Front Page Headlines
‘Illegal car’ at Famagusta port
It has been claimed that the Yüksel Özkıraç Duty-Free Port Ltd company had tried to smuggle a Mercedes Benz model car through the Famagusta Free Port before registering it with a fake number plate. The Director of the Free Port Area Hasan Curcioğlu who spoke to Yenidüzen said they will be watching CCTV footage and carry out the necessary inspections on Monday. The company owner Ergin Oğuz did not accept the claims. Curcioğlu: ” The company in question imports second-hand scrap cars, divides them into pieces and sells them as spare parts. The car in question is currently in police possession.”
- Two flights between July 1-10
Ceased Print/Online Only
We like e-commerce
As technology develops, so has the nature of commerce. People and companies are now preferring to do online shopping for their purchases from abroad. In this respect, nearly 19,000 small packages and 2,000 parcels are being delivered to the north monthly. Some local companies have resorted to selling their goods online and delivering them to buyers’ address. E-commerce is steadily gaining a bigger share of the market in the north.
- Citizens of category A nations will be regarded as category B when coming from Turkey – Categories for passengers set to arrive in the north from July 1 onwards has been revised according to World Health Organisation (WHO) data.
- “We are ready for after 1 July” – Prime Minister Ersin Tatar said the Dr Burhan Nalbantoğlu hospital is ready for any negative development after July 1 with a 200-bed capacity ICU and with 150 ventilators.
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Is there no one who can save us?
Famagusta’s streets are dead empty. Shopkeepers are experiencing great difficulties. As in other major cities, shopkeepers in the old city of Famagusta are complaining of no business. “We are neither being able to pay our rent nor are we able to earn any money,” the retailers say, calling on authorities to provide support.
- Big revenge – 29-year-old Greek Cypriot loses his life in a gun attack.
- ‘A knife which cuts both ways’ – South Cyprus is planning to start flights on July 15 so as not to lose British tourists.
Foolhardy, insolent and reckless
The public is outraged with the government’s decision to carry out PCR tests for arriving passengers as of July 1 while charging those wishing to cross to the south, ₺300 (€39) for the same tests. The government continues to insist on allowing passengers to arrive from Turkey as of July 1 despite warnings. The public sees the government as ‘brazen, insolent and reckless.’
- The EU does not open its borders to Turkey – The draft list of countries which the European Union (EU) will open its borders too, does not include Turkey. As part of the coronavirus measures, the EU has also excluded countries like the United States, Russia and Brazil.
- The 200-bed capacity, 150 ventilators – Prime Minister Ersin Tatar said the Dr Burhan Nalbantoğlu hospital is ready for any negative development after July 1 with a 200-bed capacity ICU and with 150 ventilators.
- The categories of the passengers to arrive in the north have been revised – Turkish Cypriot health minister Ali Pilli announced.
Main News
Borell’s visit draws harsh criticism from Turkish and TC officials
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
EU Matters, Energy
OVERVIEW
“It is not possible to put up with the European Union’s (EU) attitude to disregard the Turkish Cypriots’ rights in the Eastern Mediterranean,” Prime Minister Ersin Tatar said on Saturday.
In a written statement, Tatar also condemned Josep Borell, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy together who accompanied by the Greek Cypriot Defense Minister Savvas Angelidis toured Cyprus’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) via helicopter on Saturday.
“We have equal rights with the Greek Cypriots both on the island and in the Eastern Mediterranean. We also have as much a sovereign right on this island as the Greek Cypriots and we have as many rights over the natural resources as they do,” Tatar stressed.
He argued that those who were unable to comprehend this fact could not contribute to the solution of the Cyprus problem.
Tatar pointed out that both Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot side have always displayed the necessary will for a solution on the island but that the EU has opted to side with the Greek Cypriot side, punishing both Turkey and the north in the process.
“The EU moreover with its incorrect policies on the island has not only made the solution unattainable but also encouraged the Greek Cypriot side to intensify its irreconcilable attitude,” Tatar claimed, pointing to Borell’s visit to the Greek Cypriot side.
Touching on the Greek Cypriot side’s request from the EU to establish a naval base in the south as part of PESCO (Permanent Structured Cooperation), Tatar said the Turkish Cypriot side will also ask Turkey to do the same.
He argued the Greek Cypriot side was asking protection from the EU to continue to usurp the rights of Turkish Cypriots.
“We also ask of Turkey to launch efforts to establish a military base to prevent hostile activities of the Greek Cypriot side and their allies against Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot people,” Tatar said.
“It must not be forgotten no one can take any steps in the Eastern Mediterranean by ostracizing Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus,” Tatar concluded.
Meanwhile, UBP MP Oğuzhan Hasipoğlu said that President Mustafa Akıncı was justified in criticizing Josep Borell.
In a statement on Saturday, Hasipoğlu said that the latest incident once again raised serious doubts concerning the view that the only alternative for a solution in Cyprus was a federal settlement.
“The time has come for a shift in foreign policy. It has become evident that the policy “a federation is the only alternative” is dependent on the Greek Cypriot side’s will for a solution,” he said.
Hasipoğlu complained that despite their frequent contacts with EU officials in Brussels, it was always the Greek Cypriot side which got its way.
“Despite promises made by the EU, Brussels is telling us that there can’t be direct trade with the north, the fenced-off city of Maraş (Varosha) is Republic of Cyprus (RoC) property because they are the legal state and both we and Turkey should stop violating the RoC’s sovereign rights by abandoning our unilateral activities,” he said.
Hasipoğlu added that to say that a federal settlement is the only alternative means the Maraş (Varosha) will only be opened as and when a solution is reached.
“It also means that we shall only be able to benefit from hydrocarbons as and when a federal solution is reached,” he said.
Also on Saturday, Ankara criticized a proposal made by Borrell to bring together Turkey and South Cyprus for dialogue on the issue of hydrocarbons.
Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hami Aksoy said the proposal lacked seriousness and once again ignored the existence of Turkish Cypriots and their equal rights over the natural resources of the island.
He reminded that the Greek Cypriots interlocutor on the issue of hydrocarbon resources was the Turkish Cypriots.
“Therefore, the counterpart of the Foreign Minister of Greek Cypriot Administration is not us, but the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Kudret Özersay,” Aksoy said.
He added that two sides should establish a joint cooperation mechanism for the exploration and exploitation of the island’s hydrocarbon resources, including revenue sharing, as soon as possible, was the only way forward if a solution was desired in the Eastern Mediterranean.
“The Turkish Cypriot authorities’ proposal of July 13, 2019, provides the necessary ground to this end. The delimitation of maritime jurisdiction areas in the west of Cyprus will only be possible after the settlement of the Cyprus issue,” Aksoy said.
He concluded by stating that Turkey will never sit down with the Greek Cypriot side which has usurped the title of RoC and does not represent the Turkish Cypriots.
KEY ACTORS
Tatar (UBP)
>> It is not possible to put up with the EU attitude to disregard the TCs’ rights in the East Med.
>> TCs have equal rights with GCs, both in terms of sovereignty and natural resources.
>> Those who ignore this fact cannot contribute to the solution of the Cyprob at all.
>> Turkey & TC side have always displayed the necessary will for a solution on the island.
>> The EU has opted to side with the GC side, punishing Turkey & the north in the process.
>> The EU with its incorrect policies on the island, has not only made the solution unattainable but also encouraged the GC side to intensify its irreconcilable attitude.
>> The GC side wants protection from the EU to continue to usurp the rights of the TC.
>> The TC side will also ask Turkey to launch efforts to establish a base in the north.
>> It must not be forgotten no one can take any steps in the East Med. by ostracizing Turkey and the north.
Hasipoğlu (UBP)
>> Akıncı is justified in criticizing Josep Borell.
>> Borell’s visit once again raised serious doubts concerning the view that the only alternative for a solution in Cyprus was a federal settlement.
>> The time has come for a shift in foreign policy.
>> It is evident the policy “a federation is the only alternative” is dependent on the GC side’s will for a solution.
>> Despite promises made by the EU, Brussels is telling the TCs to postpone everything until a settlement is reached.
>> Stating that a federal settlement is the only alternative, means that Maraş (Varosha) will only be opened as and when a solution is reached.
>> It also means that we shall only be able to benefit from hydrocarbons as and when a federal solution is reached.
Aksoy (MFA, Turkey)
>> The proposal to bring Turkey & GC side to the same table lacks seriousness & once again ignores existence of TCs & their equal rights over the island’s natural resources.
>> The GC side’s interlocutor on the issue of hydrocarbon resources is the TC side.
>> The two sides should establish a joint cooperation mechanism for the exploration & exploitation of the island’s hydrocarbon resources, including revenue sharing, asap.
>> Joint cooperation mechanism is the only way forward if a solution is desired in the East Med.
>> The delimitation of maritime jurisdiction areas in the west of Cyprus is only possible after the settlement of the Cyprob.
>> Turkey will never sit down with the GC side which has usurped the title of RoC & does not represent the TCs.