Front Page Headlines
Minority government on the agenda
The National Unity Party (UBP) failed to find a partner for its efforts to form a new government. Now it has placed a minority government on its agenda to hold early elections. The coalition talks between UBP-HP (Peoples’ Party) failed. The acting HP leader Yenal Senin: “We are not thinking of proceeding to the next step on coalition talks.”
- There are applications but no outcome! – A call has been made to the residents of Maraş (Varosha) to return but the applications are pending, the cases in Europe are piling up.
- What happened to the Maronite initiative? –The latest statements made to the residents of Maraş (Varosha) to return to their properties have turned eyes on the Maronite initiative. Despite a long-standing decision to allow Maronites to return to their villages, the process has hit several obstacles.
Minority government
UBP has reached the end in its efforts to form a government. After having failed to reach agreement with HP, UBP is now focused on a government model that will be supported by the Democratic Party (DP) and the Rebirth Party (YDP) without them being in the coalition. The issue will be discussed at the UBP parliamentary group meeting today (Wednesday).
- We gave the best answer to those trying to separate Turkey and the TRNC – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan pointed to his TRNC visit.
- Both the UN and the EU must be impartial – Presidency criticised the statements made by EU High Representative for Foreign Policy and Security Borrell and UN Spokesman Dujarric.
UBP-HP is difficult
UBP acting leader Ersan Saner, who was tasked with the responsibility to form the government, spoke to Havadis about the details of their negotiations with HP. The HP leader Yenal Senin on the other hand said the party does not intend to continue talks with UBP.
- Support to the TRNC, advice to the Greek Cypriots – Turkish Minister of Defence Hulusi Akar held a video conference meeting with Turkish Chief of Staff Yaşar Güler and with commanders in chief of the armed forces, giving messages on the Cyprus issue.
- Erdoğan gave the instructions, TOKİ carried them out – Head of TOKİ (Turkish Housing Development Administration) Ömer Bulut said TOKİ built the roads, pavements, and did the landscaping in Maraş (Varosha) in ten days. He added the landscaping of the area will continue.
Saner’s only remaining option is a minority government
It has been claimed that the failure of the UBP-DP-YDP coalition talks is due to Koral Çağman and Serdar Denktaş. Following the UBP General Secretary’s unsuccessful attempts to form a coalition with CTP and HP, hopes for an UBP, DP and YDP coalition were also dashed. Speaking to Diyalog, YDP leader Erhan Arıklı held DP MPs Koral Çağman and Serdar Denktaş responsible for the failure of the talks for a three-party coalition. The leader of DP Fikri Ataoğlu confirmed the claims about Çağman but said they had not spoken with Denktaş.
- Lock on the border – As of tomorrow (Thursday), all those crossing to the south (with the exception of students and workers) will be placed in quarantine for seven days on their return.
Handcuffs to the patient waiting for a kidney transplant
The state refused to help with his treatment and told him to go to the “south.” It then arrested him and sent him to jail for “insulting the president.” When all the doors he had knocked on due to his severe health problems were shut in his face, Erdal Eryener went to the south and started his kidney treatment at the Larnaca hospital. However, he was arrested for views he posted on social media. Accused of insulting the president, Eryener appeared before a judge yesterday (Tuesday). The judge ordered him to be released on bail of ₺3000 (€335) while pending trial. Eryener who could not pay the money was sent to prison.
- No to two-states – Anastasiades: I call on Turkey and Mr Tatar for the last time.
- Heading towards an early election – The National Unity Party (UBP) could not reach an agreement with any political party… The path to an early election with a minority government is now open.
- KSP declares support to Elcil – Cyprus Socialist Party (KSP) said in support of Şener Elcil: “Our protests are for the head of the occupying force Erdoğan.”
Main News
Tatar says Cyprus talks need to focus on a two-state solution
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Negotiations Process, Property, Territory, Regional/International Relations
OVERVIEW
Turkish Cypriot President Ersin Tatar on Tuesday said that it was necessary to focus on a two-state solution in Cyprus based on sovereign equality and collaboration with the Greek Cypriot side.
Tatar, in an interview with TRT World, reminded that there are two states and two peoples in Cyprus.
He also said that the decision to reopen the fenced-off town of Maraş (Varosha) was the most realistic and logical move in terms of human rights.
Tatar added that all steps to be taken on Maraş (Varosha) will be in accordance with international law and UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions.
He pointed out that the Greek Cypriot side for the past 46 years had rejected all proposals on Maraş (Varosha) in exchange for direct flights to the north as confidence-building measures (CBMs).
Tatar said that there was no point in keeping the fenced-off city closed any longer, adding that the area fell within the TRNC’s territory and jurisdiction.
“Our goal is to allow former residents to return to their properties. The move has received support from Greek Cypriots. We are calling on the Greek Cypriot property owners to return to Maraş (Varosha) and to apply to the Immovable Property Commission (IPC). They can reopen their businesses if they wish but they will be able to do so under the administration of the TRNC,” the Turkish Cypriot leader said.
In response to a question on the negotiations, Tatar said that there were differences in views between the two sides.
He added that the Greek Cypriot side did not see the Turkish Cypriots as equals and refused to recognize the political equality of the Turkish Cypriot community.
“As you know political equality is a prerequisite for a lasting and sustainable solution in Cyprus,” Tatar noted.
He also pointed out that the Greek Cypriots had rejected all solution plans or blocked processes to date, including the Annan Plan, and more recently the process in Crans Montana in 2017.
Tatar argued that the talks held in Crans Montana were acknowledged by all participating sides as the last attempt to reach a federal solution in Cyprus.
“Unfortunately, an important opportunity was missed,” he added.
Regarding a two-state solution, Tatar said that this was the most viable and realistic solution that could be reached in Cyprus.
He said that he had been empowered by the Turkish Cypriot people to negotiate such a solution based on sovereign equality.
“We can have two states side by side which cooperate on several areas such as health,” said Tatar, reminding that he had recently proposed to the Greek Cypriot side for the transfer of a hundred Covid-19 patients from the south to the north be treated at the newly completed pandemic hospital.
“What I’m saying is very clear. If you are realistic and sincere there is no point in losing any more time. Wasting time is wasting people’s hopes,” Tatar said.
He also warned that what the Greek Cypriot side truly understood and desired from a federal solution was to transform the new partnership to be created into a unitary state where Turkish Cypriots would be reduced to a minority which would be dominated by Greek Cypriots.
He argued that a federal settlement would also mean that the Turkish Cypriot state would be dissolved and the accomplishments of the Turkish Cypriots over the past 46 years wiped out, threatening the very existence of the Turkish Cypriot people community.
Tatar argued that the Greek Cypriots would use their EU membership to gain an advantage against Turkish Cypriots.
He added that the freedoms within the EU would also engulf the Turkish Cypriot people as Greek Cypriots or Greeks would be able to settle, purchase property and invest in what is now the ‘TRNC’.
This, he added, was unacceptable, stating that Turkish Cypriots would be exposed to the interests of larger European states.
In response to another question on Maraş (Varosha), Tatar said the property issue within the fenced-off town will be dealt with through the Immovable Property Commission (IPC).
He reminded that the Vakıflar Foundation (Evkaf Administration of Cyprus) also possessed properties within Maraş (Varosha) and that the administration also would need to apply to the IPC just like everyone else.
“But let me be clear. We shall be acting in accordance with international law and UN resolutions. It is out of the question for the properties in Maraş (Varosha) to be distributed to others for political or financial gains,” he said.
Tatar reminded that the IPC was recognized by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) as an effective domestic legal remedy and that the ruling of the commission will be respected no matter what the outcome.
Regarding his meeting with the Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades, Tatar said that he and Mr Anastasiades had shared their views on the Cyprus Problem.
He said that there are differences in views between the two sides.
Tatar added that Turkish Cypriots had the right to determine their future and to administer themselves under the roof of their state.
“We shall never accept becoming a minority,” he said, adding that he had conveyed to Anastasiades that a two-state solution was not that difficult to achieve as there were already two separate states in Cyprus.
Tatar also claimed that Anastasiades had not categorically rejected the idea of a two-state solution but told him that this was not simply something that they could go ahead with.
“I believe he was expecting me to express these views but what is important is convincing people. It’s not only important what Anastasiades thinks but also what the Greek Cypriot community thinks,” he said.
Tatar said that he did not rule out the possibility of discussing a federal solution with Anastasiades but that it was obvious such discussions would not lead anywhere as Greek Cypriots had no intentions of sharing wealth and power with Turkish Cypriots.
“We want our sovereignty and our freedom. We want the continuation of Turkey’s guarantees. I am the representative of this policy and I shall continue to defend this position to the very end,” he stressed.
On the informal five-party conference, Tatar expressed the view that the conference, initially proposed by the Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, will be useful in determining the way forward on the Cyprus Issue and to see where each side stands.
Asked about a possible visit to Azerbaijan in the coming days, Tatar said that he will step up his efforts to promote the Turkish Cypriot state in the international arena.
He pointed out that strong relations existed between Azerbaijan and the north but he hoped that this relationship will be further strengthened.
On the issue of hydrocarbons, Tatar drew attention to the geographical proximity of both Turkey and the north to the Eastern Mediterranean.
“We will continue to protect our rights in the region by acting jointly with Turkey,” Tatar concluded.
In a separate statement on Tuesday, Tatar’s office responded to a statement issued on Sunday by High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security, objecting to the activities and steps taken in Maraş (Varosha).
“Borell’s statement on November 15, once again proved how disconnected the EU is from the realities on the island and how biased it is towards one of the two parties of the Cyprus problem,” a statement from Office of the President said.
It also noted that the EU “with its approach based on solidarity among member states,” could not contribute to the solution efforts on the island.
The statement recalled that the decades-long efforts to find a bicommunal, bizonal federal solution (BBF) based on political equality have so far failed. He outlined that the EU representative witnessed the collapse of the latest process in the Crans Montana conference in 2017.
“Since 2017, the Turkish Cypriot community has held an election and have a leader who has been advocating for a two-state solution based on sovereign equality,” it noted.
Tatar’s office argued that the results of the elections showed that the Turkish Cypriot community was determined to change the status quo.
“The Turkish Cypriot community, which had accepted all the solution proposals put forward by the UN to date despite still being subjected to isolations and embargoes, has displayed to the entire world its right to determine its fate with new policies,” the statement stressed.
It urged all the relevant parties to respect the Turkish Cypriot side’s political will for a two-state solution based on sovereign equality and the collaboration of the two sides.
On the issue of Maraş (Varosha), the statement drew attention to the past processes in which the fenced-off town had been included as part of confidence-building measures (CBMs).
“All proposals on Maraş (Varosha) have been rejected by the Greek Cypriot side, making the town a symbol of the non-solution on the island,” the statement read.
Explaining the details of the Maraş (Varosha) project, it reiterated that the project’s goal is to return the properties through the IPC to their lawful owners.
The statement added that the Greek Cypriot side should be held accountable for harming the dialogue on the island with its unilateral actions.
“We expect that both the EU and the UN looks at the developments in Cyprus from the right perspective and be unbiased thus contributing to efforts to create a conducive environment to find a realistic, fair and lasting agreement on the island,” the statement concluded.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Monday said that his visit to Maraş (Varosha) demonstrated the Turkish side’s determination to take steps for reviving the fenced-off town.
“It is normal for those who perceived the visit as a picnic not to understand the message we gave to everyone,” Erdoğan told reporters at the end of a cabinet meeting.
He said he believed that the visit had sent a strong message to those who wanted to harm the strong bond that existed between Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots.
“We have set out to build a new future due to the intransigent stance adopted by the Greek-Greek Cypriot duo. I believe we are entering a new era which will push the region and the whole world to understand the reality of the TRNC,” he said.
In the meantime, the leader of Turkey’s Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Devlet Bahçeli said on Tuesday that it was not possible to take any steps in the Eastern Mediterranean by excluding Turkey and the TRNC.
Evaluating his recent visit to the north at a party meeting, Bahçeli said that Cyprus was a national cause for Turkey.
“There can be no concessions made, nor can there be a return to former conditions, neglect on our part or surrendering of our positions,” he said, adding that the north was more than just a political or strategic issue for Turkey.
“It is a matter of life or death, a matter of existence. The TRNC’s security means Turkey’s security. The TRNC’s independence means Turkey’s independence,” Bahçeli said.
Touching upon the issue of Maraş (Varosha), the MHP leader criticized those who created a ruckus over their visit to the fenced-off town.
“Were we expected to seek permission from Greece to visit our own land? Were we to seek permission from the EU High Representative Josep Borrell who shared his disappointment over our visit to the town which has remained closed for 46 years? Everyone knows two peoples are living on the island. How should we evaluate the EU’s disturbance over the issue?” Bahçeli asked.
He questioned why various circles were disturbed by the beginning of a new era that will allow properties in the town to be returned to their rightful owners according to international law.
Bahçeli also condemned the statements and reactions of those he claimed were trying to transform Cyprus into a Greek island.
“When we look at Cyprus, we only see Turks. We see a Turkish homeland,” he said.
Bahçeli also said that it was impossible to exclude Turkey or Turkish Cypriots from the Eastern Mediterranean and to usurp their rights.
Also on Tuesday, the UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric commented on the controversial visit to the fenced-off town by Tatar, Erdoğan and Bahçeli.
“We have, obviously, been following what’s been going on over the weekend in Varosha (Maraş) very closely and I would say with concern,” the UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said on Monday.
Responding to reporters’ questions during his daily noon briefing, Dujarric stressed that the UN’s position on Maraş (Varosha) has not changed.
“We are guided by the relevant Security Council resolutions,” the spokesman noted and recalled that the UN Secretary-General had called on parties to avoid any unilateral actions that could trigger tensions on the island and that would potentially undermine a return to dialogue for the future success of talks.
“We believe it is important to resume a viable and comprehensive negotiation process and remain committed to supporting the two sides in revitalising the political process. And we reiterate our readiness to explore the possibility of convening an informal 5+1 UN meeting at an appropriate stage,” Dujarric said.
Dujarric called on the parties to engage in dialogue to resolve their differences.
“The means for a durable solution in Cyprus is in the hands of the parties,” Dujarric concluded.
Also on Tuesday, Yenidüzen reported that the numbers of legal cases at the ECHR were piling up due to the IPC’s failure to pay compensation as a result of a shortage of funds.
Tatar and Erdoğan’s calls on the Greek Cypriot property owners to apply to the IPC have raised questions about the funding problems being experienced by the IPC.
The daily reports that Ankara is now faced with a chain of new property cases especially for properties in Maraş (Varosha).
The paper recalls that Ankara was found “guilty of conduct” for not displaying the necessary due diligence in line with the European Human Rights Convention on December 12, 2017, with the Joannou case, making it the first case in which a verdict was issued against Ankara for the effectiveness of the IPC.
Nonetheless, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) despite its verdict had pointed to the IPC as a domestic legal remedy for property cases.
The paper says that delays by the IPC are likely to occupy the ECHR’s agenda in the coming months with the dangerous possibility that the ECHR might revise its position on recognizing the commission as a domestic remedy.
According to the latest data available, 6754 applications have so far been filed with the IPC. 1213 of these cases were resolved through amicable agreements while 33 of them were concluded through court proceedings.
The IPC so far has ruled for the payment of compensation amounting to €350m but has also decided to return the properties of three applicants.
Two applicants were granted both compensation and their properties were exchanged. Seven applicants had their properties reinstated in addition to receiving compensation for their immovable properties.
There are currently 281 pending applications for properties located within Maraş (Varosha) and the IPC has kept them on hold while it waits for recommendations from the Turkish Cypriot Interior Ministry and the Attorney General’s office.
KEY ACTORS
Tatar
>> Necessary to focus on a two-state solution in Cyprus based on sovereign equality & collaboration with the GC side.
>> There are two states & two peoples in Cyprus.
>> The decision to reopen Maraş (Varosha) was the most realistic & logical move in terms of human rights.
>> All steps to be taken on Maraş (Varosha) will be in accordance with international law & UNSC resolutions.
>> There was no point in keeping the fenced-off city closed any longer.
>> Maraş (Varosha) is located within the TRNC’s territory & falls under its jurisdiction.
>> Our goal is to allow former residents to return to their properties, which is supported by GCs.
>> Calling on the GC property owners to return to Maraş (Varosha) & to apply to the IPC, to return to the town under the TC administration.
>> There are differences between the two sides on Cyprob.
>> The GC side did not see the TC as equals & did not recognize the political equality of the TC people.
>> Political equality is a prerequisite for a lasting & sustainable solution in Cyprus.
>> The GC had rejected all solution plans and processes to date.
>> The Crans Montana talks, as acknowledged by all participating sides, was the last attempt to reach a federal solution in Cyprus.
>> A two-state solution is the most viable & realistic solution that can be reached.
>> The TCs elected him to negotiate a solution based on sovereign equality.
>> There can be two states side by side cooperating on several areas such as health.
>> What the GC side truly understands & desires from a federal solution is to transform the new partnership into a unitary state where TCs would become a minority dominated by GCs.
>> A federal settlement will mean that the TC state & the accomplishments of the TCs over the past 46 years will disappear.
>> The freedoms within the EU will engulf the TCs.
>> Evkaf Administration will also have to apply to the IPC for its property claims.
>> The Evkaf and all applicants will have to respect the IPC’s decisions.
>> TCs have the right to determine their future & to administer themselves under the roof of their state.
>> Discussions on a federal solution will be held with the GC side but these are not expected lead to anywhere because of the GCs’ reluctance to share wealth & power with TCs.
>> TCs want their sovereignty & freedom as well as the continuation of Turkey’s guarantees.
>> I am the representative of this policy & I shall continue to defend this position to the very end,” he stressed.
>> A two-state solution is not difficult to achieve as there are already two separate states in Cyprus.
>> The 5+1 conference will be useful in determining the way forward on the Cyprob.
>> I will step up his efforts to promote the north abroad.
>> TC side will continue to protect its rights in the region by acting jointly with Turkey.
>> Borell’s statement demonstrates how detached the EU is from the realities on the island & how biased it is against the TC side.
>> EU with its approach based on solidarity among member states cannot contribute to a solution on the island.
>> The results of the elections show the TC community has decided to change the status quo.
>> The TC community has displayed to the entire world its right to determine their fate with new policies.
>> All relevant parties need to respect the TC side’s political will for a two-state solution that is based on sovereign equality & collaboration of the two sides.
>> The Maraş (Varosha) project’s goal is to return the properties through the IPC to lawful owners.
>> The GC side should be held responsible as the side harming the dialogue on the island with its unilateral actions.
>> We expect the EU & UN approach the Cyprob from the right perspective & adopt an unbiased stance to help achieve a realistic, fair & lasting settlement.
Erdoğan (Turkey)
>> Maraş (Varosha) visit demonstration of Turkey’s and TC side’s determination on reviving town.
Bahçeli (Turkey)
>> Not possible to take any steps in the East Med. by excluding Turkey & the north.
>> Cyprus is a national cause for Turkey & no concessions will be made.
>> This is the beginning of a new era that will allow properties in the town to be reinstated to their rightful owners according to international law.
Dujarric (UNHQ)
>> UN following the developments in Maraş (Varosha) with concern.
>> The UN’s position on Maraş (Varosha) has not changed.
>> UN guided by the relevant UNSC resolutions.
>> UNSG calls on parties to avoid any unilateral actions that could trigger tensions on the island & which could potentially undermine a return to dialogue for the future success of talks.
>> Important to resume a viable & comprehensive negotiation process & remain committed to supporting the two sides in revitalising the political process.
>> UN is ready to explore the possibility of convening an informal 5+1 UN meeting at an appropriate time.
>> The parties should engage in dialogue to resolve their differences.
>> The means for a durable solution in Cyprus is in the hands of the parties.
So what happened to the Maronite Initiative?
Yenidüzen
Property, Territory, Human Rights
OVERVIEW
The repeated calls by Turkish Cypriot authorities for property owners in Maraş (Varosha) to apply to the Immovable Property Commission (IPC) have raised questions about the long-forgotten Maronite Initiative.
Yenidüzen on Wednesday reported that despite a long-standing decision to ‘return’ the Maronite villages back to the Maronite community, the process has been struck by several obstacles and delays.
Speaking to the daily, Gürpınar (Agia Marina) Mukhtar Partellis Hadjifessa said the villagers were ready to return to their villages.
“We are waiting for an answer from Mr Erdoğan and Mr Tatar,” the mukhtar said, adding that the village was still under the control of the Turkish military
“We want the promises made to us to be kept. There are only four Maronite villages, not more!” Hadjifessa stressed.
Recalling the past processes, Hadjifessa said Mr Akıncı had first raised the Maronite Initiative in 2017 but they had been later informed that the Turkish military was reluctant to move out of the villages.
“We have been waiting to return to our villages since 1974 and since the call made in 2017. We are ready to return. We are waiting for something to change,” Hadjifessa said.
Asked to compare the developments in Maraş (Varosha) to the Maronite Initiative, Hadjifessa said the two issues were completely different. “It is part of the solution… The promise made to us regarding our villages is important and we are not bothered by what happens in Maraş (Varosha),” Hadjifessa concluded.
Also speaking to Yenidüzen, Mehmet Hoca, head of the Gürpınar (Agia Marina) Solidarity Association, said everything was moving in the right direction but then things just suddenly came to a halt.
“There were great efforts to return the villages to their lawful owners under the Maronite Initiative scheme. But someone from somewhere hit the brakes,” Hoca said, noting that nothing will happen as long as the villages’ military status was not lifted.
“The same also applies to the properties in Maraş (Varosha),” Hoca noted.
Speaking on the Maronite Initiative, Hoca said the plan had been to follow the process which took place in Koruçam (Kormakitis).
“The idea was to lift the military status over the villages to allow former residents – Maronites and Turkish Cypriots – to return to their villages like in Koruçam (Kormakitis). The same status for the Koruçam (Kormakitis) would have been applied to these villages too,” Hoca said.
He also noted that the Maronites were regarded as ‘foreigners’ after 1974 therefore their properties were left untouched.
“It will be the same situation in Maraş (Varosha). As long as the fenced-off town remains a military zone, nothing will change… In the end, those doors that are open now, will eventually be closed again just like in Gürpınar (Agia Marina),” Hoca concluded.
Alarm bells ring for the economy as coalition efforts fail
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Governance and Power Sharing, Economy
OVERVIEW
The continuing efforts to establish a new coalition government is putting a strain on the Turkish Cypriot economy. While the business community is deeply concerned about the growing recession as the political parties fail to reach an agreement on a new coalition, the workers are complaining that the authorities are remaining callous to their woes mainly caused by the devaluation of the Turkish Lira.
“A new government must be set up swiftly and urgently,” the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Industry (KTSO) said on Tuesday.
In a statement issued, KTSO urged the political parties “to put aside their differences and to focus on the country’s needs.”
Criticising the failed efforts to form a coalition, KTSO also noted that they are monitoring the developments with grave concern.
“The irresponsible attitude adopted by the political parties at a time when the 2021 state budget has not even been sent to the Turkish Cypriot parliament, is unacceptable,” KTSO said, adding that the economists were predicting the budget deficit to reach ₺3.5bn (€389m) by the end of the year.
The KTSO also underlined the need for the Turkish Cypriot authorities to start discussing the details of the economic protocol with Turkish officials for the much-needed investments to be carried out in the north.
“The political parties have left the country without a budget and are about to throw the Turkish Cypriot economy off the cliff,” the statement concluded.
In the meantime, Arslan Bıçaklı, head of the Turkish Cypriot Federations of Trade Unions (Türk-Sen), slammed the Turkish Cypriot authorities for not increasing the minimum wage.
“Given the devaluation of the Turkish Lira, the retail prices of the primary consumables have gone up considerably. As a result, the purchasing power of the workers employed in the private sector and the pensions from the private sector have eroded by 40 per cent,” Bıçaklı said.
“The workers are being forced to starve,” Bıçaklı said, urging the Turkish Cypriot Labour Ministry to convene the relevant committee to identify the new minimum wage for workers.
“No one should attempt to dodge their responsibilities by claiming that there is not a government in place. Until the new one is established, the former government is still in force,” Bıçaklı concluded.
Swedish Embassy donates €98,000 to H4C
Yenidüzen
CBMs
OVERVIEW
The Home for Cooperation (H4C) was given a grant of €98,000 by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sweden on Tuesday.
During the online ceremony with the attendance of the Ambassador of Sweden in Cyprus Mr Anders Hagelberg, it is noted that the grant aims to support the recovery and sustainability of the Home for Cooperation from the implication of the coronavirus pandemic.
In his speech, Ambassador Hagelberg pointed out that H4C has a vital and unique role in upholding and facilitating contacts across the island, as well as in facilitating the efforts of civil society for peacebuilding.
“This capability needs to be supported, sustained and secured,” the Ambassador stressed and added, “bicommunal contacts are particularly important for confidence building on this island and for contributing to a sustainable peace process.”
Lefki Lambrou, director for H4C, expressed her gratitude to both the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Embassy of Sweden in Cyprus “for supporting the Home for Cooperation through this grant.”
She emphasized that “the Home for Cooperation is determined to act as a bridge-builder between separated communities, memories and visions; where dialogue, cooperation and community building are in practice.”
Irregular migrants arrested en route to the south
Kıbrıs, Diyalog
Migration and Citizenship, Human Rights, Internal Security
OVERVIEW
Three undocumented Syrian migrants, who had arrived by boat at an unidentified location near Famagusta, were detained by the police near the Akyar (Strovilia) crossing point on Friday, November 13.
The police officer in charge of the investigation told the court that the Syrian migrants were being brought to the northern part of the island by boat and are shown the way to the southern side by human traffickers.
The three Syrians were caught as they attempted to cross into the south,” the police officer said.
The court has ordered extending the detention period for the three Syrians for another eight days while waiting until the “deportation order” is finalised and ready.
In the meantime, four more Syrian migrants were detained by the police in the same location on Tuesday night.
The police came across the migrants during its routine patrol in the Akyar (Strovilia) crossing point.
The Syrians are put under police quarantine while waiting for their PCR test results to come back.
The court remanded the four Syrians for four more days until the police completes its investigation.
One man arrested over stolen GC car
Kıbrıs, Diyalog
Internal Security
OVERVIEW
Salih Mavideniz was arrested by the police for being in possession of a stolen Greek Cypriot registered vehicle, several dailies report on Wednesday.
The BAX386 registered vehicle, stolen in Limassol on August 18, 2020, was brought to the north through illegal means.
The police officer in charge of the investigation told the court the suspect claimed to have purchased the vehicle for another individual for €400.
While the court ordered that Mavideniz be remanded for three more days, the police continues with its investigation to locate the person who sold the vehicle to the suspect.
Meanwhile, in another incident, a 53-year-old Greek Cypriot man, S.Y who was arrested at the Metehan (Agios Dometios) crossing point on Saturday for trying to cross over to the north with 258 hunting cartridges in his possession was released on bail by the Nicosia District Court on Tuesday.
The cartridges were discovered in the trunk of his car by Turkish Cypriot customs officers.
The man who confessed to his crime was released after making a bail payment of ₺25,000 (€2,700).
He has however been banned from crossing back to the south until his trial is completed.