Front Page Headlines
Freed three months later
Architect Muammer Uğuröz, who was detained as part of the “counterfeit trust deed” case, was freed three months later when the Attorney General’s office dismissed charges brought against him.
- Akıncı briefed 115 CSOs – Akıncı continues with his marathon of meetings to brief the different segments of the community regarding the outcome of the trilateral meeting in Berlin.
“I will not reject the honourable post of the presidency”
Former premier and speaker of the parliament Sibel Siber said she has not decided yet whether she will run or not in the upcoming presidential elections. She added she will soon share her new initiatives with the public.
The suspect of the two incidents in which the perpetrator was wearing a ski-mask
Danyal Özdilaver has been detained as the prime suspect in the kidnapping incident of Süheyla Argüden, owner of Argüden jeweller shop. The police found evidence connecting the suspect to another robbery in October.
- 271 kg of illegally smuggled meat found – Police carried out operations at two crossing points in Nicosia and Famagusta and two other locations.
Massive difference in prices
Havadis compared the supermarket retail prices in the TRNC and Turkey. Prices of 33 fruits and vegetables were compared and it has emerged that the TRNC is more expensive than Turkey.
- Built a secret compartment in his car to smuggle meat – Police found 50 kg of meat hidden in a secret compartment of a car during a search at the Metehan (Agios Dometios) crossing point.
The sector in trouble
Following the economic crisis, sales of detached homes have decreased. People, instead prefer to purchase two-bedroom flats. Sales of villa-type homes are almost non-existent. There is no stability in the value of the Turkish Lira and the bank interest rates are too high.
Protesting the Vision 2030
Both KTÖS (TC Teachers’ Union) and KTOEÖS (TC Secondary School Teachers’ Union) protested the workshop organized by the Education Ministry entitled “Vision 2030.” The trade unions complained they were not informed about the preparations for the said workshop.
Main News
Police raid on smugglers at crossing points
Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis
Internal Security
OVERVIEW
A special police task force carried out operations at the crossing points on Friday, some dailies reported. As a result of the controls, kilos of meat, cheese, various ingredients, walnuts, and frozen foods were seized by the police.
At the Metehan (Agios Domethios) crossing, a man was caught smuggling 50kg of red meat hidden in his car.
A 32-year-old woman was caught trying to smuggle 49 different types of food in various amounts.
At the Akyar (Strovilia) crossing, police seized 145 kg of cheese and frozen potato fries.
An additional 88 kg of walnuts was seized in another operation.
Police and customs launched legal action against those who tried to smuggle the good across.
KTTO: GC side strives to prevent relations between the two sides
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog
CBMs, Economy
OVERVIEW
“Despite the Turkish Cypriot side’s good-willed steps towards the solution, the Greek Cypriot side continues to implement decisions to axe the process and to harm the climate of trust between the two communities,” the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Industry (KTTO) said on Friday.
In a statement issued to evaluate the Greek Cypriot side’s decision to change the code of implementation of the Green Line Regulation, KTTO urged Greek Cypriot authorities to change their decision and revoke it.
KTTO also rejected the Greek Cypriot side’s attempts to discourage the Greek Cypriots and foreigners from crossing to the north.
“It is obvious that creating problems at crossing points, which are very important for communication and trade between the two communities, will eventually harm no one but the two communities,” the statement added.
The chamber claimed that the recently sprouting efforts for a comprehensive settlement will also suffer a blow as a result of the restrictions to be introduced.
KTTO argued that the Greek Cypriot side’s decision is also a violation of the Green Line Trade regulation, which is approved by the European Union (EU).
It noted that the Greek Cypriot side’s decades-long policy on economically strangulating the Turkish Cypriot community has collapsed.
“There is no reason in attempting to make it harder for people at the crossing points, which play an important role in developing humane and commercial relations between the two sides,” the KTTO concluded.
Ankara ready for cooperate in the Med except with GC side
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog
Energy, Regional/International Relations
OVERVIEW
“Ankara is ready for cooperation in the eastern Mediterranean except with the Greek Cypriot side,” Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said on Friday.
Speaking at a press conference, following his speech entitled “Turkey’s Vision and Strategy on the Issues Related to the Mediterranean and the Ways to Foster a Positive Agenda in the Region” at the fifth Mediterranean Dialogues (MED) conference, Çavuşoğlu reiterated that the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between Turkey and Libya complies with international law.
He recalled the agreement was also approved by the Turkish Parliament on Thursday.
Çavuşoğlu said Ankara, from the very beginning, has been consistent in its position regarding the Eastern Mediterranean.
“We are ready for bilateral agreements or multilateral agreements with every country in the region expect the Greek Cypriot side.
It is because some of the countries in the region decided to take unilateral steps and decided to criticize Turkey,” Çavuşoğlu added.
He noted Ankara does not politically recognize the Greek Cypriot side.
“In the future, if there is a lasting solution in Cyprus, we can very well sign an agreement with Cyprus as well, meaning a Cyprus that the Turkish Cypriot side is in,” Çavuşoğlu underlined.
“Turkey is ready and is in favour of collaboration in the region,” Çavuşoğlu concluded.
Responding to a question on the deportation of the Libyan Ambassador from Greece for not giving the government a copy of the said agreement, Çavuşoğlu said: “both signatory countries would have provided the details had it been asked in a kind manner.”
He, in addition to criticizing Greece for its actions, said it is not possible to keep any agreement that had been approved the parliament as a secret.
KEY ACTORS
Çavuşoğlu (Turkey)
>> Ankara is ready to cooperate in the East Med except with the GC side.
>> MoU signed between Turkey & Libya complies with the int’l law.
>> Ankara from the very beginning has been consistent in its position regarding the East Med.
>> We are ready for bilateral agreements or multilateral agreements with every country in the region expect the GC side.
>> It is because some of the countries in the region decided to take unilateral steps & decided to criticize Turkey.
>> Ankara does not politically recognize the GC side.
>> Turkey is ready & in favour of collaboration in the region.
>> Both Turkey & Libya would have provided the details had Greece asked in a kind manner.
New elements in UNSG’s statement must not be overlooked
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
“New elements listed in the statement made by the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres following the trilateral meeting in Berlin must not be overlooked,” the General Coordinator of the Technical Committees Onurkan Samani highlighted during a programme on Genç TV.
She said the period of negotiating for the sake of negotiations was over now.
“Even the UN Secretary-General (UNSG) refers to a results-oriented process in his reports,” she noted.
Samani added the Berlin trilateral meeting was concluded with an agreement to hold a five-party meeting however all sides must declare they are ready before Guterres convenes such a meeting. She noted such a meeting will likely to take place following the presidential elections.
It was also agreed that the new process, which will adopt a gradual approach, will be results-oriented to reach a strategic agreement, she said and added “Another positive development of the Berlin meeting is that the sides agreed for the need for planning to reach the strategic agreement.”
“The path to be walked on for the Turkish Cypriot side is to maintain a determined position and to demand what is reasonable and in the best interest of all sides within the framework of the United Nations,” Samani concluded.
Meanwhile President Mustafa Akıncı continued to brief different segments of the Turkish Cypriot community regarding the outcome of the trilateral meeting in Berlin.
On Friday morning Akıncı briefed the civil society organizations and will hold a similar meeting with mukhtars on Saturday morning.
On Thursday morning, he had briefed the mayors and in the afternoon, he had a similar meeting with political party officials which are not represented in the parliament.
KEY ACTORS
Samani (Akıncı)
>> New elements listed in the statement made by the UNSG following the trilateral meeting in Berlin must not be overlooked.
>> The era of negotiating for the sake of negotiations is over now. The UNSG refers to a results-oriented process in his reports.
>> The Berlin trilateral meeting was concluded with an agreement to hold a five-party meeting however all sides must declare they are ready for it before Guterres convenes such a meeting.
>> The five-party meeting will likely to take place following the presidential elections.
>> It was also agreed that the new process, which will adopt a gradual approach, will be results-oriented to reach a strategic agreement.
>> Another positive outcome from Berlin is that the sides agreed for the need to plan to reach the strategic agreement.