TCC Press Review 13 Oct 2020

Front Page Headlines

Yenidüzen

The lowest turnout ever…from 93 per cent to 58 per cent

The lowest turnout in the country’s election history was recorded during Sunday’s presidential election. The voter turnout which was 93.48 per cent in 1990 witnessed its lowest percentage on Sunday with 58.29 per cent.

  • “The pandemic has been used as an excuse to hide the public’s resentment against politics” – Head of the Supreme Court Narin Şefik evaluated the reasons for the low turnout.
  • All eyes on the CTP…(General Secretary Erdoğan) Sorakin: “It is not possible to make any concessions from our principles” – Akıncı and Tatar will be visiting the Republican Turkish Party (CTP). The CTP’s Central Executive Committee will convene at 5:30 this afternoon followed by the Party Assembly to decide how to proceed in the second round.
  • “Our common goal is our communal will” – President and independent candidate Mustafa Akıncı announced his second-round strategy.

Kıbrıs

Highest voter turnout in Lefke (Lefka)

Lefke (Lefka) which participated as a district in the presidential elections for the first time had the highest voter turnout among other districts with 63.46. The Sunday elections, in which National Unity Party (UBP) candidate Ersin Tatar and independent candidate Mustafa Akıncı advanced to the second round, had the historically low turnout in general with 58.29 per cent. 

  • Özersay lost more than 15 per cent in five years – While excitement over the second round of elections in which the UBP candidate Ersin Tatar will compete against independent candidate Mustafa Akıncı is high, independent candidate Kudret Özersay suffered the biggest loss in the election. Compared to the previous presidential elections in 2015, Özersay lost more than 15 per cent of the votes. He had received 21.25 per cent in 2015 and the People’s Party, which supported Özersay on Sunday, had received 17.7 per cent of votes in the 2018 parliamentary elections.
  • The process for second-round elections has commenced – The Supreme Electoral Council (YSK) announced the election timeline. The campaign period for the two candidates will commence on Wednesday, October 14.
  • Secondary and high schools also started in-class education.

Havadis

The key is the CTP

The debate on the second round of the elections started immediately after the completion of the first round. The position to be adopted by the Republican Turkish Party’s (CTP), whose candidate (Tufan Erhürman) came third by receiving 24,075 votes, will define the outcome of the elections. 

  • Akıncı: Basic vision and joint interest ­– President Mustafa Akıncı evaluated the situation and shared his second-round strategy: “While maintaining the basic vision of establishing a broad consensus to meet the demands of the community, the common ground for the second round will be peace, democracy, freedoms and a future based on the community’s political will.”

Diyalog

There is no one to do the work

The fact that most of the workers who went to Turkey haven’t returned has had a negative impact on all sectors. After the majority of Turkish nationals working at establishments that shut down due to the pandemic returned to their country, many of the sectors in the TRNC had been facing labour shortages. Firms that manufacture furniture, doors and windows, as well as body shop garages who spoke to Diyalog, complain they cannot find workers to work for them.

  • Greek Cypriots in a panic – While there has only been one Covid-19 case recorded in the north, the figure has reached 41 in the South.
  • ‘Cyprus is Greek’ – 250 members of ELAM took part in the protest in Derinya (Dherynia).

Avrupa

“I will come and blow out your brains in your office”

Another death threat to Mustafa Akıncı. In a video message, Yılmaz Ecevit Kılıç said, “I will come and blow out your brains in your office. Then I will walk out of there without even looking back! Turkey is even paying for the toilet paper you use. The Greek-Greek Cypriot who rob you of everything the minute the Turkish nation abandons you.”

  • Two candidates will visit the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) asking for votes.

Main News

Process underway for Sunday’s second round

Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Governance & Power Sharing

OVERVIEW

The process and the legal provisions for the second round of the presidential elections in the north were launched on Monday by the Supreme Electoral Council (YSK), the Turkish Cypriot dailies reported on Tuesday.

The second round of the elections will be held this coming Sunday on October 18.

According to the timeline published by the YSK, incumbent president Mustafa Akıncı and National Unity Party (UBP) leader Ersin Tatar will be able to resume their election campaigns on Wednesday, October 14. The campaigning period will end on October 17 on Saturday at 6 pm. 

The YSK also announced that the election prohibitions will remain in force until the second round of the elections is concluded.

All eyes have now turned to the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) which is expected to define the outcome of the second round of the election after its candidate, party leader Tufan Erhürman came third in Sunday’s first-round with 24,075 votes.

Both Tatar and Akıncı will be visiting the CTP on Tuesday to seek support for the second round.

The party’s top bodies, the Central Executive Committee and party assembly will be meeting on Tuesday afternoon to discuss how to proceed.

However, the general perception is that the CTP, which also supports a federal solution in Cyprus, will most likely choose to support Akıncı in the second round.

Earlier on Monday, CTP General Secretary Erdoğan Sorakın, on Monday, indicated that his party will likely give support to incumbent president Akıncı.

Speaking on Genç TV, Sorakın said the CTP’s party assembly will convene on Tuesday to decide which of the two candidates it will be supporting.

 “The CTP is a 50-year-old party and since its establishment, it has supported solution, peace, democracy and human rights. Our vision has always been for a federation,” Sorakın said.

He underlined that the party will make its decision in favour of federation.

“It is clear that the CTP will give support to a candidate that is in favour of a federal solution on the island. The party assembly will decide but the federal solution is one of the pillars of the CTP so people need not worry,” Sorakın concluded.

Other top CTP officials, such as MP Doğuş Derya have already openly announced via social media that they will be supporting Akıncı in the second round.

Meanwhile, presidential candidate Mustafa Akıncı on Monday said that the common cause of the Turkish Cypriot community was maintaining its political will.

In a written statement issued a day after qualifying for the second round in a tightly contested and tense election, Akıncı highlighted the need to adopt a unified stance against his rival Ersin Tatar who had declared that his National Unity Party (UBP) had won a victory in Sunday’s first-round election.

He said that everyone must join forces to uphold the understanding that the Office of the President was an independent and supra-party institution which served the entire Turkish Cypriot community and not any given political party.

“The Turkish Cypriot community has successfully passed an important test in the first round. It demonstrated its stance against all kinds of interventions in democratic maturity, reflecting its will at the ballot box,” he said.

Akıncı’s message is believed to be aimed at the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) which also supports a federal solution but whose candidate, Tufan Erhürman failed to make it into the second round.

He said that it was extremely important for the Turkish Cypriot community to demonstrate its political will in the second round on October 18.

“For this, we must continue to work. We have come to a vital crossroad for the future of our communal existence,” Akıncı said, adding that he had no doubt the Turkish Cypriot people will join forces in preserving their identity and communal existence.


TC authorities condemn provocations in Derinya (Dherynia)

Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis , Diyalog , Avrupa
Internal Security

OVERVIEW

The protest staged by pro-Greek protestors at the Derinya (Dherynia) crossing point on Sunday night drew harsh reactions from Turkish Cypriot officials and organisations on Monday.

Around 250 nationalists charged through a police checkpoint at the crossing point on Sunday night, to protest the opening of part of Maraş (Varosha) nearby.

A video circulating on social media showed men dressed in black and donning black masks breaking through a police barrier.

The group, with bats and sticks, and a large Greek flag advanced forward chanting nationalist slogans such as “Cyprus is Greek”.

The group also lit flares – which reportedly caused fires in nearby fields – while destroying other property along the road leading towards to north.

 “The Greek Cypriot fascists’ provocations must not go unpunished this time round,” the Turkish Cypriot Foreign Ministry said on Monday.

In a written statement, the Ministry added that the Greek Cypriot protestors’ actions are in no way acceptable.

“It is unacceptable that members of such extremist, nationalist and chauvinist groups are being allowed to cross into the buffer zone and to cause fires by throwing fireworks before the very eyes of the Greek Cypriot police,” the statement read.

It said that the explanation made by the Greek Cypriot police that it was still in the process of identifying those responsible were are only “tragicomic.”

The ministry also noted that messages of condemnation made by Greek Cypriot officials on the latest incident were a reminder of similar statements made in the past when such incidents took place.

It added that the release of perpetrators by authorities due to lack of evidence in incidents that happened before the eyes of the police will only encourage more unwanted incidents to be committed by similar groups.

The ministry noted that the necessary protest letters had been sent to the United Nations as well.

The Ministry also drew attention to calls made on social media by similar groups for two events in Nicosia on October 13 and in Derinya (Dherynia) on October 17.

“It will be a test of sincerity for the Greek Cypriot side to implement the necessary measures to prevent such extremist groups from approaching the crossing points,” the ministry concluded.

“The Greek Cypriot administration must stop and prevent such protests organised by a group Greek Cypriot fanatics at the Derinya (Dherynia) crossing point,” National Unity Party (UBP) leader and Prime Minister Ersin Tatar said.

Issuing a statement on the protest, which was staged for the opening of the coastal part of the fenced-off town, Tatar argued that Maraş (Varosha) had been opened for humanity and that everyone should acknowledge this fact.

“We want peace to prevail in Cyprus with an agreement on the basis of the realities of the island. We believe this will contribute to improving relations between Turkey and Greece. Nonetheless, our efforts are not sufficient to achieve our goal,” Tatar said.

“Staging a protest at Derinya (Dherynia) against the decision to open Maraş (Varosha) under the Turkish Cypriot administration only serves to escalate tensions on the island,” Tatar said.

He added that the pre-1974 owners will from now on be able to apply to the Immovable Property Commission (IPC) for their properties.

“If the IPC finds the applicant to be right, the said property will either be returned to the pre-1974 owner or the applicant will be compensated or will be offered property in exchange of his/her property in Maraş. This is what the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) wants us to do,” Tatar said.

He reminded that there were 300 applications for Maraş (Varosha) currently pending at the IPC

Tatar also condemned the Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades who acknowledged the anger of the protesters.

 “The Turkish Cypriot side will continue its plan to reopen the fenced-off town phase by phase in accordance with the road map,” Tatar concluded.

“It was not a coincidence for the far-right ELAM to stage a protest at Derinya (Dherynia) just as the results of the election was being announced,” the Left Movement said.

“The history of Cyprus is filled with provocative acts of nationalists and fascists aimed at permanently partitioning the island, Abdullah Korkmazhan said in a statement issued from the Left Movement.

Korkmazhan, strongly condemning the demonstrations staged at the at Derinya (Dherynia) crossing point, said the progressive people of Cyprus will not allow the fascists to be successful in their attempts.

“While the nationalists and fascists worked almost together in permanently dividing the island, the progressive and pro-solution people of Cyprus will not allow the fascists to be successful and will not allow the island to be split,” Korkmazhan concluded.


Oruç Reis resumes exploration activities in East Med after new Navtex

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

OVERVIEW

Turkey’s Oruç Reis seismic exploration vessel left Antalya Port early Monday morning to carry out activities south of the island of Kastellorizo (Megisti-Meis) until October 22, following the declaration of a 10-day-long Navtex (navigational telex) in the Eastern Mediterranean.

The vessel will carry out seismic studies in the Eastern Mediterranean together with two other vessels, the Ataman and Cengiz Han.

Maintenance work on the Oruç Reis seismic exploration vessel has been completed and it has resumed its mission in the Eastern Mediterranean, Turkey’s Energy and Natural Resources Minister Fatih Dönmez said on Monday.

“Our vessel has weighed anchor to take an X-ray of the Mediterranean,” Dönmez said on Twitter, adding that Turkey will continue to explore, dig and protect its rights in the area.

“If there is (natural gas), we will absolutely find it,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Turkish Foreign Ministry on Monday stressed the Oruç Reis seismic exploration vessel is operating entirely within the Turkish continental shelf.

Turkey’s Communications Director Fahrettin Altun on Monday also said on Twitter: “We remain committed to a diplomatic solution and encourage all parties, including Greece, to support Turkey’s diplomatic initiatives. But there can be no negotiations if you say ‘what’s mine is mine and what’s yours is negotiable.”

The Greek Foreign Ministry Monday criticized the decision, calling it a “major escalation and a direct threat to peace and security in the region.”

In response, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Greece’s objections were “unacceptable.”

The statement said that the Oruç Reis’ activities are being conducted completely within the Turkish continental shelf, 15 kilometres (9 miles) from Turkey and 425 kilometres from the Greek mainland. It also noted that Athens’ claims are incompatible with international law.

“It is unacceptable to object to our country, which has the longest coast in the Eastern Mediterranean, to operate at a distance of 15 kilometres from the mainland,” it said.

“This objection is based on the claims of Greece’s maximalist maritime jurisdiction, embodied in the Seville Map. However, it has been announced to the public by the European Union and the United States that the Seville Map is legally invalid,” the statement added.

Speaking at the opening ceremony for the school year at the National Defence University on Tuesday, Turkey’s Defence Minister Hulusi Akar said that Oruç Reis’s activities will be coordinated with the Turkish Navy.

Turkey’s operations in the Eastern Mediterranean comply with international law and regulations, he said, adding: “We have territorial waters in the Aegean and Mediterranean that have been registered by the UN. The operations we conduct in these areas are of scientific and technical nature and don’t constitute a threat to anyone.”

“The Turkish Navy will provide escort and protection to the Oruç Reis. We expect our neighbours to avoid provocative actions,” Akar said in his speech.

Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told European Council President Charles Michel on Monday that Turkey expects concrete steps from the European Union regarding the organization of a conference on the Eastern Mediterranean, according to a statement from his office.

Erdoğan and Michel held a phone call in which the Turkish president said the conference proposed by Ankara should be organized to defuse tensions with Athens, the Presidency said.

Erdoğan said that Greece continues to increase tensions, even though Turkey approaches the issues with goodwill.

According to the statement, Erdoğan also said that Turkey-EU relations should be revitalized.


Human trafficker caught red-handed


Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Migration and Citizenship, Human Rights

OVERVIEW

The police and the coast guard jointly carried out an operation upon information that a boat carrying irregular Syrian migrants would approach the Küçükerenköy (Akanthou) coast, the dailies report on Tuesday.

As a result of the operation, one human trafficker was caught red-handed. The 18 irregular Syrian migrants, who had entered the north unlawfully were taken under police custody.

According to a statement issued, the police continues its investigation into the case.


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