Front Page Headlines
No tourists have arrived, just cases
There have been 23 cases recorded in the last 23 days since air and seaports were opened. The youngest case is 19 and the oldest is 57. 14 of the positive cases arrived via air travel while eight by ferry. Another person is believed to have contracted the virus through contact but this has not been verified. 18 patients currently receiving treatment are said to be doing well. No positive cases were detected during PCR testing at outpatient clinics or Turkish Cypriots who cross over to the south for work. No new cases were detected in July in 23,280 tests carried out on locals.
The opposition warns the government
The four opposition parties in the parliament left the plenary in protest of the National Unity Party (UBP) and the People’s Party (HP) coalition government. The coalition parties did not return to the plenary yesterday (Thursday).
- The coalition parties agreed to continue for now – The crisis between the UBP and the HP is growing bigger by the day. Prime Minister Ersin Tatar and his deputy Kudret Özersay held a critical meeting late last night (Thursday).
- Doctors outraged, the public is concerned – The increase in the number of Covid-19 cases since the reopening of ports on July 1 is causing concern among the public. The doctors, on the other hand, are outraged because the number of beds allocated for coronavirus patients is now full and the health officials want to convert the urology ward into a pandemic ward.
- 23 cases in 23 days – Turkish Cypriot Health Minister Ali Pilli said 703 tests were carried out and one positive case was identified.
- Seven days of quarantine for those coming from Turkey – The Turkish Cypriot Health Ministry Scientific Board recommended that passengers arriving from Turkey should be placed in a week-long quarantine. Health Minister Ali Pilli will take the proposal to the Council of Ministers.
Hello, Fikri
The plenary was postponed yesterday (Thursday) after the necessary number of MPs did not show up. The government parties did not attend the plenary and the opposition parties held a joint press conference to protest the situation. Democratic Party (DP) leader Fikri Ataoğlu shared the ‘immoral proposal’ from the HP. Ataoğlu said Özersay called him to ask if the DP would be willing to form a new coalition if the current government was to collapse.
- Claim your hospital – Dr Ahmet Varış, head of the TIP-İŞ (TC Doctors’ Union) said the health authorities are trying to convert the Dr Burhan Nalbantoğlu hospital into a pandemic hospital and urged the people to oppose the idea.
- €2m financial support from the EU – European Commission (EC) announced a new grant scheme to support the Turkish Cypriot civil society organisations.
- The latest situation: North 131 cases, four deaths; South 1,045 cases, 27 deaths; Turkey 223,315 cases, 5,563 deaths.
Crisis again
The coalition came to the brink of collapse after the UBP General Secretary Ersan Saner referred to Interior Minister Ayşegül Baybars as a ‘small woman’ instead of a young lady. The crisis which erupted between the coalition partners over the Master Development Plan reached new heights, straining the fragile relations between the two parties and the government. Political circles evaluating Saner’s remarks said that the crisis could have been averted had Saner expressed himself differently. HP General Secretary Jale Refik Rogers said that such sexist wording which rendered women worthless was an uncivilized insult and a threat directed at all humanity.
- Last Tango in Paris – French President Emmanuel Macron who met with Anastasiades called for sanctions against Turkey.
- Shame…shame – The European Union (EI) which decided to give South Cyprus €2.7bn in assistance called for €2m assistance for the north.
Provocation, insults, death threat
The puppets of the lynching campaign are back in action. KTÖS (Turkish Cypriot Teachers’ Union) General Secretary Şener Elcil said those who do not have a justifiable argument regarding Avrupa’s publication (on 20th July 2020), are now trying to silence the paper with violence, insults and defamatory words. “The organisations, which are based on ethnicity and supported by the Turkish Embassy, have filed complaints against Avrupa to the police and the prosecutor’s office,” Elcil said.
Main News
Kalın: “We reject Greece’s maximalist positions”
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog
Energy, Regional/International Relations
OVERVIEW
Turkey rejects Greece’s “maximalist” objectives in the Eastern Mediterranean, which lack a legal basis and disregards logic, Presidential Spokesperson İbrahim Kalın said Thursday.
Kalın highlighted that Turkey opposes the rhetoric of threats and favours an equal distribution of resources.
The Greek side’s “maximalist” position claims that the island of Kastellorizo (Meis in Turkish) – only 2 kilometres from the Turkish shore, but about 580 km away from the Greek mainland -“should have a 40,000 square km continental shelf area, which is almost like half of Turkey’s Gulf of Antalya,” Kalın told an online policy briefing by the European Policy Centre in cooperation with the Foreign Economic Relations Board of Turkey (DEIK).
Saying that Turkey does not want any kind of military tension or even political tension in the Eastern Mediterranean, Kalın said Greece’s maximalist position is “against logic, against geography, against international agreements.
As part of its legal hydrocarbon exploration, Turkey recently announced new seismic research activity in the Eastern Mediterranean starting on July 21.
The Turkish drillship Oruç Reis is not drilling but instead exploring “about 180 km from Meis island, Kastellorizo,” said Kalın.
So the Greek reaction was “really an overreaction,” he added.
Kalın reiterated Turkey’s willingness to “start exploratory talks with Greece that will include all of these issues, maritime limits, exclusive economic zones, the islands, rock formations, geographical formations that are not listed as islands on which nobody lives, but Greek claims for itself.”
He also said the Greek Cypriots use their EU membership as a bargaining chip and a way to pressure Turkey.
“We will never accept the language of threats or sanctions. We’re only there to protect our rights. We would like to see an equitable and fair sharing of all the natural resources in the Eastern Mediterranean,” Kalın added.
Pointing out that Turkey had been excluded from all major energy exploration in the Eastern Mediterranean for several years, he said, “any energy pipeline map, anything of the kind without Turkey will not be feasible.”
The Turkish Foreign Ministry echoed Kalın’s remarks on Thursday rejected accusations by French President Emmanuel Macron that Ankara was violating the sovereignty of EU countries in the eastern Mediterranean.
Turkey cannot be threatened through sanctions, Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy said Thursday as he slammed a statement by Macron.
“Statements of President Macron have no value for our country,” Aksoy said, adding that threats “will have no result.”
His comments came after Macron demanded EU sanctions against Turkey claiming “violations” of Greek and Greek Cypriot waters and said the EU should act on the crisis in Libya.
Aksoy said France loses its neutrality and its chance to contribute to stability with every explanation and wrong step about developments in the Eastern Mediterranean.
France has not been able to get any results from its policies and it will not be able to get any in the future, he said.
He demanded France stop magnifying itself and follow discreet and rational policies, and said it should stop supporting putschists in Libya, terrorists in Syria and those who act with the understanding of “I am the only owner of this place” in the Eastern Mediterranean.
France is expected to make a distinction in Libya between the legitimate government recognized by the international community and the UN and aggressor Khalifa Haftar, who has seized Tripoli for more than one year and tried to overthrow the legitimate government, said Aksoy.
Every step taken by our country in the Eastern Mediterranean aims to defend the legitimate rights and interests of Turkey and Turkish Cypriots based on international law, he said, reiterating Ankara’s call for dialogue and collaboration in the region.
Meanwhile, Justice and Development Party (AKP) Spokesman Ömer Çelik slammed the French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday.
In several posts on Twitter, Çelik stressed: “Macron is in the wrong once again supporting the Greek Cypriots’ unlawful activities.”
Noting that Macron had said “Turkey cannot be left unpunished for its violations in the EU seas,” Çelik said the French President is “a state of panic thus dragging every issue he gets involved with into an illegal terrain.”
Çelik also recalled the French claims during a NATO exercise that were proven untrue and baseless.
KEY ACTORS
Kalın (Turkey)
>> Greece has claimed a “maximalist” position in the East Med that lacks any legal basis.
>> Turkey does not want any military or political tension in East Med.
>> Turkey & Greece had agreed to continental shelf & maritime borders through negotiated settlements.
>> Turkey is willing to start exploratory talks with Greece that will include these issues, maritime limits, EEZ, the islands & others.
>> The GCs use their EU membership as a bargaining chip & a way to pressure Turkey.
>> Turkey will never accept the language of threats or sanctions.
>> Turkey is only there to protect its rights and would like to see an equitable and fair sharing of all the natural resources in the East Med.
>> Any energy pipeline map, anything of the kind without Turkey will not be feasible.
Aksoy (Turkey)
>> Turkey cannot be threatened through sanctions.
>> Macron’s statements have no value for Turkey; threats “will have no result.”
>> France loses its neutrality & its chance to contribute to stability with such steps.
>> France has not been able to get any results from its policies & will not be able to get any in the future.
>> France should stop magnifying itself & follow discreet & rational policies.
>> It should stop supporting putschists in Libya, terrorists in Syria & those who act as if they own the East Med.
>> All steps were taken by Turkey in the East Med aims to defend the legitimate rights & interests of Turkey & TCs based on int’l law.
>> Dialogue & collaboration is needed in the region.
Çelik (Turkey)
>> Macron is in the wrong once again supporting the GCs’ unlawful activities.
>> Macron is in a state of panic thus dragging every issue he gets involved with into an illegal terrain.
Hasipoğlu: “Even Akıncı knows that the GC side rejects equal sharing”
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog
Negotiations Process, Energy, Regional/International Relations
OVERVIEW
“The Cyprus issue is primarily a problem of sovereignty,” National Unity Party (UBP) MP Oğuzhan Hasipoğlu said on Thursday.
Speaking during Thursday’s session of parliament, Hasipoğlu touched on the recent tension between Turkey and Greece over the hydrocarbon exploration efforts.
“It is vital to protect and to carry out hydrocarbon explorations in areas included in the Blue Homeland,” Hasipoğlu stressed, adding that the agreement the Turkish Cypriot side signed with Turkey was a turning point in the name of protecting the rights of the Turkish Cypriots in the seas.
“Moreover, the Turkish Cypriot side had made numerous proposals to the Greek Cypriot side on the issue of hydrocarbons, all of which have unfortunately been rejected,” Hasipoğlu stressed.
He recalled that the former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan had prepared a report reiterating the fact that the Greek Cypriot side had not accepted equal sharing even in 2004.
“Even President Mustafa Akıncı says the same thing. Everyone knows that the Greek Cypriot side is not willing to accept the federation model but no one publicly states the obvious,” Hasipoğlu concluded.
KEY ACTORS
Hasipoğlu (UBP)
>> The Cyprus issue is primarily a problem of sovereignty.
>> Vital to protect and to carry out hydrocarbon explorations in areas included in the Blue Homeland.
>> TC side’s agreement signed with Turkey is a milestone in the name of protecting the rights of the TCs in the seas.
>> The TC side had made numerous proposals to the GC side on the issue of hydrocarbons only to be rejected.
>> Everyone including President Mustafa Akıncı knows that the GC side is not willing to accept the federation model but no one publicly states the obvious.
TC & GC parties call upon Cypriots to unite their efforts to overcome post-Covid-19 crisis
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog
Negotiations Process, Internal Security, CBMs
OVERVIEW
Representatives of Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot political parties met on Thursday through a video teleconference to renew their dialogue and to contribute to the relaxation of measures on both sides of the divide after overcoming the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic.
Hosted by the Slovak Embassy in Nicosia, the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot political parties called upon all Cypriots to unite their efforts and try to overcome the post-COVID-19 crisis, and furthermore call upon the leaders of the two communities to prepare the ground for the resumption of the negotiations for a Cyprus settlement.
In a written statement issued following the meeting by the Slovak Embassy, the political parties highlighted the importance of examples of mutual support such as medical and material assistance, cooperation and coordination between the leaders.
It said ongoing dialogue between members of the bicommunal technical committee on health as well as civil society of both communities during the pandemic clearly shows the willingness of Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots to live together and to find a common way for the reunification of the island through the just, viable and lasting solution of Cyprus problem.
“Participants are committed to continuing their regular meetings, as they consider extremely important the intensification of the efforts to facilitate contacts between both communities just in the post-COVID-19 period, and build on the previous positive outcome of their dialogue and actions engaged within the framework of confidence-building measures,” the statement read.
Also recalling a joint communiqué issued by political parties’ in April 2020, the political parties reaffirmed that the common struggle against the coronavirus pandemic should be viewed as an opportunity to find new approaches to each other.
“The Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot political parties call upon all Cypriots to unite their efforts and try to overcome multi-faced, social and economic post-COVID-19 crisis through mutually beneficial cooperation and solidarity,” the statement read.
The political parties also urged the two leaders to prepare the ground for the resumption of the talks in accordance with the six-point framework drawn by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres following Crans Montana after the elections in the Turkish Cypriot community.
The next meeting of the leaders and the representatives of the political parties will be held in the second half of September, depending on the epidemiological situation on the island.
Religious authorities in the north condemn Bayraktar incident
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog
Internal Security, Human Rights
OVERVIEW
The Head of the Turkish Cypriot Department for Religious Affairs Talip Atalay on Thursday condemned the poster incident at the Bayraktar Mosque in South Cyprus.
A far-right extremist group, the Revolutionary Liberation Front, had hung posters on the fence of the Mosque threatening Greek Cypriots who cross over to the north.
Atalay described the incident as scary, shameful, ugly and inappropriate.
He added that the Greek Cypriot authorities needed to put an end to the growing trend of racist, discriminatory and threatening acts which target and use of the Turkish mosques in the south.
Atalay added that such acts, no matter which geography carried out in, or which religion or religious place of worship it targeted was unacceptable.
The Cyprus Evkaf Administration also condemned the poster incident.
The Evkaf, in a written statement on Thursday, expressed disappointment and regret over the recent rise in attacks against mosques and other Ottoman-era monuments in the South.
It said that the latest incident, which involved the hanging of posters on the fence of the Bayraktar Mosque threatening to “Kill those who “worship the Turkish Occupation with axes and fire”, was part of a growing trend of attacks on Turkish heritage sites.
It said similar attacks had been carried out on the Köprüllü Mosque in Limassol and the Tuzla Mosque in Larnaca.
“The Cyprus Evkaf Administration strives to protect and respect the places of worship under its administration. We are demanding that the Greek Cypriot administration to put an end to these acts of hate speech during this period where tolerance is most needed,” the statement read.
A similar message of condemnation came from the TMT (Turkish Resistance Organisation) Freedom Fighters’ Association.
The association said the incident was the latest example of the pro-ENOSIS Greek-Greek Cypriot mentality which aimed to wipe out Turkish existence on the island.
European Commission earmarks €2m for TC CSOs
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog
EU Matters, Human Rights
OVERVIEW
The European Commission (EC) has launched a €2m call for proposals to support Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in the Turkish Cypriot community, the dailies report on Friday.
In a written statement issued from the EC, the seventh Cypriot Civil Society in Action grant scheme aims at encouraging civil society organisations to pursue meaningful socio-economic change by participating in policy and decision making and implementation; by influencing change at local and the European Union (EU) level and by fostering collaboration and partnerships including in the dialogue between the Cypriot communities and in sectoral cooperation.
“Civil society capacity building and issues such as environment, climate change, human rights, good governance, social inclusion, youth participation and media literacy and promotion of ethical journalism have been identified as the priorities of the call for proposals,” the statement read.
The call for proposals consist of two lots with the same priorities but with different EU funded grant size and potential duration.
The EC asks the applications to initially submit a concept note latest by 16 October 2020. There will also be information sessions and training that will take place from August to September 2020.
Syrian migrants deported back to Turkey
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog
Internal Security, Migration and Citizenship
OVERVIEW
The group of undocumented 30 Syrians, who had arrived at the Yayla (Syrianohori) coast near Güzelyurt (Morphou) earlier this month were deported back to Turkey on Thursday.
According to the dailies, the boat with 30 Syrians – 20 men, three women and seven children – had arrived at Yayla (Syrianohori) on July 9, 2020, but had been apprehended by police which acted on a tip from an informant.
The police, which had been waiting in ambush had fired four warning shots in the air.
The officers had then targetted the boat’s engine when the captain refused to comply with the stop warnings and attempted to steer away.
Consequently, the boat’s captain and one of the migrants were hit by the bullets.
The Syrian migrants had been placed at the Boğaz Hotel in İskele (Trikomo) since their arrival.