Front Page Headlines
Foreigners who experienced the pandemic: “We were ignored during the pandemic”
One of the most affected groups of people during the pandemic and crisis which has followed has been the foreigners who are in the country either to study or work. The students and workers are unhappy from being ignored: “We are forced to pay high rent; tuition fees and still survive here, contributing to the economy in the process. But we were totally ignored completely during the difficult times.” One individual complained that his landlord had raised his rent during the pandemic. Another complained that the announcements were made in Turkish during the pandemic and they were subjected to discrimination by the general public. One student said the government needs to have special policies in place for foreign students.
- “My fiancé is in the north, I in the south…Three different departments, three different practices in place – Greek Cypriot Orestis Agisilaou said, “The crossing points are a bigger problem than the pandemic.” He said that he has been having difficulties seeing his Turkish Cypriot fiancé since March. Agisilaou said that they had to cancel their wedding plans.
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Isn’t enough we lost so many on the roads?
The Taşkent (Vouno) residents staged a protest against the government to bring to their attention the Taşkent (Vouno)-Haspolat (Mia Milia) road which is filled with cracks and potholes. The residents are demanding that road which they call the “road of death” is repaired immediately.
- New kits arriving, the number of tests to be increased – An agreement between the north and Turkey will be signed. In this regard, Turkey will donate an ambulance, ventilators, 20,000 testing kits and two PRC testing machines to the north. The government has also authorised the health ministry to purchase 15,000 testing kits.
- Pay attention to science – Four trade unions in the health sector held a warning strike at the Dr Burhan Nalbantoğlu Hospital and demanded the government to cease entry into the north without quarantine until the health infrastructure is upgraded.
Election rush within the UBP
The National Unity Party (UBP), which wants to put behind it the problems associated with the recent cabinet reshuffle, is trying to focus on the upcoming (presidential) elections. A source within the UBP told Havadis, that the party’s leader and presidential candidate Ersin Tatar is concerned about the process. The UBP’s Central Executive Committee (MYK) was convened to quell the growing opposition within the party. “This is the reason as to why the MYK reaffirmed its support to Tatar publicly,” the same source said, adding that the goal of the party body was to silence the rising voices of opposition within the party especially from the Kyrenia district. Appointing UBP Kyrenia MP Özdemir Berova as the head of the district office is an attempt to strengthen the weakest link in the UBP’s network, the source said.
- New decisions adopted – The Council of Ministers adopted a series of decisions mainly on covid-19.
- PCR tests will be done by the private sector – The Council of Ministers has authorized the Health Ministry to procure PCR testing services from the private sector.
- The latest situation: North 113 cases, four deaths; South 1,005 cases, 26 deaths; Turkey 207,897 cases, 5,260 deaths.
She came to the rescue
Turkey will be donating 20,000 testing kits, two PCR machines and an ambulance. It has been Turkey which has once again come to the rescue of the TRNC which is only allowing two flights a day because of its limited PCR testing capacity and medical supplies. Within the framework of a protocol signed between the two countries, 20,000 testing kits, two PCR machines and an ambulance will be urgently sent to the country. The Council of Ministers also decided yesterday (Tuesday) to purchase 15,000 PCR testing kits and hire 15 genetic experts. An increase in daily flights to the TRNC is expected with these late but productive decisions.
- In memory of its 65th anniversary –The Greek Cypriot administration is printing two different stamps to support EOKA.
Stop the entries
Four trade unions with members from the health sector held a warning strike at the Dr Burhan Nalbantoğlu Hospital and demanded the government to stop allowing arrivals into the country without quarantine until the health infrastructure is ready. KTAMS (Turkish Cypriot Public Servants’ Union) President Güven Bengihan said the government did not deliver its promise to build a pandemic hospital. He questioned the reasons as to why the health workers are on strike even though the officials claim the health sector is ready to brace a possible second wave of the coronavirus. Head of TIP-İŞ (Turkish Cypriot Medical Workers’ Union) Ahmet Varış urged the authorities to produce decisions in light of scientific data. Ali Özgöçmen, head of the Turkish Cypriot Union for Nurses and Midwives, said the health workers were key in the fight against the pandemic. “Either hear our cries or we will leave the hospitals for the politicians to treat patients,” Özgöçmen said.
- The decision on mandatory closure of supermarkets annulled – The latest council of ministers’ decisions announced.
Main News
UBP: only Tatar can adopt proactive policy with Turkey on East Med
Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Governance and Power Sharing
OVERVIEW
The National Unity Party’s (UBP) Central Executive Committee (MYK) reaffirmed its support to party leader Ersin Tatar on Tuesday.
A statement issued by the UBP said the party’s executive committee had discussed issues ranging from the government’s work on the coronavirus pandemic, its efforts to improve the Turkish Cypriot economy and developments in the Eastern Mediterranean.
“A need to adopt a joint proactive policy with Turkey on the Cyprus problem and the Eastern Mediterranean due to the Greek Cypriot side’s irreconcilable attitude was among the issues identified at the meeting. It was reaffirmed that the UBP’s presidential candidate Ersin Tatar is the only one capable of doing so,” the statement read.
The statement also said that the UBP has decided to intensify its campaign for the upcoming presidential elections.
In the meantime, Havadis, citing a reliable source from within the UBP, argued that Tatar was concerned about the process leading to the presidential elections.
They said UBP wants to leave behind the problems caused by the cabinet reshuffle and focus its efforts on the upcoming elections.
The source pointed out that MYK’s statement should be perceived in that regard.
The source also argued that the party’s executive body had convened to quell growing opposition within the party.
“This is the reason as to why the MYK reaffirmed its support for Tatar publicly,” the source said, adding that the goal of the statement was to silence voices of opposition rising from within the party especially from the Kyrenia district.
The source pointed out that former tourism minister Ünal Üstel, who was recently removed from cabinet, was from Kyrenia.
“Even though Üstel was replaced by Kutlu Evren, who is also another Kyrenia MP from the party, MYK also appointed Kyrenia MP Özdemir Berova as head of the district office to strengthen its foothold in the town,” the source argued.
“This is an attempt to strengthen the weakest link in UBP’s network,” the source concluded.
Borrell: Dialogue is the only way to overcome disputes
Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
External Security, Energy, EU Matters, Regional/International Relations
OVERVIEW
“The effective cooperation between the EU and Turkey is highly important for both sides and the region, especially on defence and security issues within the framework of peace, friendship and respect for our common values,” Turkey’s Defence Minister Hulusi Akar said on Tuesday.
Following a meeting with Josep Borrell, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Akar also urged the EU to adopt an objective and unbiased approach toward Turkey for mutually productive relations.
“The contrary, which does not take Turkey’s rights and interests into account is unacceptable,” Akar stressed.
Akar said the meeting was “beneficial, sincere and efficient”. The two officials exchanged views on regional issues, especially developments in Syria, Libya and the Eastern Mediterranean, he said.
For his part, the EU’s top foreign policy chief said bilateral meetings were not held due to the novel coronavirus.
“There are several issues to be discussed between the EU and Turkey to avoid misunderstandings or prevent deterioration of our relations,” he said, adding that dialogue is a way to solve the disputes between parties.
Borrell had also met with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu on Monday following claims made by France that Turkey had harassed one of its navy vessels taking part in a NATO mission. The French claims had been proven false by Turkish officials.
Prior to his visit to Turkey, Borrell visited Greece and the Greek Cypriot side on June 26, 2020. His remarks on those visits had generated harsh criticism from Turkish and Turkish Cypriot officials.
‘Crossing points are a bigger problem than the pandemic itself’
Yenidüzen
Internal Security, CBMs
OVERVIEW
“The crossing points are a bigger problem than the pandemic itself,” Orestis Agisilaou, a Greek Cypriot who is engaged to a Turkish Cypriot, said in an interview with Yenidüzen on Wednesday.
“My fiancé is in the north, I in the south… For months, I could only see my fiancé from a distance and now I am required to have present a negative PCR test every 72 hours,” Agisilaou said.
He added that he and his fiancé were cut off when the pandemic broke out. Moreover, Agisilaou explained they had to deal with three different administrations throughout the process.
“We are exhausted with the decisions that change daily. Furthermore, we have to deal with the Greek Cypriot police, the Turkish Cypriot police and the Sovereign Base Area (SBA) officials. They are all following different procedures. Cypriots in general and bicommunal couples like us have been left in a very difficult position with the changing decisions,” Agisilaou stressed.
He noted that both sides have opened up to arrivals from abroad but there is one community on the island and that is the Cypriot community.
“The authorities are making the Cypriots suffer more by placing barricades between them,” he said.
Agisilaou explained the difficulties he and his fiancé have to endure with the mandatory PCR tests for every 72 hours.
“I am allowed to cross to the north with the PCR test but my fiancé cannot cross to the south… I will have to be tested to return to the south and then wait for my test result in the south to be able to reunite with my fiancé. We had to postpone our wedding plans as a result,” he said.
“The authorities should open all the crossings allowing the Cypriots to travel freely because we Cypriots will be able to protect each other’s health. We know as much,” Agisilaou concluded.
Testing capacity on the increase
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Internal Security, Economy
OVERVIEW
The Council of Ministers adopted a series of decisions on Tuesday to speed up the testing process for arrivals to the north while trying to create momentum in the economy.
Announcing the decisions after the cabinet meeting, Turkish Cypriot Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Kudret Özersay said Ankara will donate 20,000 test kits, ventilators, two PCR testing machines and one ambulance.
He added that the Turkish Cypriot government will be purchasing an additional 15,000 testing kits.
“The donations and the procurement of test kits will both increase the testing capacity and will allow the health authorities to announce the test results in a shorter period,” Özersay said.
He added that the health ministry has been authorised to hire 15 genetics experts to carry out the tests as well.
Özersay also noted that civil servants employed in various public departments will also be transferred to the Kyrenia Port to facilitate the entry of passengers into the north, eradicating some of the problems experienced previously.
He also provided details of the decisions adopted by the cabinet that will have a positive impact on the economy.
Özersay explained that the necessary amendments were made in the relevant regulation for people to extend their expired work permits.
New provisions were included in the paid-conscript service, allowing people to pay a certain amount of money in lieu of their mandatory military service.
Those who have not been able to pay their electricity bills will now be allowed to pay their debts to KIBTEK (TC electricity authority) in monthly instalments and finally, the law on privatising the vehicle inspection centres was approved by cabinet and sent to parliament for further deliberations.
“The cabinet has produced a serious of decisions on health and the economy. Public health is still the top priority for the government,” Özersay concluded.
Meanwhile, various producer and economic organizations or associations on Tuesday slammed the government over its decision to send arrivals from Turkey to their hotels or homes until their second PCR test results came back instead of placing them in quarantine.
The Turkish Cypriot Livestock Breeders’ Association, the Restaurateurs’ Association, the Turkish Cypriot Farmers’ Association, the Furniture Manufacturers’ Association, the Taxi Drivers’ Association, and the Potato Growers’ Association accused the government of putting the economy which was on a slow recovery track at risk.
It said that the insecurity the government’s decision was causing was pushing people to stay at home.
The associations called on the authorities to make healthier decisions.
They argued that allowing arrivals into the country before test results were announced was playing with the public’s health.
“You will either do your job correctly or leave. The people of this country are paying both with their health and their livelihood because you aren’t doing your job correctly,” the organizations said in a joint statement.
The associations said the government needed to protect the local producers who were contributing to the economy and paying taxes.
“The government must do its part by protecting the public’s health, by maximizing controls at entry points and to allow people to enter the country by making sure they do not pose a threat to public health,” the statement read.
The organisations said that many establishments had started to see a drop in business since the government opened the country to arrivals on July 1, 2020.
“Fewer people are going out and this is forcing businesses to worry about their financial future. The government is responsible for this. Not only are people allowed to enter without the proper controls but the wheels of the economy are once again coming to a grinding halt due to the government’s mistakes,” the statement concluded.
Also on Tuesday, the Turkish Cypriot State Planning Organisation (SPO) said the north had incurred $72.4m losses in local revenues between March and May.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the SPO, which published its third report on the Turkish Cypriot economy during the pandemic process, said the halt in international trade due to the lockdown caused by the pandemic, has resulted in a one-third loss of the local revenues on its own.
Among the other findings of the SPO, which presented comparisons with figures from the past three years, has also forecast that the gross domestic product (GDP) per capita will have negative growth of 6.9 per cent in 2020.
The electricity consumption decreased by 23 per cent during the reporting period.
The SPO also said fuel oil sales in April amounted to 3,000,000 litres followed by 8,000,000 litres of sales in May with the reopening process.
The report includes the SPO’s estimated projections on the inflation rate, foreign currency values and the GDP per capita for the coming years as well.