Front Page Headlines
Search for funds for compensation
Efforts are being made to generate funds for the Immovable Property Commission (IPC) which despite the growing number of applications has stopped functioning effectively over the years due to a lack of funds. It has emerged that the state is preparing to raise taxes in an attempt to create funds to compensate Greek Cypriots for their immovable properties in the north of the island. Finance Minister Olgun Amcaoğlu who spoke to Yenidüzen said that rearranging property tax as well as other taxes was on the agenda.
- Ugly attack from racist ELAM
Lute on the island before Berlin
UN Special Envoy Jane Holl Lute, who has come for preparations ahead of the trilateral meeting in Berlin on 25 November, has met with the two leaders. No statements were issued following her long meetings with the two leaders.
- Turkish Cypriot authorities condemned burning of the flag – Akıncı: ‘I condemn the burning of the flag.’ Özersay: ‘They don’t respect values.’ Erhürman: ‘We will keep this issue on the agenda!’
₺150 million needed for the first phase of road repairs
Public Works and Communication Minister Tolga Atakan said the ministry is working on a three-year-long project and added the need for funds to execute the project.
- Crans Montana must not be forgotten – Republican Turkish Party (CTP) leader Tufan Erhürman urged the two leaders and the UN Secretary-General Guterres not to give the chance to the people to forget Crans Montana. Erhürman spoke to Kıbrıs.
This street has gone out of business
While boutique hotels and cafes have started opening, the number of shops that have shut down at Kyrenia Avenue, once Nicosia’s commercial heart, has reached 20. It was the commercial centre in the ’70s but lost its popularity in the 1990s.
- Final preparations before Berlin – UN Special Envoy Jane Holl Lute held separate meetings with the two leaders.
There will be arrests
The burning of the TRNC flag by members of ELAM who marched to the Ledra Palace crossing point carrying Greek flags sparked a fierce reaction. Özersay issued a warning to the UN, stating that those involved will be identified.
- She met with them equally – Lute met separately with Akıncı and Anastasiades on Saturday for 90 minutes each. The meeting focused on the Berlin trilateral.
It’s got nothing to do with the TRNC
The TRNC Police Department’s Press Bureau felt the need to issue a statement after it was claimed that the TRNC was included in an operation conducted by Turkish police to crack down on kidnapping, pickpocketing and theft. TRNC Police: Our country has nothing to do with the operation. Such an operation did not take place in the TRNC and TRNC police have not taken part in such an operation.
- ELAM torches TRNC flag – Protest in the South against the establishment of the TRNC. Özersay: We shall identify those involved and take appropriate measures.
Main News
TC authorities slam ELAM over torching of TRNC flag
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog
Governance and Power sharing
OVERVIEW
Turkish Cypriot authorities on Saturday slammed members of the far-right Elam for burning a TRNC flag during demonstrations on Friday to mark the 36th anniversary of the establishment of the self-proclaimed TRNC.
“I condemn the racist and fascist ELAM for burning a TRNC flag in south Cyprus,” President Mustafa Akıncı said in a written statement on Saturday.
He said that the incident was “one more mistake by ELAM which, he said, “does not tolerate and instead disrespects the Turkish Cypriots and their symbols.”
“Let it not be forgotten Turkish Cypriots are equal partners on this island,” he added.
“Elam is not limited to hate speech but carried out acts of hate, which serves politically-fuelled hostility,” he said.
“It is concerning to see that no lessons have been drawn from such acts of hatred and violence that caused a lot of pain for this island in the past,” Akıncı warned.
Referring to the incident some months ago where a Greek Cypriot pupil stole a Turkish flag from the elementary school in Akdoğan (Lysi) during a religious service in the north, Akıncı said the family’s apology was the correct course of action and should be an example.
Akıncı added that Greek Cypriot youth need to learn not to hate.
He also said the Turkish Cypriot side expects “the right voices will speak out against the wrong behaviour of Elam fascists in Greek Cypriot society”.
“There is no place for acts of hatred or hate speech for a Cyprus that is based on respect for common values and symbols,” Akıncı concluded.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Kudret Özersay in a post on social media on Saturday said that he would be contacting the United Nations (UN) officials on the island to identify the perpetrators and implement the necessary measures.
He added that he met and discussed the issue with the Turkish Cypriot police commissioner and Attorney General.
“Those who do not respect national symbols such as flags and their values cannot be regarded as civilized,” Özersay concluded.
Also posting on social media, the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) leader Tufan Erhürman said ELAM has committed yet another act that fuelled the existing climate of mistrust between the two communities.
“The international community primarily the United Nations, which claims to be sensitive on reinstating trust between the two sides, do not have the right to remain quiet,” Erhürman said.
He added the international community must relay their concerns on such acts which might hamper the peace process, to the Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades.
He noted CTP will raise the issue of burning the flag during their meetings with the ambassadors and political parties.
KEY ACTORS
Akıncı
>> ELAM has committed yet another wrong revealing GC intolerance & disrespect towards the TCs, who are equal partners of the island.
>> ELAM has advanced from hate speech to acts of hatred.
>> Failure to draw lessons from such acts of hatred & violence that caused so much pain in the past concerning.
>> The Cypriot youth need to learn not to hate.
>> GC community should be first reacting to the fascist behaviour of ELAM.
>> There is no place for acts of hatred or hate speech for a Cyprus that is based on respect for common values & symbols.
Özersay (HP)
>> UN officials on the island have been contacted to identify the perpetrators and implement the necessary measures.
>> Those who do not respect national symbols such as flags & their values cannot be regarded as civilized.
Erhürman (CTP)
>> ELAM’s actions continue to fuel mistrust between the two communities on the island.
>> The international community primarily the UN does not have the right to remain silent in the face of such incidents.
>> The international community must relay their concerns on such acts to the GC leader.
Lute meets leaders ahead of Berlin trilateral
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Afrika
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
UN Special Envoy Jane Holl Lute met with the two leaders on Saturday in preparation of the upcoming trilateral meeting in Berlin, all six dailies reported on Sunday.
No statements were made following the meeting with Mustafa Akıncı, which lasted about an hour and a half.
Special representative Erhan Erçin, Spokesman Barış Burcu, negotiations team members İpek Borman, Sülen Karabacak and Hasan Varoğlu were present at the meeting with Lute.
“Crans Montana must not be allowed to be forgotten,” CTP leader Tufan Erhürman said in an interview with Kıbrıs newspaper.
He urged the two leaders and the UN Secretary-General Guterres not to opportunity for progress achieved at Crans Montana to be forgotten by the two communities.
Erhürman also recalled that both Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot side had undertaken significant initiatives during the Crans Montana process.
Reminding that CTP has launched a series of meetings with relevant interlocutors in the south, Erhürman stressed that the next process must be results-oriented; must respect past convergences and must not be open-ended.
He noted that the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also emphasized the same points after the Crans Montana process.
Erhürman also recalled that the UN reiterated the definition of ‘political equality’ in a resolution in 2019.
“Therefore, we urge the UNSG to display a determined stance because the CTP does not want anything more than what he already has said,” Erhürman stressed.
He went on to say that if the sides act within the parameters listed above, it will be possible to pave the path towards an informal five-party meeting.
“We urge the leaders and Guterres not to create an opportunity for the people to forget the progress achieved in Crans Montana,” the CTP leader added.
He said the Greek Cypriot leader has come forward with several ideas since the Cyprus conference to create confusion to conceal the Turkish and Turkish Cypriot side’s positive initiatives.
KEY ACTORS
Erhürman (CTP)
>> The two leaders & the UNSG must not allow the people to forget Crans Montana.
>> The next process must be results-oriented; must respect past convergences and must not be open-ended.
>> CTP urges the UNSG to display a determined stance because CTP does not want anything more than what he already has said.
>> It will be possible to pave the path towards an informal five-party meeting if the sides act within the parameters.
TC authorities seek alternative funding for IPC
Yenidüzen
Property, Territory
OVERVIEW
Yenidüzen reported on Sunday that the government was looking into ways of raising funds for the Immovable Property Commission (IPC), which despite the growing number of applications, has become almost obsolete over the past few years because of a shortage of funds.
Finance Minister Olgun Amcaoğlu who spoke to Yenidüzen said that the government was planning on introducing hikes to property taxes as well as other sources of state revenues in an attempt to find money to compensate Greek Cypriots applying to the IPC.
He added that the hikes will not be extreme and that the revenues will be collected in a manner which will be imposing an additional burden onto the public’s shoulders.
Amcaoğlu explained that Turkey donated ₺100m (approx. €15.7) to the IPC annually but that this money was not enough.
“₺45m (approx. €7m) was allocated for IPC compensations for 2018. No compensation was paid in 2019. We are allocating ₺100m (approx. €15.7) for 2020,” said Amcaoğlu.
He pointed out that the IPC had cases worth ₺900m (approx. €141.7m) that were awaiting payment.
The Interior Ministry which commented on the issue said that it was not conducting work of its own but would be examining and presenting its views on what the Finance Ministry will prepare.
Also commenting, former IPC Chairman and current member Sümer Erkmen said that the IPC had been experiencing several setbacks over the past few years due to the shortage of funds.
He said that the authorities had repeatedly tried without success to come up with other formulas.
“The number of applications has been growing over the years which is also why there have been delays and setbacks in making payments,” he said.
Erkmen pointed out that Turkey donated money annually to the IPC but that the money sent was not enough.
“Sometimes we end up spending our annual budget for one single piece of valuable property,” he added.
Erkmen said that Turkey expected the Turkish Cypriot authorities to come up with the money by their own means.
“I don’t how this will be but we need to find a solution somehow,” he said.