TCC Press Review 16 Sept 2020

Front Page Headlines

Yenidüzen

Citizens to arrive from Ercan ((Tymbou) airport)

Public Works Minister Atakan confirms report to Yenidüzen. He said the entry of Turkish nationals and other foreigners to the country halted until September 20. The seven-day quarantine requirement for all arriving passengers is set to continue. Inbound flights are currently limited to two per day.

  • 21 cases in the north, six in the south
  • School bells ring in the south

Kıbrıs

“Time to get up to walk to the future”

National Unity Party (UBP) leader and presidential candidate Ersin Tatar unveiled his vision for the presidency. “We will all say ‘it’s enough’ and with the help and efforts of everyone, we will be successful,” Tatar said as he vowed to work towards developing the north more.

  • New Navtex from Turkey – The Yavuz drilling ship will remain in the area until October 12.
  • “Our priority is diplomacy without any preconditions” – Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu clearly outlined Turkey’s goal in the Eastern Mediterranean.
  • Ercan (Tymbou) airport closed to foreigners for four days.
  • 21 new cases in the north and one in ICU.

Havadis

The proposal that caused outrage

Despite the spike in the number of coronavirus cases and serious warnings from the doctors, Dimağ Çağıner, head of the Turkish Cypriot Hoteliers’ Association (KITOB) asked the north to reintroduce entries without quarantine. Çağıner said: “As KITOB, we call on all the political parties to allow passengers to enter without the quarantine requirement” and argued that “even if it is possible to get rid of the coronavirus with a lock-down, it is not economically sustainable.”

  • “The government is not doing its homework” – Republican Turkish Party (CTP) leader and presidential candidate Tufan Erhürman criticized the government during a TV programme.
  • Emphasis on a new republic – Independent candidate Serdar Denktaş addressed the voters in a video message with the commencement of the campaigning period.
  • Seeking support from municipal workers – Independent candidate Kudret Özersay continued with his election campaign by visiting municipalities.

Diyalog

Shopkeepers too depressed to say a word

News of bankruptcies from all across the country is coming in after students left and no tourists arrived. The restrictions in place which have discouraged tourists from coming into the country have negatively affected all economic sectors. Small businesses are all on the brink of bankruptcy. Speaking to Diyalog, the shopkeepers are complaining of no customers despite the sales they are offering.

  • Four-day closure – Ercan (Tymbou) Airport closed to foreigners as of today (Wednesday).

Avrupa

Ercan (Tymbou) closed to foreign passengers

Ercan (Tymbou) airport will be closed to foreign passengers for four days starting from today (Wednesday). Only TRNC citizens, their spouses and dependents will be allowed to board bound for the TRNC until September 20. There will only be two flights per day during the four-day period.

  • One patient in ICU – One previously identified positive case neglected to inform the health officials that he might have had contact with his father. Now the patient’s father is admitted to the ICU.
  • 21 new cases – 2002 tests were carried out in the north identifying 21 new cases. 3157 tests were administered in the south identifying six cases.
  • 67 deaths in one day – The coronavirus pandemic is on the rise in Turkey. Even though the total number of cases had been announced, some doctors believe that the real numbers of positive patients are being kept hidden.

Main News

“Time to table alternative models,” says Tatar

Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Governance & Power Sharing, Negotiations Process, Property, Territory

OVERVIEW

“When elected president, I will table new alternatives in the Cyprus negotiations process,” Prime Minister and National Unity Party (UBP) leader Ersin Tatar said on Tuesday as he unveiled his vision for the presidency via a live broadcast.

Tatar argued it was not possible to reach an agreement between the two communities unless the Greek Cypriot side changed its mind-set.

“The Turkish Cypriot people are ready for a two-state solution based on sovereign equality,” Tatar stressed, accusing the Greek Cypriot side and Greece of rejecting such solution model.

Noting that the Turkish Cypriot people will never accept a solution which will take the community back to pre-1974 days, Tatar said.

He, however, added that if elected, he will be willing to resume negotiations with the Greek Cypriot side.

“We will establish an advisory board and will table alternative solution models in the negotiations process. I am not going to waste another five years of our people,” Tatar said.

Also revealing his plans on the fenced-off city of Maraş (Varosha), Tatar said his road map which aimed to bring back the ghost town to life was ready.

“Our goal is to re-open the closed areas of the Maraş (Varosha) and return the properties to their pre-1974 owners. The town will be opened under the Famagusta Municipality by respecting the rights of the property owners,” Tatar said.

The UBP candidate also vowed to implement more joint projects with Turkey for the north’s economic development, adding that mending relations with Ankara which he claimed had deteriorated during Akıncı’s term in office will be among his top priorities.

“There is an unbreakable tie between Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot people. Turkey has always stood by the north supporting the Turkish Cypriots from foreign policy to health and education… I can only promise that the relations with Turkey will improve,” Tatar said.

Promising to be a proactive leader, he said the people will see a proactive president who will work to protect their rights both on the island and in the Blue Homeland.

KEY ACTORS
Tatar (UBP)
>> New alternatives in the Cyprus negotiations process will be tabled.
>> Not possible to reach an agreement between the two communities unless the GC side changes its mind-set.
>> The TC people are ready for a two-state solution based on sovereign equality.
>> The TC people will never accept a solution which will take the community back to pre-1974 days.
>> Will resume negotiations with the GC side.
>> The goal is to re-open the closed areas of the Maraş (Varosha) & return the properties to their pre-1974 owners.
>> The town will be opened under the Famagusta Municipality by respecting the rights of the property owners.
>> Mending relations with Ankara will be a top priority.
>> The people will see a proactive president who is working to protect the rights of the TC people both on the island & in the Blue Homeland.


Turkey announces new Navtex claiming Greece militarizing Chios

Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Energy, External Security, Regional/International Relations

OVERVIEW

Turkey announced a new navigational telex (Navtex) on Tuesday, saying that the island of Chios has been militarized by Greece in violation of the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne.

The Turkish Naval Forces Office for Navigation, Hydrography and Oceanography (OHNO) station in Izmir made the announcement, extending the current deployment order for the Yavuz drilling ship until October 12.

The island of Chios (Sakız) is located across western Izmir province.


Ercan (Tymbou) airport closed to foreigners until Sept 20

Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Internal Security

OVERVIEW

The Ercan (Tymbou) airport has been closed to the arrival of passengers other than TRNC citizens, their spouses and their dependents, the dailies report on Wednesday.

The Transportation and Public Works ministry has informed the airline companies with a NOTAM (Notice to airmen).

Speaking to Yenidüzen, Transportation Minister Tolga Atakan confirmed the restriction imposed for passengers arriving in the north and added that the closure will last until September 20.

Meanwhile, a 49-year-old coronavirus patient in the north was admitted to the ICU on Tuesday.

The man, the first such patient to be admitted to the ICU since July 1, had been receiving treatment at the pandemic centre at the Dr Burhan Nalbantoğlu Hospital in Nicosia for ten days.

The patient’s condition has deteriorated suddenly and had started to experience breathing difficulties.

Also on Tuesday, the proposed amendments to the contagious diseases law were published in the Turkish Cypriot official gazette.

The amendments envisage a monetary fine up to five times the minimum wage and/or up-to one year of imprisonment for those who do not comply with the quarantine requirement.

Moreover, those who do not comply with the rule on wearing a facemask can be fined up to one-tenth of the gross minimum wage.

In the meantime, Turkish Cypriot Health Minister Ali Pilli announced on Tuesday that 21 positive cases had been identified in 2002 tests carried out in the north.

Providing the breakdown of the cases, Pilli said 12 of the positive cases are contacts of the previously identified positive patients and had been kept under quarantine. He added the remaining nine cases are local transmission cases.


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