Front Page Headlines
“Triple tariff worked for 65%”
First month’s report card for triple electricity tariff: 83,762 consumers saw a fall in their electricity bill. The first month of the new triple electricity tariff completed. According to official figures from KIBTEK (Cyprus Turkish Electricity Authority), 65 per cent or in other words 83,762 consumers succeeded in lowering their electricity bill through the new triple tariff.
- 2017: 930 million TL, 2018: 487 Million TL – PM Tufan Erhürman announces financial assistance that came from Turkey.
- ‘There is no one checking the churches’ – Turkish Cypriot co-chair of Bicommunal Technical Committee for Cultural Heritage Ali Tuncay complains of lack of controls on churches in North.
Allocated land returned, file at party assembly
Serdar Denktaş agreed to return the allocated plot of land during a Council of Ministers’ meeting and shared a file containing the list of state-leased land with the heads of three political parties. People’s Party (HP) will discuss the land lease issue at its party meeting on Wednesday evening.
- Protocol agreement to be signed in May – PM Erhürman said Turkey asked for the protocol agreement to be made on annual basis and to be signed in May, adding: “I accepted the proposal.”
- New electricity tariff is a hoax – Electricity unit price increased by 25% according to State Planning Organization calculations.
Nightmare of (increasing) foreign currency value returns
Turkish Lira swiftly lost its value against foreign currencies following the (Istanbul) election rerun decision. Economists note the loss of value in TL will result in high inflation rates in the North.
- Three police officers expelled from force – The Police Services Commission, which is tasked to investigate FETÖ (Fethullah Gülen Organization) links, decided to expel three officers from the force. Police officers to challenge the decision at courts.
- The fate of the four-party coalition lies on one file – Serdar Denktaş shared a file containing a list of all Finance Ministry allocated state properties with heads of political parties during the Council of Ministers meeting on Tuesday. People’s Party (HP) to discuss the lease issue at its party assembly meeting on Wednesday.
Police officers expelled due to FETÖ
The Police Services Commission decided to expel three police officers. Hasan Yücelen, lawyer for Ali Özbayrak (one of the three expelled), said the Commission did not prove any links to FETÖ (Fethullah Gülen Terrorist Organization) and did not share its decision in writing either. Yücelen added he will take the matter to the Supreme Court.
- Students could not go to school – KAR-İŞ (Union for Public Transport Companies) decided to go on strike until the Education Ministry gives the companies the promised 30% increase in the per student fee. Until then, students will not be able to use the school bus service provided by the union.
- British Pound reached 8TL – Re-election decision in Istanbul triggered devaluation of the Turkish Lira.
It’s either ok or we’re done
Serdar Denktaş hands over file regarding land leased by the state to Kudret Özersay. The HP’s (People’s Party) party council will have the final say on the matter.
Three police officers expelled
Three TRNC police officers who were charged with belonging to FETÖ (Fethullah Gülen’s organisation) were expelled from the police force. The expelled officers are Police Inspector Ali Özbayrak, Yılmaz Öztürk and Sadık Erol. This decision will set an example for 120 other officers.
- Here is what the ballot paper for the European Parliament elections will look like – 600,000 ballot papers printed. There are a total of 72 candidates on the ballot paper. A tick, instead of a stamp will be put under every political group on the ballot. Voters will then have to tick a minimum of one and a maximum of two candidates in that group.
Main News
Officials issue barrage of statements on energy as new tensions flare
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Afrika
Energy, Regional/International Relations
OVERVIEW
Turkish and Turkish Cypriot officials issued a barrage of statements on Tuesday regarding Turkey’s offshore drilling activities in the Eastern Mediterranean in response to earlier statements by the international community.
The Turkish Cypriot Foreign Ministry on Tuesday responded to Anastasiades’ statement and his likening of Turkey’s hydrocarbon activities as ‘a second invasion’. The ministry said the Greek Cypriot side’s unilateral hydrocarbon activities, carried out by usurping the rights of the Turkish Cypriots, were in themselves an act of aggression and invasion. The Greek Cypriot side’s actions were unlawful while Anastasiades’ aggressive attitude was not acceptable, it said.
The ministry statement noted that both Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot side have always been in favour of collaboration on the issue of hydrocarbons rather than unilateral acts.
It added that the Greek Cypriot side is attempting to conceal its attempt to usurp Turkish Cypriots’ rights by accusing Turkey of being an invader.
“Should the Greek Cypriot side want to see an invasion, they can simply look at their own hydrocarbon activities,” the ministry said.
The foreign ministry also lashed out against the international community, saying that feigning surprise over developments was insincere on their part. “The Turkish Cypriot side and Turkey had repeatedly and clearly stated they would take reciprocal steps on hydrocarbons, should the Greek Cypriot side not accept the proposal on collaboration. Both Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot side’s steps on hydrocarbons have been consistent and peaceful from the very beginning but what is inconsistent/incoherent here is the Greek Cypriot side accepting Turkish Cypriots’ share in the hydrocarbons while continuing with unilateral activities,” the statement read.
The ministry also said that the international community’s second incoherence was giving consent to the Greek Cypriot side’s unilateral hydrocarbon activities while knowing very well that the Turkish Cypriots have rights in the resources. “In this regard, the Greek Cypriot side and the international community must act on the basis that the hydrocarbon resources belong to the two communities on the island,” concluded the statement.
Main opposition National Unity Party (UBP) leader Ersin Tatar emphasized the need for the Greek Cypriot side and Greece to respect the rights of the Turkish Cypriots and Turkey in a statement issued on Tuesday.
Touching on Greek Cypriot mediareports on issuing arrest warrants for the crew of the Fatih drilling vessel, Tatar said the Turkish Cypriot people are observing Fatih’s work with pride. He added that the arrest warrant threats were baseless as the Fatih’s crew had not done anything to violate international law.
“Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus are determined to protect their sovereign rights in the seas like they had done on land in the past,” said Tatar.
Neither Turkey nor the Turkish Cypriot side will allow the Greek Cypriot side to usurp Turkey’s or Turkish Cypriots’ rights, he added.
Addressing parliament on Tuesday, UBP Famagusta MP Oğuzhan Hasipoğlu argued the Cyprus problem was sliding away from the negotiating table to the field with the issue of hydrocarbon drillings.
Hasipoğlu noted that Greek Cypriot officials were going from door to door in an attempt to secure the international community’s support on the matter.
He argued, however, that no matter what the Greek Cypriot side did, it would eventually be forced to sit at the table to discuss the equal distribution of these resources. Hasipoğlu said Fatih was just the beginning of an irreversible process, adding that the Greek Cypriot side will not be able to usurp Turkey’s or the Turkish Cypriot side’s rights in the ‘blue homeland’.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Ankara will continue to implement its programme in the Eastern Mediterranean and is trying, as a guarantor, to safeguard the rights of Turkish Cypriots in the south-eastern Mediterranean.
“All the people of Cyprus own what emerges from these waters, those in the south and in the north are equal owners,” he said adding that Turkey is fighting to equally protect the rights of its fellow Turks in northern Cyprus.
Invited by journalists to comment on the US and EU’s call for Turkey to end its operations in the Eastern Mediterranean, Erdogan said: “We are currently continuing to implement our own programme. We do not comment on what commands are given by some, what they see and how they evaluate it.”
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said the period for seismic research was over and it was time now for drilling in the Eastern Mediterranean. Speaking to the media following the third meeting of the Turkey-Kyrgyzstan Joint Strategic Planning Group, Çavuşoğlu said Turkey’s second drilling vessel will also be deployed to the region in the coming period.
Çavuşoğlu referred to the Greek Cypriot administration’s initiatives to halt Turkey and reminded of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ statement that natural reserves on and off the coast of the island belong to the two communities on the island.
No one should object to Turkey drilling in its own continental shelf. Turkey acts in line with international law and the EEZ declared by the Greek Cypriot administration does not carry any weight from the point of view of Turkey or Turkish Cypriots, he said.
Çavuşoğlu said he has asked both the UN and EU to solve this dispute because even though the Greek Cypriot side accepts Turkish Cypriots’ rights, they do not act accordingly.
“As a guarantor power, it is our responsibility to protect the rights of the Turkish Cypriots and we will take every necessary step to do so”, he said.
Turkey’s Energy and Natural Resources Ministry on Tuesday said that statements made on Turkey’s drilling activities on “its own continental shelf” were unacceptable. In response to statements made by internal and external actors on objections to Turkey’s activities, the ministry said the country’s energy diplomacy is not conducted on the basis of commercial interests.
“Turkey knows that natural resources can play an important role in increasing peace and stability,” the statement read.
“Our country advocates the role of energy as a source of peace rather than as a source of conflict,” it noted.
The ministry said that the country’s energy policy, which attaches importance to both Turkey’s and Europe’s energy supply security, should be viewed as a benefit to all.
According to the statement, “Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus can’t be excluded from the energy equation in the region.”
“We invite you to take advantage of our country’s win-win approach instead of fuelling regional conflicts by taking steps that increase uncertainty and escalate tension,” the ministry said.
KEY ACTORS
Özersay (HP)
>> GCs are usurping the rights of the TCs in the East Med.
>> GCs are the real invaders and not Turkey.
>> Turkey and TC side insist on collaboration on hydrocarbons issue.
>> While accepting TC rights in hydrocarbons, GCs continue their unilateral activities.
>> Turkey’s moves on hydrocarbons, not a surprise because it has repeatedly talked about reciprocal moves should the GCs reject collaboration proposal.
>> International community is insincere for allowing he GCs to continue with unilateral hydrocarbon activities.
Tatar (UBP)
>> Turkey and TCs determined to protect sovereign rights.
>> Arrest warrants for Fatih crew baseless as they have not violated international law.
Hasipoğlu (UBP)
>> GCs will eventually sit at the table to equally share the natural resources.
>> GCs will not be able to usurp Turkey’s or TCs’ rights in the ‘blue homeland’.
Erdoğan
>> Ankara will continue to implement its programme in East Med.
>> All the people of Cyprus own what emerges from these waters, those in the south and in the north are equal owners.
>> Turkey is fighting to equally protect the rights of its fellow Turks in northern Cyprus.
Çavuşoğlu
>> Time for seismic research is over. Now it’s time for drilling in the East Med. 2nd drilling vessel will be deployed to region soon.
>> No one should object to Turkey drilling in its own continental shelf.
>> Turkey acts in line with international law and the EEZ declared by the GC side does not carry any weight from Turkey’s or TCs’ point of view.
>> Turkey as a guarantor power, will do everything necessary to protect rights of the TCs.
Turkish energy ministry
>> Statements on Turkey’s drilling activities on “its own continental shelf” were unacceptable.
>> Turkey’s energy diplomacy is not conducted on the basis of commercial interests.
>> Turkey knows natural resources can play important role in increasing peace and stability.Advocates role of energy as a source of peace rather than conflict.
>> Turkey’s energy policy attaches importance to both Turkey and Europe’s energy supply security. Should be viewed as a benefit to all.
>> Turkey & TRNC can’t be excluded from energy equation in the region.
Tuncay draws attention to lack of inspections on churches
Yenidüzen
Human Rights
OVERVIEW
The co-chair of the Bicommunal Technical Committee for Cultural Heritage Ali Tuncay complained that the lack of inspections of churches is the leading cause of theft of historical artefacts.
Speaking to Yenidüzen on Wednesday, Tuncay said that the biggest problem was that there was no institution or department in charge of keeping track and checking up on what was going on in churches in the North.
Tuncay pointed out that there were currently 400 churches and monasteries in the north, some of which had been converted to mosques in the past.
“Once new mosques were built these churches were abandoned one by one, leaving them to crumble,” Tuncay added.
He said the only place this was not the case was in the Karpaz area because there were a considerable number of worshippers who lived there and frequently used the churches.
Tuncay also expressed the view that places of worship on both sides were abandoned because there were no congregations to actually use them.
“The protection of these places of worship can only be possible with the solution of the Cyprus Problem,” he said.
Tuncay added that under the current conditions it was not possible for police to inspect or provide security for all churches or places of worship as some were in quite remote places.
“We as the technical committee are trying to do our best in preserving these churches. So is the Evkaf administration,” he added.
It was reported on Tuesday that the police investigation into the theft and attempted sale of historical artefacts from a church by four men was continuing.
It emerged that one of the arrested suspects was, in fact, a janitor at the Selemiye Mosque and not an Imam as initially reported.
Yenidüzen also reported that there has been a visible increase in cases involving the looting and theft of historical artefacts in the North over the past five years.
KEY ACTORS
Tuncay (Bicommunal Committee for Cultural Heritage)
>> Lack of inspections or means to deal with inspections of churches is the leading cause of theft of historical artefacts.
>> Protection of religious sites and places of worship only possible with the solution of Cyprus Problem as congregations will use these places.
>> Technical committee doing its best to preserve existing sites.