Front Page Headlines
AKP (Turkey’s Justice and Development Party) worked, Tatar won
The National Unity Party’s (UBP) candidate Ersin Tatar was elected as TRNC president and the leader of the Turkish Cypriot community in the second round with 51.69 per cent of the voters. The interference of Ankara’s AKP government left its mark on the election. Tatar received 51.69 per cent of the votes while Akıncı received 48.31 per cent. Tatar: Turkish Cypriots deserve the best of everything. I will be embracing all segments of society. I am also extending my hand in peace to the Turkish Cypriot people. I am calling on the United Nations (UN) and European Union (EU) to be fair.”
- Akıncı bids farewell to active politics –“You all know what has been done to achieve this result. My 45-year long political career has ended. This is how far our strength took us.”
Ersin Tatar is the president
51.69 per cent of the Turkish Cypriot people have carried the National Unity Party (UBP) candidate Ersin Tatar to the presidency. Mustafa Akıncı received 48.31 per cent.
- “I have come to the end of my 45-year-old political career” – Independent candidate Mustafa Akıncı congratulated Ersin Tatar and announced that he is retiring from active politics.
Erdoğan wanted, Tatar won
The National Unity Party (UBP) candidate Ersin Tatar won the presidential elections with 51.69 per cent of the votes as a result of intense pressure from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the Justice and Development Party (AKP).
- Big celebration at the UBP – UBP supporters all came to north Nicosia and celebrated their victory.
New era
Ersin Tatar received 51.69 per cent of the votes in the second round and became the fifth president of the TRNC. Akıncı, who remained at 48.31 per cent of the votes, retired from active politics. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was the first to congratulate Tatar for his victory. “We will continue to make all the efforts to protect the rights and interests of the Turkish Cypriot people,” Erdoğan said.
- Asking for €72m in compensation – Greek Cypriot Solea family has filed a lawsuit for their properties in Kyrenia against Turkey.
Erdoğan won
Ersin Tatar: 51.69 per cent and 67,322 votes. Mustafa Akıncı: 48.31 per cent and 62,910 votes. Voter turnout: 67.29 per cent.
- Congratulatory messages poured in for Tatar from Turkey – The first one to congratulate Ersin Tatar for his victory was Erdoğan.
Main News
Tatar becomes new TC leader, winning more than 51 per cent of the votes
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Governance & Power Sharing, Negotiations Process, Energy, Internal Security, Regional/International Relations
OVERVIEW
The National Unity Party (UBP) candidate and Turkish Prime Minister Ersin Tatar ousted his rival, incumbent Mustafa Akıncı with 51.69 per cent of the vote to 48.31 per cent in the Turkish Cypriot presidential elections on Sunday, press reports from the north said.
Announcing the unofficial results, the Supreme Electoral Council (YSK) said that Tatar had received 67,322 votes while Akıncı was only able to receive 62,910 votes in 738 polling stations. A total of 130,232 votes were counted while 3,699 rendered invalid.
The YSK also calculated the overall electoral turnout at 67.29 per cent out of the total number of registered 199,029 voters. The highest turnout was calculated in Lefke (Lefka) with 73.18 per cent. The voter turnout in Nicosia was 68.72 per cent; in Famagusta 65.88 per cent; in Kyrenia 65.01 per cent and Güzelyurt (Morphou) 68.67 per cent; and in İskele (Trikomo) 68.23 per cent.
In terms of a breakdown of districts, Tatar defeated Akıncı mainly in İskele (Trikomo), which includes the Karpaz (Karpasso) peninsula and in Famagusta districts. These two districts are also where the alleged election meddling by Turkey had been the most effective, according to political analysts.
Tatar received 70.79 per cent of the votes in İskele (Trikomo) while Akıncı only 29.21 per cent.
In Famagusta, Tatar received 57.47 per cent of the votes and Akıncı 42.53 per cent.
In Nicosia, Akıncı received 56.14 per cent of the votes whereas Tatar 43.86 per cent.
Akıncı had a clear victory in Güzelyurt (Morphou) receiving 52.48 per cent of the votes whereas Tatar remained at 47.52 per cent. Tatar in Lefke (Lefka) received 47.44 per cent of the votes and Akıncı received 52.56 per cent.
The two candidates received the closest amount of votes in Kyrenia. While Akıncı received 50.50 per cent of the votes Tatar received 49.50 per cent.
Addressing his supporters outside his election office in Nicosia after accepting his defeat Akıncı congratulated Tatar for his victory and took a swipe at Ankara and its strong interference in the election process.
“There were those who interfered with the elections in the north and now we see those have been successful,” Akıncı stressed, adding that everyone knew what had happened during the days leading to the elections.
He had often referred to Turkey’s meddling in the elections and Ankara’s position to favour Tatar.
As a result, the leadership elections were dubbed as a public referendum to choose between “Akıncı, who represented freedom and free will versus Tatar who represented submission.”
Akıncı added that it had not been a normal election campaign.
“I congratulate Tatar and those who helped to bring this result, we all know who helped bring these results. I hope these interventions won’t happen again.”
He underlined that the lead up to the election will be recorded as ‘black pages in the history of Turkish Cypriot politics.
Akıncı also said this would be the end of his political career after 45 years opening the path for the younger generation to come after him.
He also noted that the necessary hand-over and take-over ceremonies will be held in the coming days.
The UBP candidate and president-elect Ersin Tatar in his victory speech outside his election office in central Nicosia said the Turkish Cypriots displayed their free will at the ballots.
Promising to keep all the promises he had made, Tatar said he will become everyone’s leader and will work towards uniting the people and putting an end to polarization within the community.
Tatar said he will work towards developing the north economically and towards improving the relations with Turkey.
“I will work hand-in-hand with Turkey towards improving our relations towards protecting our rights in the Eastern Mediterranean and to develop the north economically,” Tatar stressed.
Referring to the efforts to contain the coronavirus pandemic in the north, Tatar expressed gratitude to “motherland Turkey” for its support in overcoming the economic and health problems.
“The election results show that the Turkish Cypriots rejected those, who attempted to use the motherland as an election tool,” Tatar said.
Touching on the Cyprus issue, Tatar said he will extend his hand of peace to the Greek Cypriot community.
“I am ready to sit at the negotiations table with the Greek Cypriot side to solve the Cyprus problem based on the realities on the island. I believe concluding the Cyprus problem will set the example in our region and in the world and the two peoples and the two states will greatly benefit from it,” Tatar said.
He also expressed the belief that the solution to the Cyprus problem will significantly contribute to improving the Turkey-Greece relations as well.
Tatar also stressed that the Turkish Cypriots will never give up on their rights on the island or in the region.
Tatar also called on the UN and the EU in his statement.
“I wish to call on the EU and the UN and ask them to be fair…The Turkish Cypriot people will never give up on its sovereignty and make any concession from self-governance,” Tatar stressed, adding that time to “think out of the box” had come as all past processes failed to yield the desired outcomes.
Tatar concluded by noting that he will immediately start the restructuring process at the office of the president to respond to people’s needs better.
Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the Turkish Foreign Ministry issued statements on Sunday night congratulating Tatar for his victory in the elections.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavusoğlu also messaged through social media saying Ankara would work with Tatar “for the development and security of the Turkish Cypriots”.
“Turkey will continue to make every effort to protect the rights of the Turkish Cypriot people,” Erdogan tweeted.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan sent a message of congratulations to Tatar on social media on behalf of himself personally, and the Turkish nation.
“We will protect their legitimate rights in the Eastern Mediterranean together,” he said.
Both later called Tatar on the phone, congratulating him in person.
KEY ACTOR
Tatar
>> I will become everyone’s leader & work towards ending polarization within the TC community.
>> I will work hand-in-hand with Turkey towards improving our relations, developing the north’s economy & protecting our rights in the East Med.
>> I am ready to sit at the negotiations table with the GC side to solve the Cyprus problem based on the realities on the island.
>> Concluding the Cyprob will set the example in our region & the world.
>> The two peoples & two states will greatly benefit from a solution to the Cyprob.
>> The solution to the Cyprob will significantly contribute to improving relations between Turkey & Greece.
>> TCs will never give up on their rights on the island or in the region.
>> The EU and the UN should be fair. The time to “think out of the box” has come as all past processes failed to yield the desired outcomes.
Ankara rejects Greek claims as ‘groundless’
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Energy, Regional/International Relations
OVERVIEW
Ankara refuted a Greek statement on its extension of the search and rescue responsibility area in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean, the dailies report on Monday.
In a statement issued by the Turkish Foreign Ministry, Spokesman Hami Aksoy called the Greek Foreign Ministry statement “groundless”.
He said the search and rescue areas are not areas of sovereignty but of service in the name of a humanitarian cause.
“In this regard, Greece’s claim of violation of its sovereignty that this said area, which remains outside of its territorial waters and is merely aimed at rescue and protection of human life cannot be associated with law and a humanitarian approach,” Aksoy stressed.
He added that the area had been adapted to reflect where “Turkey effectively provides search and rescue operations.”
“The search and rescue responsibility area of Turkey has been extended to ensure the safety of the activities within our continental shelf in the Eastern Mediterranean,” he said.
Aksoy also accused Greece of acting with “political motives” whereas Turkey’s operations are of humanitarian nature.
He added that Athens displayed this approach once more by its inhumane treatment of asylum seekers in the Aegean Sea.
“Nevertheless, regarding the overlapping search and rescue responsibility areas of two littoral states in the Aegean and the Eastern Mediterranean, Greece continues to leave our persistent calls in line with the provisions of 1979 Hamburg International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue for cooperation and coordination, unanswered,” Aksoy said.
He argued that Turkey is the only country with the capability to respond to a humanitarian crisis in the region.
“The step to extend its search and rescue responsibility area is significant to make the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean — which have one of the busiest maritime and air traffic in the world — safer for human life,” Aksoy concluded.