Front Page Headlines
We’re starting with the Chinese vaccine
Turkey sends Chinese vaccine Sinovac, health professionals uneasy. It has been announced that health care workers will be the first to be administered the vaccine. However, there is still no consensus among health professionals that the vaccine poses no risk. They point out that there is no mechanism in the country which gave emergency approval to the use of such drugs.
10,000 people will be vaccinated
20,000 doses of Sinovac vaccines have been sent from Turkey to the TRNC. The first vaccines will be administered to President Ersin Tatar, Prime Minister Ersan Saner and Health Minister Ali Pilli.
- “There’s neither a draft nor a proposal on the election law” – Even though a discussion is underway on the need to amend the election law before holding early elections, no steps have been taken to date. Speaker of the parliament Teberrüken Uluçay said the issue of amendments is not clear yet.
- Labour Ministry closed for two days and Güzelyurt (Morphou) courts for one – 19 local, a total of 21 cases of coronavirus identified in the tests carried out in the last 24 hours. Measures implemented at the Labour Ministry and Güzelyurt (Morphou) district court following positive coronavirus cases.
- The schools will reopen on Monday and exams will be held two weeks later – Education Minister Olgun Amcaoğlu said all the schools except for Mustafa Çağatay Primary School, which will be opened on February 1, will resume in-class education on January 18.
Fight over vaccines
Turkey sent 20,000 doses of Sinovac vaccines to the TRNC yesterday (Thursday). There is great uncertainty concerning the vaccines to be delivered from the EU following remarks by President Ersin Tatar who said that the “EU must deal with the north directly. We will not accept vaccines via the south.” The 20,000 doses of vaccines dispatched by Turkey is enough for 10,000 people. It does not look likely that there will be vaccines left for people over the age of 65 because there are nearly 10,000 health workers both in the public and the private sectors. Even though Health Minister Ali Pilli said his goal is to vaccinate the entire country, Prime Minister Ersan Saner said the goal is to vaccinate 80 per cent of the population. Saner could not answer the question as to when the second batch of vaccines will be delivered.
- “Dark censorship” in the South – Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades did not like what Andreas Paraschos wrote and got him fired.
- The situation is at a critical level in the south – The curfew implemented on January 10 in the south reduced the number of positive cases however scientists warn that the critical phase is not over yet.
- Nicos looking for fellow travellers – Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades asked the members of the National Council to accompany him to the informal five-party conference.
As usual by our side
20,000 doses of the Sinovac vaccines arrived from Turkey yesterday (Thursday) morning via ambulance plane. Turkey, in a surprising move, sent 20,000 vaccines at 5am when people were still sleeping in their beds. The TRNC authorities, who couldn’t give an exact date as to when the vaccinations would arrive, were caught off guard and expressed their gratitude to Turkey. Prime Minister Ersan Saner gave the good news at a press conference he held with Health Minister Ali Pilli. Pilli said that priority will be given to health professionals and members of the public over the age of 65.
- Tatar to receive the vaccination today
- (Presidential) Spokeswoman Berna Çelik Doğruyol said that an initiative has been launched for the delivery of the vaccines from the EU through the UN.
Anyone can get vaccinated in the south
A call from the Republic of Cyprus (RoC) to Turkish Cypriots. The Greek Cypriot Public Information Office (PIO) issued a statement calling on anyone among the Turkish Cypriot community wishing to be vaccinated. Citizens by filling the relevant form will have their right to be vaccinated. The web site has been open to the public since January 4. A photocopy of the ID card must be given to the Health Ministry along with the form. The (Greek Cypriot) Health Ministry will inform the applicant whether or not his/her application is approved.
- The vaccinations are starting – Ali Pilli announced. Pilli said the Sinovac vaccines have been delivered from Turkey. The vaccinations will start either today (Friday) or tomorrow (Saturday). Ersan Saner and Ali Pilli held a joint press conference and said 20,000 doses of Sinovac vaccines have been delivered… According to Saner, the south so far received only 6,000 doses of the vaccine and it is very difficult to access vaccines at the moment. A 21-day lockdown is still being considered. The decision will be given by the Higher Committee of Infectious Diseases.
- International organisations call on Turkey – International Federation of Journalists which represents 600,000 journalists in 146 countries, has called on Turkey to withdraw the cases filed against Şener Levent and to respect freedoms of the media and expression.
- Blow to freedom of media in the south – Andreas Paraschos, who exposed Nicos Anastasiades for making €300m from the golden passports scheme, refused to apologize and resigned from Kathimerini.
- 241 positive cases of coronavirus in the south and three deaths, 21 cases in the north…
Main News
Tatar says agreement in Cyprus must be win-win for all
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
Turkish Cypriot President Ersin Tatar said on Thursday that any agreement to be reached on the island needed to be a “win-win for all the parties.”
Tatar held a meeting with academicians at the European University of Lefke (EUL) where he repeated his known position in favour of a two-state solution based on sovereign equality. “The UN will be the intermediary in the process,” Tatar noted.
He reiterated that it was no longer possible to reach a federal solution after the failure in Crans Montana. Tatar also argued that the north has become stronger with the developments in the Eastern Mediterranean, adding that both Turkey and the north are in favour of an equitable sharing of the natural resources.
Tatar underlined that if an agreement is reached on the natural resources, everyone will benefit from it greatly. “It will be a win-win situation for all,” Tatar added.
He also noted that the Turkish Cypriot side wants a comprehensive settlement on the island for a better future for the Turkish Cypriot people.
KEY ACTORS
Tatar
>> Agreement on the island must be a “win-win” for all the parties.
>> Solution must be based on sovereign equality.
>> The UN will be the intermediary in the process.
>> If an agreement is reached on the natural resources, everyone will benefit from it greatly.
Çavuşoğlu: A sustainable BBF solution is an illusion
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu on Thursday said that it would be an illusion to believe that a bicommunal, bizonal federal model (BBF) could bring a sustainable solution to the Cyprus Problem.
In an interview with the Global Journalism Council’s magazine Global Media, Çavuşoğlu cited the Greek Cypriot side’s refusal to share power and wealth with the Turkish Cypriots as reason for the failure to reach a federal settlement on the island for the past 50 years.
“The Greek Cypriot side does not want to let go of their unitary state and to enter into a partnership with the Turkish Cypriots,” Çavuşoğlu argued. Believing that a BBF could provide a sustainable model was nothing more than an illusion, he added.
A fair and lasting and sustainable settlement will only be possible if it is based on the realities, he said, adding that the time had come to consider a two-state solution.
Çavuşoğlu noted that Turkish Cypriots have been punished through embargoes and isolation despite displaying goodwill throughout the past negotiations processes while the Greek Cypriots were awarded EU membership.
On the issue of Maraş (Varosha), the Turkish foreign minister said that once the city was opened based on international law it would be a symbol of hope, peace and coexistence.
KEY ACTORS
Çavuşoğlu (Turkey)
>> Believing that a BBF can bring a sustainable solution to the Cyprob is an illusion.
>> Only a two-state solution based on realities of the island can bring a fair, lasting & sustainable settlement.
>> Once Maraş (Varosha) is opened it will become a symbol of hope, peace & coexistence.
TC side accuses GCs of bureaucratic obstacles over vaccine delivery
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog
Internal Security, EU Matters
OVERVIEW
Ersin Tatar’s office on Thursday tried to repel criticism directed against the Turkish Cypriot leader for his remarks earlier on Wednesday that the Turkish Cypriot side would only accept vaccines if they were delivered directly via the EU and not through the Greek Cypriot side.
Tatar was accused of putting public health at risk for the sake of trying to exert his political position. In an attempt to clear the air, Tatar’s spokeswoman Berna Çelik Doğruyol issued a written statement in which she said that the necessary initiatives had been launched with the UN, through which the bicommunal technical committee on health operates, to ensure that the coronavirus vaccines from the EU were delivered to the north as soon as possible.
The spokeswoman said that despite all the harsh criticism, Tatar was acting responsibly, keeping the public’s health as a priority. Doğruyol also called on the Greek Cypriot side to leave aside its “domineering mentality and political ambitions” and prioritize human health.
Meanwhile, Avrupa reported on Friday that the Republic of Cyprus (RoC) will be accepting appointments for Turkish Cypriots wishing to get vaccinated. It said that all Turkish Cypriot RoC citizens who are outside the health insurance scheme in the south will be included in the vaccination programme.
Those who want to be vaccinated will need to fill the relevant form which has been available on the RoC health ministry’s website since January 4. A photocopy of the ID card must be submitted to the ministry along with the form. The ministry will inform the applicant whether or not his/her application is approved.
The paper however questioned how the Turkish Cypriots in the north would be able to cross under the current restrictions in place at the crossing points implemented by the Turkish Cypriot authorities.
Coronavirus vaccines from Turkey arrive in north
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog
Internal Security
OVERVIEW
An ambulance plane carrying the first batch of Chinese Sinovac’s vaccines – 20,000 in total – arrived in the north at around 5am on Thursday from Turkey.
The vaccinations are expected to start on Friday with Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar expected to be the first to be vaccinated. Health Minister Ali Pilli told media that 5,000 healthcare workers would be vaccinated first while priority would be given to people over 65 and to vulnerable people.
“We are a small country, but we will easily overcome this,” Pilli said.
Thanking Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his Turkish counterpart Fahrettin Koca for their support for the TRNC, Pilli said, “As always, Turkey is with us in the fight against COVID-19 as well.”
In a press conference later in the day, Turkish Cypriot Prime Minister Ersan Saner said that in total 500,000 doses of the vaccine will be delivered by Turkey in line with the protocol agreement to be signed. Saner thanked Turkish officials for dispatching 20,000 doses of the vaccine despite not signing the agreement yet. a
According to the vaccination plan, 80 per cent of the population will be administered the vaccines, he said. Saner expressed the belief that the vaccinations will help improve the economy, as well as help, turn the wheels of the economy in the north, especially in tourism and higher education sectors.