TCC Press Review 17 Apr 2021

Front Page Headlines

Yenidüzen

He threatened us

A stern warning came from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to the Supreme Court’s decision that declared Quran courses given by the Department of Religious Affairs as unconstitutional. “The steps we shall take will be different if this wrong is not corrected. North Cyprus needs to adopt the same practices and rules that are in place in Turkey. Secularism is not what they understand it to be…North Cyprus is not France,” said Erdoğan.

  • “We have a market of 450m before us”European Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms Elisa Ferriera answered Yenidüzen’s questions.

Kıbrıs

We must negotiate for a new vision

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, who came to the TRNC for final preparations ahead of the informal 5+UN meeting, reiterated once again that negotiating a federal solution will be a waste of time. He added that they have put forward a framework in line with the realities on the island which will allow for a fair, lasting and sustainable solution for all, offering a win-win situation to all the relevant sides.

Diyalog

Oh! we must be careful

The outcome of the case filed by a trade union that has only three members sparked tensions between Ankara and Nicosia. Hizmet-Sen which carried the amended law on the working rules and duties of the Department of Religious Affairs to the Supreme Court led to a crisis between Ankara and Nicosia. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan evaluating the court’s decision said that ruling needed to be overturned immediately. He added that he will be following developments closely. Both President Ersin Tatar and Prime Minister Ersan Saner said that the necessary steps will be taken. They also said that it was out of the question to ban Quran courses in the TRNC. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said that the Supreme Court’s ruling was ideological and its timing thought-provoking. The Republican Turkish Party (CTP) said it will not accept such approaches. Former Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akıncı said he listened to Erdoğan’s remarks with disappointment and shock.

  • She received 800 messages – Nicos Sampson’s daughter Mina Sampson claimed she has been receiving threats because of the TV drama series “Once Upon a Time in Cyprus.”
  • Vaccination drive is successful – South Cyprus announced that it had passed the 200,000 mark in vaccinations.

Avrupa

Turkey raping our judiciary

(Conjoining the acronym for Turkey (TC) with the word rape in the headline) Unrestrained attack on the Turkish Cypriot judiciary by Tayyip Erdoğan. Erdoğan attacked and rained threats on our judiciary after the ruling on Quran courses. He said: “The Constitutional Court must revoke its decision otherwise the steps we will take will be different.”

  • 677 positive cases of coronavirus and one death in the south, 73 cases in the north…

Main News

Erdoğan: ‘There will be repercussions for the north’

Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Diyalog, Avrupa
Human Rights

OVERVIEW

Tensions between Ankara and Nicosia flared on Friday following remarks made by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan who openly threatened Turkish Cypriots with repercussions if the Supreme Court did not overturn its ruling on Quran courses.

The court in the north on Thursday ruled that Quran lessons organised by the Department of Religious Affairs at mosques were unconstitutional, scrapping previous legislation which gave authority to the department to organise such courses and returning the competency to the Turkish Cypriot Education Ministry.

The court concluded that it was in violation of a provision relating to secularism and that said religious education was administered by the state. “If the Head of the Supreme Court does not amend this mistake, the steps we will take will be very different,” Erdoğan told reporters after attending Friday prayers.

He said that the time had come for the north to implement the same practices that in force in Turkey. Erdoğan, criticizing the ruling, said that the court’s understanding of secularism was wrong. “Secularism guarantees the freedom of religion and cannot be used as a means of banning religious education. North Cyprus is not France,” the Turkish president stressed.

Erdoğan also took a swipe at the trade unions, stating that the ruling was their doing. “The actions of these heads of trade unions, who detest religion, are in no way acceptable,” he said, unaware of the fact that Hizmet-Sen who filed the case were religious officials themselves. 

Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay, in a statement issued on Friday, said he has discussed the matter with Tatar and the Turkish Cypriot Prime Minister Ersan Saner. He said the state must ensure and safeguard everyone’s religious freedoms and their freedom to learn their religion.

Çavuşoğlu, speaking during a joint press conference with Tatar, argued that the court’s decision was “ideological” and its timing having coincided with Ramadan was thought-provoking.

Meanwhile, Erdoğan’s words angered Turkish Cypriots across the political spectrum who saw it as direct interference in the north’s judiciary. Even though Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar and Turkish Cypriot Prime Minister Ersan Saner promised to address the issue and make the necessary legislative amendments, many felt offended by the remarks made by Ankara.

Former leaders, opposition parties, lawyers, politicians and the public condemned Erdoğan’s remarks. Former Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akıncı in a social media post, described Erdoğan’s words directed at the head of the Supreme Court as disappointing and shocking.

He said threats directed at north coming from another country that claims to recognize a separate sovereign state revealed the gravity of the situation. “Erdoğan’s words have proven that they see north Cyprus as another province of Turkey,” Akıncı said.

Former Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat said this was the first time the Turkish Cypriot judiciary was so openly and blatantly attacked. He too drew attention to the irony that the attack came at a time when the Turkish Cypriot was preparing to table a two-state solution based on sovereign equality.

Talat said that Erdoğan’s statement only further reinforced the perception that the north was Ankara’s puppet regime. He also slammed the Turkish Cypriot leadership over its cowardly stance and its failure to defend the country’s judiciary. “History will write that the current authorities allowed the country’s dignity to be stomped upon,” Talat concluded.

The Peoples’ Party (HP), the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) and the Social Democratic Party all condemned the remarks, stating that the attack on the Turkish Cypriot Judiciary was unacceptable.

The TDP in protest of Erdoğan did not attend the meeting held with Çavuşoğlu at the presidential palace on Friday.

The Turkish Cypriot bar associations in a joint statement on Friday said they will stage a protest on Monday against the Turkish officials’ statements that undermine the independence of the judiciary and the core principles of state of law. The associations will gather outside the Nicosia courthouse on April 19 to also read out a statement.


No new talks on a federal model, Çavuşoğlu reiterates

Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Diyalog, Avrupa
Negotiations Process

OVERVIEW

Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar and Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu on Friday reaffirmed their position that there will not be any negotiations for a federal settlement of the Cyprus problem.

Tatar and Çavuşoğlu held a joint press conference on Friday after a day-long consultation meeting with the Turkish Cypriot political actors ahead of an informal five-plus-one meeting on Cyprus.

Speaking first, Tatar said the Turkish Cypriot side’s new vision for a two-state solution model will be tabled at Geneva. “Our sovereignty, independence and Turkey’s guarantees are our red lines and we shall be making this clear in Geneva,” Tatar stressed.

Noting that “a new policy” has been developed on the Cyprus issue, Tatar recalled, “for years, efforts have been made with devotion and sacrifice for an agreement based on a federation.” He added that the efforts however failed to yield the desired results due to the Greek Cypriot side’s stance.

Noting that Ankara fully backs the Turkish Cypriot side’s position, Tatar said it will be a win-win solution for all relevant parties on the island and in the region. For his part, Çavuşoğlu reiterated that the Turkish and the Turkish Cypriot side believe that there is no point in discussing a federal settlement anymore.

“We believe that we will no longer waste time on the federal solution and that new ideas and new vision should be discussed,” he said. Çavuşoğlu reminded of Turkey’s “win-win” approach for a “just, permanent and sustainable” framework and vision to the long-disputed island of Cyprus.

The Geneva talks will seek a common ground for negotiations, Çavuşoğlu said, adding: “We definitely and certainly will not continue where we left off at Crans-Montana This is out of the question.” On the EU’s position in the Cyprus dispute, Çavuşoğlu stated that the bloc completely ignores the north and the Turkish Cypriot people, reiterating that it supports the Greek Cypriot side “even if it is 100 per cent wrong.”

He pointed out that if the EU wants to be an “honest mediator,” then it should adopt a more objective and balanced stance. In response to a question about the joint press conference with Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias, Çavuşoğlu said: “Everything we said at the press conference was constructive. Unfortunately, Dendias went off track and crossed the line.”

Urging the Greek side to make a “sincere” decision on issues between the two countries, Çavuşoğlu said that the two neighbouring countries should discuss the issue together and solutions should be sought instead of referring the matter to third parties. He said the involvement of third parties did not help Greece to date.

“As Turkey, we want to continue our constructive approach. In this sense, we have noted the constructive statements of the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs today,” he added.

KEY ACTORS
Tatar
>> We will not discuss a federation in Geneva.
>> TCs’ sovereignty, independence &Turkey’s guarantees red lines.
>> Two-state solution will be a win-win for all parties.

Çavuşoğlu (Turkey)
>> Talks for federation will be a waste of time & new ideas should be discussed.
>> Talks will not resume from where they left off.
>> EU should adopt a more balanced approach if it wants to be an honest mediator.


You have a market of 450m,” says EU Commissioner Ferriera

Yenidüzen
EU Matters

OVERVIEW

The EU Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms Elisa Ferriera has said that the registration of hellim (halloumi) as a product of protected designation of origin offers a unique opportunity to dairy producers across the whole island.

In an interview with Yenidüzen published on Saturday, the EU Commissioner said that the PDO will help build trust and confidence between the island’s two communities.

She added that the EU’s Programme Support Office in Nicosia will continue to inform producers and provide all sorts of technical support on the matter. Ferriera also explained that the PDO registration will now allow Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot hellim (halloumi) producers to Access a market of 450m consumers.

“I believe that Turkish Cypriot producers will make use of this opportunity,” she said, adding that the move will also be important in showing both communities the benefits a solution in Cyprus will bring in terms of economic development and prosperity.

Ferriera reminded that sheep and goats milk output must be raised to at least 25 per cent by 2024, the deadline for producers to carry out production in line with the PDO’s requirements. “We are fully aware of the problems faced by producers on both sides of the divide in terms of increasing output, but we are currently evaluating how we can support farmers either through importing livestock or helping them raise current populations,” she added.

Ferriera also said that the commission will assist with eradicating animal diseases and raising hygiene standards which are also vital for raising output levels.

In response to a question on vaccines earmarked for the Turkish Cypriot community, the EU Commissioner said that Turkish Cypriot health officials were informed on the procedures and assistance was provided in setting up vaccine centres.

She said that the first batch of vaccines was delivered to the Turkish Cypriot community on January 18 and that more will be delivered in the coming months. Asked about the current Turkish Cypriot leadership’s policies, Ferriera said the EU’s goals had not changed and that the bloc desired the resumption of talks for a just and lasting solution to the Cyprus Problem.

“We are looking forward to the 5+1 meeting. We believe that the meeting will be a stepping stone towards achieving a bizonal, bicommunal federal (BBF) solution in Cyprus that will reunify the island. Also asked to comment on the current restrictions being implemented at crossing points, Ferriera said that the EU commission was following developments closely.

KEY ACTORS
Ferriera (EU)
>> Hellim (halloumi) PDO registration provides a unique opportunity for TC & GC producers allowing them to access a wide market.
>> EU to assist producers to raise milk outputs & other technical issues.
>> Hellim (halloumi) PDO will show both communities the economic benefits a solution will bring.
>> EU’s goals remain the same. EU wants to see the resumption of talks for a BBF.
>> EU following developments on crossings closely.


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