Front Page Headlines
‘Let us crack open a new door for life’
Speaking to Yenidüzen, lawyer Achilleas Demetrides proposed that the abandoned International Airport in Nicosia be transformed and opened as a bicommunal pandemic hospital. “A new door to life will be cracked open at this airport where many people died as a result of the war.
- We’re heading to the polls today (Sunday) –198,867 voters in the north will be casting their votes to elect a new TRNC president and on constitutional amendments today (Sunday).
- UN statement on Maraş: Withdraw the decision
- 3189 people visited Maraş (Varosha) yesterday.
Let’s vote
The Turkish Cypriot people will vote to elect the next president, who will serve for the coming five years as well as constitutional amendments to increase the number of Supreme Court judges. 11 candidates are competing for the top seat in the north. The voter will use the “yes” stamp on their preferred candidate and will put an “X” to approve or disapprove the constitutional amendments. According to coronavirus measures announced by the Supreme Election Council (YSK), the voters will be wearing their masks and will wear disposable gloves provided by the YSK during the voting.
- Police believe the testimonies given are contradictory – Serhat Borak arrested by the police in connection with 32 undocumented Syrian migrants, who were found in the forest area in Avtepe (Agios Symeon)) on October 7. Borak will be charged with the crime of “human trafficking.”
- Concerns over malaria – The death of Muhammad Mustapha Shelttima at the Dr Burhan Nalbantoğlu Hospital has caused concern among the public. The deceased was being treated for malaria but is believed to have already been infected before arriving in the north.
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You’re really the real deal corona
Urologist Dr Alper Sözüöz said that sexual flings and affairs have significantly dropped due to the coronavirus pandemic. He said that fear has played an important role in the drop, adding that there has been a significant drop in STDs.
- Now the ballots boxes will do the talking –Voting for the presidential election in which 11 candidates are contesting is being held between 8 am and 6 pm.
- ‘There will be no settlement’ – Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades said withdrawal of Maraş (Varosha) settlement, not a precondition.
- ‘Two-state settlement not possible’ – Greek Cypriot House of Representatives demanded that the decision regarding Maraş (Varosha) be withdrawn. It also gave a strong message regarding a solution.
Let’s see who has the right to say
We are going to the ballot boxes to elect a new president. 198,867 voters will vote from eight in the morning until six in the afternoon. In addition to the presidential elections in which 11 candidates are competing for, the voters will also vote for the constitutional amendments in the public referendum. Coronavirus measures are in place and the voters will have to vote with their masks on and use the gloves provided.
- “Rescind your decision on the opening of Maraş Maraş (Varosha)” – UN Security Council (UNSC) said.
Main News
TCs head to the polls to elect their next leader
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis , Diyalog , Avrupa
Governance & Power Sharing
OVERVIEW
Turkish Cypriots headed to the polls on Sunday to elect their new leader with the latest developments on a variety of issues ranging from Turkey’s intervention to the future of the Cyprus Issue weighing on people’s minds.
198,867 Turkish Cypriot voters are eligible to vote in the election which is expected to head to a second round to be held next Sunday.
11 candidates are contesting for the top spot amid speculations of election meddling by Turkey.
Failure by any of the candidates to win a simple majority will result in a second-round between the two candidates who receive the most votes in the first round.
The candidates are incumbent Turkish Cypriot President Mustafa Akıncı, Turkish Cypriot Prime Minister and leader of the National Unity Party (UBP) Ersin Tatar, Turkish Cypriot Deputy Prime Minister’ and former head of the People’s Party (HP) Kudret Özersay, former head of Democratic Party Serdar Denktaş (DP), lawyer Alpan Uz, Arif Salih Kirdag, teacher Mustafa Ulaş, and doctor Ahmet Boran, the head of main opposition Republican Turkish Party (CTP) Tufan Erhürman, leader of Rebirth Party Erhan Arıklı and head of the Nationalist Democracy Party (MDP) Fuat Türköz Çiner.
Analysts predict that the race will be between Akıncı, Tatar, and Erhürman.
Incumbent leader Mustafa Akıncı opposed the opening up of Maraş (Varosha) beach, openly defying Ankara. He has also spoken against seeking solutions other than the bicommunal, bizonal federation(BBF) being discussed for decades.
Tatar and Kudret Özersay who quit the government this week are pressing for alternative solutions to the Cyprus problem.
Akıncı had also gone against Turkey’s wishes during talks in 2017 when he submitted a map with territorial concessions.
Akıncı, who is running for a second term, reportedly said in a TV interview that in his 45 years in politics, he has never seen so much intervention by Turkey.
He reportedly said Turkey’s embassy in the north has been turned into a campaign team rallying against him.
He added that deputies of the Turkish ruling party AKP and of the far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) have been touring villages, campaigning against him.
Akıncı also said pressure is being exerted on businesspeople either through threats or promises, while pressure has also been exerted for the withdrawal of candidacies.
On Friday evening, in the last debate ahead of the elections, Akıncı revealed that he had even been ‘advised’ to withdraw his candidacy some three weeks ago.
He said the advice came from someone who works for Turkish intelligence during a meeting with his undersecretary.
The man had told the undersecretary to pass on the message to Akıncı to withdraw his candidacy “for his own good and that of the people close to him, the country, and the motherland”.
Akıncı said this was a clear threat.
“This behaviour is opening deep wounds in the conscience of Turkish Cypriot people,” Akıncı had said.
The UBP candidate Ersin Tatar, in an attempt to win votes, opened a section of (Maraş) Varosha.
The other candidates slammed Tatar, stating that it the Ankara-backed PR stunt to boost support for him was unacceptable.
What’s more, the move cost Tatar, what was already a fragile coalition with the Peoples’ Party.
The People’s Party (HP) quit the coalition government citing that Tatar has undermined both the Turkish Cypriot political will and the state institutions.
Özersay angered by Tatar’s manoeuvre which stole his thunder, slammed Tatar for exploiting the Maraş (Varosha) issue for elections.
In view of blatant interference by Turkey, Akıncı said: “This is a disgrace for the Turkish Cypriot democracy.”
The UN Security Council called for a reversal of the decision to open the coastline in the fenced-off area of Maraş (Varosha) in Famagusta and to adhere to UNSC resolutions 550 and 789, which was still in force.
The elections, which were initially set to take place on April 24 but were postponed due to the pandemic will take place on October 11.
Four human traffickers arrested by police
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog , Avrupa
Internal Security, Human Rights, Migration & Citizenship
OVERVIEW
Four men have been arrested on charges of “human trafficking” in the case of unlawful entry of the 32 undocumented Syrian migrants into the north, the dailies report on Sunday.
The undocumented Syrian migrants who had arrived by two boats at a beach near Avtepe (Agios Symeon) on October 7, were apprehended by police while conducting a routine patrol.
The group of 16 men, seven women and nine children were then transferred to İskele (Trikomo) for medical checks and PCR tests.
The migrants were placed at a sports facility in İskele (Trikomo).
As a result of the police investigation, Süleyman Barut, Kadir Can Barut and Davut Zengin were detained on October 9 and Serhat Borak on October 10.
The police are now searching for three more suspects, who were involved in the act of human trafficking.