Front Page Headlines
At least 100 million Turkish Lira spent on private schools
Fortune spent on ‘education’ starting from preschool to high school. According to official figures on the 2018-2019 school year, a total of 40,904 students are enrolled in public schools and 10,809 students in private schools. The total number of students receiving secondary school education is 51,713. One in every five students is enrolled in private schools. Families spend at least 100 million TL on private schools per year.
- 71 million crossings in 16 years – 15 years have passed since the ‘dove of peace’ flew away on April 24, 2004, and 16 years since the first crossing point opened between North and South. A total of 71,975,419 people have used the crossing points since they first opened 16 years ago.
- “Government in office. We’re not in the trickery business” – Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Özersay speaks on rumours that coalition is on brink of collapse.
If the police had taken them to the police station
It is revealed that the day before the discovery of Walshak Augustine Ngok’s dead body, Ngok and his friends had got into a fight with another group at a restaurant in Kyrenia. The restaurant manager called the police who, instead of taking them to the police station, broke up the fight and dropped them off at a place where they could find a ride home.
- Turkish Cypriot side’s positive attitude disregarded – Mustafa Akıncı said disregarding TC side’s positive attitude and not highlighting GC side’s negative attitude do not contribute to solution efforts on the island.
- A development drive for the north is possible – UBP leader Tatar underlined that, in sincere collaboration with Turkey, economic development of the north is possible.
Nicosia outer ring road left to another spring
The contractor company set to build the Nicosia outer ring road has left the country even though Transportation Minister Tolga Atakan had announced that the problem which delayed construction for seven years had been solved.
- First Akıncı, second Tatar – Centre for Migration, Identity and Rights Studies (CMIRS) March 2019 poll results show Akıncı is still in the lead for the presidential race.
21m TL worth of amendments proposed for a project worth six million
While the judicial process continues for the Famagusta sewage infrastructure project, which was completed in 2016, the EU now proposes a renovation project. The 21m TL project has raised eyebrows.
- Özersay rejected rumours – People’s Party (HP) Kudret Özersay rejected the rumours on four-party coalition falling apart.
Important message
UBP (National Unity Party) leader Ersin Tatar, who met with (Turkish) Foreign Minister Çavuşoğlu and (Turkish) Finance Minister Albayrak, said there was consensus on the economy and electricity issues.
- ‘Promises made must be kept’ – Head of Journalists Society (Reşat) Akar sent a letter to President of EU Commission Junker and UN Secretary-General Guterres on the 15th anniversary of the referendum.
- They will be returned to the Greek Cypriots – Holy relics chest from the St. Mamas Church in Morphou found in auction house in Germany.
- The crisis triggered it – Greek Cypriots spend one billion Euros on betting games in four years.
Dangerous last struggle…
According to Selahattin Demirtaş, who has been in prison close to three years, the leaders of the fascist regime have still not been defeated but they are not winning either.
- Holy relics of St. Mamas Church in Germany – A chest containing holy relics from the St. Mamas Church in Morphou which was stolen during the 1974 military operation turned up in an auction house in Germany.
Main News
Akıncı: UNSG report’s shortcomings do not contribute to solution efforts
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Afrika
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
Mustafa Akıncı said on Tuesday that the UN Secretary-General’s (UNSG) report, even though it tried to adopt a balanced approach, disregarded the Greek Cypriot side’s negative attitude in the process.
Disregarding the negatives does not contribute to solution efforts, Akıncı said in a written statement following the official approval of the report.
He said the UNSG’s report, covering the period from 6 October 2018 to 10 April 2019, made references to past convergences, the 11 February Joint Declaration and the 30 June 2017 Guterres framework.
However, it refrained from detailing the side’s positions on these elements, Akıncı added. He reiterated he had informed Jane Holl Lute that the Turkish Cypriot side accepts all of the above.
The Turkish Cypriot leader stressed that the Greek Cypriot side does not accept important principles such as political equality and effective participation in decision-making processes, which had been on the table as past convergences. Anastasiades also wants to impose a non-existent 4 July 2017 dated document as the Guterres framework, he added.
Akıncı argued that omitting the Greek Cypriot side’s negative attitude in the report does not contribute to the solution efforts on the island
The report also disregarded the positive and constructive stance of the Turkish Cypriot side, he added.
“Nevertheless, it is important to see the UNSG in his report referred to past convergences, the 11 February Joint Declaration and emphasized political equality in a bizonal, bicommunal federation. It is also important to see the document dated 30 June 2017 is the registered framework. This is an indirect warning given to the Greek Cypriot side,” Akıncı noted.
Akıncı said the UNSG and the TC side both agree on the need to implement a timeline to the new process, which needs to be results-oriented.
Regarding mobile telephone interoperability, Akıncı said that four years had been wasted due to the Greek Cypriot side’s incorrect positions.
He also accused the Greek Cypriots of obstructing the Turkish Cypriot side’s EU harmonization process following Crans Montana.
These facts had been disregarded in the report, he said.
Akıncı noted that the Turkish Cypriot side will continue with its constructive and consistent attitude in the process, being fully aware that a sustainable peace and just solution are the best outcomes for all sides in Cyprus.
Akıncı highlighted that it is unfair for the Turkish Cypriot community to be subjected to embargoes when it did everything possible to reach the desired solution.
KEY ACTOR
Akıncı
>> UNSG report omits GCs negative attitude & TCs positive attitude in the process. This approach does not contribute to solution efforts.
>> References in UNSG report to past convergences, 11 February Joint Declaration & 30 June 2017 Guterres framework positive.
>> UNSG & TC side agree on need to implement timeline to new process, which needs to be results oriented.
>> Unfair on TC side to be subjected to embargoes when it is doing everything possible for solution.
Time to table alternative solution models
Kıbrıs, Kıbrıs Postası, Havadis, Diyalog
Negotiations Process, Economy
OVERVIEW
Main opposition National Unity Party (UBP) leader Ersin Tatar said he held meetings with Turkish ministers on the Cyprus issue, economy, and the electricity supply project from Turkey in a statement issued on Tuesday.
Tatar said he discussed the developments in the Cyprus issue with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu in Ankara. The UBP leader added he was pleased to see the Turkish FM agrees with his observations on the Cyprus problem and his views on the future of the problem. It is time to table a two-state solution as an alternative solution model for the Cyprus issue, Tatar added.
He then met with Turkish Finance Minister Berat Albayrak in Istanbul to discuss economic development for the north and the electricity cable project from Turkey to establish an interconnected system. Tatar said: “I was pleased to be informed there are no obstacles to this project.”
The UBP leader stressed that it is possible to create a new economic development drive for the north in sincere collaboration with Turkey.
KEY ACTOR
Tatar (UBP)
>> Turkish FM agrees with his observations on Cyprob & views on its future. >> Time to table to two-state solution model for Cyprob solution.
>> No obstacles to establishing interconnected electricity system with Turkey.
>> Possible to create new drive for economic development of north in collaboration with Turkey.
71m people use crossing points in 16 years
Yenidüzen, Diyalog
CBMs
OVERVIEW
A total of 71,975,419 people used the crossing points between North and South since the first crossing point opened on April 23, 2003, Yenidüzen reported on Wednesday.
Yesterday marked the 16th anniversary of the opening of the first crossing point at Ledra Palace and today, the 15th anniversary of the UN-sponsored referendum on the Annan Plan.
The paper reports that the latest fall in the value of the Turkish Lira against foreign currencies has attracted more Greek Cypriots to the north compared to previous years. Yenidüzen, citing official figures said that 31,133,301 entries to the North have taken place since 2003.
In total, 40,842,118 people have crossed from North to South in that same period, the daily reported.
The needle turned in 2018, reports Yenidüzen, stating that 5,203,606 people crossed from South to North while 5,200,060 people crossed from North to South in that year.
It added that 479,581 entries to the North were recorded in the first three months of 2019 while the number of crossings to the South was 474,430 for the same period.
Yenidüzen lists the figures in detail revealing a steady increase of people crossing over to the North in recent years.
According to Diyalog, the head of the Cyprus Turkish Journalists Society Reşat Akar sent a letter to the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the President of the EU Commission Jean-Claude Juncker reminding them that the promises made to Turkish Cypriots in 2004 have yet to be kept.
“We are finding it difficult to come to terms with the fact that Turkish Cypriots are still subject to embargoes while the Greek Cypriot side which is the reason for the non-solution was made an EU member,” said Akar in his letter. Akar also pointed out that the Turkish Cypriots were expecting the UN and the EU to respect human rights and to keep their promises to ease the isolations imposed on them.
Support to Sevgül Uludağ’s Nobel Peace Prize nomination
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs
Human Rights
OVERVIEW
The Bicommnual Technical Committee on Gender Equality declared its support to Sevgül Uludağ’s Nobel Peace Prize nomination on Tuesday. The Committee emphasized Uludağ’s work in gender equality and with women activists from both sides in addition to her work in uncovering the fate of the missing persons on the island.
The technical committee noted that taking steps to prevent the repetition of the bitter experiences of the past, instead of pretending to ignore them as they never happened, was very important. In this respect, the technical committee expressed belief Uludağ deserves the Nobel Peace Prize for her courage, empathy, determination, humanity and efforts for peace on the island.
Akıncı in the lead in CMIRS poll
Kıbrıs
Governance & Power Sharing
OVERVIEW
The CMIRS (Centre for Migration, Identity and Rights Studies) March 2019 poll results show Mustafa Akıncı still leads in the popularity stakes, even recording an increase in support for his candidacy in the 2020 presidential elections.
CMIRS put forward a list of candidates of the leaders of all political parties represented in the parliament (excluding TDP leader Cemal Özyiğit) for respondents to choose from, as no one has formally announced his/her candidacy yet for the 2020 elections.
Akıncı, should he decide to run for a second term, remains at the top of the list with 37.2%, showing an increase in popularity from the 31.92% recorded in December 2018.
CMIRS Director Mine Yücel emphasized that 21% of respondents ticked the “other” option on the list presented. This shows that the balance in the upcoming elections can change, she said.
The poll results also reveal that National Unity Party (UBP) leader Ersin Tatar suffered a loss in popularity from 20.61% in December 2018 to 14.2% in March 2019. He is followed by Republican Turkish Party (CTP) leader Tufan Erhürman with 12.4% of votes. Erhürman had received 16.36% in December 2018. People’s Party (HP) leader Kudret Özersay’s popularity also declined compared to the December results. He received 9% now whereas he had 11.11% of votes in the previous poll. Democratic Party (DP) leader Serdar Denktaş also lost a slim margin of votes and his popularity declined from 5.45% in December 2018 to 5% in March 2019. Re-birth Party (YDP) leader Erhan Arıklı received 1.2% of the votes compared to 4.85% in December 2018.