Front Page Headlines
We’re starting with Sinovac
Health Minister Ali Pilli announced that vaccinations will start on January 15 with health workers, seniors at care homes and those with chronic illnesses. Pilli: “The vaccines will arrive from Turkey. We shall be using vaccines from the Chinese firm Sinovac.” Pilli added that vaccinations will begin simultaneously with Turkey. Regarding the vaccines to be delivered from South Cyprus, Pilli said, “We do not know when we will be receiving the vaccines to be delivered via South Cyprus which have been approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). We have presented our vaccination plans to the bicommunal Technical Committee on Health. A meeting will be held today (Monday) on this issue. We are waiting for information.” Pilli also said that the vaccines to be delivered from South Cyprus will be used immediately. “The south will be purchasing five different vaccines,” he added.
It has not been possible to dispose of the medicines for years
The 2012 Environment Law prohibits disposing of expired medicines by burying them in landfills. However, the medicines are being kept at storage facilities for years because the state did not build the special facility to destroy the expired medicine.
- Eighth death from coronavirus – Health Ministry announced 18 locally transmitted new coronavirus cases and a total of 34. 77-year-old Sevim Sakinsel, who was being treated for Covid-19, passed away.
Oh No! The mutated version (virus) has arrived
The new and mutated strain of coronavirus, which was first identified in the UK and spread to many countries, has been detected in South Cyprus.
- Semester break under pressure from coronavirus – The semester break, which was given earlier due to coronavirus cases identified at schools, began today (Monday).
- Resmiye Canaltay will become the Speaker of Parliament – The Turkish Cypriot parliament will convene today (Monday) to elect the new speaker of the parliament.
- 40,623 people employed by the public sector – The results of the 2020 Household Labour Force Survey announced. 132,885 people are employed throughout the TRNC. 14,950 people are unemployed.
Parliament wake up
The two incidents of violence against women by their former spouses on the first day of the New Year have once again drawn attention to the inadequacy of punishment for such crimes. People’s Party (HP) MP Gülşah Sanver Manavoğlu complained about the lack of measures taken and the inadequacy of punishment for those who inflict violence against women. Manavoğlu reminded that a woman had been stabbed in the middle of the street in Kyrenia last year in broad daylight, saying that no steps have been taken by parliament on amending legislation. “Parliament refuses to take any steps despite the fact we brought this issue to the agenda numerous times,” she added.
FETÖ member army officer claimed so
Turkish Security Forces (GKK) issued a statement based on our publication regarding the ammunition depot explosion in Kyrenia and stash of ISIS weapons. The GKK claimed the article penned by the newspaper columnist Aziz Şah was written without conducting the necessary research. It added that the claims regarding the explosion at the ammunition depot in Kyrenia were made by Major Ahmet Özcan, who is currently in prison for being a member of FETÖ (Fethullah Gülen Terrorist Organisation).
- 2020 Household labour force survey – 14,950 people are unemployed in our community according to the survey carried out by the Department of Statistics. Unemployment is highest among youth at 29.3 per cent. Among the unemployed, nine per cent are men and 12.2 per cent are women. İskele (Trikomo) region has the highest percentage of unemployed with 16.3 per cent compared to Famagusta which has the lowest unemployment with 8.8 per cent.
- The new variant of coronavirus detected in South Cyprus
- 529 new coronavirus cases and two deaths in the south, 34 new cases and one death in the north…
Main News
Tatar warns Anastasiades not to chase unrealistic dreams
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
Turkish Cypriot President Ersin Tatar on Sunday warned the Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades to “not chase dreams that will not become a reality”, adding that a two-state solution is realistic.
Tatar also urged Anastasiades to respond positively to the Turkish Cypriot side’s call for dialogue.
He was referring to the speech Anastasiades made to welcome the New Year.
Explaining in length the reasons why efforts to reach a federal settlement have failed, Tatar said the outcome of the Crans Montana process was proof that the Greek Cypriot side did not want a fair solution.
He said the reality in Cyprus is that the Greek Cypriots and Greece believe that Cyprus is a Greek island and the Turkish Cypriot population is a minority and there is no reason for them to have political equality in the administration of the state.
The same reasoning, he said, leads to the Greek Cypriot belief that they are the owners of Cyprus and its natural resources.
“A two-state solution will ensure Turkish Cypriots’ freedom while safeguarding their security and sovereignty,” Tatar added.
He said Anastasiades was being pressured to stick to his old position by the Church, Akel, Elam and others.
Tatar added that Anastasiades chose instead to lay blame on the former Special Adviser to the Secretary-General Espen Barth Eide for coming up with the two-state solution as an option.
He noted that all relevant sides to the Cyprus problem know very well that Anastasiades favours a two-state model on the island.
“My appeal to the Greek Cypriot President Anastasiades is not to chase dreams that cannot become reality and to answer positively to our appeal for dialogue. My wish is that in 2021 we will find a two-state solution,” Tatar said.
KEY ACTORS
Tatar
>> Federal solution unrealistic; two-state solution realistic.
>> GCC & Greece see Cyprus as a Greek island & TCs as a minority that should not enjoy political equality, hence GCs view island & natural resources as their own.
>> Two-state solution ensures TCs’ freedom, security & sovereignty.
>> All relevant stakeholders know Anastasiades favours two-state solution model.
Covid cases in north continue to climb, vaccines arriving mid-January
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Internal Security
OVERVIEW
The number of locally transmitted coronavirus cases continued to rise in the first days of the New Year despite stricter measures adopted by Turkish Cypriot authorities.
Turkish Cypriot Health Minister Ali Pilli, in his daily coronavirus update on Sunday, announced 34 new cases had been identified among which 18 are locally transmitted cases.
The number of deaths attributed to covid-19 has risen to eight in the north, with a 77-year-old woman succumbing to the disease.
She was suffering from chronic lung disease and had been treated at the general hospital in Nicosia.
New cases were confirmed both at the hospital amongst doctors and nursing staff, teachers, as well as officers in the Turkish army.
All schools in the north have closed for a two-week holiday earlier than February, due to the covid restrictions.
Turkish Cypriot authorities have been tightening measures over the past two weeks following a rise in local cases both in the north and the surge in cases in the south.
A curfew between 10pm and 5am and a ban on celebrations for the New Year were among the latest measures taken.
However, not everyone observed the measures, according to reports.
A video circulating on social media, showed casinos holding parties on New Year’s Eve, stirring reactions among social media users and prompting the Turkish Cypriots Doctors’ Association (KTTB) to call on authorities to take action against those who violated the measures.
They said they have watched with sadness and astonishment the violation of these measures and stated that the decisions taken concerning the New Year holidays were aimed at protecting people’s health.
“Failure to comply with the measures is the biggest crime that can be committed against public health,” they said.
Meanwhile, the Higher Committee of Infectious Diseases will convene on Monday to evaluate the epidemiological situation vis-à-vis the measures the Committee had adopted in the last week of December.
Pilli on Sunday told Yenidüzen that vaccinations for Covid-19 in the north will begin on January 15, simultaneously with Turkey.
He confirmed that the first batch of vaccines, which will be delivered from Turkey, will be administered to health workers, seniors at care homes and those with chronic illnesses.
The vaccines to be delivered from Turkey are from the Chinese firm Sinovac.
Pilli also said that they were still waiting for information from South Cyprus on the vaccines to be delivered by the EU.
“We have presented the bicommunal Technical Committee for Health with our vaccination plan and are waiting for information,” he said, adding that the vaccines will be used as soon as they are delivered.
Pilli also explained that the Greek Cypriot authorities will be acquiring vaccines from five different firms.