Front Page Headlines
October 2021 or April 2022?
The legal deadline for mid-term elections is here. All eyes are now on the decision to be taken for early elections. The National Unity Party (UBP)-Democratic Party (DP)-Rebirth Party (YDP) was formed to hold early elections in October 2021. Prime Minister Ersan Saner said that the UBP was planning to hold the early elections in April 2022. The opposition on the other hand is demanding that the elections be held this year.
Tighter inspections instead of a lockdown
Both the shopkeepers and the private sector have reacted to Prime Minister Ersan Saner’s comments of the possibility of imposing a total curfew on Saturdays if the daily Covid-19 case numbers continue to rise. Sector representatives have drawn attention to the crowding that takes place at supermarkets on Saturdays because of the full-day curfew on Sundays. They propose that supermarkets should also be open on Sundays to prevent chaotic scenes.
- Human traffickers caught red-handed – 26 Syrian irregular migrants, who set out from Antalya in two boats, the two captains of the boats, as well as three accomplices who helped them, were arrested in a joint police operation.
Afraid of an election
UBP leader Ersan Saner was forced to speak of early elections after it emerged that the cost of holding a mid-term election to fill the seat vacated in parliament by Ersin Tatar would cost ₺10m (€1m). Saner, ignoring the coalition government’s protocol pointed to April 2022 for early elections.
- Risking their lives in a zodiac type boat – The tragedy in the seas does not end! 26 undocumented migrants including women and children, were rescued. TRNC citizen human trafficker was arrested.
- Trade unions are outraged – The first hearing of the lawsuit filed by six public sector trade unions was held yesterday. Heads of KTAMS (Turkish Cypriot Public Workers’ Union), KAMU-SEN (Turkish Cypriot Public Sector Employees’ Union), and KAMU-İŞ (Turkish Cypriot Public Workers’ Union) spoke to Havadis web TV.
Unacceptable
While the UBP is aiming at 2022 for early elections, the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) and the Peoples’ Party (HP) have reacted to the news. While UBP leader and Prime Minister Ersan saner said that his party was planning to hold early elections in the April of next year, CTP leader Tufan Erhürman reminded that the coalition government of its programme which stated that elections should be held before October 2021. The leader of the junior coalition partner, the Democratic Party (DP) Fikri Ataoğlu supports the idea of holding the elections next year. The HP leader Kudret Özersay said his party supports the idea of holding the elections in August 2021. The YDP leader Erhan Arıklı on the other hand said that the government needed to set the date for the elections by April 20.
- The flow of money is expected to start – Finance Minister Dursun Oğuz who held intensive contacts in Ankara discussed the TRNC’s financial situation with Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay.
- Cyprus traffic –Greek Foreign Minister Nicos Dendias who flew to Istanbul for a two-hour-long visit to meet with Patriarch Bartholomeo will be meeting with Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu in Ankara today.
Freedom after four years and seven months…
One of Turkey’s best-known writers, Ahmet Altan who was the victim of (Turkish President) Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s hatred was finally released after spending four years and seven months at Silivri prison.
- The court hearing postponed to April 20 – The court hearing for the case filed by trade unions against the government’s decision to freeze the cost-of-living allowance increment was postponed to April 20 to allow the defence to prepare its case.
- 57 locally transmitted, 73 cases of coronavirus in the north, 603 cases and three deaths in the south…
Main News
It is vital that TC community preserves its will for a federal solution, says Erhürman
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
The leader of the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) Tufan Erhürman on Wednesday highlighted the importance for the Turkish Cypriot community to continue to preserve its will in favour of a comprehensive solution in Cyprus. He said that the Turkish Cypriot side should continue to be the one demanding a solution on the island.
Speaking during a Mayıs web TV programme, Erhürman expressed his disappointment over how the Cyprus Issue was being managed by the Turkish Cypriot leadership.
“If the Turkish Cypriot side insists on tabling a two-state model, the Turkish Cypriot side’s reputation in favour of a bicommunal, bizonal federal (BBF) solution will be tarnished,” Erhürman stressed, adding the Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar’s refusal to negotiate a federal settlement will have grave consequences for the Turkish Cypriot community.
The CTP leader also said it was wrong to downplay the importance of the 5+1 meeting set to take place in Geneva. He recalled that the talks in Crans Montana had failed due to the Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades’ reluctance to recognize Turkish Cypriots’ political equality.
“Unfortunately, we have not seen any change in the Greek Cypriot side’s position, but the international community and the UN are working hard to persuade the Turkish Cypriot side for a BBF model,” he added.
Erhürman argued that the Turkish Cypriot leadership’s current position on the Cyprus problem was not sustainable and said the CTP’s only concern is to safeguard the rights and interests of the Turkish Cypriot community.
KEY ACTORS
Erhürman (CTP)
>> TC community needs to preserve its will for a comprehensive & federal solution in Cyprus.
>> Insisting on a two-state solution will have grave consequences for the TC community.
>> Importance of 5+1 should not be downplayed.
>> TC leadership’s current position in favour of a two-state solution not sustainable.
“5+1 doomed to fail if sides insist on a federation,” says Ertuğruloğlu
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
Turkish Cypriot Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu on Wednesday reiterated his known stance on the Cyprus problem, stating that the upcoming five-plus-one meeting in Geneva is doomed to fail if the sides insist on the federal model for a settlement in Cyprus.
He argued that “it will not be possible to find a common ground as long as the injustices towards the Turkish Cypriots continue.”
Ertuğruloğlu, in a joint interview with Daily Islamabad Post, Centre Line Magazine and DNA News Agency, also noted the efforts to reunify the island through a federal settlement must be put aside following decades of failures in negotiations. Pointing to the upcoming five-plus-one meeting to be held in Geneva, Ertuğruloğlu claimed that the collapse of the conference was unavoidable if the sides were to insist on a federal model.
He reiterated that the Turkish Cypriot side wants a solution model in which the two states will live side-by-side with equal rights, adding that even the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had said new ideas and alternatives were needed following the collapse of the talks in Crans Montana.
Ertuğruloğlu reminded that the Geneva conference was being organized to assess whether there is common ground between the two sides to launch a new process, stressing that the five-plus-one will not be the beginning of yet another open-ended process. “We are hoping the new process will become clearer in a couple of months and if there will be no solution, the TRNC will seek international recognition,” Ertuğruloğlu said.
Touching on the Maraş (Varosha) issue, Ertuğruloğlu said the steps taken in the fenced-off town are in line with international law as well as with the UN resolutions.
Ertuğruloğlu, on the hydrocarbons issue, argued that the Turkish Cypriot side had to take reciprocal steps on the natural resources following the Greek Cypriot side’s unilateral decisions to grant licenses to international companies and sign international treaties in their so-called exclusive economic zones (EEZ).
KEY ACTORS
Ertuğruloğlu (UBP)
>> Not possible to reach common ground as long as injustices against TCs continue.
>> Efforts for a federal solution should end following decades of failure.
>> Failure of 5+1 inevitable if sides insist on a federal solution.
>> 5+1 is not the beginning of a new open-ended process but a meeting to explore whether there is ground for a new process.
>> TRNC will seek recognition if talks fail.
KTTO: Historic opportunity on hellim (halloumi) must not be missed
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Economy
OVERVIEW
Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce (KTTO) on Wednesday said the registration of hellim (halloumi) by the EU as a protected designation of origin (PDO) posed a historic opportunity for the dairy producers on the island both in terms of economic development as well as bringing the two communities on the island closer to each other.
In a written statement, the KTTO urged all relevant parties to seize this opportunity with a fair approach based on partnership. The chamber also noted that Regulation 1151/2012 on quality systems for agricultural products and foodstuffs approving the registration of hellim (halloumi) as PDO together with the amendments made to the Green Line Trade (GLT) regulation have been published in the official gazette.
Explaining the provisions of the PDO registration in its statement, the KTTO gave assurances that it will work in collaboration with all the stakeholders in the dairy sector to overcome the possible problems on trade via the Green Line Regulation (GLR), to ensure objective and fair assessments to be carried out by Bureau Veritas and to assist the Turkish Cypriot producers to reach the required EU standards as soon as possible.
Human traffickers caught red-handed
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Human Rights
OVERVIEW
26 undocumented Syrian migrants discovered off the coast of Kormacit (Kormatikis) on Tuesday night were handed over to the Turkish Cypriot police, the Turkish dailies reported on Thursday.
In a joint operation carried out by the police and the Turkish Cypriot coast guard intercepted two boats carrying the migrants. The captains of the two boats, a Turkish Cypriot and a Syrian national, as well as three others waiting on the shore at Sadrazamköy (Livera) were also arrested and charged with human trafficking.
The group of Syrian migrants, which includes one child, two women and 23 men, were placed at a student dormitory in Lefke (Lefka) after being examined by doctors.