TCC Press Review 4 Feb 2021

Front Page Headlines

Yenidüzen

‘Disappointment’

The economic package announced by the government did not receive the support of business circles. Head of the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce Turgay Deniz said that the work carried out will not bring relief to the economy. “The economic package is not what we expected. Difficult days are waiting for us,” he said. Head of the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Industry Candan Avunduk said that the measures announced were very disappointing and fell short of addressing the problems. The head of the Chamber of Shopkeepers and Artisans Mahmut Kamber also expressed disappointment. “The package is empty and unacceptable,” he said.

  • Partial lockdown to continue until February 10 – A street curfew will be in place in all districts until February 10. Travel between districts is banned. Only those working and on duty will be able to travel between districts on the condition they carry out PCR tests. Daycare centres and kindergartens are closed.
  • ₺1,500 (€174) due from last year to be paid! – A maximum of ₺1,500 (€174) will be paid in support of employees of businesses shut as a result of the lockdown. However, it has not been announced which sectors will receive this support. Overdue support payments from 2020 will be paid by February 5.

Kıbrıs

We are closed for one more week

The nationwide lockdown and ban on travelling between districts have been extended until February 10. The partial curfew, which is valid throughout the day and full night-time curfew, has also been extended until February 10. Permits for movement will have to include workplace and residential addresses. The essential service providers such as pharmacies, petrol stations, bakeries, groceries, butchers and supermarkets and their suppliers will remain open. Pharmacies, bakeries and fuel stations are allowed to work 24 hours whereas the rest can operate from 6am to 7pm. The restaurants are only allowed to operate for food delivery services from 6am to 11pm.

  • Health workers are exhausted – Health workers have been working day and night on the frontlines against the pandemic for almost a year. The health system is on the brink of collapse due to people’s complacency and the subsequent increase in the number of cases. Health worker organisations bemoan their suffering.
  • 71 cases: A new record each day – Two of the cases came via air travel, ten cases were detected in Nicosia, 45 in Kyrenia, two in İskele (Trikomo), four in Güzelyurt (Morphou) and one in Lefke (Lefka).
  • Here are the economic measures! – Prime Minister Ersan Saner announced the new economic measures and decisions.

Havadis

Disappointing

The economic support package, which the economically struggling private sector has been anxiously waiting for, was announced by the prime minister but caused disappointment. The package, which was announced by Prime Minister Ersan Saner is regarded as inadequate. It is stated that overdue support payments of ₺1500 (€174) will be made by February 5 but the details of the new payments were not made clear.

  • The curfew extended until February 10 – The additional measures produced by the Higher Committee for Infectious Diseases against Covid-19 and Council of Ministers’ decisions enter into force.
  • African courier for Turkish and Greek Cypriot barons – South Cyprus resident D.E., who was caught while trying to enter the TRNC through a military zone with 2.4kg of drugs, confessed to his crime.
  • Coming in support of the solution efforts – British High Commission announced that the main agenda of the Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, who is arriving on the island to hold meetings with the two leaders today, is the Cyprus problem. 

Diyalog

‘I’m in’

Businesspersons call for help to speed up vaccinations and to return to normal conditions. Businessman Günay Çerkez who joined a live programme on TV2020 via telephone said he was ready to donate ₺100,000 (€11,600) to a fund-raising campaign to purchase vaccines. Similar support was given by businessman Mazhar İkbal. Head of İŞAD (Businessmen’s Association) Enver Mamülcü said he launched an initiative to purchase vaccines from China.

  • The new package announced – ₺1500 (€174) contribution to workers of closed businesses, loan support with 15 per cent interest for small businesses, shopkeepers, farmers and livestock breeders.
  • This is how democracy works with our neighbours! – Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades testified for three hours regarding the passport scandal.

Avrupa

Continue to remain in lockdown until February 10

The Council of Ministers approved the recommendations of the Higher Committee for Infectious Diseases after pruning them… In this regard, the nationwide curfew is extended until February 10… The Higher Committee had proposed a 15-day lockdown but this was reduced to one week…

  • The number of cases increased with the number of tests: 71 – The Covid-19 record is renewed each day in our community. 62 locally transmitted, a total of 71 cases identified in 4,954 (PCR) tests carried out in the last 24 hours.
  • ₺1500 (€174) payment to workers – The economic support package announced…

Main News

Lockdown extended, economic package fails expectations

Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Economy

OVERVIEW

The partial lockdown and curfew adopted by the Turkish Cypriot authorities last week continued to remain in force with a tightening of inspections and controls, particularly concerning those travelling between districts for work.

Turkish Cypriot Prime Minister Ersan Saner in a press conference on Wednesday announced that the current restrictions, lockdown measures and night-time curfew in all districts have been extended for another week until Wednesday, February 10.

Irrespective of the latest decisions, the lockdown for the Kyrenia District also remains in force until February 10. The ban on movement between all districts will also continue and those working for essential services will be required to have a valid PCR test for seven days.

Kindergartens and nurseries will also remain closed until February 10. All businesses, shops and most public offices remain closed for the exception of essential services, supermarkets, petrol stations and pharmacies. Restaurants are allowed to operate but only for food delivery services.

The latest decisions came following a series of recommendations made by the Higher Committee for Infectious Diseases which convened on Tuesday to evaluate the latest epidemiological situation as well as the effectiveness of the measures in place.

Despite the lockdown, locally transmitted cases continue to rise, particularly in the Kyrenia and Nicosia Districts. The Committee also decided to extend the on-line education period until February 17, keeping the schools shut.

The committee further extended measures regarding the crossings. All individuals apart from residents of Pile (Pyla) and those working with the EU or UN, the Committee on Missing Persons (CMP) and UN Peacekeepers will continue to be subject to quarantine upon entry into the north.

Those receiving health treatment in the south are also exempt from quarantine. These individuals and their accompanying caretakers will be required to undergo PCR testing on the 7th and 14th day of their return and to inform the health authorities of their test results. The ruling on the Yeşilırmak (Kato Pyrgos/Liminitis) crossing was also extended with only quarantine exemptions being given for ambulance services.

The committee did not relax the measures for Turkish Cypriot workers employed in the south but included them in the ‘social welfare scheme,’ allowing them to apply for unemployment benefits receivable depending on their marital status and number of children.

Prime Minister Ersan Saner also announced that ₺1,500 (€174) in salary contributions will be paid to employees of shops and businesses which have been closed as a result of the lockdown measures.

Other economic measures include: extending the grace period from 15 days to 22 for dud cheques, payment contributions for social insurance premiums up to 20 per cent, and loan schemes worth a total of ₺120m (€13.9m) for farmers, taxis or shuttle service operators and shopkeepers who did not benefit from earlier relief packages.

Saner announced that the Evkaf (Vakıflar) Administration will also be reducing monthly rent fees by 25 per cent for tenants who have been paying regularly.

Neither the opposition parties nor the trade unions or business circles were satisfied with the economic support scheme announced by Saner. The leading economic organisations described the package as disappointing, stating that it fell short of addressing the crisis or bringing relief to the already drowning economy.


Tatar: North will seek recognition if two-state model rejected

Yenidüzen
Negotiations Process

OVERVIEW

Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar on Wednesday said that he will seek recognition of the north should the Greek Cypriot side reject the two-state model he plans to table at the upcoming informal 5+1 meeting.

Speaking on Bayrak, Tatar said the Turkish Cypriot side would seek recognition of the “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus” if his two-state solution model based on sovereign equality fails to receive support.

He added that the latest UN Security Council (UNSC) resolution made it clear that the 5+1 informal meeting will not be successful but they will nevertheless attend the summit.

The Turkish Cypriot leader also pointed out that conditions on the island and the Eastern Mediterranean have changed, particularly after the discovery of hydrocarbons.

“The TRNC’s importance grows by the day. It has become an important entity. We are at an extremely strategic point. Turkey’s approach to this place has changed. Everything will be provided for the prosperity of Turkish Cypriots,” he said.

Referring to reports in the Greek Cypriot media that the UK was planning to propose something close to a decentralised federation, Tatar said that such proposals would not be acceptable for the Turkish Cypriot side as it was out of the question for Turkish Cypriots to abandon their sovereignty, their state and freedom.

“It is out of the question to be an extension of the Republic of Cyprus (RoC),” he added.

He pointed out that it was natural for the UK not to want a two-state solution as this might jeopardise the future of its bases on the island. Tatar also said he was ready to enlighten British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab on the Cyprus Problem when he meets with him on Thursday should the 46-year-old top British diplomat lack a good knowledge of the island’s history and facts.

Touching upon the issue of Maraş (Varosha), Tatar said that the section opened recently has become a local tourist hotspot.

“More than 100,000 people have visited Maraş (Varosha) despite the pandemic. It will become a popular area for those visiting our country,” he said, adding that they planned to return properties to former residents and legal owners through the Immovable Property Commission (IPC).

“This, of course, has to be done without violating UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions,” he added.

Regarding the pandemic, Tatar said that despite the surge in case numbers the health system was holding. He claimed that the source of the locally transmitted cases was South Cyprus since all those arriving via air or sea were placed in mandatory quarantine.

“It’s all up to the people to win the fight against Covid-19. We don’t have tourists or university students. There are very few people crossing over to the south. I believe we shall be seeing a drop of cases by the start of next week,” Tatar said.

The Turkish Cypriot leader also said that he will be asking Raab and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Josep Borell who is set to visit the island next week for more Covid-19 vaccines.

KEY ACTORS
Tatar
>>
TC side will seek recognition of north if sides reject two-state model at 5+1 meeting.
>> Latest UNSC resolution has shown that informal meeting will not be successful.
>> UK opposed to two-state solution which could jeopardize future of British bases.
>> Reported British proposals on decentralised federation not acceptable to TC side. Out of the question for TCs to abandon their sovereignty, freedom and state.


Arıklı proposes selling electricity to the south as a CBM

Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Economy, CBMs

OVERVIEW

Turkish Cypriot Economy and Energy Minister Erhan Arıklı on Wednesday said it will become possible to sell cheap electricity to the south if the project to bring electricity to the north from Turkey via cable is realised.

Speaking at a press conference, Arıklı said that such a move would be a great confidence-building measure (CBM) through the existing interconnectivity of the two sides’ grids.

“If we can sell electricity at $0.10 (per kilowatt), the Greek Cypriot side perhaps will stop obstructing the project,” Arıklı said, noting that he will raise the issue with his counterpart in Turkey in the coming period. 


Turkey & US security advisers discuss Cyprob


Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Regional/International Relations

OVERVIEW

Presidential spokesperson and policy adviser İbrahim Kalın and U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan discussed bilateral relations between Turkey and the U.S. as well as touched on the Cyprus problem and the Eastern Mediterranean issue during a phone call on Tuesday.

This was the first official talks held since the new US administration took office after Biden’s inauguration.

Kalın expressed Turkey’s desire to maintain close contact on every issue, stressing that joint efforts were needed to overcome divergences between the two countries.

Referring to the recently launched exploratory talks between Turkey and Greece, he said he hoped the dialogue between the two neighbours would lead to peace and stability in the Eastern Mediterranean.

In the meantime, in a statement issued by the office of the U.S. National Security Advisor, Sullivan also welcomed the resumption of exploratory talks between Turkey and Greece, and he expressed support for plans by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to resume talks on Cyprus. 

On the other hand, Hulusi Akar, Turkish Defence Minister, on Wednesday said negotiations with Greece on the Eastern Mediterranean and the Aegean are expected to be more productive in the coming days.

Speaking a day after he met with German Defence Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer in Berlin, Akar underlined Ankara is ready to make the necessary contributions to resolve the issues between Turkey and Greece and reach peaceful solutions.


Man confesses to working as drug courier between sides


Havadis
Internal Security

OVERVIEW

A man who was arrested in a military zone in Haspolat (Mia Milia) on January 25 while attempting to cross into the north with 2.4kg of drugs in his possession, confessed to working as a courier between the south and the north.

The police officer in charge of the investigation told the court that 600 grams of ‘synthetic cannabinoid’ and 1.8kg of ‘cannabis’ had been found in the suspect’s possession along with €1,000 cash in his wallet at the time of his arrest.

The suspect, who resides in South Cyprus but hails from the African continent, said in his voluntary testimony that he was paid €1,000 to deliver the drugs to the north.


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