TCC Press Review 1 June 2021

Front Page Headlines

Yenidüzen

The murder should be jointly investigated

Mehmet Özdamar who was police chief at the time of Kutlu Adalı’s murder talks to Yenidüzen. “We had determined that Abdullah Çatlı had come and gone to the island under different aliases. All of these had been investigated. A joint committee should be established with the authorities in Turkey to investigate the murder,” he said.

  • Uncertainty over crossings Prime Minister Ersan Saner had announced that crossings would begin yesterday, the negotiators pointed at Friday; Foreign minister Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu said they have opened the crossings.

Kıbrıs

The severity of the protests will intensify

Livestock breeders staged a protest with their farming vehicles in (north) Nicosia yesterday accusing the government of failing to meet their demands. There was a scuffle between the police and the farmers when they wanted to enter the parliament. In the evening, Prime Minister Ersan Saner, Finance Minister Dursun Oğuz and Agriculture Minister Nazım Çavuşoğlu met with the farmers. The farmers however warned the government after the meeting that they will intensify the severity of their protests.

  • Presidential special representative Ergün Olgun: The goal is to reopen the crossing points on Friday.

Havadis

The general manager knows the truth

Lawyer Hüseyin Celal, who served as a minister when Kutlu Adalı was killed, shared important details regarding the murder during the Havadis web TV  programme. Celal said the police knew very well how the assassination took place but they were told to close the case. The police officer in charge of the investigation then was Ahmet Soyalan, who is the police commissioner today.

  • The new goal is FridayPresidential special representative Ergün Olgun discussed the reopening of the crossing points with the Greek Cypriot negotiator Andreas Mavroyiannis.

Diyalog

Tensions in the country flare

Farmers who claimed they had reached the end of their patience protested in front of parliament with their tractors and farming vehicles. They called on all economic sectors to support their cause. The farmers who protested the recent price hikes tried to storm the parliament building but we forced back by the police. They were some who fainted during the push and show.

  • Positions don’t change – the UK will not allow direct flights to North Cyprus.
  • Hope for shopkeepers – It was announced yesterday that all crossing points including Lokmacı (Ledra) could open by Friday and that third-country nationals would be allowed to cross as well.

Avrupa

You killed them

Those who have kept the murders (illustrated with photographs of the Turkish Cypriots killed from 1958 to 1965) unsolved also included Kutlu Adalı in the list…And now they say: “if there are any claims, we will investigate…”In fact, there are no claims but confessions. Lawyer Hüseyin Celal said,”(Current police commissioner) Ahmet Soyalan was the police officer in charge of investigating Kutlu Adalı’s murder, he knows everything…” This Country is Ours Platform said: “The veil over the murders, mob attacks, shootings, and bombs must be uncovered.”

  • Live stock breeders shook Nicosia – Livestock breeders staged a protest in (north) Nicosia when the government did not meet with their six-point list of demands.
  • We gave 2,500 new citizenships – (Interior Minister) Kutlu Evren said.

Main News

Tatar says the rise of far-right ELAM justifies a two-state solution

Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Negotiations Process

OVERVIEW

The rise of far-right, ELAM in the parliamentary election in South Cyprus justifies the Turkish Cypriot side’s position for a two-state solution, Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar said Monday. In a written statement issued from his office, Tatar said the results proved once again why a federal settlement on the island could not be possible.

“The rise in extreme nationalism in the Greek Cypriot side is a negative development for a fair, lasting and sustainable agreement on the island,” Tatar stressed, adding that the right-wing supporters are in favour of a unitary state in Cyprus.

“We see that a mentality is rising that does not even consider that the Turkish Cypriots deserve the right to be a minority,” he argued, adding that the majority of ELAM’s votes came from younger Greek Cypriot voters.

“This is caused by keeping extreme nationalism, admiration for Greece, the view that Cyprus is a Greek island and an admiration for EOKA at the very core of the education system in the south,” Tatar said. He expressed the view that with EU intervention the Greek Cypriot educational system had become more moderate during the Annan Plan period (2004), but that now the influence of extremist and nationalist currents was increasing.

He added that the educational system attempts to imprint Greek nationalism and the Greek flag in the children’s subconscious as well as that Cyprus is a Greek island and must be united with Greece. “I see that our position in Cyprus based on two-states with sovereign equality is the most realistic and is the most suitable option based on the realities on the island,” Tatar said, noting that AKEL, which supports a federal solution on the island, on the other have failed to get as many votes as it did in the past elections.

Tatar noted that the UN officials and other interlocutors are searching whether or not there will be a common ground to launch an official round of negotiations following the five-plus-one conference in Geneva.

“I believe they will also see how serious the situation is on the island,” Tatar argued, adding that the parliamentary elections in the south have reaffirmed our position that a federal solution is not possible on the island.

“It is not possible to force an agreement,” Tatar said, adding that the 1960 Republic only lasted for three years. He argued that even if there were to be a forced agreement, it would lead to a heated conflict. “The two-state solution is the way forward in Cyprus and Turkey is fully supportive of it as well,” Tatar stressed.

In a written statement, Saner noted that the number of Elam MPs had doubled (four), adding it was a party that was “an enemy of the Turks.”

Saner also said that another point that draws attention is that all parties that participated in the elections agree on the full withdrawal of Turkish troops from Cyprus, abolishing Turkey’s right to unilateral military intervention, that in case of an agreement all Greek Cypriots will have the right to return to the north and a big part of the TRNC would be given back to Greek Cypriots as part of territorial adjustments.

He added that this was a phenomenon that should be well assessed by everyone as regards what kind of mentality the north was faced with. Saner expressed hope that the UN Security Council (UNSC) and the EU will understand this as soon as possible and will pave the way for an agreement in Cyprus and peace in the region.

KEY ACTORS
Tatar
>> Rise of far-right ELAM in the south justifies TC side’s argument in favour of a two-state solution.
>> The rise in extreme nationalism on the GC side is a negative development for a fair, lasting & sustainable solution.
>> Right-wing supporters are in favour of a unitary state in Cyprus.
>> TC side’s position in Cyprus based on two states with sovereign equality is the most realistic & most suitable option.

Saner (UBP)
>> Election results in the south should be assessed well.
>> UN & EU should understand the challenges TC side faces.


All crossings points expected to reopen on Friday

Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
CBMs

OVERVIEW

All nine crossing points could open by this coming Friday, the Turkish Cypriot leader’s Special Representative Ergün Olgun said on Monday as he announced that an agreement was reached in principle over the reopening of crossing points.

In a written statement issued from his office, Olgun said the agreement was reached during his meeting held with the Greek Cypriot negotiator Andreas Mavroyiannis in light of the recommendations made by the bicommunal technical committee on health.

“We have agreed to meet on Wednesday again to finalise the matter following obtaining approval from the political authorities and operationalize the crossing points again,” Olgun said, adding that once all the crossing points including the Lokmacı (Ledra St.) Turkish Cypriots, Greek Cypriots and third-country nationals will be allowed to use the crossings.

Olgun noted that the final announcement will be made through the UN.

In the meantime, citing Greek Cypriot media reports, it is noted that all the rules pertaining to crossings, specifically on the coronavirus measures will be laid out and made public by Wednesday, including what certificates will be needed when crossing.

On Sunday, Turkish Cypriot Prime Minister Ersan Saner claimed that crossing points would reopen on Monday and that from May 31 the north would accept all individuals from the south who presented a PCR or antigen test no more than three days old”. However, there were no indications of a reopening that could be observed on Monday at the crossings at Lokamcı (Ledra Street) or Metehan (Ayios Dometios). Nevertheless, Turkish Cypriot Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu insisted on Monday that the Turkish Cypriot side had opened the crossings.


UK Foreign Ministry: No direct flights to the north

Yenidüzen
Economy

OVERVIEW

The British government announced it does not have any plans to launch direct flights to the northern part of the island, Yenidüzen reported on Tuesday.

Responding to a petition by Turkish Cypriots on the British parliament’s website, the British foreign ministry reiterated its known position on direct flights and the north.

“The UK together with the international community excluding Turkey does not recognize the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, which had declared its independence unilaterally,” the foreign ministry said, adding that “therefore the British government cannot discuss or sign any aviation services agreement with the administration in the northern part of the island.”

The petition which had been launched by Turkish Cypriots had exceeded the 10,000 signatures mark, making it obligatory by law for the British government to respond to the question in writing.


Only 2,500 citizenships were granted by the triparty coalition


Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Migration and Citizenship

OVERVIEW

Turkish Cypriot Interior Minister Kutlu Evren on Monday announced that 2,500 new citizenships were granted since the National Unity Party (UBP)-Democratic Party (DP)-Rebirth Party (YDP) coalition came to power in December 2020.

During Monday’ session of parliament, Turkish Cypriot Interior Minister Kutlu Evren said that after allegations about the granting of ‘citizenships’ through bribery, a probe had been launched in cooperation with the police.

“1810 people were given TRNC citizenship through marriage and the remaining 683 people had been working and residing in the north for more than 11 years,” Evren said, adding that the government is now working on a bill for newborns to automatically become TRNC citizens.

Evren also refuted the claims of citizenship fraud, saying that he has given instructions to his undersecretary and the police to investigate the recording circulating on social media.

Avrupa had reported on May 30 that a recording exposed individuals involved in a bribery scam for citizenship and passports. A woman allegedly working at the Civil Registration Office is heard saying: “The amount we had identified is not that much at all. We ask for ₺10,000 (€962) … You can tell (the client) ₺13,000 (€1,250) and earn ₺3,000 (€288) per passport…”

According to the daily, the woman, who it is believed ran as a candidate for the National Unity Party (UBP) in the last elections, claimed that Turkey had instructed that 50,000 people be made citizens so that the UBP would win the elections without having to form a coalition.


Translate »