Front Page Headlines
Attendance rush at the Social Insurance Department
Hundreds of pensioners who didn’t get their pensions rushed to the Social Insurance Department. Problems were experienced after 6500 of the 38,601 pensioners failed to file proof of life certificates. Out of the 6500, 2100 did not get their pensions this month. 680 applied to the department in the past two days with the proper documentation.
“We are fed up! No one is paying attention to us.”
Villagers from Köprülü (Kouklia) complain of the government’s negligence of their village! The village mukhtar Turgay Alıkan, who relayed the village’s problems to authorities, said he is fed up of constantly pestering officials to show attention. He added the politicians only visit the village during election time.
- Özersay: Possible to establish a dignified relationship with Turkey without fighting – The cabinet held its latest meeting with the public in Kyrenia.
- “Turkey must change its policies on Cyprus” – Metin Feyzioğlu, head of the Turkish Bar Association, said.
Our incompetence in traffic: Two more died!
The site of the accident on Güzelyurt (Morphou)-Nicosia road resembled a war-zone after the accident. Police officer Devrim Yılmaz and his wife Seda Yılmaz died as a result of the collision.
- Istanbul Airlines takes the state to court – Even though the state officials have announced they will not be paying ₺88 million in response to reports published by Kıbrıs, Istanbul Airlines has already taken the matter to court.
One strange arrest
Police detained S.K. in Alayköy (Gerolakkos) as the prime suspect for an incident of theft. However, police, after detaining the suspect for two days, realized S.K. was innocent. The villagers who conducted their own investigation caught the actual perpetrators.
- A silent meeting – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held an hour-long meeting with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in Istanbul. No statements were issued following the meeting.
A car which rammed from behind took two lives
Seda and Devrim Yılmaz lost their lives in a horrific accident which took place near Alayköy (Gerolakkos) at one in the morning.
No to political Islam
Afrika’s top story on Friday regarding a teacher wearing a headscarf continued to draw a reaction. The head of KTOEÖS (Turkish Cypriot Secondary School Teachers’ Union) Selma Elyem confirmed the story and expressed the trade union’s opposition to any form of political Islam at schools. Selma Eylem said that civilian and uniformed police officers had been stationed at the Lapta (Lapithos) Yavuzlar High School. She added that the Public Service Commission had made a big mistake by assigning the teacher to the school and that they will never allow political Islam to take root. Eylem said that the move was part of social engineering efforts in the country.
- Serdar Denktaş also concerned about the tripartite meeting – “There is no hope that the current mentality of the Greek Cypriot side will change in Berlin.”
Main News
UBP-HP coalition boasts of harmony
Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
Turkish Cypriot Prime Minister Ersin Tatar on Friday reiterated the coalition’s support for a two-state solution model.
“The coalition is in favour of a two-state approach in foreign policy even though President Mustafa Akıncı claims that there is no other option but federation,” Tatar said during a gathering in Kyrenia between members of the public and cabinet members of the National Unity Party (UBP) – People’s Party (HP) coalition government.
Tatar added, there was no hope for a solution based on federation.
Tatar claimed “contrary to the previous four-party coalition”, the coalition partners freely and openly discussed the Maraş (Varosha) initiative; the Turkish Cypriots’ rights &interests in the Eastern Mediterranean and the two-state solution option.
Tatar also noted the current government was successful in maintaining good relations with Turkey.
Also speaking, Turkish Cypriot Foreign Minister Kudret Özersay said the coalition government was working for the interest of the Turkish Cypriot community.
He recalled that the four-party coalition did not have a joint position on the Cyprus problem.
“Our current strength in foreign policy comes from the harmony of the coalition partners,” Özersay stressed.
“The coalition government openly believes that conditions for a federal solution do not exist in today’s conditions,” Özersay said, highlighting the need for a paradigm shift in Cyprus.
He said the Maraş (Varosha) initiative and development over the hydrocarbon were examples of the need for such a shift.
“These issues have drawn the attention of different international actors,” he said.
Özersay also said the government was uncomfortable with the polarization of Turkish Cypriot society, arguing that it is possible to establish a relationship with Turkey by keeping one’s head up and without fighting.
“I believe the government will be successful in achieving just that step-by-step,” Özersay concluded.
In the meantime, Democratic Party MP Serdar Denktaş on Friday expressed his concerns over the upcoming tripartite meeting in Berlin.
“We have no hope or observation that the Greek Cypriot side’s intransigent demands will change in Berlin,” Denktaş said in a written statement.
He said it was the time the two sides acknowledged that the current negotiations which have been going on and off since 1968 have not produced the desired outcome.
“Both sides need to be open to new ideas and we need to work on new models,” Denktaş added.
He said that the Turkish Cypriot side, rather than engaging in endless negotiations, should insist that the international community, particularly the United Nations (UN) and the European Union (EU) take steps aimed at encouraging the Greek Cypriot leadership to adopt a solution-oriented mentality.
“Turkish Cypriots do not have the luxury to lose any more time engaging in the open-ended and uncertain process. There are plenty of problems in the country that need to be addressed,” he said.
Denktaş, however, noted that Akıncı did not have the luxury to refuse to attend the tripartite meeting called by the UN Secretary-General (UNSG).
“The president should attend this meeting but he must explain clearly that any new process should not be a resumption of the talks in Crans Montana.
“Processes such as Crans Montana have lost Turkish Cypriots valuable time,” he said.
Denktaş said that the goal was to achieve a solution in Cyprus where neither community will dominate the other and where the two communities could live in security.
“This should be the common concern of both sides. It is possible to achieve this piece-by-piece. We shall either govern this island as equal partners or both communities will continue to govern themselves within their respective territories,” Denktaş warned.
KEY ACTORS
Tatar (UBP)
>> UBP-HP coalition is in favour of a two-state approach in foreign policy even though Akıncı claims that there is no other option but a federation.
>> There is no hope for a federal solution.
>> The coalition partners freely discuss the Maraş (Varosha) initiative; speak about TCs’ rights & interests in the East Med & the two-state solution option.
>> Maintaining good relations with Turkey is the success of the current government.
Özersay (HP)
>> The coalition government is working for the best interests of the TC people.
>> The TC side’s current strength in foreign policy due to harmony between coalition partners.
>> The coalition government can easily argue the conditions for a federal solution do not exist in today’s conditions.
>> There is a need for a paradigm shift in Cyprus.
>> Maraş (Varosha) initiative & the hydrocarbon activities are examples of the paradigm shift that has drawn the attention of different actors.
>> The government disproves of current polarization of society in the north.
>> It is possible to establish a relationship with Turkey by keeping one’s head up & without fighting.
Denktaş (DP)
>> No hope or observation that GC side’s intransigent stance will change in Berlin.
>> Both sides need to acknowledge that the negotiations which have been going on and off since 1968 have not produced the desired outcome.
>> Sides need to be open to new ideas & need to work on other alternatives.
>> TC side rather than engaging in endless & open-ended talks should insist that the international community takes steps aimed at changing the GC side’s mindset.
>> TCs don’t have the luxury of losing any more time. Many domestic problems which need to be addressed.
>> Akıncı cannot refuse tripartite meeting but needs to explain any new talks cannot be a continuation of Crans Montana.
>> Two sides will either govern Cyprus as equal partners or each side will continue to govern itself within its territory.
Kızılyürek: “AKEL kept direct trade regulation on EP’s agenda”
Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis
EU Matters
OVERVIEW
“As a result of the efforts displayed by the European United Left (GUE), the Direct Trade Regulation remain frozen but not taken off the European Parliament’s agenda,” MEP Niyazi Kızılyürek’s office in the north said in a statement issued on Friday.
“Kızılyürek said that AKEL Secretary General Andros Kyprianou had expressed the view that it would be wrong to adopt a decision to take the direct trade regulation off the EP’s agenda. This would give the Turkish Cypriot community the wrong message,” the statement read.
The statement noted that the initiative to take the direct trade regulation off the EP’s agenda was raised by the European People’s Party (EPP) and it was supported by the right-wing political group Identity and Democracy (ID). The left-wing GUE and other groups campaigned against the initiative to keep the direct trade regulation remain frozen in the European Parliament.