Front Page Headlines
How could a suitcase of drugs be brought through Ercan (Tymbou)?
A suitcase full of drugs which were smuggled through customs at Ercan (Tymbou) airport and taken to a quarantine facility revealed the security flaws at both the airport and quarantine facilities. Health Minister Ali Pilli refused to take responsibility stating that it was the police’s job to ensure security. The seven suspects arrested in connection with the incident have been remanded in police custody for an additional seven days. The drugs were brought via Istanbul.
- Maraş’s (Varosha) agenda – 1. Greek Cypriots call off demonstration at Derinya (Dherynia), 2. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu arrived for preparations, 3. Republican Turkish Party’s (CTP) Youth Branch will be holding a ‘Struggle for Peace and Democracy’ demonstration at the Yiğitler Burcu (Roccas Bastion). 4. The Bağımsızlık Yolu (Independence Road) and the Sol Hareket (Left Movement) will be staging a protest in front of parliament and the Turkish embassy.
- 12 deaths from Covid-19 in the South in just one week
25,000 residences waiting for buyers
The construction sector, like many others, has been negatively affected by the pandemic as well as the rise in the value of foreign currencies against the Turkish Lira. Sector representatives emphasize that the construction of thousands of residences is almost over and these need to be utilised in the economy.
- Turkish Foreign Minister Çavuşoğlu is in the TRNC – Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu arrived in the TRNC yesterday (Friday). In a social media post, he said: “We are in Cyprus to oversee the preparations for our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s visit and to attend the 37th year anniversary of the establishment of the TRNC.”
- The last one week – Efforts to establish a government are underway after President Ersin Tatar tasked National Unity Party (UBP) acting leader Ersan Saner with the mandate, however, there is still no tangible outcome. The task of establishing the new government which was given to Saner will expire on November 22.
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Lightening decision
The UBP-DP (Democratic Party) and YDP (Rebirth Party) reached agreement on a three-party coalition and will be meeting today (Saturday) to present the president with the new cabinet list by this evening. It has been rumoured that the leaders of UBP, DP and YDP will meet this morning (Saturday) to finalize talks on forming the new government. The committees of the three parties will convene and the cabinet list will be presented to President Ersin Tatar by later this evening. According to information Diyalog has obtained from reliable sources, the three party leaders have expedited their work to form a new government before Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan arrives on the island tomorrow (Sunday) to attend the TRNC’s 37th anniversary celebrations. It has been reported that the three parties have agreed to form a new government on the condition that early elections will be held in March.
- ‘We are in for a three-party coalition’ – [People’s Party (HP) leader] Yenal Senin said that the best government formula would be a UBP-CTP-HP coalition.
They left Erdoğan a basket
Ersin Tatar was given a picnic basket to hand over to Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who will enjoy his picnic in Maraş (Varosha). Baraka Cultural Centre, which placed the basket at the doorstep of the (presidential) palace, said: “It is customary to give gifts to visitors that come from abroad. We would like Ersin Tatar to give this basket to Tayyip Erdoğan, whom he will host over the weekend.”
- He came for preparations – Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu came to the island to oversee preparations for Erdoğan’s visit tomorrow (Sunday).
- Support increasing for Erdoğan protests – Following Left Movement, BKP (United Cyprus Party), Revolutionary Community Union and BASIN-SEN (Turkish Cypriot Press Workers Union) have declared their support.
- CTP (Republican Turkish Party) Youth will stage a protest at a different place – They will gather at the Yiğitler Burcu (Roccas Bastion) and then march to the (presidential) palace.
- KTÖS (Turkish Cypriot Teachers’ Union) to take Ersin Tatar to court
- Four more deaths from coronavirus in the last 24 hours in the south.
Main News
UK Foreign Secretary Raab congratulates Tatar on his election
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Diyalog, Avrupa
Negotiations Process, Regional/International Relations
OVERVIEW
The British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab on Friday congratulated Turkish Cypriot President Ersin Tatar on his election victory, the dailies report on Saturday.
In a statement issued from the Office of the President, Tatar said that talks for a federal settlement which lasted for years without any success were over during a telephone conversation with the UK Foreign Secretary.
He stressed that it was necessary to open a new page in efforts to reach a settlement in Cyprus and to think out of the box.
Tatar pointed out that the Turkish Cypriot community had empowered him to reach a two-state solution on the basis of sovereign equality and collaboration with the Greek Cypriot side and he would work towards that end.
He also drew attention to the outdated and unjust embargoes imposed on the Turkish Cypriot community during his conversation with Raab, reminding that the restrictions and isolations imposed were a violation of human rights and freedoms.
On the issue of Maraş (Varosha), Tatar said that the steps being taken on the fenced-off town were in line with UN resolutions and international law.
He added that the aim was to reinstate properties to the town’s former residents or owners through the Immovable Property Commission (IPC).
For his part, the British Foreign Secretary said that the UK stood ready to assist the UN process in Cyprus.
Turkish should be accepted as an official EU language
Yenidüzen
EU Matters, Human Rights
OVERVIEW
Akel MEP Niyazi Kızılyürek on Friday announced that he has renewed his efforts for the recognition of Turkish as an official EU language,
According to Yenidüzen, following his earlier initiatives at the EU Commission and Council of Europe, Kızılyürek has launched a petition for the recognition of Turkish as an official EU language.
He underlined that Turkish was one of the two official languages of the Republic of Cyprus (RoC) but that he had been unable to address the European Parliament in Turkish because it was not an official EU language.
The petition, which is directed at the European Parliament, is launched by Kızılyürek’s representative Derya Beyatlı.
“The Turkish Cypriots in Cyprus are discriminated as European citizens. They are speaking Turkish, one of the official languages of the country, without it being an official language of the EU,” the text of the petition reads
It adds that the Turkish Cypriots cannot get information on the EU in their mother tongue or follow the discussions in the European Parliament unless they speak another European language.
Highlighting Article 21 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU, the petition highlights that any form of discrimination is prohibited.
The petition asks for the European Parliament to put an immediate end to the ongoing discrimination.
Dönmez: All regional problems can be solved at the table
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Diyalog, Avrupa
Energy, Regional/International Relations
OVERVIEW
Turkey’s third drilling ship, Kanuni, set sail from Istanbul on Friday en route to the Black Sea to undertake maintenance works at the Port of Filyos before it starts its mission at the Sakarya Gas Field.
Speaking at the launch ceremony in Istanbul’s Haydarpasa Port, Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Fatih Dönmez said Kanuni follows in the path of the Fatih drillship, which also set sail from the same location on May 29 for the Black Sea where the ship discovered 320 billion cubic meters of gas (bcm) within only one month.
Speaking at the event, Dönmez said that Turkey was continuing its hydrocarbon activities in the Eastern Mediterranean.
“No one should think that we have stopped or abandoned our operations in the Mediterranean. The Yavuz has completed its drilling operations at the Selçuklu-1 well at a depth of 6000 meters and we have achieved promising results. We shall be carrying out new drilling operations in the area soon,” he said.
The Turkish minister pointed out that the Yavuz was currently docked at Taşucu port in Mersin for maintenance and supplies.
Dönmez also added that the Oruç Reis and Barbaros Hayreddin Paşa seismic research vessels were continuing with their operations in the Mediterranean.
“The Oruç Reis recently collected data off the coast of Antalya at the Demre-1 location from a depth of 6822km. The Barbaros Hayrettin Paşa is continuing to collect seismic data to the west of Cyprus at the Güzelyurt-1 location,” he explained.
Dönmez said that the area being surveyed was six and half times the size of Belgium.
“The data being analysed will determine our next drilling location,” he said, adding that Turkey had maps which had been prepared on order while those which ignored international law were not valid.
“These maps have been drowned in the waters of the Mediterranean. To lay claim to almost the entire Mediterranean by usurping the rights of others is beyond comprehension,” he stressed.
Dönmez said that some countries were trying to shift the Eastern Mediterranean issue from its legal context and base their arguments on historic or sociological developments.
The Turkish energy minister expressed the view that Ankara believed that all problems in the region could be solved at the table with the participation of all stakeholders.
“To embark on uncertain adventures rather than sitting down, discussing and solving problems will not benefit anyone,” Dönmez concluded.