Front Page Headlines
“We are scared to death of home isolation”
The head of the contact tracing team at the Nicosia State Hospital and member of the Higher Committee for Infectious Diseases, head nurse Fatma Savaşkan made important statements to Yenidüzen. “I have begged them all this time not to do so such a thing. People will start violating home isolation rules on the second and third day,” she warned. Savaşkan said that the virus was more aggressive now and that the number of contacts who were hiding was incredibly high. “We are waiting in fear because the numbers have not dropped as we had hoped. We have been forced to end the lockdown and open places before the numbers dropped significantly,” she added.
- 60 cases in the walled city (Nicosia) in 23 days – No slowing down in the surge in Covid-19 cases. Infection rates in some areas are frightening.
Now we are ruined!
Retailers, who are already struggling economically because of the pandemic, have now been dealt a blow from the loss of the value of the Turkish Lira. Shopkeepers, who already complain that days go by without making a single sale, fear that the situation will become even worse now that the Turkish Lira continues to lose value.
- Mud rained on us – Our country came under the influence of a wet weather front and a dust storm which blew over from North Africa.
- Tourism professionals have their eyes and ears on the government – The hoteliers and other stakeholders in the tourism sector insist on reopening in line with the relaxation of measures in our country.
- The salary-support scheme payments started – The good news, which the private sector had been waiting for, is here.
An uprising against the stone quarry
The residents living in the surrounding villages are getting ready to stage a protest following reports that the Neke Ltd. stone quarry, which is located in the Taşkent (Vouno) – Güngör (Koutoventis) area, is set to resume operations after being closed for a long time.
- 166 new arrests – Five years have passed since the coup attempt carried out by the Fethullah Gülen Terrorist Organisation (FETÖ) but the elements of the terrorist organisation infiltrating the state structure have not ended. Simultaneous operations in 53 cities in Turkey and the TRNC were carried out.
- Killed and dumped in the buffer zone – The Greek Cypriot police found the body of a woman in the buffer zone in an area between Akıncılar (Louroudjina) and Kiracıköy (Athineou). One person was detained by police.
- Pilli’s electronic monitoring project to be implemented – The government informed the political parties and the members of the parliament on the “quarantine monitoring platform” to be used for home-isolation and a three-day closed-circuit tourism scheme.
It will come into force in April
Individuals will have to pay ₺700 for the home-isolation (electronic) wristband and will receive ₺350 back at the end of the isolation. The new monitoring system which will use electronic bracelets and mobile phones will come into force in April. Plans are being made to use the same system for tourists on short visits to the island.
- Intense preparations – Tatar met with UK officials on the 5+1 conference.
- It will attract 300,000 tourists –The €600m ‘City of Dreams Mediterranean’ resort project being constructed in Limassol will be completed at the beginning of 2022.
- Both are foreigners –Two thieves who stole luxury watches and jewellery from a store named “Old City’ were caught while trying to flee to the south.
A group of young people cut the barbed wire fence
The most meaningful protest of recent times was carried out in the south. A group of young Greek Cypriots cut parts of the razor wire fence which was installed by Greek Cypriot authorities along the rural sections of the buffer zone from Astromeritis to the Nicosia International Airport to curb human trafficking and deter undocumented migrants from crossing over to the south. Members of the group then set up the wire they cut around the Interior Ministry.
- Newroz (Nowruz) is people’s devotion to freedoms.
- No more food for doctors – The government is at a loss when Turkey did not send any money. In a letter sent to the hospitals, the health ministry cut the free meals provided to healthcare professionals in the frontline against Covid-19, from March 24 onwards.
- 365 positive cases of coronavirus and one death in the south, 24 cases in the north…
Main News
Tatar says all parties must acknowledge the realities on the island
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
The Turkish Cypriot leadership is showing no signs of moving away from its position in favour of a two-state solution as the date for the upcoming UN-led informal meeting in Geneva grows closer.
Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar on Tuesday said sustainable peace and stability in Cyprus can only be established with a two-state agreement based on the sovereign equality of the two sides. He was speaking during a meeting with Ajay Sharma, a senior official from UK’s Foreign Office and the British High Commissioner Stephan Lillie.
Tatar stressed it is an undeniable fact that there are two separate states on the island, adding that stability and collaboration could only be achieved as and when this reality is acknowledged by all the relevant parties.
He also noted that all sides have made it clear that the status quo is no longer sustainable on the island.
In a separate meeting on Tuesday, Tatar said that Turkish Cypriots will never accept or yield to an imposed settlement. He said that the Turkish Cypriot community possessed all qualities and criteria necessary to classify it as a separate people.
“Turkish Cypriots have their language, religion and culture. They also have their right to self-determination,” he said. Repeating his known views regarding a federal settlement, Tatar said and his teams will be travelling to Geneva next month with new ideas.
“We have a very different understanding (from our Greek Cypriot neighbours) of what a federal settlement should be like. We desire to live freely and securely under the roof of our state whilst the Greek Cypriots desire a unitary state under the cloak of a federation,” he said.
Tatar also received a delegation from the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) on Tuesday as part of his meetings with representatives of political parties with seats in the Turkish Cypriot parliament. The meeting was attended by CTP leader Tufan Erhürman, the party’s General Secretary Erdoğan Sorakın and CTP Foreign Affairs Secretary Fikri Toros.
No statement was issued after the meeting. Tatar will be receiving a delegation from the People’s Party (HP) on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, earlier in the day, the UK officials also met with the leader of the HP Kudret Özersay.
In a statement posted on social media after the meeting, Özersay said he has shared his viewpoints on confidence-building measures (CBMs) the two sides could implement as well as the need to address the issue of the crossing points which have been effectively closed to ordinary citizens since the start of the pandemic last year.
The HP leader also said that he had raised his party’s views on the five-plus-one meeting and its position regarding a comprehensive settlement. Özersay added it was a productive meeting.
KEY ACTOR
Tatar
>> Peace & stability in Cyprus can only be achieved through a two-state solution.
>> All relevant parties need to acknowledge the realities on the island.
>> TCs will never accept an imposed settlement. TCs possess all criteria for being recognized as a separate people.
>> TC side will attend 5+1 meeting with new ideas.
Toros: TCs once again to pay the price of being alienated
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Negotiations Process, Economy
OVERVIEW
CTP Kyrenia MP Fikri Toros on Monday said that Turkish Cypriots will continue to be paying the price of being alienated as a result of the Turkish Cypriot leadership’s position on the Cyprus Problem.
In a social media post, Toros said since the isolation from the world is likely to continue as and when Tatar abandons the UN’s parameters. He added that this will mean that the Turkish Cypriot side’s dependency on the Turkish Lira which continues to lose value against foreign currencies, will continue.
Toros argued that the Turkish Cypriot economy has entered an economic recession that is difficult to come out from.
Caught red-handed while trying to cross to the south
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Internal Security
OVERVIEW
Two Bangladeshi citizens were caught red-handed while trying to jump the fence over to south Nicosia at the Yiğitler Burcu (Rocca Bastion) on Tuesday morning. 30 items of jewellery and 52 wrist watches stolen from the “Old City” shop in Famagusta last month were found on the suspects.
The police charged the suspects Safiur Rahman and Nazmul Hossain with counts of robbery and violation of a first-degree military zone.
The court remanded the suspects for three days until the police conclude their investigation into the case.
Turkey to purchase ‘Chaser’ for its Oruç Reis seismic vessel
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Energy
OVERVIEW
Turkey’s General Directorate of Mineral Research and Exploration (MTA) is to issue a tender to acquire a “Chaser” vessel for the Oruç Reis seismic research vessel operating in the Eastern Mediterranean.
The open tender, which its notice was published Tuesday in the Official Gazette, is set to start on April 7.
While the tender is open to the participation of both foreign and domestic attendees, a 20 per cent price advantage will be applied in favour of domestic suppliers.