Front Page Headlines
Workers are eating away their retirement money
Employees in the private sector are continuing to draw money from their retirement savings. A total of 53,000 people applied to the Provident Fund in the past six months to take over ₺2,000 (€214) per month. The fund has paid out ₺105m (€11.2m).
The sides are known
After the Republican Turkish Party (CTP), the Social Democratic Party (TDP) and the Rebirth Party (YDP), the Democratic Party (DP) and the People’s Party (HP) announced which of the candidates they will support in the second round of the election. YDP and the DP have decided to support the National Unity Party’s (UBP) candidate Ersin Tatar and CTP and TDP have said they will support Mustafa Akıncı. The HP, on the other hand, has decided not to guide their voter base towards anyone of the candidates.
- Protect Maraş (Varosha) – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said the opening of the fenced-off town is a historical milestone in Cyprus and added that Maraş (Varosha) belongs to the Turkish Cypriots.
- Serdar Denktaş quits the DP – Denktaş said: “If the DP cannot protect its honour, it is up to me to protect mine.”
Akıncı for the joint goal
The Trade Union Platform, which is made up of 15 trade unions, have decided to declare support for independent candidate Mustafa Akıncı in the second round of the elections. The platform said: “We are faced with a public referendum in the second round,” and added that “the platform chooses a federal solution, secularism and freedom over discrimination and secessionism and submission to others. The platform also stressed that a “federal solution is the joint goal of all the trade unions that form the platform.”
- Erdoğan spoke as if he is the candidate – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan praised the activities that were directed at winning votes in the election and urged the Turkish Cypriots to “vote for the political will that carried out these activities.”
- DP hurts Denktaş badly – Nicosia MP Serdar Denktaş resigned from the DP stating that it is up to him to protect his honour if the party fails to protect its.
The camps are clear
With just days left to the second round, the DP and YDP have decided to support Tatar. The HP on the other hand has chosen to set its supporters free. The parties in parliament have made their positions clear. While the CTP will be supporting Mustafa Akıncı, The YDP and DP have made it clear they will support Tatar. The HP which recently quit the government said that it would not tell its supporters whom to vote for. The TDP had said it would support Akıncı from the beginning. Serdar Denktaş who received lower than five per cent of the votes in the first round broke his ties with the DP to which he had served as its leader for the past 21 years. He said he would be preserving his honour by not voting for Tatar. His son, Rauf, however, said he would be supporting Tatar in the second round.
- The real goal is a federal solution – 15 trade unions said they will be supporting Akıncı in the second round.
- ‘Turning point’ –Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said that the reopening of Maraş (Varosha) is important for Cyprus.
- ‘Golden Passport’ scandal – Greek Cypriots who gathered in front of the Greek Cypriot House of Representatives called on House president Demetris Syllouris to resign.
Up for grabs (Varosha)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan sees Maraş (Varosha) as the last bounty that is up for grabs. Erdoğan said: “First and foremost, it must be known that Maraş (Varosha) belongs to t Turkish Cypriots,” and added that there is no need to speculate over the fenced-off town. He stressed: “I want to call on our Turkish Cypriot brothers, this land belongs to you and you have to protect it and you have to protect the political will that protects this land.”
- Serdar Denktaş quits the DP – Denktaş said: “If the DP cannot protect its honour, it is up to me to protect mine.”
- Democratic Party (DP) will support Ersin Tatar.
- The HP decided not to point to a candidate in the second round.
- 51 more cases identified in the south, additional measures demanded at the crossings.
Main News
Tatar & Akıncı continued to meet with political actors ahead of Sunday’s second round
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Governance & Power Sharing, Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
Both Ersin Tatar and Mustafa Akıncı on Wednesday continued visits to the political parties and political actors in the north with the hope of winning their support for the second round of the elections set to take place this Sunday.
Tatar on Wednesday morning visited the Rebirth Party (YDP) whose central executive committee had announced a day before that it was going to support the National Unity Party’s candidate in the second round.
The YDP’s party assembly, as expected, approved the committee’s decision late on Wednesday night.
Speaking at a joint conference after meeting with Tatar, YDP leader Erhan Arıklı, in a defiant stance, challenged those who chose to support Akıncı in the second round.
He said that Sunday’s vote was no longer about the candidates but a matter of defending the national cause.
“Two opposing camps will be contesting the election on Sunday. “Those who support a federal settlement in Cyprus and those support the TRNC and Turkey,” he said, adding that his party will not be supporting the UBP but the national cause.
Arıklı also criticized Akıncı for basing his election campaign on anti-Turkey sentiments within the community.
“A perception has been created that if Tatar wins, then Turkey wins if Akıncı wins then Turkey loses. We as the YDP cannot accept this,” he said.
The YDP leader reminded that his party had made it clear from the very beginning that it would be supporting any candidate that stood against Akıncı in the second round.
Arıklı said they will request Tatar not to take part in talks for a federal solution, to actively work for the recognition of the TRNC and to include representatives from the YDP to take part in such efforts.
In response to a question on the five-party conference, Arıklı described it as a direct intervention in the election process.
He also said that rejected any notion of resuming the Cyprus talks from where they left off in Crans Montana.
Tatar for his part called on all voters to go to the polls on Sunday.
He vowed to work on improving relations with Turkey and a solution based on sovereign equality.
He also indirectly accused Akıncı of polarising the Turkish Cypriot community.
“As and when I am elected I shall embrace all segments and views within the Turkish Cypriot community,” Tatar said.
He also said that the majority of Turkish Cypriots supported the continuation of Turkey’s guarantees and argued that a solution based on the federal model had collapsed once and for all in Crans Montana.
Meanwhile, Akıncı on Wednesday met with representatives of trade unions that form the Trade Union Platform in the north.
Addressing the representatives, Akıncı said that Sunday’s elections were of paramount importance for the future of the Turkish Cypriot community.
He reminded that he was running for a second term with the determination and intention to reach a federal solution in Cyprus based on two constituent states.
“Failure to reach a federal settlement will not lead us to the recognition as claimed by some but will only serve to render partition on the island permanent and increase our dependency on Turkey,” he warned.
Akıncı highlighted the importance of preserving the Turkish Cypriots’ democratic, secular, modern and European way of life.
He also pointed out that never before had Ankara so openly interfered and meddled in the north’s internal affairs.
“Our common strength is our political will. I am fully convinced that this will be reflected in the election on Sunday,” he said.
Later Wednesday, the Trade Union Platform expressed full support to Akıncı and a federal settlement in Cyprus
A declaration signed by the platform’s members highlighting the importance of a federal settlement and preserving the community’s secular values was issued.
“We are faced with a public referendum in the second-round. The platform chooses a federal solution, secularism and freedom over discrimination, secessionism and submission to others. A federal solution is the joint goal of all the trade unions that form the platform,” the declaration read.
The platform also condemned Turkey for its attempts to influence the outcome of the election in the north.
In a surprising development on Wednesday afternoon, former Democratic Party (DP) leader Serdar Denktaş who ran as an independent candidate in Sunday’s first-round announced that he has quit the DP.
It is believed that Denktaş fell into disagreement with the party’s executive committee over whom to support in the second round.
“Throughout this election campaign, I called on our supporters to defend our political will. However, if the party which I served as the leader of for all these years cannot maintain its dignity then it is my duty to protect my honour,” he said in a post on social media.
Denktaş said that he would be voting on Sunday with his own free will without influencing the votes of others.
His son, Rauf, however, issued a statement on Wednesday night stating that he will be supporting Tatar.
The DP later on Wednesday night announced that it would be supporting Ersin Tatar on Sunday.
The party’s leader Fikri Ataoğlu said that the decision had been approved by the party assembly with a majority vote.
The Peoples’ Party (HP) which also convened a meeting of its party delegates announced that it will not support any of the two candidates and that its members are free to vote for whomever they see fit.
Turkey’s exploration activities to continue in the East Med.
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Energy
OVERVIEW
“The exploration activities in the Eastern Mediterranean will continue without any problem and according to plan,” Turkish Energy Minister Fatih Dönmez said.
Speaking to Turkish daily Sabah, Dönmez said the seismic vessel Barbaros Hayreddin Paşa conducts 3D seismic research in the Lefkoşa-4 (Nicosia-4) location.
The Minister added Oruç Reis completed its 3,525-kilometre, two-dimensional seismic data gathering at the Demre-1 location and the Yavuz drillship completed drilling at the Selçuklu-1 location.
“There is a possibility of finding both gas and oil in the Mediterranean, yet discoveries in the region until now have been predominantly gas discoveries,” Dönmez said.
He also said the first seismic data report from the Oruç Reis is expected on Wednesday.
Speaking at the 26thInternational Energy and Environment Digital Conference and Fair (ICCI 2020) through video link, Dönmez said the vessel reached its designated area of operation where it began to install the 10-kilometre-long seismic cables at sea for the first phase in its 10-day working schedule.
He recalled the vessel had set sail early Monday in line with the navigational telex (Navtex) for the coming ten-day period.
In the meantime spokesman for Turkey’s Justice and Development Party (AKP), Ömer Çelik said both Turkish and the Turkish Cypriot side preferred dialogue to resolve all issues in the Aegean and the Eastern Mediterranean.
“We always have an answer to those who choose the path of diplomacy and to those who attempt to usurp our or Turkish Cypriots’ rights,” Çelik said.
Çelik, speaking after the Justice and Development Party (AKP) parliamentary assembly on Wednesday, said Greece needs to understand it cannot achieve anything through bullying or impositions.
Pointing out to the various negative statements made by some countries, Çelik rejected them arguing that these statements are void of any legal basis.
He recalled that Greece’s claims are based on the so-called Seville Map, which would give small islands in the area a total of 40,000 square kilometres of maritime area.
“If that’s the case then the entire Ionian Peninsula and the Eastern Mediterranean would become a Greek Sea. Can there be anything more ridiculous than that?” Çelik asked.
In another development, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced the number of new reserves discovered by the Fatih drillship in the Black Sea while addressing party supporters.
Fatih’s earlier discovery, which was announced in August, was 320 billion cubic metres. The discovery was made at the TUNA-1 well in the Sakarya Gas Field, around 170 kilometres (106 miles) off Turkey’s northern coast.
Doctors call for new measures at crossing points
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Internal Security
OVERVIEW
The Turkish Cypriot Doctors’ Association (KTTB) on Wednesday called on the authorities to introduce additional measures at crossing points in light of the recent spike in Covid-19 cases in the south.
Issuing a statement Dr Özlem Gürkut, head of the Doctors’ Association, said that the measures should be in place for the coming three weeks.
She warned that the Covid-19, which continues to affect the world, is likely to increase in the coming winter months.
“The number of cases in the north since the launch of the normalisation process on July 1, has been brought under control after the reintroduction of the requirement for all arriving passengers from abroad to enter mandatory quarantine between seven to 14 days. Additional measures, as well as the public’s general compliance with the rules, has led to a drop in numbers,” Gürkut said.
She, however, added that there was a general understanding amongst everyone in the north that keeping the borders locked forever is not a sustainable option.
“Nonetheless, we are also fully aware of the fact that the measures need to be adopted and increased as and when required to prevent the spread of the pandemic further,” Gürkut stressed.
She noted that the spike in the number of positive coronavirus cases in the south is concerning.
“There will be a decrease in the number of cases in the south only within seven to 14 days after implementing new measures today (Wednesday). Therefore, the Turkish Cypriot authorities must implement additional measures at the crossing points. It is vital that the frequency of PCR tests for Turkish Cypriots, who cross daily for education or work, be increased. We also need to have fewer people crossing over to the South for other purposes,” Gürkut said.
She also urged the Greek Cypriot authorities to provide regular and timely information on the number of cases and their demographics to the bicommunal health committee members.
Gürkut concluded her statement by urging the public to avoid cross to the south unless necessary.
Erdoğan fully backs the partial opening of Maraş (Varosha)
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Property, Territory
OVERVIEW
“It must be known that Maraş (Varosha) belongs to the Turkish Cypriot side,” the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Wednesday.
Addressing the Justice and Development Party (AKP) parliamentary assembly, Erdoğan also rejected the criticisms directed at the Turkish Cypriot authorities for the opening a beachfront of the fenced-off town.
“The reopening of Maraş (Varosha) is a historical milestone in the history of Cyprus,” Erdoğan underlined, adding that there are some western countries who are disturbed by the development.
“We will have a look who is being disturbed by the opening. Greece, the Greek Cypriot administration and some western countries are disturbed by it but it must be known to all that Maraş (Varosha) belongs to the Turkish Cypriots,” Erdoğan reiterated.
Erdoğans said that past peace processes had all failed due to the Greek Cypriot side’s rejections and called on the Turkish Cypriots to protect their land.
“This land belongs to you and you have to protect it. You also have to protect your political will. I believe then only the future of Cyprus would be very different,” Erdoğan stressed.
Touching on the upcoming elections on October 18, Erdoğan wished success to both the candidates in the race for the top seat in the north.
“I strongly believe the citizens will make the best decision for themselves and the island,” Erdoğan concluded.