TCC Press Review 31 Jan 2021

Front Page Headlines

Yenidüzen

“Lockdown should be for 14-21 days”

Dr Nesil Bayraktar who is part of the pandemic team gave an exclusive interview to Yenidüzen. Dr Bayraktar said, “We are in a situation worse than we were in March. Patients in intensive care in March were those from risk groups, those with underlying health conditions and over a certain age. The situation now has changed as we have a lot of young ICU patients. One of the problems is that people are seeking treatment too late. These delays are not caused by the health system but by people who come to hospitals too late. A week of lockdown is not enough to bring case numbers down. The numbers will remain stable. We need a lockdown for 14-21 days.”

Kıbrıs

Tons of rubble removed from the sea

The debris from Famagusta’s historic pier which had collapsed into the sea three years ago is being removed. The process of removing concrete rubble and debris that belonged to the pier constructed during the island’s British rule but which had collapsed three years ago due to neglect has begun. 50 of the 120 tons of rubble located at a depth of five meters has been removed with the aid of divers and cranes. Work is continuing.

  • 28 local, 32 cases – Two more admitted to ICU due to Covid-19 yesterday in the TRNC.
  • The number of tests and vaccinations must be increased – Dr Sibel Siber said the lockdown period must be used well.

Diyalog

The figure has grown

750 people have been placed in hotels across the TRNC for having come into close contact with positive cases. The TRNC government which is already struggling with financial problems was forced to increase the number of quarantine hotels due to the growing number of cases. The Celebrity and Manolya Hotels are the latest two resorts which have been converted into pandemic hotels.

Avrupa

A corona tax needed for the rich

Neither our millionaires nor our MPs are making any sacrifices when others are losing their jobs or going bankrupt due to the pandemic and lockdowns. A coronavirus tax was introduced for the wealthy in Argentina… This tax is affecting 12,000 people in the country. The revenues obtained from the tax will be distributed to businesses in difficulty and needy families… No one on our side is considering introducing such a tax!

  • 113 positive cases of coronavirus in the south, 32 in the north…

Main News

“UN must facilitate two-state settlement talks,” Saner said

Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Diyalog, Avrupa
Negotiations Process

OVERVIEW

The latest UN Security Council (UNSC) resolution continued to receive criticism from the Turkish Cypriot leadership on Saturday. In a defiant statement, Turkish Cypriot Prime Minister Ersan Saner said that Turkish Cypriots would not make any concessions from their sovereignty or their security regardless of the decisions adopted.

He argued that the UNSC resolution which referred to a bicommunal, bizonal federation (BFF) as the basis of a solution will in no way contribute to a fair settlement of the Cyprus issue. “The UN must facilitate discussions on a two-state solution,” Saner argued, pointing out that there have been two separate states and two distinct peoples on the island for half a century.

Saner argued that insisting on a BBF solution, which collapsed in Crans Montana in 2017, would only serve the continuation of Greek Cypriots usurping Turkish Cypriots’ rights.

He pointed out that the informal 5+1 informal meeting was an exercise to explore whether or not the Greek Cypriot side has changed its position regarding the recognition of the Turkish Cypriot community’s political equality.

In an opposing view, the leader of the main opposition Republican Turkish Party (CTP) Tufan Erhürman on Saturday said that the UNSC reaffirmed that a BBF based on political equality was the only solution model to end the Cyprus issue.

The CTP leader expressed his disappointment over the Turkish Cypriot leadership’s objections to the resolution that openly spelt out a federation.

Expressing his “surprise” regarding Turkish Cypriot authorities’ reaction to the reference made to a BBF, Erhürman said the Turkish Cypriot community was “doomed” as long as the Turkish Cypriot community was governed by such leaders.

Erhürman said that the Turkish Cypriot community would be faced with dire consequences if the Turkish Cypriot leadership continued to pursue its policy in favor of a two-state solution.

In the meantime, the Turkish Foreign Ministry issued a statement on Saturday supporting the Turkish Cypriot foreign ministry’s stance on the UNSC’s resolution, highlighting that the consent of the Turkish Cypriot authorities should have been sought before extending UNFICYP’s mandate.

“The current system of extending the mandate is against the UN’s own rules and principles,” Ankara said, while bringing to the international community’s attention the fact that UNFICYP continues its activities in the north due to the Turkish Cypriot side’s goodwill.

Also criticizing the reference made in the UNSC resolution for a BBF, Ankara called on the UN to stop relying on a tested and exhausted process which it said had failed to resolve the Cyprus problem for more than half a century.

“Nevertheless, the UN Security Council’s insistence on a BBF that has not been possible for more than 50 years is to prejudge the solution to be decided by both sides and is unacceptable,” said the Turkish foreign ministry.

It added that the informal 5+1 meeting aimed to determine whether there was common ground or not for the solution while the parties there “are expected to honestly reveal their visions regarding the future”.

KEY ACTORS
Saner (UBP)
>> The UN must facilitate talks for a two-state solution if it wants a solution to Cyprob.
>> Talks for a BBF will only allow GCs’ to continue usurping rights of TCs.

Erhürman (CTP)
>> TC community doomed if TC leadership continues to advocate & promote a two-state solution.

Çavuşoğlu (Turkey)
>> TC side’s consent should have been sought before extending UNFICYP’s mandate.
>> UN should stop insisting on a BBF which has failed to resolve the Cyprob.


Journalists’ union condemns growing pressure on TC journalists

Yenidüzen
Human Rights

OVERVIEW

The Union of Cyprus Journalists on Saturday expressed support to Turkish Cypriot journalists who have recently been subjected to threats and verbal attacks in the north.

“We condemn the attacks and lawsuits filed against Şener Levent, Ayşemden Akın and Esra Aygın,” the union said in a written statement. It added that the latest moves were concerning.

The union condemned any attack on media freedom, freedom of speech and freedom of expression in the north, noting that it will inform all international journalists’ organisations about the issue.

Levent was subjected to prosecution in Turkey as a result of the “caricature” he published in his daily, then titled Afrika and Akın for criticizing Ankara in a post on social media.

Aygın had criticized the Turkish Cypriot leader’s stance on the EU vaccines to be delivered via the south side but has been receiving death threats and insults on social media following an inappropriate response from Tatar.

The union concluded that the Turkish Cypriot journalists subjected to prosecution were citizens of the Republic of Cyprus (RoC), adding that it will do its utmost for the protection of the journalists.


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