online Only

Kıbrıs

Murderer mother sentenced to life in prison

Bilge Lord Kunduracı was found guilty for stabbing her seven-year-old son to death over two days by the Nicosia Criminal Court. The court sentenced Kunduracı to life in prison for killing her son Ercan Kaya Kunduracı with 19 stab wounds.

  • The health system must be ready for the pandemic – Trade unions and four health organisations staged a protest on Friday. The protestors criticised the government for failing to prepare to protect the public’s health. They also rejected the decision to allow people to arrive from Turkey without the need to quarantine.  

Havadis

N/A

Diyalog

Our blood froze

It emerged that Azat Nurmamedov murdered 83-year-old Veysi Akdeniz after torturing him. Nurmamedov’s confession made our blood freeze. Nurmamedov who confessed to murdering Akdeniz during his hearing shared the gruesome details of how he carried out the murder.

Avrupa

Final Warning

Health organisations together with Platform of trade unions staged a protest in the northern part of Nicosia. They first gathered at Dereboyu (Shakespeare Avenue) and marched to the prime minister’s office. The protestors pointed out that the government has failed to carry out the necessary preparations to protect the community’s health. They demanded the government revoke its decision to allowing people arriving from Turkey to enter the country without having to go enter quarantine.

  • Bilge Lord is sentenced to life in prison – Bilge Lord Kunduracı was found guilty of stabbing her seven-year-old son to death over two days by the Nicosia Criminal Court. Kunduracı has been sentenced to life in prison for killing her son Ercan Kaya Kunduracı.
  • PCR tests for passengers from Turkey will be free-of-charge – Turkish Cypriot health minister Ali Pilli announced the passengers will remain in isolation at their hotels until the PCR results are out.
  • No new cases in the north or the south.

Main News

Akıncı slams EU’s Borrell for ignoring TC side

Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
EU Matters, Energy

OVERVIEW

President Mustafa Akinci on Friday criticised Josep Borrell, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, for not meeting with him during his official visit to Cyprus.

Akıncı who issued a written statement on Friday said Borrell has been making statements claiming that the EU was seeking to solve the problems in the Eastern Mediterranean using dialogue, but nonetheless, Borrell “did not bother to find the time to listen to the Turkish Cypriot side, which is one of the two parts of the dialogue in Cyprus, and hear their proposals”.

He reminded that Borell’s predecessor Federica Mogherini and other top EU officials such as former EU Commission President Jean-Claude Junker, former EU President Martin Schulz and EU Council President Donald Tusk had met with him on numerous occasions either in the north or abroad.

“It is an unacceptable approach and comes into contrast with the values of the EU,” Akıncı said.

“If the EU wants to have a positive role in removing tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean, it is required to contribute to the creation of a climate of cooperation, implementing diplomacy which does not exclude but includes everyone.”

Akıncı also pointed out that the Turkish Cypriot side’s July 13, 2019, dated proposal for setting up a joint committee to reduce tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean and to find out a way out of the hydrocarbon crisis was still on the table. 

“We would like to remind EU officials that no approach which excludes the Turkish Cypriot side will contribute to peace and stability in the region, he concluded.


Yeşılırmak (Limnitis) crossing reopens, TCs demand more crossings to open

Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Internal Security, CBMs

OVERVIEW

The Yeşilırmak (Limnitis) crossing opened on Friday morning after almost three months of remaining closed due to coronavirus restrictions.

The crossing opened in the early hours of the morning.

A statement issued by the Turkish Cypriot Deputy Prime Minister’s office said that the same rules and regulations in place at other checkpoints also applied to the Yeşilırmak (Limnitis) crossing point.

It said that all Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots were free to use the crossing point on the condition they present a negative PCR test carried out in the last 72 hours.

Yeşilırmak (Limnitis) crossing point became the 6th crossing to be opened this week.

Earlier on Monday, the Lokmacı (Ledra St), Beyarmudu (Pergamos), Akyar (Strovolia), Bostancı (Astromeritis) and Metehan (Agios Dhometios) crossings were opened.

While the Turkish Cypriot side reopened the Lokmacı (Ledra St) crossing point, the Greek Cypriot side has yet to open its end of the crossing.

The opposite applies for the Ledra Palace crossing point which remains open on the Greek Cypriot side but closed on the Turkish Cypriot side.

The UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) on Friday also welcomed the opening of the crossing, “following the engagement between the leaders and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Elizabeth Spehar to coordinate action on the crossings.”

“The mission stands ready to assist both communities with the opening of the remaining crossing points,” UNFICYP spokesperson Aleem Siddique said in a statement distributed to the press.

Meanwhile, United Cyprus – the Bicommunal peace initiative on Friday urged the authorities to open all the crossing points without any further delay.

The Initiative in a written statement welcomed the protest organised by the trade unions and the health organisations in criticism of the authorities that impeded movement between the two sides.

“In addition to supporting the calls to adopt measures to protect the community’s health, we also agree and welcome the call for the authorities to open the crossings to allow people to access their jobs and to be united with their family members,” the statement read.

The Initiative also highlighted the need for implementing appropriate measures to prevent the spread of the virus, while keeping the crossings across the divide open.

“The two communities must be in contact and collaboration to fight against the economic, social and humane difficulties caused by the coronavirus pandemic,” the Initiative concluded.


Our policy on Maraş (Varosha) is to return properties to former residents after opening

Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Property, Territory

OVERVIEW

“The government’s policy on Maraş (Varosha) is to return properties in the fenced-off city to its former residents after reopening the town while protecting the rights of the Evkaf Administration of Cyprus,” Prime Minister Ersin Tatar said on Friday.

During a meeting on Maraş (Varosha) at the Famagusta Municipality on Friday, Tatar said the Maraş (Varosha) initiative remained among the government’s top priorities

He pointed out that a greater part of Maraş (Varosha) was already open and that the fenced-off section consisted mainly of seafront properties that have turned into derelict structures after being abandoned to their fate for the past 45 years.

Tatar said according to the Evkaf Administration records, Maraş (Varosha) is Turkish and Ottoman property but that a debate over ownership has emerged as a result of the unlawful sale of these properties to Greek Cypriots during the island’s administration by the British.

“In any case, we will adopt a policy based on returning the properties through the Immovable property commission (IPC) to former property owners and former residents,” Tatar said.

He added, “the government believes the Evkaf can accept returning of the properties to Greek Cypriots and other foreigners while taking its property rights into consideration.”

Touching on the economic benefits of the reopening, Tatar argued that the reopening of Maraş (Varosha) will have a significant impact on construction and tourism sectors and will help develop the Turkish Cypriot economy. 

“It is necessary to revive the town after 45 years because we are not able to see our future,” Tatar concluded.

Also speaking during the meeting, Famagusta Mayor İsmail Arter said he saw Maraş (Varosha) as part of greater Famagusta and added the municipality’s work on the Maraş initiative resumed after the lifting of the coronavirus lockdown.

Arter also pointed out that the legal and political aspects of the reopening efforts of Maraş (Varosha), which the United Nations (UN) is closely monitoring, must also be taken into consideration.

Turkish Cypriot economy and energy minister Hasan Taçoy, and National Unity Party (UBP) Famagusta MPs Resmiye Canaltay and Oğuzhan Hasipoğlu also attended the meeting on Maraş (Varosha).

KEY ACTORS
Tatar (UBP)
>> The gov’t’s policy on Maraş (Varosha) is to return properties to its former residents following the reopening of the fenced-off town while protecting the rights of the Evkaf Administration of Cyprus.
>> Maraş (Varosha) remains the government’s top priority.
>> Evkaf Administration of Cyprus has created property ownership debates based on their records.
>> The government believes the Evkaf can accept returning of the properties to GC and foreigners while considering its property rights.
>> The reopening of Maraş (Varosha) will have a significant impact on construction and tourism sectors developing the TC economy.
>> It is necessary to revive the town after 45 years because we are not able to see our future.

Arter (Famagusta/UBP)
>> The legal and political aspects of the reopening efforts of Maraş (Varosha), which the UN is closely monitoring, must also be taken into consideration.


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