Front Page Headlines
“Enough, stop ignoring us”
The private sector cries out for help. Private sector employees express their outrage over what they have been experiencing over the past year. Private sector workers: “Enough. There were times when we couldn’t eat, we went hungry. The state should not ignore us.”
- US Secretary of State: “We support a solution based on a bizonal, bicommunal federation in Cyprus”
- Young Cypriots carry their love for Cyprus to the streets: “We do not want to emigrate”
- Members of the Left Movement charged with “Carrying out unlawful actions and conspiring to form a secret alliance” – Legal action was filed against four members of the Left Movement following a complaint by the “AKP’s (Turkey’s Justice and Development Party) Famagusta Youth Branch.” The four were charged with carrying out unlawful actions and conspiring to form a secret alliance on the grounds they vandalised billboards with “Love Erdoğan” written on them.
Same products, different prices
Many people struggling to make ends meet due to the pandemic are only buying essentials. Many who are on a tight budget complain most about the price differences at various supermarkets. Kıbrıs compared the retail prices of 29 products ranged from consumables to detergents at three different supermarkets. It was observed that even though the brand is the same, the retail price is different at every supermarket.
- Steps taken are encouraging profiteering – Attorney General’s Office and police are investigating allegations of corruption at KIBTEK’s (Turkish Cypriot Electricity Authority) public tenders. The same issue is also on the agenda of three parliamentary sub-committees. Republican Turkish Party (CTP) MP Salahi Şahiner, who is the head of one of these sub-committees and a member in the other two, spoke to Kıbrıs on the issue.
- Using low-quality fuel resulted in losses of at least $60m – EL-SEN (KIBTEK Workers’ Union) President Kubilay Özkıraç said the fuel oil procurement contract within the state institutions has resulted in KIBTEK incurring damages. He added the residue from the low-quality fuel oil has sunk to the bottom of the fuel tanks.
- Municipalities heading to a financial deadlock – Mahmut Özçınar, head of the Union of Municipalities, said the state subsidies allocated for the local administrations in the 2021 Budget remained the same. He added that the personnel expenses are high, and the municipalities are not able to collect taxes either.
The situation is dire
The Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce evaluated the effects of coronavirus on the TRNC economy. The outcome is bleak. The economy shrunk by 14.3 per cent.
- “Love Cyprus” – Reactions to the arrests – Four members of the Left Movement were arrested for spraying their own slogans over “Love Erdoğan” posters and sharing their work on social media. Some political parties and trade unions reacted harshly. CTP youth division opened “Love Cyprus” banners in response to “Love Erdoğan” posters posted on billboards and staged simultaneous protests in Nicosia, Kyrenia and Famagusta.
- Israel gas for Turkey – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said they were in contact with Turkey on natural gas.
- Federation and diplomacy – The new US administration clarified its position on the solution of the Cyprus problem as well as the problems in the Eastern Mediterranean.
They have been condemned to starvation
Tourism sector workers who visited leaders of the opposition asked for their support in the big protest they will be staging on Monday. The sector representatives met separately with the leader of the Social Democratic Party (TDP) Cemal Özyiğit, the leader of the Peoples’ Party (HP) Kudret Özersay and the leader of the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) Tufan Erhürman. They complained that the government has abandoned them to starvation. The sector workers will be gathering in front of the parliament on Monday at 11 am before marching to the Prime Ministry. They say their goal is to get the government to exempt people with proof of vaccination from the quarantine requirement, starting as of May.
- You will see this – US Secretary of State said that Washington is fully engaged in the Cyprus Issue.
- A snitch got him caught – A package containing drugs was thrown over the fence from the south to the north. 62-year-old M.U who picked up the package was caught red-handed.
Take your hands off us Erdoğan
Our police, acting like Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s own henchmen, arrested members of our youth by dragging them out of their homes in their pyjamas with baseless accusations! Abdullah Korkmazhan, the leader of the Left Movement was called to the police station to testify…Police charged four people and seized their mobile phones…They were detained upon a complaint by the AKP (Justice and Development Party) Famaugsta youth branch…It is claimed that it was them (Left Movement members) who wrote ‘diablo’ (satan) on the “Love Erdoğan” poster!
- 431 positive cases of coronavirus and one death in the south, 23 cases in the north…
Main News
Blinken says US supports BBF solution in Cyprus
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that American diplomacy will be “fully engaged” in the Cyprus issue while testifying on Wednesday evening before the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
“We strongly support a comprehensive settlement that reunifies Cyprus in a bizonal bicommunal federation (BBF). We will engage in the effort to advance that prospect, including supporting the critical role of the United Nations, as well as direct American engagement in that effort. I think you will see American diplomacy fully engaged,” he said.
The US Secretary of State also said that “we are very concerned about some aggressive actions we have seen in the Eastern Mediterranean. We have and will continue to call them up.
“I can safely say that you will see the United States and our diplomats very much involved and engaged in Cyprus and trying after too many years to move things forward,” he added.
Blinken was also asked about the trilateral cooperation schemes in the Eastern Mediterranean, Turkey’s democratic backsliding and the role of the US. “We have looked with real concern over the last year and of course more recently, as the administration has been in office, at some of the actions taken in the Eastern Mediterranean, particularly by Turkey, in terms of the exercises and various claims, whether it is to a territory, maritime areas or energy resources,” the US Secretary replied.
“It is very important that the US stands up and engages in advancing stability and sovereignty and territorial integrity of all parties in the Eastern Mediterranean and insists that any disputes that arise to be resolved peacefully, diplomatically, not militarily and certainly not through provocative actions,” he added.
KEY ACTORS
Blinken (US)
>> Washington supports a comprehensive settlement that reunifies Cyprus in a BBF.
>> US diplomacy will be “fully engaged” on Cyprob, supporting all efforts.
>> Important that the US stands up & engages in advancing stability & sovereignty & territorial integrity of all parties in the East Med.
>> Disputes in the region must be resolved diplomatically & not militarily.
YDP leader Arıklı says no surprises expected from Geneva
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
The leader of the Rebirth Party (YDP) leader Erhan Arıklı on Thursday said that the time had come for the UN to end talks aimed at reaching a federal settlement. He said that it was obvious a federal solution cannot be reached in Cyprus and was therefore pointless to insist on such a model.
Speaking after an online meeting with the UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General Elizabeth Spehar on Thursday, the YDP leader said that his party had low expectations from the upcoming five-plus-one informal meeting on the Cyprus problem.
“We are not expecting any surprises from the five-plus-one meeting,” Arıklı said, adding the north and the south are clearly not on the same page when it came to the solution of the Cyprus Problem.
He argued that the Greek Cypriot side’s strategy was based on keeping the Turkish Cypriot hostage at the negotiations table, whereas the Turkish Cypriot side had lost all its hope on reaching a federal solution and had drawn a different road map based on a two-state solution.
“The two sides have officially outlined their positions thus the UN must put an end to the pointless talks on reaching a federal solution,” Arıklı said. He added it was time the UN officially acknowledged that the two communities on the island could not live under the same roof just as it had been done in Kosovo.
On the issue of Maraş (Varosha), the YDP leader argued his party supports the efforts towards the reopening of the fenced-off town in compliance with relevant UN resolutions and by respecting the rights of former occupants.
Noting that the YDP had raised the possibility of reopening the town many years ago, Arıklı questioned how much longer the UN planning was to keep the town fenced-off preventing Greek Cypriot property owners or their heirs from returning. He said the YDP supported the idea of reopening the town under the Turkish Cypriot administration.
Arıklı also urged the UN to amend its UN Security Council (UNSC) resolution 789, which was adopted based on political concerns to reflect the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) decisions and recommendations.
KEY ACTORS
Arıklı (YDP)
>> Time has come for the UN to end pointless talks on a federation & acknowledge that the two communities cannot live under the same roof.
>> Two sides have different understandings of a solution.
>> YDP supports the reopening process of Maraş (Varosha) under TC administration.
>> UN should amend UNSC RES/789 to reflect ECHR decisions.
The sides should be open to new & creative models, says Özersay
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
The British High Commissioner to Cyprus Stephan Lillie continued his meetings with the Turkish Cypriot political parties ahead of the five-plus-one conference on the Cyprus problem on Thursday meeting with People’s Party (HP) leader Kudret Özersay.
Issuing a statement following the meeting, Özersay said the future of the Cyprus problem vis-a-vis the five-plus-one conference and the problems at the crossing points were discussed during the meeting.
“We as the HP believe that all the relevant sides should be open for new and creative models during the meeting,” Özersay said, warning the contrary would only ensure the continuation of the status quo. The HP leader concluded they are in favour of a model that will integrate the Turkish Cypriots with the world.
KEY ACTORS
Özersay (HP)
>> All sides should be open to new ideas and creative models at the 5+1 meeting.
>> HP supports a model that will integrate TCs with the world.
Akıncı defends federal solution, says its the only model that includes two states
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
Former Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akıncı on Thursday reiterated his support for a federal settlement in Cyprus, stating a federation is that the only feasible solution for the Cyprus problem. He said a federation is the only formula that brings together the concepts of a solution and two states.
In a post on social media, Akıncı said that the federal model foresees two politically equal constituent states, granted with a broad set of authorities in which neither entity exerts authority over the other working together. Akıncı also recalled that each constituent state, as reaffirmed at the Berlin trilateral held on November 25, 2019, will have the right to sign international agreements.
The former Turkish Cypriot leader said that rejections of previous solution plans on the island by Greek Cypriots could not be justification for the Turkish Cypriot side to abandon its position in favour of a federal solution. He warned that should the Turkish Cypriot were to insist on the two-state solution, the outcome of the five-plus-one meeting in Geneva would yet be another failure.
Akıncı argued in the case of a disagreement during the Geneva meeting, the Greek Cypriot side will continue to remain as the only internationally recognized entity on the island, representing Cyprus in the EU, the UN and other platforms, whilst the Turkish Cypriot side’s dependency on Turkey will grow.
He concluded by pointing out that the way to overcome the deadlock in the talks lies in the agreement reached in the Berlin tripartite meeting.
Police arrest then release four suspected of vandalizing Erdoğan ads
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Human Rights
OVERVIEW
Police in the north on Thursday detained and then released four leftist activists on suspicion of defacing posters of Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan. Abdullah Korkmazhan, the general secretary of the ‘Left Movement’ and three other members of the same movement were detained and taken in for questioning.
Following their release in the afternoon, Korkmazhan told media that at the time of their detainment they were told that they were being arrested. But upon their release, police officers told them they had not been under arrest.
The four had been held on suspicion of tampering with posters that carried an adulatory message for the Turkish president. Someone had written the word “Diablo” over the posters. The movement had also launched a “We Don’t Love Erdoğan” campaign on social media in response to “Love Erdoğan” ads on billboards throughout the north.
According to Korkmazhan, under questioning he and the three other activists proved to authorities they were at home at the time the posters were defaced. “In reality, this is an assault against thought and expression. They want us to be silent, but we shall not be. They say, ‘don’t think’, but we will think. I don’t know who did this in Famagusta, it was not us. But God bless whoever did do it,” he said.
Korkmazhan’s lawyer and wife Mine Atlı, in her remarks to Yenidüzen, said Korkmazhan and three others were detained by the police upon a complaint filed by the AKP (Justice and Development Party) Famagusta Youth Branch.
“The police filed charges against Left Movement members not on vandalism but their political viewpoints,” Atlı said, adding that there is CCTV footage showing they were elsewhere during the time of the attacks on the “Love Erdoğan” posters.
Meanwhile, the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) youth branch gathered outside the Famagusta police station to protest the police for their arrests. The protestors demanded the immediate release of Korkmazhan and his three friends.
“Road to Independence” (Bağımsızlık Yolu), BASIN-SEN (Turkish Cypriot Press Workers’ Union), Mehmet Harmancı, Mayor of the Turkish Municipality of Nicosia, journalists, writers, activists expressed their shock over the arrests and demanded the authorities to respect the freedom of expression and freedom of thought.
Arguing that the arrests were a direct attack on basic freedoms, the individuals and organisations expressed solidarity with the members of the Left Movement.
21 undocumented migrants found off the coast of Kormacit (Kormatikis)
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Migration and Citizenship
OVERVIEW
21 undocumented Syrian migrants found in a boat off the coast of Kormacit (Kormatikis) on Thursday were handed over to the Turkish Coast Guard, the Turkish dailies reported on Friday.
The Turkish Cypriot Security Forces (GKK) Coast Guard in line with a cooperation protocol signed with the Turkish coast guard handed custody of the group of 21 – five men, three women and 13 children.
North’s private sector in dire straits says leading organisations
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Economy
OVERVIEW
The country’s leading economic organisations, the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce (KTTO) and the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Industry (KTSO) on Thursday warned that the north’s private sector and the overall economy were in dire straits, a year after the Covid-19 pandemic which has gripped the world shows little sign of abating
In separate interviews with the Turkish Cypriot news agency TAK, the two organisations provided a series of recommendations to the authorities to mitigate the negative impact of the pandemic. The KTTO president Turgay Deniz said the north’s economy was expected to shrink by 14.3 per cent in 2021 due to the pandemic, warning of difficult times ahead.
He noted that the number of incoming passengers dropped by 78 per cent and overnight stays at hotels by 82 per cent contributing to growing unemployment in the north. “The slowing down in the economic activities due to partial or full closure of many sectors has harmed employment, increasing unemployment to 10.1 per cent,” he noted.
Deniz also said while there is a 20 per cent decrease in import figures due to the absence of university students or tourists, there was a 22 per cent increase in exports when compared the figures in the first 11 months of 2020 with 2019. Deniz said the state revenues also decreased due to a lack of economic activities in the north.
In terms of recommendations, Deniz suggested that the authorities focus on the vaccination drive to end the pandemic and to gradually reopen the sectors. He said the priority in the reopening should be given to tourism and higher education sectors as the two are the main driving force behind the north’s economy.
Deniz also welcomed the signing of the economic protocol agreement with Turkey, noting that as a result, there will be cash injections into the market coupled with reforms in the public sector which should increase state revenues. Candan Avunduk, head of KTSO, said despite the pandemic and the lack of raw material, the members of the KTSO have produced the necessary disinfectants and face masks over the past year.
Stressing the importance of learning lessons from experience, Avunduk said it is vital for the north to be as self-sufficient as much as possible with its local industrialists. Noting that there is a 70 per cent decrease in the beverage sector, he said the pandemic has taken its toll on all industries.
He also slammed the government for failing to adopt sufficient measures in time to various sectors, adding that the low-interest bank loan schemes and deferrals on mandatory payments in the past year proved to be vital.
Touching on the developments in 2021 with the triparty coalition in power, Avunduk argued that the government has abandoned the private sector on its own with the second lockdown. He concluded by noting that once the tourism season is opened following the completion of the vaccination drive, the wheels of the economy will start turning.