Front Page Headlines
“There is negligence, release the report”
The family of Atlas Rüstemoğlu who died at the age of ten three months ago staged a protest in front of the health ministry. The family demanded to see a detailed autopsy report sent from Turkey and if there was any negligence, those responsible to be tried. Health Minister Ali Pilli who met with the family members reassured them that justice will be served if it emerged there was any negligence. Atlas’s father Hasan Rüstemoğlu, who spoke to Yenidüzen, said that the report had emerged only after they decided to stage a protest. “How am I supposed to believe this report now?” he asked
Quarrel at LTB over a loan
The Republican Turkish Party (CTP) issued a statement on Nicosia Turkish Municipality (LTB) decision to take out a loan of ₺10m to complete the second phase of the open-air bazaar project. The CTP said they are observing the developments with concern. Mayor Mehmet Harmancı reacted to the statement claiming that the CTP had supported the decision, but Onur Olguner, who oversees issues concerning local administrations within the CTP, claimed the decision was a hasty one! He added, “the residents of Nicosia will be forced to pay the price.”
- Akıncı: “I will approve the constitutional amendments, should they be sent for my approval.”
- Erhürman: “We will win the presidential race.”
- Tatar: “The government affairs must be kept separate from the presidential elections.”
A heinous attack in Idlib
As a result of the airstrikes on the Turkish forces in Idlib, Syria by the regime fighters, 29 soldiers died and 36 were wounded.
“I will remain silent”
Former leader of the Democratic Party (DP) and DP MP Serdar Denktaş said he will maintain his silence during the period leading to the presidential elections. He said he does not want to be perceived as favouring any one of the candidates no matter how correct his policies or opinions might be. “I will listen to the candidates and will use my right to vote as a citizen,” Denktaş added and noted he wants to maintain an impartial stance.
State of war
33 of our soldiers were martyred following an airstrike in Syria. Turkey is retaliating with force both from the air and the land. Following the attack, Turkey announced that it was opening its borders to migrants heading for Europe.
- Now that is not nice – Prince Charles said he wanted to meet with the leaders in the buffer zone rather than cross over to the north.
- He will serve a ten-year prison sentence – It emerged that a Russian national practising dentistry in the south for more than ten years, did not have a diploma.
- Measures at the highest level –Government buildings at Troodos are to be used to quarantine coronavirus patients.
Outrage against death
The family of ten-year-old Atlas Rüstemoğlu whose cause of death was not announced staged a protest in front of the health ministry.
Main News
TCs must be saved from uncertainty, says Erhürman
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis
Governance & Power Sharing
OVERVIEW
The leader of the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) and presidential candidate Tufan Erhürman said on Thursday that the president-elect must be more active in every area that falls under his/her authority in the coming five years.
Erhürman, addressing supporters at campaign visit to Şirinevler (Agios Ermolaos), drew attention to the tension in the eastern Mediterranean, ongoing conflicts in the region and the economic strife the north.
He pointed out that the discovery of hydrocarbons in the island’s seas had attracted the attention of international actors.
“The Cyprus problem has become an international issue and the eyes of the bigger powers are now focused on the island,” Erhürman said.
“The president-elect must do everything possible for the solution of the Cyprus problem in the coming five years. S/he can only do so by maintaining proactive diplomacy and sit at the negotiations table with the determination to solve the Cyprus problem. S/he has to create the conditions to save the Turkish Cypriots from uncertainty in the north,” Erhürman argued.
He said that Turkish Cypriots should not be made to continue suffering under isolation should efforts for a solution fail, despite the Turkish Cypriot side’s will and efforts.
“The president-elect, while on one side working for the solution of the Cyprus problem, s/he must also make the necessary initiatives for the opening of Maraş (Varosha), for direct trade, direct flights, and international representation of the Turkish Cypriots,” Erhürman stressed.
Erhürman also expressed the view that the president-elect must be more proactive on domestic issues especially on the economy.
“The only way for the Turkish Cypriots to stand proud is to have a self-sufficient economy,” Erhürman argued.
He vowed to engage in more contact with the European Union (EU), the United Nations (UN) and with Turkey to lift the embargoes imposed on Turkish Cypriots.
“It is the president who will talk to Turkey and to the international community to lift the barriers that prevent the economic development of the Turkish Cypriots. It is the president-elect’s responsibility to re-establish the basis of our economic relations with Turkey,” Erhürman concluded.
KEY ACTOR
Erhürman (CTP)
>> The president-elect must be more active in every area that falls under his/her authority in the coming five years.
>> The Cyprob has become an international issue & the attention of the bigger powers is now focused on the island.
>> The president-elect must create the conditions to save the TCs from uncertainty in the north.
>> TCs must not be made to suffer under economic isolation if efforts to reach a solution fail, despite the TC side’s will & efforts.
>> The president-elect must also make the necessary initiatives for the opening of Maraş (Varosha), for direct trade, direct flights, and international representation of the TCs.
>> The only way for the TCs to stand proud is to have a self-sufficient economy.
>> It is the president-elect’s responsibility to re-establish the basis of TCs’ economic relations with Turkey.
Turkey’s third drillship due to arrive in Turkey on 17 March
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Diyalog
Energy, Regional/International Relations
OVERVIEW
“Turkey’s third drilling ship is due to arrive in Turkey on 17 March,” Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Fatih Dönmez announced on his Twitter account on Wednesday.
The ship, which is named “Sertao” has embarked from Port Talbot in the United Kingdom (UK) following the completion of its preparations on 22 February.
The Korean made vessel is expected to be renamed upon its arrival in Turkey and will join the drilling activities alongside with the Fatih and Yavuz.
Along with the two drilling vessels, the Barbaros Hayreddin Paşa and Oruç Reis seismic vessels currently carry out exploration activities in the eastern Mediterranean.
The Sertao has a length of 227 meters, a width of 42 meters and a draft of 12 meters. It can reach as much as 11,400 meters below sea level and drill to a depth of 3,000 meters below the seabed.
Dönmez had said earlier the new ship is likely to operate either in the Eastern Mediterranean or the Black Sea, where drilling work has been suspended for a long time.
In the meantime, the European Union (EU) has imposed sanctions on two Turkish Petroleum (TPAO) senior officials due to Turkey’s hydrocarbon activities in the Eastern Mediterranean, Yenidüzen reports on Friday.
The two names subjected to sanctions are Mehmet Ferruh Akalın is the Vice-President (Assistant General Manager) and member of the Board of Directors of the TPAO and the second one is Ali Coşkun Namoğlu, who is the Deputy Director of the Exploration Department of TPAO.