Front Page Headlines
‘Irresponsibility’
The crowded party visits carried out by Prime Minister Ersan Saner and Deputy Prime Minister/Minister of Economy and Energy Erhan Arıklı without masks and social distancing which were reported by the press angered the public. Workers aren’t able to go to their jobs, children to their schools, thousands are losing their salaries and jobs but the Prime Minister himself is violating the decisions adopted by the Higher Committee of Infectious Diseases.
The state earns millions from driving licenses
Driving licenses, which are only issued once in many other parts of the world, have to be periodically renewed in the TRNC, providing a huge source of revenue for the state. Despite the pandemic, in the first ten months of 2020, the state has collected more than ₺34m (€3.8m) from driving license renewals. 50,825 people renewed their driving licenses between January and October in 2020.
- Corona claimed two lives in one day – Health Minister Ali Pilli announced two people have died due to coronavirus pandemic yesterday. He added 21 local and a total of 27 positive cases were detected.
- Education resumes today – In-class education starting at all public and private schools in our country except for those located in the Çatalköy (Agios Epiktitos) and Karşıyaka (Vasilia) areas and ‘9 Eylül’ primary school. These schools will continue with ‘distance learning’.
Incomprehensible
The highly debatable measures adopted by the Higher Committee of Infectious Diseases are in force. All schools between Çatalköy (Agios Epiktitos) and Karşıyaka (Vasilia) remain closed. Students and teachers studying or working in Nicosia are banned from going to their schools. There is no restriction on the civil servants or private sector workers. The fact that the measure on schools does not cover kindergartens confused everyone. Moreover, all entertainment venues, taverns, cinemas, bet offices, massage parlours, gyms, hairdressers, tattoo parlours located in Alsancak (Karavas) – Karşıyaka (Vasilia) are closed but casinos are open.
- The situation is grave – Two deaths in one day, 21 local, 27 positive cases.
The situation is a mess
While Alsancak (Karavas) Mayor Fırat Ataser said that people in the area were driving to Kyrenia to get haircuts after barbershops closed, the Mayor of Lapta (Lapithos) Mustafa Aktuğ said, “I did not demand that the area be shut down.” Speaking to Diyalog, Ataser said, “This is not what we wanted” adding that they had asked that the municipality be in charge of inspecting businesses and shops. Aktuğ who also spoke to Diyalog, said, “I never asked for the area to be shut down.” He said that the Higher Committee of Infectious Diseases was acting in line with the decisions adopted by the politicians. “It’s natural now that all the businesses are angry with us because you shut down the hairdressers and barbershops in Lapta (Lapithos) they all end up going to Ayorgi (Agios Georgios) for a haircut.”
Youngest death from coronavirus
A 40-year-old man, who did not have any chronic illnesses, died of the coronavirus. Two people have died in our community in the last 24 hours… Salih Çarka has become the youngest person to die from the coronavirus in the TRNC. The man, when hospitalised, had posted a message on social media calling on all those he had come into contact with to get tested.
Main News
Turkey-Greece exploratory talks resume after 5-year hiatus
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Regional/International Relations
OVERVIEW
Turkey and Greece will meet around the same table to iron out the issues in the Aegean and the Eastern Mediterranean after a five-year hiatus. The 61st session of exploratory talks will be held in Istanbul today, Monday.
Ankara, as part of its charm offensive with the turn of the new year, has been insisting on the resumption of talks, reiterating it favours dialogue, cooperation and resolution.
The Greek premier Kyriakos Mitsotakis reciprocated positively, noting that Athens would joint the “talks with optimism and confidence.”
In the meantime, Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar also laid out Ankara’s expectations from the meetings, that the issues will be taken up within the framework of rights, law and equity. Akar also expressed his hope Greece will respect Turkey’s rights in the Aegean and the Eastern Mediterranean and will avoid any action that may cause misunderstandings.
Youngest death from coronavirus, vaccination drive continues
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Internal Security
OVERVIEW
A 40-year-old Turkish Cypriot man died of coronavirus on Sunday night. He became the youngest person to die from coronavirus in the north since the pandemic first began in March last year.
His death has brought the total number of fatalities from Covid-19 in the north to 14. The man had no other underlying health conditions.
In the meantime, the inoculation drive continued Sunday at four vaccination centres. 1,170 doses of the EU-allocated Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines are expected to be delivered on Monday. Vaccination with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines will continue from Tuesday (January 26) onwards for people 65 and over.
In the meantime, Health Minister Ali Pilli held a meeting with Alsancak (Karavas) Mayor Fırat Ataser and Lapta (Lapithos) Mayor Mustafa Aktuğ on Sunday. Following the meeting, Pilli announced that health officials will speed up vaccinations while increasing the number of PCR tests to be carried out in the area.
He added that the health ministry will collaborate with the local administrations in the area to vaccinate the people aged 65 and above. Pilli noted he will relay the mayors’ request of a partial lockdown in the area to the cabinet.