TCC Press Review 18 Feb 2021

Front Page Headlines

Yenidüzen

Prime Minister: ‘We’re going to open up’, Doctors: ‘It’s too risky’

Entry without quarantine for those with proof of vaccination is on the agenda. Prime Minister Ersan Saner announced plans to allow entry into the country as of April 1 without the need to quarantine for everyone who can provide proof of vaccination. The Doctors’ Association said it wouldn’t recommend such a move because even vaccinated people could infect others and that the majority of people in the country have not been vaccinated yet.

  • CTP (Republican Turkish Party) launches initiative with the UN for financial support.

Kıbrıs

Bogged down economically

The country is spiralling into uncertainty due to the government’s late decisions. While decisions were adopted on the principle that health comes before everything else, the lack of planning to revive the economy has caused economic stagnation in all sectors. Businesses, who were expecting financial support from the government but instead were told to pay off their debts by borrowing more money, complain that both the private sector and shopkeepers have been abandoned to their fate. The business community, which is convinced that the economic measures announced are only “delaying tactics” are calling on the authorities to find solutions to their financial difficulties.

  • “Funds to revive the private sector must be found”People’s Party (HP) leader Kudret Özersay said the government should have taken steps to relieve the private sector of its financial obligations on issues such as taxation, social security payments or provident fund deposits, extending deadlines for several months before opting to borrow more money to pay salaries of civil servants.

Havadis

“He sexually assaulted me, I killed him”

What was revealed during the court hearing for the murder of Halil İbrahim Mengi was horrifying. Fikri Sergil, the police officer in charge of the investigation, informed the court that Cemaliye Onyıldız, who is deaf and mute, confessed to killing Halil İbrahim Mengi. She said she killed him by striking his head with an adze after he sexually assaulted her.

  • Helping 10,000 families – Halil and Hüsnü Falyalı rolled up their sleeves to help families in need during the pandemic.
  • Prime Minister asked for people to show understanding – Prime Minister Ersan Saner said those who have had two doses of Covid-19 vaccines will be allowed to enter the country without undergoing quarantine.
  • A great risk for public health – Turkish Cypriot Doctors’ Association evaluated the announcement on allowing people, who have had two doses of covid-19 vaccines to enter the country without quarantine. 

Diyalog

‘I will just retire’

YDP (Rebirth Party) leader Erhan Arıklı announced his party’s general congress will be held on April 11 and challenged his rival. Arıklı said that not only will he resign from his ministerial post but will also retire from politics if his rival Bertan Zaroğlu wins.

  • Mobilisation for tourism – Following its deal with Israel, South Cyprus is now preparing to launch efforts to sign similar ‘Green Passport’ agreements with Russia and the UK.
  • Just about the same as the TRNC budget – It has been announced that the damage caused to the Greek Cypriot economy by the coronavirus pandemic is more than a billion euros.

Avrupa

Those who have been vaccinated can infect others

Another serious warning from the Doctors’ Association. The Executive Board of the Turkish Cypriot Doctors’ Association said it did not recommend allowing individuals who have received two doses of any Covid-19 vaccine to enter the country without having to quarantine. In a statement issued, the association warned the government that such a move would be very risky for the public’s health. It said that there was scientific proof that even though vaccines provide protection, those vaccinated may still get infected and infect others. The association pointed out that vaccinations have not been completed yet.

  • 37 different mutations discovered in the southResearch done on 768 samples from positive cases revealed 37 different mutations including the UK variant.

Main News

North reveals plan to lift restrictions on entries

Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Internal Security, Economy

OVERVIEW

Turkish Cypriot Prime Minister Ersan Saner on Wednesday revealed the north’s plans on easing entry restrictions into the country. He said they were planning to allow everyone with proof of vaccination to enter the north as of April 1 following recommendations made by the Higher Committee for Infectious Diseases. Speaking during Kanal T TV programme on Wednesday, Saner said the goal was to complete vaccinating the majority of the north’s population by the end of March.

Responding to criticism directed at the government over its handling of the economy, he explained the initiatives undertaken by the cabinet to overcome the economic difficulties faced by the private sector.

He also noted the government’s initial plan had been to channel public funds that would normally be used for the cost-of-living increment to the private sector. “Unfortunately, the trade unions are taking us to court over this matter,” he complained.  

Saner defended his government’s actions, arguing that the cabinet did not have the luxury to choose between the economy and health.

Meanwhile, the Turkish Cypriot Doctors’ Association (KTTB) on Wednesday raised its objections to Saner’s comments regarding the lifting of entry restrictions for those with proof of vaccination.

The association said that it would recommend against such a move, stating that there was still insufficient scientific evidence regarding the efficacy of the vaccines, particularly against the mutated variants of the Covid-19 virus. “Allowing vaccinated individuals to enter the country without the mandatory quarantine requirement would put the public’s health at greater risk,” KTTB warned.

Speaking to Bayrak earlier on Wednesday, Turkish Cypriot Education Minister Olgun Amcaoğlu said that the north’s economy was desperately in need of the higher education sector.

He said that six charter flights were arranged to transport more than 17,000 university students back to the north. The students, he explained, are either final year students who are to graduate at the end of the spring semester or those enrolled in health sciences, the majority of whom need to take applied classes.

Amacoğlu said that quarantine hotel fees will be covered by the state. He added that the plan was to vaccinate everyone so that schools and universities could resume in-class and face-to-face education in the coming months.


Tatar slams GC leadership over latest Cyprob remarks

Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Negotiations Process

OVERVIEW

Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar on Wednesday lashed out at his Greek Cypriot counterpart Nicos Anastasiades and the Greek Cypriot Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides over their latest remarks on the Cyprus Problem.

Anastasiades, among other things, said on Tuesday that the form of the envisioned settlement in Cyprus was none other than to establish a bicommunal, bizonal federation (BBF), in line with relevant UN Security Council Resolutions (UNSC).

In a written statement, Tatar said it was out of the question for the Greek Cypriot side to impose its views on the Turkish Cypriot side. Referring to Anastasiades’ remarks that UN parameters should not change, that plans to reopen Maraş (Varosha) should be abandoned entirely and all Turkish activities in the Eastern Mediterranean should be suspended, Tatar said such preconditions ahead of the informal summit aimed to serve the continuation of the status quo and sabotage the conference.

“Not only have the current UN parameters failed to achieve the desired outcome but it has also become obvious that these parameters will not help solve the Cyprus Problem in the future either,” Tatar stressed. He said that plans to reopen the fenced-off town of Maraş (Varosha) will go ahead as planned and they will not submit to Greek Cypriot side’s demands.

Regarding the issue of hydrocarbons, Tatar stressed that Turkey’s activities in the Eastern Mediterranean were aimed at protecting Turkey’s and the Turkish Cypriots’ rights.

In response to remarks made by Christodoulides, Tatar repeated his view that Turkish Cypriots will never make any concessions on their sovereignty, Turkey’s guarantees or their political equality.  

He added that the Turkish Cypriot side will continue to work towards its goal of achieving a two-state solution based on sovereign equality and despite all objections will table its position at the informal meeting. Tatar also said that a two-state solution was the only realistic and feasible solution model for the Cyprus Problem.

He urged the Greek Cypriot leadership to stop trying to impose unacceptable conditions or views and adopt a stance in favour of dialogue.

KEY ACTORS
Tatar
>> GC leadership’s attempts to impose its views aim at continuing the status quo & sabotaging informal meeting.
>> It is obvious that current UN resolutions cannot help solve the Cyprob in the future.
>> TC side to go ahead with Maraş (Varosha) plans & hydrocarbon activities.
>> TCs will never make concessions on their sovereignty, political equality & Turkey’s guarantees.
>> TC side will table two-state solution model at 5+1 despite all objections.
>> Two-state solution is only realistic & feasible solution model for Cyprob.


Ertuğruloğlu backs Saner, says federation model has run its course

Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Negotiations Process

OVERVIEW

The war of words between the government and the opposition over the basis of a solution to the Cyprus Problem continued on Tuesday.

Turkish Cypriot Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu was the latest to back Turkish Cypriot Prime Minister Ertan Saner’s views in favour of a two-state solution.

Responding to earlier comments made by the leader of the Republican Turkish Party leader (CTP) Tufan Erhürman that a federation does not die just by saying it does, Ertuğruloğlu said that no matter what the opposition CTP, the Greek Cypriot side or the international community said, the reality was that the federation model has reached its expiry date.

Harshly criticizing those whom he described as being obsessed with a federal solution, Ertuğruoğlu blamed the international community for the failure of all past processes. He said the fact that the Greek Cypriot side was recognised as the legitimate government of the island tilted the balance in favour of the Greek Cypriots thus making it impossible to reach a solution based on political equality.

He urged all Turkish Cypriot parties to approach the Cyprus issue as a national cause, to unite behind the position of a two-state solution and to defend the Turkish Cypriot side’s sovereignty.

KEY ACTORS
Ertuğruloğlu (UBP)
>> No matter what the CTP, GC side or international community says, the federation model has reached its expiry date.
>> Recognition of GCC as legitimate government of Cyprus has prevented Cyprob solution.
>> All TC parties should unite for national cause & defend a two-state solution.


CTP & HP hold meetings with Spehar on Cyprob & EU funds


Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
EU Matters

OVERVIEW

The Republican Turkish Party (CTP) has launched an initiative with the UN for the Turkish Cypriot community to benefit from the EU Solidarity Funds (EUSF) in addition to the Financial Aid Regulation.

CTP leader Tufan Erhürman and the party’s foreign affairs secretary Fikri Toros asked the UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General Elizabeth Spehar via videoconference on Wednesday to launch the necessary initiatives for the Turkish Cypriots to benefit from the EUSF, which are allocated for all member states.

EUSF funding aims at complementing the efforts of Covid-19 affected countries in covering public expenditures.

The CTP leader also raised the issue of Covid-19 vaccines allocated for the Turkish Cypriot community, complaining that only 4,500 of the 57,000 doses received by Cyprus had been delivered to the north. “This is way below the 20 per cent of the vaccines initially agreed upon,” the CTP leader said, adding the deliveries must be made swiftly.

The latest developments in the Cyprus issue, as well as the preparations for the upcoming informal meeting, were discussed during the meeting. The CTP delegation reiterated the party’s position in favour of a bicommunal, bizonal federal (BBF) solution on the island as well as CTP’s position towards the informal meeting.

The leader of the People’s Party (HP) Kudret Özersay, who also met with Spehar online on Wednesday, said there was a third alternative to the official positions put forward by the two sides.

“The third option is to establish a partnership based on the collaboration of the two states. This alternative neither supports partition nor a federation,” the HP leader said.

He argued that a partnership based on collaboration should be the starting point and that time will show where and how this partnership will evolve. “Our priority is to find a lasting and a sustainable solution that will safeguard the Turkish Cypriots’ rights and interests,” Özersay said, adding that new and creative ideas were needed.

Pointing out that the evolutionary model is more suitable for the current conditions in Cyprus and the Eastern Mediterranean, Özersay said: “It is necessary to think out of the box and break the 50-year-long mould.”


Tatar discussed vaccines & Hellim (Halloumi) with Borrell


Kıbrıs, Diyalog
EU Matters

OVERVIEW

Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar discussed the issue of the product of designated origin (PDO) registration of Hellim (halloumi) as well as the delivery of Covid-19 vaccines during his telephone conversation with EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell on Tuesday, according to Tatar’s spokeswoman Berna Çelik Doğruyol.

Doğruyol who issued a written statement on Wednesday also said that 2,500 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccines will be delivered to the Turkish Cypriot side on Thursday following an initiative undertaken by the Turkish Cypriot leader.

The EU has sent 4,500 doses of Pfizer BioNTech vaccines to the Turkish Cypriot community and Turkey 80,000 Sinovac vaccines to date.


Solidarity line established by Queer Cyprus Association


Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Human Rights

OVERVIEW

The Queer Cyprus Association on Tuesday announced the launch of its “Solidarity Line” within the LGBTI+ in Freedom from Exploitation LIFE Project. As part of the launch, the association published an informative leaflet titled ‘Choose solidarity – not loneliness’ for LGBTI members and their families.

The leaflet aims to help answer questions concerning the LGBTI community such as sexual orientation, gender identity, issues about military service, work-life, experience at school and university, sexual health and social life. Callers can also obtain information through a free counselling service that provides legal, psychosocial and social assistance within the scope of the Diversity of Colours project.

LGBTI+ in Freedom from Exploitation LIFE Project aims to contribute to the struggle of LGBTI+s who are trafficked in the northern part of Cyprus. The Project is funded by the EU under the “Together Against Trafficking in Human Beings” Grant Scheme and implemented by Queer Cyprus Association in cooperation with KAOS-GL.


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