TCC Press Review 5 June 2021

Front Page Headlines

Yenidüzen

Contractors outraged

Work to repair and build new village roads were awarded to two companies in Turkey without launching any tenders. The government has remained a bystander. The Turkish Cypriot Contractors Association (KTIMB) announced they will be staging protests against the decision to hand over the construction of 332km of village roads and other infrastructure projects to two Turkish firms. Head of KTIMB Cafer Gürcafer said: “These tenders could have kept our local firms busy for a year or two and would have brought us economic relief. We will not let this one slide. We will decide what kind of protest action to take and move forward.”

  • United once again after 15 months

Kıbrıs

The crossings reopened, the longing is over

The crossing points which remained shut for nearly a year and a half due to the pandemic were reopened yesterday. Touching and emotional scenes were captured on camera at the crossing points yesterday. A total of 8,299 crossings were recorded at all nine checkpoints as of 6 pm yesterday. 4,344 people crossed from the south to the north and 3,885 from the north to the south.

  • 135 bcm (billion cubic metres) of natural gas discovered – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced the Fatih drillship has discovered natural gas at the Amasra-1 offshore well in the Sakarya field.
  • CTP and HP take the ‘ad-hoc committee’ to the constitutional court – Republican Turkish Party (CTP) and the People’s Party (HP) filed a case with the constitutional court on the parliamentary decision to form an ad-hoc committee to identify a date for an early election and to prepare the amendments to the election.

Diyalog

What a nice day

4,344 entries from the south to the north was recorded on the first day the crossing points were reopened. 3,855 people crossed from the south to the north. While the crossing points were relatively quiet in the morning, more people used the crossing points later in the afternoon. By 6 pm the figure had gone up considerably. Among those who visited the crossing points yesterday was President Ersin Tatar, Prime Minister Ersan Saner, Tourism Minister Fikri Ataoğlu, Republican Turkish Party (CTP) leader Tufan Erhürman and Peoples’ Party (HP) leader Kudret Özersay. Özersay and several of his MPs crossed over to the south through the Lokmacı (Ledra St) crossing point.

  • It will benefit shopkeepers – President Ersin Tatar expressed his happiness over the reopening of the crossing points.
  • Songs calling for peace – Bicommunal event held last night.

Avrupa

The punishment is six years in prison

The law on ‘protection of privacy of life,’ which was prepared by the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) and approved by parliament in 2014, has gotten three journalists into serious trouble. Kazım Denizci, Deniz Abidin Kuni and Esengül Aykaç who work for Yeni Bakış are being tried for publicly sharing a recording revealing passport and citizenship fraud. They were released on bail while their IDs were confiscated by the courts, prohibiting them from leaving the country. They are also asked to appear in person at a police station once a week.

  • Davulcu: Unacceptable – Communal Liberation Party (TKP) General Secretary Mehmet Davulcu said it was unacceptable to try journalists who revealed passport fraud.
  • Lokma and “Welcome” – The crossings were reopened after a long break. The Greek Cypriots crossing from the Lokmacı (Ledra St.) crossing were greeted with lokma (traditional doughnut) and a banner reading ‘Welcome.’
  • 8,299 entry and exits in one day – 8,299 entry and exits were recorded at all the crossing points from 8 am to 6 pm.

Main News

Crossings reopen after 15 months, reuniting families, friends & couples

Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Diyalog, Avrupa
CBMs, Economy

OVERVIEW

Emotions ran high on Friday with the reopening of the crossings reuniting families, friends and couples, who had been split when the checkpoints were closed 15 months ago due to the coronavirus pandemic.

More than 8000 people crossed through the checkpoints on the first day. Although the number of people who passed through the crossing points in the morning was relatively low, the numbers picked up later in the day.

According to official figures, 8,299 entries and exits were recorded at the all nine crossing points as of 6 pm on Friday. 4,344 people crossed from the south to the north and 3,885 from the north to the south.

There were scenes of reunited friends, couples and even some families who hugged each other. A newly opened kiosk right next to the Lokmacı crossing point served Lokma..a syrup drowned doughnut to visitors as they crossed.

Journalists were also at the crossing points reporting on the first day of the reopening of the crossings which had effectively remained shut for a year-and-a-half.

Later in the day Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots celebrated the reopening of the crossings with dances and music at a bicommunal event organized by the pro-federation NGO, UniteCyprusNow (UCN). Greek Cypriots gathering at the Eleftherias Square in the south walked to Büyük Han in the north on Friday crossing from the Lokmacı (Ledra St).

During the event, bicommunal Cypriot Songs Association sang songs, and UCN unfurled banners giving a message for peace and the removal of all obstacles dividing the island. “We have come together to celebrate removal yet another obstacle that separates the Cypriots,” a UCN representative said during the event, encouraging more bicommunal interaction and contact.

In a press statement issued on June 3, the UCN had said the decision to reopen the crossings was a step in the right direction to fulfil UN Security Council Resolution 2561/2021 of January 2021, which “Calls upon the sides to reduce existing barriers to intercommunal contact”.

The reopening of the crossing points was also on the agenda the Turkish Cypriot politicians’ agenda on Friday. Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar and Prime Minister Ersan Saner visited the Metehan (Ayios Dometios) and Lokmacı (Ledra St.) crossings.

Speaking to reporters at Metehan (Ayios Dometios) crossing point, Tatar said he always supported peace in Cyprus, welcoming the reopening of the crossing points and for people to resume their contacts.

“Those who come to the north should not worry,” Tatar said during the visit, noting that the Turkish Cypriot side has recorded one-tenth of the cases traced in the south, which counts 72,000 positives since the Covid outbreak.

Despite the lower number of Covid cases in the north, Tatar reiterated the need to abide by coronavirus protocols such as the face mask mandate and social distancing. The reopening of checkpoints will benefit trade and the economy, Tatar said.

He also expressed hope that contacts between the two communities will continue. Tatar said he referred to the UN the issue of TRNC citizens originating from Turkey who are unable to cross to the south.

Speaking at the Lokmacı (Ledra St.) crossing point, Saner said he believed the resumption of the crossings after 16 months will be for the benefit of both sides. The leader of the main opposition Republican Turkish Party (CTP) Tufan Erhürman also welcomed the reopening of the crossings on Friday.

In a social media post, Erhürman said “the wheels of the economy will gradually start turning,” adding that the goal after this point should be not to allow the wheels of the economy to come to a halt again.

Meanwhile, People’s Party (HP) leader Kudret Özersay was the first politician to cross to the south on Friday morning. Visiting the shopkeepers in the south and the north, he said the reopening of the crossings would help alleviate the economic difficulties caused by the pandemic.

Özersay also spoke with the Greek Cypriot media on Ledra Street.

In the meantime, the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce (KTTO) in a written statement issued on Friday, welcomed the two leaders’ agreement to reopen the crossing points as well.

Noting that the crossing points constitute the primary point for people’s contact and commercial opportunities, the KTTO said the crossing points are the most important confidence-building measure (CBMs) implemented to date.

The KTTO, which noted it had objected to the closure of the crossings even for health reasons, added that the crossings give the Cypriot people the opportunity to get to know and to understand each other.


Ertuğruloğlu repeats view solution not possible if sides not treated equally

Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Diyalog, Avrupa
Negotiations Process

OVERVIEW

The Turkish Cypriot Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu reiterated his known stance during an interview with Sudanese Voice stating that a solution on the island will not be possible without securing equality and a balance between the two sides.

In a statement issued from his office, Ertuğruloğlu also touched on the informal five-plus-one meeting, noting that the Greek Cypriot side continued to display their known position in Geneva as well.

“As long as the international community treats the Greek Cypriot community as the legitimate and the recognized part and the Turkish Cypriots as the secessionist and a minority community, it will not be possible to achieve any outcomes from the negotiations processes,” he argued, adding that it is, for this reason, the Turkish Cypriot side together with Ankara’s support have tabled a new position, based on two sides having equal status.

He also said it would be wrong to claim that Turkish Cypriots had no other option but to form a partnership with Greek Cypriots, adding that there are many other alternatives available, including the recognition of the north.

Also touching on the hydrocarbons issue, Ertuğruloğlu said despite the Turkish Cypriots’ rights in the natural resources, the Greek Cypriot side acts as if they are the sole authority to decide on the economic opportunities on the island.

KEY ACTORS
Ertuğruloğlu (UBP)
>> Solution of Cyprob not possible without equality & balance of both sides.
>> Partnership with GCs is not TCs’ only option, other alternatives such as north’s recognition exist.


Erdoğan says Turkey discovered 135 bcm of natural gas in Black Sea

Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Diyalog, Avrupa
Energy

OVERVIEW

Turkey has discovered 135 billion cubic metres of additional natural gas in the southern Black Sea, President Tayyip Erdoğan said on Friday, raising the total discovery in the region to 540 billion cubic metres.

Last year, Turkey’s Fatih drill ship discovered 405 bcm of natural gas in the western Black Sea region’s Sakarya field, in the country’s biggest discovery. “Our Fatih drill ship made a discovery of 135 billion cubic metres of natural gas in the Amasra-1 borehole in the Sakarya gas field,” Erdoğan told an opening ceremony in the Black Sea province of Zonguldak.

“Our new drilling operations around (the borehole) continue, God willing we expect new good news from this region,” he added.

Turkey uses two of its three drillships to speed up field development. In a sign that the size of reserves would upgrade after each drill, Energy Minister Fatih Dönmez said last month that one drillship would open new test wells to appraise firmer reserve figures while the second one will upgrade testing wells to production status.

Ankara aims to pump gas from the Sakarya field to its main grid in 2023, with sustained plateau production starting in 2027 or 2028. The field will reach full production status after a four-phase development plan, Dönmez has said.


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