Front Page Headlines
Economic crisis and stress kicks in, careful about the heart
Deputy Chief Physician at the state hospital and cardiologist Hasan Birtan said that economic problems caused by the pandemic were leading to stress among individuals which in turn was having a bad effect on the heart. Dr Birtan said that many who had heart complaints were not seeking treatment at the hospital due to fears of catching Covid-19. This he added was raising the risks associated with heart disease.
- Sensitivity over flags – 1: Picture showing Tatar with the delegation from Turkey to discuss Maraş (Varosha). (Flags in the background) 2: Tatar posing with Anastasiades before they met with a TRNC flag badge on his suit. 3: The removal of the Turkish and TRNC flags during President Ersin Tatar’s meeting with the US Ambassador to Nicosia opened up a debate on social media.
- (Republican Turkish Party (CTP) leader) Erhürman: “There is no one to even submit the government’s resignation.
Workplace accidents claimed 71 lives in 12 years
Our country has failed when it comes to workplace health and safety. Work-related accidents continue to claim tens of lives each year, injuring dozens and leaving many with permanent disabilities.
- Hasan Taçoy will run in the second round – Hasan Taçoy announced he has not withdrawn from the National Unity Party (UBP) leadership race.
- Night-time curfew imposed in the south – 166 new cases of coronavirus detected in South Cyprus in the last 24 hours. The total number of cases to date exceeds 5000. The Greek Cypriot administration has imposed new and stricter measures given the concerning increase in Covid-19 cases.
The UBP is on hot bricks
UBP leadership candidate Hasan Taçoy announced following a three-day rest period that he has not withdrawn from the race. The second round of elections, which will be held on Saturday (November 7), will identify the party’s new leader. Faiz Sucuoğlu, who received 2706 votes in the first round and Hasan Taçoy, who had 2102 votes, will contest the party’s leadership.
- AK Party returns to the stage – Justice and Development Party (AKP) spokesman intervenes in the TRNC’s domestic affairs and attempts to form a front against KTÖS (Turkish Cypriot Teachers’ Union).
- Barbaros enjoys being in the Mediterranean – Barbaros Hayrettin Paşa seismic research vessel will continue its exploration activities in the Eastern Mediterranean until February 16.
- “There is not even anyone that the government can submit its resignation to” – CTP evaluated the latest political developments in the country.
Strick measures
A night-time curfew will be in force as of today in South Cyprus. The Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades chaired the health committee meeting. A series of new measures were adopted in light of the rising number of Covid-19 cases. According to the new decisions, a night-time curfew will be implemented between 11pm and 5am in all areas. The government will review its decision at the end of the month. The Greek Cypriot administration however did not take any measures to restrict economic activity. Flights and tourism activities are to continue as they are. However, all those above the age of 12 will be forced to wear face masks indoors and outdoors. All sports competitions will be played without spectators.
- No going back – Taçoy announced he has not withdrawn from the race for the UBP’s leadership.
Ankara says Taçoy
Hasan Taçoy, who believes he can win, decided to participate in the second round of elections. The team that came from Turkey to carry out campaigning activities against Mustafa Akıncı are now working to elect the new UBP leader and our prime minister… It has been learnt that Ankara prefers Hasan Taçoy over Faiz Sucuoğlu. Following his meetings, Taçoy announced his candidacy.
- Çavuşoğlu: We will work in harmony with Tatar – According to Çavuşoğlu, the TRNC presidential elections were held in a manner that reflects the Turkish Cypriot people’s democratic maturity.
- No results! Will it go to courts? – The results of the US Presidential elections have yet to be announced.
- Four new cases of coronavirus in the north, 166 in the south.
Main News
Taçoy to run in the second round
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Governance & Power Sharing
OVERVIEW
Hasan Taçoy announced on Wednesday that he will be running against Faiz Sucuoğlu in the second round of voting set to take place on Saturday, November 7 for the leadership of the National Unity Party (UBP).
Taçoy, announcing his decision with a written statement, said that the first round of UBP’s 11th extraordinary congress was carried out with great political maturity and in a jubilant atmosphere of democracy.
He thanked all those who supported him in the first round and said he expected to emerge victorious in Saturday’s second round.
Sucuoğlu and Taçoy received the highest number of votes in the first round held on October 31.
Taçoy trailed behind Sucuoğlu, who received 2706 of the 6,785 votes, by 604 votes.
The winner will be tasked by former party leader and incumbent president Ersin Tatar to form the new government in the north.
Meanwhile, the leader of the main opposition Republican Turkish Party (CTP) Tufan Erhürman on Wednesday continued to grill UBP for failing to hand in the government’s resignation after the junior member of the governing coalition, the People’s Party (HP) withdrew in protest at the move to reopen the beachfront in Maraş (Varosha).
He said that there was not even anyone who could submit the old government’s resignation so that a new government could be formed.
Speaking on a TV programme, Erhürman said that Tatar was to task the new UBP leader to form the government after the congress, but the old government needed to hand in its resignation.
“No one has been assigned or appointed to act in Tatar’s place. None of the steps to be taken after this point are legal,” he warned.
Also touching upon the Turkish Cypriot community’s will for a settlement, Erhürman said his party desired changes to be made to the Green Line Regulation (GLR) so that more products produced in the north could be sold to the south.
“I also want the Direct Trade Regulation to be implemented because I want people in the north to be able to sell their products to the EU with zero customs taxes. I want Turkish Cypriot athletes to be able to compete internationally. All these depend on the continuation of the Turkish Cypriot people’s will for a solution,” he said.
The CTP leader also pointed out that the Greek Cypriot community’s will for a settlement was not as clear as that of the Turkish Cypriot community.
“It’s clear that such a will has not been demonstrated to this day. That is why we need to explain to the world that our will for a solution was clear in 2004, it was clear in Crans Montana in 2017 and it remains to be so. We also have to tell the international community that we will not accept the Greek Cypriot side’s delaying tactics,” he said.
Erhürman said it was important for the Turkish Cypriot community to maintain its will while demanding the removal of the restrictions imposed on it.
He said it was important to explain to the international community, the UN and Anastasiades what a two-state settlement entailed if such a position was to be pursued.
Also speaking on Bayrak, Democratic Party (DP) leader Fikri Ataoğlu objected to the idea of an early election.
“In our opinion, the UBP leader to be elected must focus on delivering the much-needed service to the people, who are suffering from an economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic,” Ataoğlu concluded.
AKP condemns Elcil & KTÖS
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Negotiations Process, Human Rights, Internal Security, Regional/International Relations
OVERVIEW
Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) continued its interference in the north’s domestic affairs on Wednesday after the party’s spokesperson Ömer Çelik condemned the General Secretary of the Turkish Cypriot Teachers’ Union (KTÖS) Şener Elcil for his latest remarks concerning the newly-elected Turkish Cypriot president Ersin Tatar.
“Such remarks which do not suit the teaching profession or trade unionism is an attack on the Cyprus cause and Turkey. The AKP strongly condemns those who are responsible for such a statement,” Çelik tweeted.
Elcil had asked the Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades in a written statement on behalf of KTÖS, among other things, whether he had no problem sitting at the same table with Tatar knowing that the partition of the island was an offence and he was in favour of a two-state solution, thus describing partition.
“The statement issued on behalf of KTÖS attacks our president and TRNC president Ersin Tatar, using fascist and immoral language. Filled with false allegations and hatred, the statement is the product of a dark mentality. We shall be giving the strongest political and legal response to these expressions,” he said.
Çelik claimed that KTÖS was working as a covert force to undermine national unity in the north.
“This statement means paying homage to the Greek Cypriot side’s positions and to see Turkey and the TRNC as its enemy,” he added.
Another statement of support for Tatar came from the Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu.
“We will work in harmony with Tatar during his presidential term to ensure the sovereign equality of the Turkish Cypriots and protect the legitimate rights and interests of Turkish Cypriots in the Eastern Mediterranean,” Çavuşoğlu said.
In an interview with “Kriter Magazine” published by the Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research (SETA), a policy think tank based in Ankara, the Turkish foreign minister added Turkey had a special and unique relationship with the north.
“Turkey has always stood on the side of the Turkish Cypriots and we will continue to do all that is necessary to ensure the TRNC’s security and to ensure its development,” Çavuşoğlu said.
Çavuşoğlu pointed out that some of Turkey’s allies have been strengthening their collaboration in defence areas with the Greek Cypriot side while calling for peace on the island.
“It is a contradiction to see some countries calling for a comprehensive settlement on the island while disregarding the balance between the two sides on the island,” Çavuşoğlu highlighted.
“The steps taken to spoil the Greek Cypriot side will neither contribute to the solution of the Cyprus Problem nor help establish stability in the Eastern Mediterranean. It will only embolden the Greek Cypriot side which will only increase our determination,” Çavuşoğlu concluded.
Tatar meets with US ambassador
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Negotiations process, Regional/International Relations
OVERVIEW
The newly-elected Turkish Cypriot president Ersin Tatar received the US Ambassador to Nicosia Judith Gail Garber on Wednesday.
According to a statement by the Office of the President, the US ambassador congratulated Tatar on his election.
The two also exchanged views on the informal meeting held between the leaders on Tuesday, the expected five-party meeting, developments on the Cyprus issue as well as the impact the US election’s outcome will have on the region.
Tatar also raised the issue of embargoes imposed on the Turkish Cypriot community during the meeting, the statement said.
Meanwhile, Yenidüzen on Thursday carried on its front page a debate which ignited on social media on Wednesday night after a photograph from Tatar’s meeting with Garber without Turkish or TRNC flags in the background was posted and shared.
Critics of Tatar and UBP blasted the two, both of which had strongly and vehemently criticized former president Mustafa Akıncı a year ago for having removed the flags during visits from foreign officials and dignitaries.
They reminded that Akıncı had been unfairly branded a traitor, a “Greek lover” and “enemy of the Turkish nation” for having removed the flags, drawing attention to what they said was Tatar and UBP’s hypocrisy.
Barbaros Hayrettin Paşa’s operations extended until Feb 16
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog
Energy, Regional/International Relations
OVERVIEW
Turkey issued a navigational telex (Navtex) informing that it is extending the operations of its seismic research vessel Barbaros Hayrettin Paşa in the Eastern Mediterranean until February 16, further heightening tensions in the region.
The M/V Tanux-1 and R/V Apollo Moon vessels will accompany Barbaros Hayrettin Paşa in its operations, according to the Navtex issued on Wednesday by Turkey’s office of Navigation, hydrography and oceanography.