TCC Press Review 30 Mar 2021

Front Page Headlines

Yenidüzen

Education couldn’t start face to face

Education Minister Olgun Amcaoğlu said that the participation of 12th-grade teachers at private schools was 96 per cent and ten per cent at public schools. Education Ministry Undersecretary Aytunç Şirket said that of the 988 final-year students only 277 went to school yesterday. Of the 577 students enrolled at vocational schools, only 237 attended. However, of the 456 students at private schools, 384 attended. Many teachers at public schools did not show up because of the education union’s objections to resuming classes before vaccinating teachers.

  • Europe registers “hellim” as Product of Designation of Origin (PDO) –The European Commission unanimously approved the registration of Hellim (Halloumi) as a PDO under regulation 1151/2012.
  • 13 nurses positive, three with heavy symptoms, 30 nurses close contacts –The latest situation concerning nurses at the state hospital in Nicosia.

Kıbrıs

Hellim (Halloumi) registered for Cyprus

The Quality Control Committee for Agricultural Products at the European Commission approved the registration of Hellim (Halloumi) produced in Cyprus as protected designation of origin by unanimous vote under Regulation 1151/2012 on quality systems for agricultural products and foodstuffs.

  • Face-to-face education started with problems – In-class education for 12th graders resumed yesterday but most of the students didn’t show up because their teachers were on strike or they feared infection. Class attendance was not at the desired level.
  • Close circuit tourism to be launched on April 12 – The Minister of Tourism Fikri Atatoğlu gave the good news to tourism professionals who have been waiting to resume operations.
  • 40,000 doses of vaccines to be sent on Thursday – Health Minister Ünal Üstel said the goal is to vaccinate 60 per cent of the society until June.
  • We will be different this time – President Ersin Tatar, who said he will be going to Geneva to open a new page, referred to UN Secretary-General’s words on the process.

Havadis

School bell rang for empty classes

The government, which decided 12th graders should return to their classrooms, could not reach an agreement with the education union. Therefore neither teachers nor students showed up. The Turkish Cypriot Secondary School Teachers’ Union (KTOEÖS) demanded both the teachers and the school workers be vaccinated before resuming in-class education.

  • Commission registers “hellim” – The European Commission unanimously approved the registration of Hellim (Halloumi) as a protected designation of origin (PDO) product.
  • EU in favour of a federation – The conclusion declaration of the EU leaders’ summit emphasized a solution in line with UN resolutions on the Cyprus problem. It also said the EU will participate in the Cyprus negotiations process as an observer.
  • Entry without any restrictions on green category – The Greek Cypriot administration published a new list of countries for travel to South Cyprus, categorizing countries as green, amber and red according to Covid-19 risks.

Diyalog

The new system is called ‘closed circuit’

The tourism sector which has not been active for over a year will be resuming operations in a restricted and controlled manner as of April 12. The Minister of Tourism Fikri Atatoğlu listed the conditions and criteria under which tourism resorts or hotels will be allowed to operate. Tourists who will be allowed into the country with double PCR tests will not be allowed to leave their hotels. The same rule will apply to hotel employees and staff.

  • The commission approved it – Following its PDO registration, ‘Hellim’ or ‘Halloumi’ will only be produced in Cyprus.  
  • Risk groups will be given priority – Health Minister Ünal Üstel announced that 40,000 more doses of Covid-19 vaccines will be arriving from Turkey.

Avrupa

Did not give any money

The ₺3.5bn (€365.4m) promised to the TRNC by Turkey has not materialized. Finance Minister Dursun Oğuz confessed it during yesterday’s session of parliament. He said a ₺200m (€20.8m) loan will be taken from the Central Bank to pay the salaries because the expected funds from Turkey have not arrived yet. Oğuz said revenues collected from taxes were not enough to make payments.

  • Second death in the south with vaccination – A 69-year-old woman suffering from other diseases died of coronavirus even though she received her first dose of vaccination.
  • Criteria for home-isolation were announced – The applications for home-isolation have increased lately. In a statement issued from the health ministry, people over 75 and families with children below six are given priority.
  • 40,000 doses of vaccines – Health Minister Ünal Üstel said 40,000 doses of vaccines will arrive in the country tomorrow or on Thursday and added the goal is to vaccinate 60 per cent of the society until June.

Main News

Hellim (Halloumi) gets PDO stamp from EU

Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Economy

OVERVIEW

News of the registration of Hellim (Halloumi) by the EU as a protected designation of origin (PDO) product on Monday was welcomed by many in the north, raising hopes for many, particularly producers.

AKEL MEP Niyazi Kızılyürek was among the first to announce the news that the EU Commission had approved registering of Hellim (Halloumi) by unanimous vote on March 29 under Regulation 1151/2012 on quality systems for agricultural products and foodstuffs.

“This is a historical decision for Cyprus,” Kızılyürek said in a video posted online. He added that as a result, the production of the traditional Cypriot cheese will be limited to Cyprus only, using the names of Hellim/Halloumi/ Χαλλουμι.

While the decision limits the production of the traditional cheese elsewhere under any one of the names stipulated by the PDO registration, it also sets certain criteria for its production processes.

Kızılyürek highlighted that the PDO registration covers both the Turkish and Greek Cypriot producers, and with the recent amendments made to the Green Line Trade regulation, the Turkish Cypriot producers have overcome yet another obstacle before entering the European market.

Kızılyürek noted the Turkish Cypriot producers will have to comply with the EU criteria put forth by the PDO registration.

Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar’s legal advisor Oğuzhan Hasipoğlu who commented on the development said that process would start to come into force as of October later this year. No further comment was made.

Former Agriculture Minister, and Republican Turkish Party (CTP) MP Erkut Şahali welcomed the EP decision on Hellim (Halloumi), stating “it is a milestone development.” In a social media post on Monday evening, Şahali said it is now necessary to work more seriously.

“We have to work more to keep the window of opportunity open at all times,” Şahali concluded. While the Turkish Cypriot authorities did not comment on the development on Hellim (Halloumi) on Monday evening, Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades welcomed the decision with a tweet in Greek and Turkish languages.

“A milestone day for Halloumi/Hellim and our country,” Anastasiades tweeted, adding that there are “Significant prospects for increasing exports of our national product, to the benefit of all Cypriot producers, Greek and Turkish.”


Tatar: Solution must be based on two-states  

Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Negotiations Process

OVERVIEW

Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar on Monday continued to demonize a federal solution model for Cyprus, claiming that single sovereignty to be instated by the new constitutional order in the event of such a settlement would only remain on paper. He argued that “at the end of the day, the side with the numerical majority would eventually force Turkey to withdraw from the island, alienating the Turkish Cypriots.”

Speaking to Turkish daily Milliyet, Tatar also claimed that the Greek Cypriot side would exert its authority to the north, taking Turkish Cypriots to pre-1974 conditions.

“The ultimate goal, which the Greek Cypriots have never concealed, is achieving Enosis (union with Greece) indirectly via the European Union,” Tatar said, adding that he was able to read the Greek Cypriot side’s intentions well.

Noting that the 1960 Republic had failed to work despite being somewhat a functional federation, Tatar said there was no longer a need for such an arrangement after the population exchange that took place in 1975 with the Vienna agreement.

He argued that a solution must be based on two separate states, each exercising its sovereignty. Tatar also said that any agreement to be lasting and sustainable had to respect the separate sovereignties on the island. “We are going to Geneva to open a new page for Cyprus,” Tatar said, adding that any new process will be very different as stated earlier by the UN Secretary-General (UNSG) Antonio Guterres.

KEY ACTORS
Tatar
>> Single sovereignty will only remain on paper in the event of a BBF.
>> The side with the numerical advantage will force Turkey to withdraw from Cyprus.
>> No longer a need for a functional federation following population exchange in 1975.
>> A solution must be based on two states, each exercising its sovereignty.
>> TC side to open a new page in Geneva.


BKP says TC identity under threat from policies leading to annexation

Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Negotiations Process

OVERVIEW

The latest comments by the National Unity Party (UBP) Executive Committee member Özer Kanlı in favour of annexation continued to stir reactions in the north on Monday.

Kanlı, who is also the President of the Board of Directors at the Turkish Cypriot public broadcaster Bayrak said it would be better to be annexed by Turkey rather than accepting a bizonal, bicommunal federation BBF that will be a subsidiary of a Greek Cypriot controlled state.

In a statement on Monday, the leader of the United Cyprus Party (BKP) İzzet İzcan the Turkish Cypriot leadership’s current policies were aimed at pushing the north towards annexation by Turkey. He said that such policies threatened the very existence of Turkish Cypriots on the island and their identity and were indirectly being imposed by Ankara which had moved away from a federal settlement.

“The two-state solution model is aimed at preparing the Turkish Cypriot community for annexation,” İzcan argued, noting that Turkey has unlawfully transferred population to the north to change the island’s demographic structure. He concluded by stressing that despite everything, the only feasible and realistic solution model on the island is a BBF.

Meanwhile, Social Democratic Party (TDP) leader Cemal Özyiğit said on Monday that the Turkish Cypriot leadership has switched to ‘annexation’ from ‘sovereignty,’ in his address on Monday’s parliamentary session.

Strongly rejecting the possibility of annexation, Özyiğit said the parameters in the Cyprus negotiations process are well-known and that the Turkish Cypriot leadership without further delay must make every effort to reach a BBF solution on the island.

KEY ACTORS
İzcan (BKP)
>> TC leadership’s policies are aimed at preparing the north for annexation.
>> These policies, imposed indirectly by Ankara are a direct threat to TC identity.
>> A BBF is the only feasible solution in Cyprus.

Özyiğit (TDP)
>> TC leadership has switched from sovereignty to annexation.
>> Parameters of a solution are well known & the TC side must make every effort to reach BBF.


North expecting a new shipment of Covid-19 vaccines


Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Internal Security

OVERVIEW

Turkish Cypriot Health Minister Ünal Üstel on Monday announced that a new shipment of Covid-19 vaccines containing 40,000 doses will be delivered later this week.

Speaking during a programme on Bayrak, Üstel said the vaccination drive will continue once the vaccines are received based on risk groups and to vaccinate at least 60 per cent of the people in the north by the end of May.

Üstel also noted that the home-isolation system has been launched however kept limited to only families with children younger than six years old and to those who are suffering from severe diseases. “We have to take courageous steps now,” Üstel said, noting that the closed-group tourism activities for three days or less will be launched from April 12 onwards.

He said tourism activities will help the north’s economy recover faster. Also on Monday, Turkish Cypriot Tourism Minister Fikri Ataoğlu announced criteria to be implemented for the closed-circuit tourism system.

According to the new system arriving tourists will be required to present a negative PCR test before boarding the plane and will be tested again upon arrival.

He added that the tourists will be asked to wear electronic wristbands and will not be allowed to leave the hotel premises at all. The same rule will apply to hotel personnel. The system is mainly aimed at hotels with casinos where the majority of guests only come to gamble.

Meanwhile, final-year students were off to a bumpy start on Monday following a decision by the government to resume in-class education for 12th graders. More than half of the students and teachers at public schools did not show up, some out of fear while mostly upon instructions from the Turkish Cypriot Secondary School Teachers’ Union (KTOEÖS).

Despite the decision to reopen the schools, KTOEÖS is refusing to allow its teachers to return to schools until all are vaccinated. As a result, classrooms were left empty while those who did show up ended up wandering outside of school due to the absence of teachers.

Responding to criticisms on the issue during Monday’s session of parliament, Turkish Cypriot Education Minister Olgun Amcaoğlu said the decision to reopen the schools for 12th graders was based on recommendations from the Higher Committee for Infectious Diseases. “The goal is to enable the 1602 students to graduate and prepare them for their upcoming university entrance examinations,” Amcaoğlu said in defence of the move.

In a statement issued late on Monday, KTOEÖS General Secretary Selma Eylem said six students out of a hundred had tested positive for coronavirus during rapid tests carried out on the first day. She said that cases were proof of why teachers will refuse to go back to classrooms before getting vaccinated.

“The teachers will continue with online education,” Eylem stressed, adding the need for the teachers and the students to be vaccinated without further delay. Several hours later, Amcaoğlu announced the PCR tests for the six students who had tested positive with the rapid tests, had come back negative.


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