Front Page Headlines
State is once again the moral instigator
Social Services and police knew and failed to protect the 31-year-old. Another femicide that could have been avoided if authorities hadn’t shown indifference. Enstranged husband a suspect. Perpetrator stabbed her in front of her three children.
- They speed up the sanctions process: List with names without delay – President: Let’s not fool ourselves over more dynamic measures
- Credit cards: 122% increase in occupied areas
- Firestarter (Erdogan) takes on “firefighter” role
Grabs already set up reserves
(Turkey) Sent Yavuz at the exact spot that was ENI’s target to drill. Turkey stole data and entered an authorised drilling (area). Renamed the target “Eratosthenes South” to “Lefkosa 1”.
- Establishes religious fanaticism in the occupied areas
- “We will block everything”: EU speeds up sanctions after FM’s “threats”
- Erdogan: Minces words about army in Libya: “We sent advisors”
They find it impossible to pay electricity and water
100,000 (people) cannot pay their bills. Difficult times for homes with dependents. More difficult for homes under the poverty line.
- Tension in EEZ dangerously increasing
Turkey dubbed a ‘pirate state’
Government defends Turkey policy as latter goads Cyprus over drillings.
Don’t have illusions for further measures from the EU against Turkey
President of the Republic brings us back to reality. Turkey says that turkish ship Yavuz began an illegal drilling at “Lefkosa-1” (plot 8) within the Cypriot EEZ, while Greece warns that if a turkish exploratory ship enters the greek continent shelf, she will not accept faits accomplis and will strike it.
- EU to monitor arms embargo in Libya – An explosive situation
- Occupied areas: New poll by Gezici company shows Tatar win in “presidential” elections
- 9,700 Cypriots have applied for residency in the UK after Brexit
Main News
Turkey to drill at spot reserved for ENI – Targeted measures sped up by EU
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Energy, External Security, Regional/ International Relations, EU Matters
OVERVIEW
Phileleftheros reports that the area that Turkey has dubbed “Lefkosa-1” in plot 8 of the Cypriot EEZ was in fact a target identified for drillings by ENI that had been given the name “Eratosthenes South” in 2017. According to the newspaper, Turkey seems to have stolen ENI’s data on the target.
The newspaper cites information that in autumn 2017, both the Cypriot and Italian security services were investigating the possibility of data on ENI’s drilling being leaked. Phileleftheros also points out that ENI did not proceed with drillings in the set of areas in question due to uninspiring results.
Phileleftheros and Politis also report that on Monday the Foreign Affairs Council of the EU instructed a technical committee on legal affairs to speed up the compilation of the list of persons and legal entities to be sanctioned over involvement in illegal drillings in the Cypriot EEZ.
According to Politis, after the Cypriot Foreign Minister informed the FAC over the renewed drilling by Turkey, it was decided that the RELEX committee will speed up its work in the issue in its next meetings.
Phileleftheros reports, citing diplomatic information, that the Christodoulides let his counterparts know that Cyprus will have to block all interactions between EU and Turkey if the process regarding the targeted measures does not proceed. The Cypriot positions were supported by France, Italy and Greece during the meeting, while no country disagreed.
The dailies also report on statements by President Anastasiades who was asked by journalists whether it is possible to expect harsher measures by the EU against Turkey. Anastasiades replied “I do not want to create illusions or the expectation that Europe is ready to take such action, at least for now”. Also, when asked to comment on reports that France will be sending a military ship in the area, Anastasiades pointed out that France has a role to play but did not want to add further comment.
Haravgi reports on a statement by Turkish President Tayip Erdogan that despite Italy’s participation in the EastMed project, Turkey and Italy have been closely cooperating on Turkish Stream. He also implied that there is a possibility of cooperation between the two countries on oil exploitation in Libya. Regarding Cyprus, he repeated that all natural resources around Cyprus belong to the “south and the north” and that it is “south Cyprus” which is denying that instead of negotiating with the other side.
Haravgi and Phileleftheros also reports that AKEL spokesperson Stephanos Stephanou said that the government ought to see the seriousness of the situation and not create illusions.
Haravgi also reports that the Egyptian Foreign Ministry spoke against unilateral moves in the area that threaten the rights of the RoC and stability in the area, underlying that it is necessary for all parties to respect international law.
KEY ACTORS
Anastasiades
>> I do not want to create illusions that the EU is ready to take harsher action against Turkey at least for now
Stephanos Stephanou (AKEL)
>> The government ought to recognise that this is a serious situation and not create illusions
Egypt foreign ministry
>> Warns against unilateral measures that threaten Cypriot rights in the area and stability in the region
Erdogan makes statements on Libya and Greece
Alithia, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
External Security, Regional/International Relations
OVERVIEW
Phileleftheros reports that Tayip Erdogan has changed his approach over the country’s involvement in Libya, and that where initially he was referring to sending troops now he refers to sending training staff. The newspaper is referring to statements made after the Berlin conference. Erdogan said that Turkey has not yet sent troops to Libya, but had sent only advisors and training staff.
Haravgi reports on statements by Erdogan in which the Turkish President expressed his disagreement with Greek prime minister’s Kyriakos Mitsotakis decision to invide major general Khalifa Haftar to Athens, and called on Mitsotakis to correct his mistake. He also added that he believes that the EU shouldn’t be an arbitrator in Libya since the UN can play that role.
Turkey promotes religious propaganda in the north
Cyprus Mail, Phileleftheros
Human Rights, External Security, EU Matters
OVERVIEW
Phileleftheros reports that Turkey is extending the coverage of religious radio Diyanet Radio in the north, citing a story in T/C daily Afrika. Diyanet Radio, it is pointed out in Afrika, is being supported by state broadcaster TRT and the Turkish Bureau for Religious Affairs since 2013. Afrika points out that authorities in the north should not allow the station to operate.
Phileleftheros also reports that this development can be used to support the point made by MEP Niyazi Kizilyurek with a letter to the European Commission, in which he accuses Turkey of interfering in the north and attempting to impose religion on the secular Turkish Cypriots.
Cyprus Mail also covers the letter sent by the MEP. Kizilyurek asked the European Commission how it intends the help the Turkish Cypriot community against the attempts to alter its demographic makeup by Turkey.
Turkish Cypriots deport 33 Syrian refugees to Turkey
Cyprus Mail, Phileleftheros
Migration & Citizenship
OVERVIEW
Turkish Cypriot authorities have deported 33 Syrians who arrived in the occupied areas last week, the Cyprus Mail reports citing T/C media reports from Monday. The 33 male Syrians had been detained after their boat was spotted in the sea off Limnitis. They were deported to Turkey on Sunday evening.
According to T/C media, those who arrived paid between 4,500 to 7,500 dollars to smugglers that promised to get them to the EU.
Spehar informs Security Council on CyProb developments
Alithia, Haravgi, Politis
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
UNSG representative in Cyprus Elizabeth Spehar has informed the members of the Security Council on recent developments in the Cyprus Problem, the dailies report. According to the reports, Spehar told journalists after the meeting, which was held behind closed doors, that she reminded the Security Council that the process is on pause since July 2017.
She also drew attention to the encouraging recent meeting between UNSG Antonio Guterres and Nikos Anastasiades and Mustafa Akinci in Berlin. She also added that in that meeting the leaders confirmed in the presence of the UNSG that they’re working for a solution based on bizonal bicommunal federation with political equality, based on SC resolution 716/1991.
Purchases with G/C credit cards in the north increase rapidly
Politis
Economy, CBMs
OVERVIEW
The usage of Cypriot credit cards in the occupied areas has increased by 122% over the last two years, Politis reports, citing data released regurarly by credit card company JCC. According to the paper, by the end of 2019 the total value spent in the north during that year reached 21.129 million euro, compared to 9.941 million euro in 2017.
The newspaper ascribes this increase to the period of the collapse of the turkish currency, which was the incentive for a lot of Greek Cypriots to make purchasees in the north. It is added that the usage of Cypriot cards in Turkey increased by 68.15% during the past two years.
Conversely, purchases with turkish cards in the areas controlled by the Republic of Cyprus was reduced by 31.9% in 2018 as compared to 2017, a decrease caused by the currency crisis. However there was a new increase by 6.5% in 2019 compared to 2018. The newspaper points out that this means hopping in the south is now a core part of consumer behaviour in the north, and that T/C buying power seems to be slowly returning to its pre-crisis levels.
Tatar announces candidacy for position of T/C leader
Alithia, Politis
Governance & Power Sharing
OVERVIEW
“Prime minister” and National Unity Party (UBP) chief Ersin Tatar has announced he will be running in April’s elections for the position of Turkish Cypriot leader, Politis reports. The other candidates so far are left wing Republican Turkish Party (CTP) leader Tufan Erhurman and centre right Peoples’ Party (HP) Kudret Ozersay.
In his statement, Tatar pointed out that he is the candidate for a party that in the past had ran with Rauf Denktas and Dervis Eroglu. He expressed his support to Turkey’s “Blue homeland”policy, adding that it is the only way to protect T/C rights, along with military and financial support by Turkey.
Reports show that Serdar Denktas is also considering running for the election and that he is currently having contacts.
Both Alithia and Politis also report that a new Gezici company poll shows Tatar winning the election. The poll includes multiple scenarios and in most of them Tatar scores an easy win over the rest of the candidates. Politis notes that the results of the survey have created doubts about its veracity among Turkish Cypriots. In a question on which solution they want for the Cyprus Problem, 81.3% are reported to have asked for two states, 10,2% to have asked for federation and 8.5% for confederation.
KEY ACTORS
Ersin Tatar (UBP)
>> Supports Turkey maritime policy as only way to defend T/C interests