Front Page Headlines
‘We could be seeing a third wave’
The Pandemic Hospital opened its doors to the public for the first time through Yenidüzen. Health workers in the frontlines in the fight against Covid-19 evaluate the latest situation and told their stories. The workers say they feel like a third wave of cases is about to hit the country. They also warn the public not to stop adhering to measures.
- Virus alarm in Nicosia’s walled city – 87 local cases were detected in Nicosia’s walled city in the last 37 days.
“We are producing but there is no protection”
The Chamber of Industry (KTSO) has 960 members in 24 sectors employing 12,000 people. However, due to high initial costs and the possibility of importing similar goods from abroad, local production is struggling. Candan Avunduk, head of KTSO said the key to development is local production, adding that it will reduce foreign dependency.
- Coronavirus alarm at the Famagusta Police Department – Three out of the four Cameroonians arrested on charges of drug use, tested positive for coronavirus. Many police officers and the suspects’ lawyer have been placed in quarantine.
- Home-quarantine system to be launched with electronic wristbands – Finance Minister Dursun Oğuz, Health Minister Ünal Üstel and the General Manager of North Cyprus Turkcell signed a protocol agreement on Covid-19 quarantine monitoring system.
Home quarantine to start next week
The electronic wristbands to be used in monitoring the home quarantine system for Covid-19 will be under the supervision of North Cyprus Turkcell. Finance Minister Dursun Oğuz during the protocol signing ceremony said the current quarantine system is no longer sustainable economically and it was necessary to change the system.
- Neither the personnel nor the trade unions have any patience left – KTAMS (Turkish Cypriot Public Servants’ Union) and KAMUSEN (Turkish Cypriot Civil Servants’ Union) protested the health ministry for not employing new staff for the Famagusta State Hospital. The two trade unions have decided to cease the laboratory services until new personnel are employed.
- “No one can attack Dr Küçük” – President Ersin Tatar harshly reacted to Turkish writer Orhan Bayram’s article insulting Dr Fazıl Küçük. He said he will launch legal proceedings.
‘We are determined’
The Minister for Tourism Fikri Ataoğlu announced that the ‘closed-circuit’ tourism model will be implemented as of April 12. He said that he held a meeting with sector representatives to determine criteria on the issue. Ataoğlu said they will be sharing the modalities of the system with the public in the coming days. Meanwhile, a protocol for the Covid-19 quarantine monitoring system was signed yesterday.
- The goal is two million tourists – South Cyprus is working hard to increase the number of tourists during the summer months.
- Names announced – The names of 22 politicians are included in the list of politically exposed persons (PEPs) with bad debts.
The regime in Turkey has turned into a one-man rule
Mustafa Akıncı has started to say things that he didn’t when he was in office…However the opposition party MPs in the parliament are still not able to be as open as Akıncı! Former President Akıncı for the first time criticized (Turkish President) Recep Tayyip Erdoğan openly and implied he is a dictator. Akıncı said: “I cannot say there is democracy in Turkey. The regime has turned into a one-man rule.” Also touching on the annexation issue once again, Akıncı said “There is an unnamed policy to make the north another district of Turkey and when the political conjecture is right, official annexation will be carried out.”
- Tatar condemned the attack on Dr Küçük – President Ersin Tatar said the insults directed at Dr Fazıl Küçük will be regarded as insults made to Turkish Cypriots. “I am not going to sit back and do nothing,” Tatar said.
- Anastasiades to veto Turkey – (Greek Cypriot leader) Nicos Anastasiades announced he will veto improving Turkey’s customs union agreement with the EU, should Turkey not deliver its responsibilities.
- Tourism sector opening on April 12 – Tourism Minister Fikri Ataoğlu expressed his determination to launch the closed-circuit tourism model most securely on April 12.
Main News
Top EU officials visit Turkey
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Regional/ International Relations
OVERVIEW
EU leaders on Tuesday said the bloc is ready to support a concrete and positive agenda with Turkey, especially in the areas of economic cooperation and migration, after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan received the head of the European Council, Charles Michel, and the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, in Ankara to discuss bilateral ties and seek a way forward after tensions rose high last year.
Michel said they had a frank discussion with President Erdoğan on the future of EU-Turkey relations, while von der Leyen said the meeting aimed to give ties “new momentum.”
Speaking on the main agenda that covered Turkey-EU relations last year, the Eastern Mediterranean, Michel stated: “We welcome a continuation of exploratory talks and the visit of the Greek foreign minister. We have witnessed de-escalation, this is a positive development.” He also welcomed the upcoming Cyprus talks to take place under the auspices of the United Nations.
The EU’s strategic interest, security and stability in the Eastern Mediterranean is of mutual benefit and helps positive relations with Turkey, Michel added.
Echoing a similar message European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the EU would never hesitate to point out further negative developments, especially concerning unilateral actions against the EU Member States, Greece and the Republic of Cyprus (RoC).
Pointing to immigration as the key point of cooperation, von der Leyen stressed that Turkey has shown interest in gradually constructively resuming cooperation with the EU. “In this regard, it was a good first meeting with President Erdoğan,” von der Leyen said, outlining the opportunities for mutual benefits arising from cooperation.
Oktay: “There is a sovereign state in Cyprus today”
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay on Tuesday said that the “TRNC is a sovereign state which will exercise its sovereign rights.”
Speaking to reporters during a visit to the Turkish state-owned Anatolian News Agency on the occasion of the 101st anniversary of its establishment, Oktay added the Turkish Cypriot side and Ankara were very clear on their positions for the five-plus-one conference to be held in Geneva on April 27 to April 29.
Oktay also said that Ankara has planned very serious projects for the north, all of which were in the pipeline.
“We will see a TRNC that is self-reliant and can protect its rights and that will be in close collaboration with Turkey in all areas. We will see a state strengthening its presence in the Eastern Mediterranean,” Oktay said, adding that Ankara will safeguard the economic development in the north on one hand while continuing with the political negotiations on the other.
Tatar says an agreement is not possible if one side doesn’t accept the other as its equal
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar on Tuesday reiterated that a lasting, sustainable and comprehensive settlement can only be based on the sovereign equality of the two states, which collaborate.
He said an agreement in Cyprus will not be possible as long as one side does not see the other as equal. Speaking during a meeting with members of the Retired non-commissioned Officers’ Association, Tatar added that the federal talks were a thing of the past as the Greek Cypriots have never seen Turkish Cypriots as their equals.
Noting that the Turkish Cypriot community has self-governed itself since 1963, Tatar stressed: “the future of our children will depend on the sovereignty of the north.”
Tatar argued that the Turkish Cypriots are as sovereign as the Greek Cypriots on the island. Tatar also noted that the Turkish Cypriots will never make any concessions on their freedom, sovereignty or from Turkey’s effective guarantees on the island.
Vaccines sent for GCs & Maronites in the north
Yenidüzen
Internal Security, Human Rights
OVERVIEW
Greek Cypriot health authorities have delivered a new batch of Covid-19 vaccines to Greek Cypriots and Maronites living in the north, Yenidüzen reported on Wednesday.
Citing Greek Cypriot news outlets, the Turkish Cypriot daily also notes that all the Greek Cypriots living in Dipkarpaz (Rizokarpaso) and Maronites in Gürpınar (Ayia Triada), Koruçam (Kormakitis) and Karpaşa (Karpasia) have so far been vaccinated.