Front Page Headlines
A dictatorship with a minority government
Parliament was able to convene after a three-and-a-half-hour delay only to sideline the “Political and Foreign Affairs Committee” from the process of setting a date for early elections. Instead, a special committee was set up with a majority vote. The opposition objected, claiming that the committee violated the constitution.
- ‘Crossings on the table’ – The bicommunal Technical Committee on Health is expected to meet this week to discuss the issue of normalising crossings that would allow freedom of movement across the island.
Enough!
The feud between the government and the opposition over the date for an early election shows no sign of abating! While it is still not yet known how the debate will end, a new crisis erupts at each parliamentary assembly to make matters worse.
- The people do not like to cast a ballot at interim elections – There had been three interim elections in the past to fill the seats vacated by the MPs due to their resignation or their death however in all three interim elections the turnout became lower than the general elections.
YDP is a mess
Rebirth Party (YDP) MP Bertan Zaroğlu made harsh statements about the party and KIB-TEK (Turkish Cypriot Electricity Authority) during a Havadis web TV programme yesterday. Zaroğlu refuted the (Party leader) Erhan Arıklı’s claims on the number of members and said the YDP has 8,337 members. “And half of them are ready to resign from the party,” Zaroğlu added.
- The discussion on the (early election) date caused tension in the parliament – Tension was raised when the National Unity Party (UBP) proposed establishing an ad-hoc committee to identify a date for an early election and to revise the law on elections.
- Marched for equality and pride – Pride march was organized in the capital Nicosia to mark the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia.
- €4.4bn in five years for “Tomorrow’s Cyprus” – Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades announced the plan for recovery and resilience.
This is not the way to go
Citizens who argue that the vaccination drive needs to pick up pace gave a message to the government. People are worried that the vaccination process is moving forward too slowly and that South Cyprus should be taken as an example. While expressing gratitude to the vaccines donated by Turkey, the public says the government needs to do more in terms of acquiring vaccines. They say that there is no other choice but to vaccinate the majority of the population to be able to open all sectors and return to normal.
- Half the population – 443,000 people have been vaccinated in the south.
Susurluk gang helped Asil Nadir flee from London for $17.5m
Sedat Peker’s statements reveal that Turkey is being ruled by a mafia gang. Tayyip Erdoğan in the meantime maintains his silence… Fikri Sağlar, who was a member of the Turkish Parliament’s investigation commission on Susurluk (scandal/accident) evaluated Sedat Peker’s revelations.
- Denktaş asked for 32,8 per cent – Minutes of the meeting dated January 27, 1977, written by Rauf Denktaş.
- Will Kıbrıs newspaper be sold to a Turkish company? – Kıbrıs newspaper will be included in the partisan press in Turkey. It is revealed that a media company owner with close ties to Tayyip Erdoğan, has made a lucrative proposal to the Nadir family.
Main News
An overwhelming majority of TCs want crossings to reopen, survey reveals
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog
CBMs
OVERVIEW
82 per cent of people in the north want the crossing points on the island to reopen, according to the findings of the latest survey carried out by the Metron polling company.
Metron, which surveyed 650 respondents, asked the participants what they think of the normalisation of the crossings. While 82 per cent responded in favour of normalisation, 13 per cent objected to the reopening of the crossings whereas five per cent said they did not have any idea on the issue.
Crossings have been effectively closed for over 450 days, first as part of the Greek Cypriot side’s efforts to curb illegal migration and more importantly as part of restrictions aimed at preventing the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Meanwhile, Yenidüzen reported on Tuesday that the bicommunal Committee on Health was expected to hold a meeting this week to discuss the possibility of reopening checkpoints and normalising crossings.
Citing reliable sources, the daily reported that the south had proposed last week to reopen crossing points to everyone who can present a valid PCR or rapid test carried out in the last 72 hours. The paper says that the committee could be meeting on Thursday or Friday this week to discuss the proposal.
Erdoğan: “We are determined to protect the rights of TCs in Cyprus”
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Monday it is out of the question for Ankara to abandon the Turkish Cypriots in Cyprus. In a telephone interview with Turkish daily Sabah, Erdoğan also touched on the developments in Cyprus as well as other pertinent issues.
“It is out of the question for us to leave Cyprus in the hands of the Greek Cypriots. It is not even possible to propose the withdrawal of the Turkish troops from the island,” Erdoğan stressed, rejecting any possible approach on the annulment of the Turkish guarantees on Cyprus.
“We will never accept the proposals on ending Turkey’s guarantees; withdrawal of the troops for security to be safeguarded by the EU or the UN,” Erdoğan said. Noting that the Turkish officials will continue with their diplomatic efforts regarding North Cyprus in the international arena, Erdoğan said the international community’s attitude towards the north is well-known.
“Despite the EU’s ambivalent attitude as well as the disregard of the TRNC by mainly Greece and the other countries, we will continue to fight for the rights of the Turkish Cypriots till the end,” Erdoğan said. Erdoğan also noted that he will be visiting the north on July 20 to mark the anniversary of the Turkish operation in Cyprus.
KEY ACTORS
Erdoğan
>> Turkey will continue to defend the rights of TCs.
>> Out of the question for Turkey to accept the annulment of Turkish guarantees in Cyprus & to accept security arrangement by EU or UN.
>> Ankara will continue diplomatic efforts for the north.
Denktaş demanded an area not less than 32.8 per cent
Avrupa
Territory
OVERVIEW
Turkish Cypriot daily Avrupa on Tuesday continued to publish minutes of meetings held between the late Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktaş, Archbishop Makarios and the late UN Secretary-General (UNSG) Perez de Cuellar on Tuesday.
The records reveal that the leaders of the two communities had started preliminary discussions for a federal settlement which later evolved into a discussion on percentages for territorial adjustment. Denktaş’ notes start with Makarios reaffirming his commitment to a federal solution on the condition of safeguarding freedom of movement and settlement.
Nonetheless, Makarios also questions Denktaş whether or not the Turkish Cypriot side possessed the same understanding of a federation as the Greek Cypriot side.
“Reaching an agreement based on a package deal is the best option. In my opinion, the size of the territory, the issue of refugees and the competencies of the central government are important. If we can reach an agreement in principle on these issues, we would open the way forward for a settlement,” Makarios said during the meeting according to Denktaş’s notes.
Denktaş in response said the goal of the meeting was to set the parameters for the negotiators for their discussions. “The core is that Cyprus will continue as a bicommunal state,” Denktaş said, adding that if the two leaders were to reaffirm their commitment to the public, the negative environment caused by talks of Enosis and Taksim would change.
“It is vital for us that the settlement to be reached will safeguard the partnership of the two communities. It is vital for us as the Cyprus problem is the result of denying the bicommunal nature of the state,” Denktaş stressed.
He also added that the territory, as well as the issue of refugees, are equally important for the Turkish Cypriot side as it is for the Greek Cypriot side.
Following that the conversation moves into the territory controlled by the sides and Makarios asks Denktaş to lay his recommendations for the territorial adjustment. Even though Denktaş responds by reiterating his past recommendations for the experts to discuss the details, Makarios insisted from Denktaş to “clearly explain the territorial percentage for the Turkish Cypriot side.”
Makarios also noted that the Turkish Cypriot side currently controlled 32.8 per cent of the territory whereas the Greek Cypriot side’s proposal was 20 per cent according to the population ratio. However, according to the notes, Makarios insisted on Denktaş to clearly express a percentage repeatedly.
“If it is going to help you, the Turkish Cypriot side will have territory not less than 32.8 per cent,” Denktaş said in response to Makarios. The UNSG Cuellar intervened at this point reminding Denktaş that the “line was negotiable,” and Denktaş in response affirmed that the percentage is indeed negotiable however 32.8 per cent is the lowest amount the Turkish Cypriot side will agree to.
Avrupa publishes the minutes of the meeting as they are and promises its readers that it will continue to publish the documents.
UBP’s proposal for ad-hoc committee approved despite opposition’s objections
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog
Governance & Power Sharing
OVERVIEW
The senior member of the three-party coalition government, the National Unity Party (UBP) got its way on Monday after succeeding in getting approval for the formation of an ad-hoc committee that will be responsible for setting a date for early elections.
The approval at Monday’s plenary of the proposal to set up the committee angered the opposition which claimed that the committee was a violation of the constitution.
The three opposition parties have been insisting that the issue should be taken up at the Political and Foreign Affairs Committee and that early elections should be held this year as initially agreed upon. The opposition had given its approval to the tripartite coalition, a minority government, made up of the UBP, the Democratic Party (DP) and the Rebirth Party (YDP) on the condition that early elections would be held in October 2020. However, things changed after the UBP leader and current Turkish Cypriot Prime Minister Ersan Saner revealed his intentions to remain at the helm of the party following an extraordinary congress in June.
The UBP leader citing a number of excuses instead proposed early elections be held in April 2022. Saner had unexpectedly found himself leading the UBP following a power struggle between two other candidates, Hasan Taçoy and Faiz Sucuoğlu.
He emerged as a neutral compromise after both candidates announced they were withdrawing from the race amid speculations that the instructions had come from Ankara.
The opposition parties – the Republican Turkish Party (CTP), People’s Party (HP) and the Social Democratic Party (TDP) in the meantime published a joint message, announcing an agreement on setting August 2021 as a date for early elections.
In a countermove, the government proposed the formation of an ad-hoc committee to set the date instead of leaving the matter to parliament’s political and foreign affairs committee which would have most likely set the date for 2021 as the majority of seats on the committee are held by the opposition parties.
The approval of the ad-hoc committee outraged the opposition which declared the committee unconstitutional. The CTP leader Tufan Erhürman also accused the minority government of “trying to establish a dictatorial regime in parliament,” adding that the government cannot form new committees as and when it suits them.
Echoing a similar view, HP MP Ayşegül Baybars demanded the office of the speaker of parliament to evaluate the legitimacy of the ad-hoc committee. The HP leader Kudret Özersay urged Saner to “read up on what it means to be a minority government” and reiterated that the government cannot in a random fashion and simply amend the number of parliamentary sub-committee members.
Özersay also reminded Saner that he too had signed the initial decision forming the parliamentary sub-committees when the parliamentary term had been launched following the parliamentary elections in February 2018.
“The government is only concerned about being able to protect their seats,” TDP leader Cemal Özyiğit said, accusing the government of acting consistently to fulfil personal favours instead of attending to the north’s problems.
He too objected to the establishment of an ad-hoc committee or the restructuring of the political party representation in it. DP MP Serdar Denktaş, who had remained silent for a long time, also objected to the decision, noting that he is in full agreement with the opposition on the issue.
“The minority government, unfortunately, has the majority of the MPs supporting them,” Denktaş said pointing to the three MPs who had resigned from the HP a while ago. The voting was held amid debates and a recess called by the speaker of the parliament but then the proposal was approved by the majority vote in the parliament.
Six Cypriot artists to open a bicommunal art exhibition
Yenidüzen
Human Rights
OVERVIEW
Six Turkish and Greek Cypriot artists will open an exhibition entitled “Mirrored Reflections – Memories of Tampered Identities” between June 1 to 6 at EVHOK gallery in Larnaca. Sevgül Uludağ in her daily column in the Turkish Cypriot daily Yenidüzen wrote about the exhibition.
Elia Neophytou, the curator of the exhibition, in which the artists reflect on the themes of nationalist media, conflict narratives and the crisis of democracy, said there is a strong need to build bridges for reconciliation at such critical times when social interaction is very limited.
“This exhibition is a candidate to being a positive driver for peace and mutual understanding,” Neophytou said, adding that the artists taking part in the exhibition are working for peace and to feed peace.
“There is a common dialogue among them,” Neophytou said. The group exhibition will present the artwork of six local artists from the island’s various communities, specifically Nurtane Karagil, Stephanie Lemesianou, Hayal Gezer, Memo, Lenia Georgiou and Zoe Polycarpou.
The exhibition is part of the Europe for Citizens project Art for Remembrance that takes place in different cities across Europe and explores the sensitive theme of remembrance in creative ways, allowing local artists to showcase their work and to offer plural narratives.