Front Page Headlines
“The government is responsible as a whole”
Republican Turkish Party (CTP) MP Sıla Usar İncirli spoke to Yenidüzen about the “special permission and private jet scandal. “The government is one is responsible for its actions as a whole. You either take on this responsibility or you don’t. It seems no one within the cabinet is willing to do so which is why they must resign,” she said.
- Confusion over crossing points – The Republic of Cyprus (RoC) is taking steps as of today towards reopening the crossing points for Turkish Cypriots. Despite this move, confusion and lack of clarity on the matter continues in the north. The National Unity Party (UBP) and Peoples’ Party (HP) has yet to take a comprehensive decision on the issue.
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Faiz Sucuoğlu might resign
Prime Minister Ersin Tatar’s attempt to replace the Labour Minister Faiz Sucuoğlu with Aytaç Çaluda caused yet another crisis within the National Unity Party (UBP). Speaking to Kıbrıs, Sucuoğlusaid he was shocked to hear Tatar’s decision. “Tatar deeply hurt the party members and me,” Sucuoğlu said.
- No laws in place. Human rights of the refugees are violated – There is no “refugee rights’ law” in the north. Experts say the refugees are made to suffer due to the absence of laws applying to refugees or undocumented migrants. There are nearly 100 refugees and asylum seekers in the north trying to survive in conditions that have become even more difficult due to the coronavirus pandemic. Civil Society Organisations point to the importance of being able to protect the refugees’ human rights.
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Losses big
Farmers are left with tons of unsold potatoes and watermelons due to the absence of tourists and students. Mehmet Bicen, a potato farmer in the business for the past 45 years told Diyalog: “It’s the first time we are experiencing a situation at such a large scale. We are unable to sell our produce despite having the best potatoes in the world.” Watermelon and melon producers are feeding their unsold produce to their animals. They complain of being unable to sell their produce after thousands of people left the country due to the coronavirus pandemic.
- No quarantine requirement or condition – South Cyprus has not made test certificates compulsory for 22 countries.
- The people are divided – The Greek Cypriot Administration will only require a PCR test from Turkish Cypriot workers or students crossing over to the south once.
Turkey is the obstacle to crossing without tests
The Greek Cypriot side is opening eight of the nine crossing points today (Sunday). South Cyprus in addition to the north is opening its doors to arrivals from 22 other nations without a PCR test requirement. However, the Turkish Cypriots that will cross to the south will have to produce a negative PCR test result obtained within the last 72 hours. And the reason for that is because the north is opening its doors to Turkey from 1 July onwards.
- Turkish Cypriots working in the south crossed to the north – Workers were allowed to cross without having to quarantine for 14 days and they will also be allowed to return to the south.
- “Changing a minister would not suffice” – (Communal Liberation Party-TKP) leader Mehmet Çakıcı said. He pointed out there needs to be a change in mentality. Çakıcı also asked the authorities to reconsider allowing arrivals from Turkey from July 1 onwards.
- “I will make my move on Monday” – Faiz Sucuoğlu is not happy about Tatar’s attempt to remove him from duty.
Main News
Çavuşoğlu says Ankara ready to collaborate even with countries with sour relations
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Diyalog
Energy, Regional/International Relations
OVERVIEW
“We are ready to collaborate even with countries whom we have sour relations with but not with the Greek Cypriot administration,” Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğu said on Saturday. He added: “We have to learn to share. We are ready for dialogue especially with every country in the Mediterranean and especially with Greece.”
Responding to questions from Russian news agency Sputnik during Turkey’s tourism campaign launch event, Çavuşoğu touched on Turkey’s relations with Greece.
“The plan to ostracise Turkey was at the forefront. The goal was to corner Turkey. No one listened to our warnings but none of the plans that leave Turkey out could be executed in the Eastern Mediterranean,” Çavuşoğu stressed.
He said Turkey’s on-going hydrocarbon activities are designed to prove that fact.
“Nonetheless we did not want to take unilateral actions. We are ready for dialogue with everyone including Greece. We see the Mediterranean as a basin of collaboration,” Çavuşoğu noted.
Çavuşoğu recalled Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s calls to Greek premier to sit down together to solve the problems.
He said the Greek foreign minister of the time had told him in Geneva that Greece is not ready for dialogue or collaboration.
“The Greek foreign minister told us in Geneva during the Cyprus conference that they are not ready because there was public pressure on them not to collaborate with Turkey. Why are you trying to ostracise Turkey? Why are you disregarding the rights of the Turkish Cypriots? The Greek Cypriot side must sort out its problems with the Turkish Cypriot side but we are ready to collaborate even with countries whom we have sour relations with,” Çavuşoğu concluded.
“Limited” crossings start, confusion in the north continues
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Diyalog
Internal Security, CBMs
OVERVIEW
Turkish Cypriots, who had been stranded in the north due to the coronavirus pandemic since March started to cross to the south following a decision on Saturday by the Republic of Cyprus (RoC) to reopen all the crossing points except for the Lokmacı (Ledra Street)., all dailies reported on Sunday.
The Turkish Cypriot residents of Pile (Pyla) will start crossing to the north following PCR tests to be carried out at the Beyarmudu (Pergamos) crossing on Sunday.
On the other hand, the Turkish Cypriot Health Ministry reminded those wishing to cross about the cabinet’s decision on crossings.
“Turkish Cypriots working, studying and/or receiving medical treatment in the south as well as the Turkish Cypriots residing in Pile (Pyla) and Maronites and Greek Cypriots with permanent residency in the north are allowed to cross to the south as of today (Saturday),” the statement read.
The Health Ministry also pointed out that members of the public, who have crossed to the south can only return to the north by showing a negative PCR test result obtained within the last 72 hours or will have to enter mandatory quarantine.
Nonetheless, some Turkish Cypriots complained about authorities’ decision “not to recognize the PCR test result given by the Dr Burhan Nalbantoğlu Hospital in the north.”
Writing on social media, a Turkish Cypriot, who had collected his PCR test result from the state hospital in north Nicosia and wanted to cross to the south, found out that he is required to produce another negative PCR test obtained on the Greek Cypriot side.
“The Turkish Cypriot authorities do not even recognize their own test result and demand another PCR test from us! This is ludicrous,” he concluded.
A GC & two TCs caught in a military zone with sacks of hay
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis,Diyalog
Internal Security
OVERVIEW
Yaşar Kahraman, and Dipkarpaz (Risokarpasso) residents Osman Oğuz and Zaharias Andreas Harpa were arrested after being caught in a military zone in Akıncılar (Lourujina) with 795 sacks of hay loaded on back of a truck, some dailies report on Sunday.
The police officer tasked with the investigation informed the court that the suspects had given voluntary testimony following their arrests.
The officer asked the court to order the suspects to remain in police custody until the investigation is completed.
The suspects are being charged with crimes of “illegal entry into a military zone” and “forming an alliance to commit an organised crime.”
The Nicosia district court ordered the three suspects to be remanded for three more days until the police conclude its investigation.