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The government is lost
A serious crisis is being experienced in the government following the private jet scandal and violation of quarantine rules. Parliament was able to convene yesterday (Thursday) after a two-and-a-half-hour delay. Both Prime Minister Ersin Tatar and Deputy Prime Minister Kudret Özersay did not attend parliament. No minister from the Peoples’ Party (HP) attended yesterday’s (Thursday) session. The National Unity Party (UBP) on the other hand has focused its attention on a possible cabinet shuffle following the scandal. The HP called its Central Executive Committee and its MPs for a meeting. The various groups with the UBP also held meetings yesterday (Thursday).
- HP tells UBP: Tourism Minister Üstel should be removed from office. UBP tells HP: Alright but Public Works and Communication Minister Tolga Atakan should also be removed
- Republican Turkish Party (CTP) leader Tufan Erhürman: “You (government) are unaware of the seriousness the posts you occupy require.”
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Cabinet change will be decided today
Following the “special permission” crisis, which caused a rift between the coalition partners, the HP has put all on hold to see the Prime Minister’s decision. Prime Minister Tatar, following a series of meetings, agreed to change ‘one minister,’ in light of a consensus among the members of the UBP. The HP also held its party assembly meeting yesterday (Thursday) to discuss the developments. According to information obtained by Kıbrıs, three names are being considered to replace Tourism and Environment Minister Ünal Üstel. These are Ersan Saner, İzlem Gürçağ and Resmiye Canaltay. The Prime Minister will announce his decision today (Friday).
- Both the UBP and the CTP are in favour of October 11 – President Mustafa Akıncı raised the possibility of bringing the presidential elections forward to August 16. He will discuss the issue with the political party representatives today (Friday). While the Social Democratic Party (TDP) and the Rebirth Party (YDP) are in favour of the proposal, the UBP and CTP prefer the election date to remain as it is, this is on October 11. The Democratic Party (DP) wants the decision on the elections to be taken in line with the recommendations from the health experts.
- Pharmacists running out of patience – The Turkish Cypriot Pharmacists’ Association staged a protest outside the parliament building demanding the law on pharmacists and pharmacies to be enacted.
Not a single day goes by without protests
The government’s decisions on the economy and its inability to manage the pandemic process have resulted in uproars from the segments of society. Various social and economic groups are staging protests almost daily to get their message to the government across.
- It is named a district but it’s only really a town – Teoman Oktay, President of the Lefke (Lefka) Civil Society Organisations Platform, talked to Havadis about the lack of progress since the town was declared a district. Oktay said none of the district offices of the state institutions have been opened in Lefke (Lefka) to make it a proper district. All the relevant offices are still in Güzelyurt (Morphou).
- He apologised and withdrew – CEO of the ATG Group, Neşet Koçkar, whose entry and exit from the north turned into a scandal, apologized publicly. He then announced he was withdrawing from the Lapta (Lapithos) marina tender.
- It is a powder keg – The rift between the coalition partners resulted in the parliament not achieving the quorum to open its session. The HP did not attend the plenary.
- The latest situation: North 108 cases, four deaths; South 985 cases, 26 deaths; Turkey 184,031 cases, 4,882 deaths.
He gave him until 2 pm today (Friday)
Özersay who met with Prime Minister Tatar demanded Üstel’s resignation for the coalition government to continue. Tourism Minister Ünal Üstel at the centre of the scandal involving the arrival of a group of investors from Anex Tour, Turkey who violated quarantine rules, rejected Prime Minister Ersin Tatar’s proposal to resign. According to information obtained by Diyalog, Üstel told Tatar that he had been declared a scapegoat despite not being at fault. Deputy Prime Minister Kudret Özersay who met with Prime Minister Tatar yesterday (Thursday) afternoon insisted on Üstel’s resignation, giving the signal his party would withdraw from the government unless this demand was met. Özersay gave Tatar until 2 pm today (Friday). Tatar, on the other hand, said that he would do what was necessary for the continuity of the current government.
- UBP-CTP-HP negative – Akıncı will be meeting with political party leaders today (Friday) to discuss bringing forward the presidential elections to August 16.
He apologized from the people
CEO of the ATG Group, Neşet Koçkar, who arrived in the north with on private jet but was granted exemption from quarantine rules through a special permit, issued an apology. He apologized publicly and then announced he was withdrawing from the Lapta (Lapithos) marina tender.
- Pharmacists running out of patience – The Turkish Cypriot Pharmacists’ Association staged a protest outside the parliament building demanding the law on pharmacists and pharmacies to be implemented.
- Election date to be discussed with the political parties – Mustafa Akıncı invited the leaders of the political parties with seats in the parliament to a meeting today (Friday).
Main News
The rift between coalition members deepens
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Afrika
Internal Security
OVERVIEW
The scandal caused by the arrival of a group of ‘investors’ to the north from Turkey via a private jet last Friday without complying with quarantine rules, continued to occupy the north’s agenda on its fourth consecutive day on Thursday.
Thursday’s session in parliament started two-and-a-half hours late after MPs from the junior coalition partner People’s Party (HP) did not attend, in protest against their own coalition partner, the National Unity Party (UBP).
HP MPs and top party officials later convened an extraordinary meeting to discuss the possibility of withdrawing from government.
Turkish Cypriot Prime Minister Ersin Tatar and Deputy Prime Minister Kudret Özersay met later on Thursday to discuss the future of the government.
Özersay reportedly insisted that Üstel be replaced, giving Tatar until Friday afternoon to decide.
Earlier on Wednesday, the HP had presented the National Unity Party (UBP) with an ultimatum to remove Turkish Cypriot Tourism Minister Ünal Üstel, accused of arranging the visit of the group from Turkey, from the cabinet.
Several dailies reported on Friday, that Tatar had agreed to remove Üstel on the condition that Özersay replaced Public Works and Communication Minister Tolga Atakan.
Several replacement names, including that of Resmiye Canaltay, circulated throughout social media on Thursday night and Friday.
Speaking at Thursday’s plenary, Üstel, once again rejected all accusations.
He said that one of his duties as tourism minister was to attract investors to the north.
“Neither the flight permissions nor the quarantine hotel is under my responsibility,” Üstel stressed, insisting that the issued had been discussed and the necessary green light given at a cabinet meeting.
He also said he would not object to an inquiry to be held on the matter.
In the meantime, the leader of the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) Tufan Erhürman accused the government of a lack of seriousness and not turning up for the opening session of Thursday’s session of parliament.
Recalling the contradictory statements made by members of the cabinet regarding the incident, Erhürman said the incident had cast a shadow on the government’s credibility.
“This latest incident has shaken the public’s confidence in the government. People are concerned about a second wave as and when the ports of entry will open on July 1 without quarantine requirements. The lack of seriousness displayed by the coalition members is unacceptable,” Erhürman concluded.
Echoing the same message, Social Democratic Party (TDP) leader Cemal Özyiğit said they were watching in shock as cabinet members were pointing the finger of blame at each other.
“The government lacks seriousness on matters of life and death,” Özyiğit said.
The leader of the Rebirth Party (YDP) Erhan Arıklı also criticised the cabinet for letting the matter drag on.
He said that there were more serious matters the government needed to attend to.
“If you have to remove someone from duty, do that and focus on the problems in the north,” Arıklı said, urging the cabinet to adopt a more serious stance.
CTP MP Özdil Nami also touched upon the issue in an interview with Kıbrıs Postası on Friday.
“Prime Minister Ersin Tatar and his deputy Kudret Özersay should publicly apologize to the people,” Nami said, claiming a cabinet reshuffle would not be adequate to address the problem.
“The private jet issue showed us all that the government did not comply with the rules it had adopted. This has turned into a problem that disturbed the entire community,” Nami stressed.
Nami added that he has been an elected member of parliament since 2003 and that never had he witnessed a more embarrassing moment than that of the cabinet MPs trying to explain the situation they created.
“No one has the right to harm the reputation of the north. Those responsible for the decision must be punished,” Nami concluded.
Unexploded ordnance found at Sourp Magar
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Afrika
Internal Security
OVERVIEW
An unexploded ordnance believed to date back to the 1974 war was discovered at the Sourp Magar Armenian Monastery at Alevkayası located on the foothills of the Five Finger Mountains on Wednesday.
The ordinance was destroyed by experts later on Friday, it was reported.
The monastery is currently undergoing renovation as part of a project carried out by the Bicommunal Technical Committee for Cultural Heritage. A thorough investigation will be carried out in the area around the monastery on Friday for other possible unexploded ordinances.
Pilli admits delay in epidemiological report
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Afrika
Internal Security
OVERVIEW
Turkish Cypriot Health Minister Ali Pilli on Thursday admitted his ministry’s responsibility in the delay to complete the north’s Covid-19 epidemiological report.
He said that the report would be submitted to the bicommunal Technical Committee for Health as soon as it was completed.
Pilli, speaking at Thursday’s session of parliament, also said that efforts to construct a pandemic hospital in the north were continuing.
He expressed the view that such a hospital could be completed in a short period of two months.
The Turkish Cypriot health minister said that he too was unhappy with the delays in creating such a facility
Pilli also said that the coronavirus pandemic had revealed once again the importance of upgrading and improving the country’s health infrastructure.
Pilli also said that despite low numbers, the number of tests being carried out was sufficient.
Pilli also announced that 10 genetic molecular experts and 40 new nurses would be hired in the coming weeks which would increase the testing capacity of the hospital.
Regarding the issue of reopening ports of entry as of July 1, Pilli said that all procedures were to be carried out based on recommendations from the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Regarding concerns expressed about passenger arrivals from Turkey, Pilli explained that the decision to place Turkey in category A among lower-risk countries had been made based on figures at the time.
“The number of daily cases in Turkey was not so high when we took the decision. We decided based on data provided by the WHO,” he said.
TCs and GCs unite again across the divide
Yenidüzen
Human Rights
OVERVIEW
A group of Turkish and Greek Cypriots met across the divide, in a park on Yiğitler Burcu (Rocca Bastion) located on the Green Line in Nicosia to sing songs and talk from a distance – from either side of the buffer zone – to their friends and loved ones.
Thursday’s event was the second in weeks.
Yenidüzen shared the meeting with pictures on Friday.