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“Results show polarization of society”
Director for the Centre of Migration, Identity and Rights Studies (CMIRS) Mine Yücel evaluated the latest developments in politics to Yenidüzen.
İmamoğlu creates a new signature crisis in the North
Ekrem İmamoğlu signed the visitors’ book at Rauf Denktaş’ mausoleum as the İstanbul Metropolitan Mayor creating a second signature crisis following his visit to Anıtkabir – Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s mausoleum.
- Social state over political manoeuvres – Ömer Suay, head of the Association for Solidarity for the Physically Disabled, highlighted what the physically disabled need from the authorities.
Projects change when governments change
Governments changed 34 times in the last 36 years. The outgoing government’s projects are shelved and the newcomers present a brand-new set of projects. As a result, nothing is delivered. Economists note the frequency of government changes brings economic instability.
- Hiding in the orchards for days – 20 Syrian refugees, who had been found hiding in a citrus orchard in Gayretköy (Avlona), to remain in police custody for two more days.
Not a road but a deathtrap
The poor quality of roads plays a role in the fatal road collisions in the North. Tens of people die due to state negligence. The Alsancak-Lapta (Karavas-Lapithos) road is one of them.
- İmamoğlu received by his supporters at Ercan (Tymbou) – CHP (Republican People’s Party) candidate (for Istanbul mayor) Ekrem İmamoğlu chose the North for a short getaway but since his arrival at Ercan (Tymbou) airport, his supporters have not left him alone. İmamoğlu was received by Akıncı and visited the Turkish Cypriot leaders’ mausoleums.
The country can’t take this
Following the collapse of the four-party government, all attention has turned to UBP (National Unity Party) leader Ersin Tatar. Those expecting a ministerial post have put party bureaus into action.
- Don’t buy homes in the South – Unexpected protest from ‘deceived’ UK citizens against Greek Cypriots attending property fair in London.
- Morale visit – İmamoğlu catches up with friends in Cyprus.
And he didn’t understand us
Ekrem İmamoğlu, who won a magnificent victory against Tayyip Erdoğan’s candidate Binali Yıldırım in the Istanbul local elections, was given a hero’s welcome in Cyprus. However, like his predecessors, he gave the same speech of heroism. İmamoğlu said that the TRNC’s roadmap should include the continuation of guarantees at the highest level.
- Kudret Özersay: It was already over with that resignation– HP (Peoples’ Party) leader Özersay said: I am saddened by the collapse of the government. The issue is neither about Mr Serdar nor his son. I do not have any problems with either of them. The problem is not abandoning this mentality in this country.
Main News
Results show polarization of society
Yenidüzen
Governance & Power Sharing
OVERVIEW
Mine Yücel, Director for the Centre for Migration, Identity and Rights Studies (CMIRS) said that the reason for frequent changes in government in the North was not due to the political system but due to the polarization of Turkish Cypriot society.
Yücel, in an exclusive interview to Yenidüzen published on Sunday, argued that dissolving the four-party coalition government at a time when reforms were underway was the biggest betrayal of all.
She said that what Turkish Cypriot society wants is for clean politics and the correction of all mistakes committed to date. Most interestingly, people do not want their own interests to be harmed when these changes take place, Yücel said.
Yücel also argued that the four-party coalition government showed Turkish Cypriot society that Turkish Cypriots could run this country without money coming from Turkey.
“We should be able to transform it into an opportunity and succeed in running the country on our own,” she said.
Commenting on the possibility of early elections, Yücel said that she did not believe the country was at a stage where it couldn’t take early elections.
She said that Denktaş should have been taken to court if the coalition partners were truly unhappy with what he had done.
“I put the biggest blame on HP (Peoples’ Party). If the problem was really Serdar Denktaş and the promise it had made was to bring justice, the coalition could have tried the minister who resigned, thus accomplishing something important,” she added.
The CMIRS Director also argued that Turkish Cypriots, when it came to negotiations with Greek Cypriots, saw themselves as political equals and strived for self-administration.
This is, however, not the case when it comes to relations with Turkey, Yücel said, adding that this was a flawed way of thinking.
She said that Turkish Cypriots first need to believe in the state they are governing and do exactly that.
“This is the middle ground for the polarization that exists in the North. We do not have the political will or the environment to achieve this. Our politics is carried out by heart and on the basis of slogans. Our rightists argue that our future lies with motherland Turkey and our leftists argue that we must unify with the South and we do not want the TRNC. Our priority is not to uphold the state. Neither the right nor the left is able to define what it means to uphold the state. This notion is empty and must be defined,” she said.
She said that Turkish Cypriots will only be happy when they feel proud of their state and their identity.
“Our biggest problem is administering ourselves but due to various reasons, we are unable to do this properly. For some, the TRNC is undesirable, for others it is frightening… and some like it. There is much emotion burdening the TRNC. We need to uphold the state but I do not mean it in a nationalistic way. We need a new methodology for administering ourselves. Once we achieve this we can move to phase two which is the solution of the Cyprus Problem. What we now have is a ceasefire and this has to change no matter what a settlement may envisage,” Yücel concluded.
‘Don’t buy homes from South Cyprus!’
Diyalog
Economy
OVERVIEW
Representatives of Greek Cypriot property companies attending a major property exhibition in London were met with a surprise when they were greeted by UK protesters warning the British public not to buy properties in South Cyprus, Diyalog reported on Sunday.
A small group of people who had bought property in South Cyprus gathered outside the Olympia in London where the exhibition was taking place.
Two Greek Cypriot companies were among those taking part.
The aim of the protest was to warn off potential buyers from investing in South Cyprus citing their own unfortunate cases that include homes destroyed in an ongoing land slippage in Pissouri, Swiss Franc house loans and double selling fraud.
The organiser of the protest is Conor O’Dwyer, who is in the midst of a 14-year legal battle after buying a property in Cyprus in 2005 only for the developer to sell his house to another British family at a higher price.
According to O’Dwyer, not only was the original sale to him registered with the land registry department, but the developer also kept the money he had paid.
The paper also reported that the British media gave attention to the protest.
The Greek Cypriot companies attending the fair warned that property sales in the South could face serious problems due to the protest.
Erdoğan says interests must be protected for stability in East Med
Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog,
Energy, Regional/International Relations
OVERVIEW
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said that for stability in the Eastern Mediterranean the rights and interests of Turkey and Turkish Cypriots must be protected during a fast-breaking dinner (iftar) for ambassadors on Friday.
Erdoğan reiterated Ankara would not tolerate a fait accompli in the region, and all related parties have been informed on Ankara’s stance. Erdoğan noted that Ankara wants to solve the disputes with dialogue and mutual cooperation.
KEY ACTORS
Erdoğan
>> Interests of Turkey & TCs must be protected for stability in East Med.
>> Ankara will not tolerate a fait accompli in the region.
>> Ankara wants to solve disputes through dialogue & mutual cooperation.