TCC Press Review 25 Feb 2021

Front Page Headlines

Yenidüzen

The ‘nationwide’ plan is on the table in Ankara

Members of the Economic Organisations’ Platform, comprising the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce (KTTO), Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Industry (KTSO), Turkish Cypriot Contractors’ Union (KTIMB) and the Turkish Cypriot Hoteliers’ Association (KTHB), met with Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay at the presidential complex in Ankara. Members of the platform said they discussed with Oktay how to revive the Turkish Cypriot economy after the pandemic and how to create a sustainable structure.

  • Some for holidays, others for visitsThe flight restrictions were lifted for students. Yenidüzen spoke with passengers arriving at Ercan (Tymbou). Even though the government used the students as an excuse to lift flight restrictions, those who have been arriving range from people seeking jobs to those on holiday.

Kıbrıs

As if the pandemic is over

The streets in the capital Nicosia were crowded with people following the decision to gradually relax the restrictions. The streets looked as if the coronavirus pandemic is over. While some were just travelling to work or to meet their needs, others were just simply out to wander about. It was also observed that many people, unfortunately, did not comply with the face mask, social distancing and hygiene rules.

  • The amendment drew reactions – An amendment made to the regulation on financial assistance for associations has transferred authority from the ‘Culture and Arts Advisory Board’ to the Department of Culture. Circles within the arts and culture community complained they had not been consulted before the changes were made, saying the move could provide an unfair advantage to selected groups.
  • It means nothing if there is no inspection – Nilden Bektaş Erhürman, head of the Chamber of Environmental Engineers, said the Waste Management regulation prepared under the Environment Law is a positive development but drew attention to the importance of inspections.

Havadis

A period of loans and debts

Finance Minister Dursun Oğuz spoke to Havadis web TV explaining the government’s plans regarding loans. The government opted for domestic borrowing due to a drop in local revenues and lack of cash flow from Turkey. Oğuz said “the revenues are not enough to cover financial obligations” adding that the obligatory payments this month will be made with the money borrowed.

  • The gap between public and private schools deepensBurak Maviş, Education Secretary at the Turkish Cypriot Teachers’ Union (KTÖS) evaluated the outcome of a study on remote education carried out in primary schools.

Diyalog

Vaccines, roads and money

The head of organisations within the Economic Organisations’ Platform met with Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay in Ankara for over four hours and returned to the island happy. The head of the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce Turgay Deniz spoke to tv2020 saying they had a very fruitful meeting and that discussions were focused on speeding up vaccinations to allow tourism to return to normal. He also said that they discussed financial support to revive the real sector.

Avrupa

TRNC is AKP’s sub-administration – Tatar is an appointed trustee

Questions for those who completely handed over the north’s administration to Tayyip Erdoğan… KTOEÖS (Turkish Cypriot Secondary School Teachers’ Union) General Secretary Selma Eylem said: “This government is far from being fair, is void of any ethical values and lacks principles. It also adopts decisions that cause outrage in all walks of Turkish Cypriot society. The Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) sub-administration in North Cyprus is being unashamedly managed through appointed trustees.” She asked: “Isn’t the decision to lift flight restrictions given by the newly appointed trustee going to put the public’s health at risk? Does the decision to allow hunting while the pandemic measures are still in force mean making a fool of this community?”

  • 143 positive cases of coronavirus and one death in the south, 49 cases in the north…

Main News

Özersay calls on Tatar to do his job

Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog
Economy

OVERVIEW

People’s Party (HP) leader Kudret Özersay on Wednesday called on both President Ersin Tatar and Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu to do their job and to undertake initiatives to pressure Greek Cypriot authorities to lift a decision to ban non-EU citizens from crossing into the north.

“The Greek Cypriot administration’s decision is ill-intentioned and aims at harming the north’s economy,” the HP leader said in a written statement.

He urged Tatar to speak up against the latest measures imposed by the Greek Cypriot side and questioned why the relevant sides were to meet at an informal meeting to decide on the way forward when one side was trying to hurt the other economically.

Özersay also recalled that during his time in office as the north’s foreign minister, he had successfully prevented with the former Turkish Cypriot leader similar attempts to obstruct non-EU citizens crossing to the north.

“The Greek Cypriot side’s ill-intentioned moves must be stopped just as the relaxation measures are being implemented, and the economy is about to be revived in the north,” Özersay concluded.

Meanwhile, the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) MP and Deputy Speaker of the Turkish Cypriot Parliament Armağan Candan said the crossings could be opened with rapid antigen tests.

Touching upon the ongoing process to lift restrictions in the north and revive the north’s economy during a programme on Ada TV, Candan said using rapid tests could be an option to normalize crossings.


EOP reps met with Turkish VP Oktay

Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog
Economy

OVERVIEW

Members of the Economic Organisations Platform (EOP) met with Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay in Ankara on Tuesday to discuss efforts to revive the Turkish Cypriot economy, which is faced with severe difficulties due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The EOP representatives raised sector-specific problems during the meeting.

Infrastructural needs, tourism opportunities, support schemes for the private sector, e-governance and the possibility of carrying out joint construction projects with Turkish contractors were also discussed during the four-hour-long meeting held at the presidential complex in Ankara.

The Chairmen of the Ankara Chamber of Commerce and the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey also attended the meeting.

Chairman of the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce (KTTO) Turgay Deniz, Chairman of the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Industry (KTSO) Candan Avunduk, head of the Cyprus Turkish Contractors’ Union (KTIMB) Cafer Gürcafer and President of the Cyprus Turkish Hoteliers Association (KTHB) Dimağ Çağıner represented the EOP in Ankara.


Tatar met with Austrian Ambassador

Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog
Negotiations Process

OVERVIEW

Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar on Wednesday received the Austrian Ambassador Eva Maria Ziegler. During the meeting, Tatar reiterated his vision for a two-state solution model.

He expressed his strong conviction that a two-state solution based on sovereign equality is the only way to establish a realistic and sustainable agreement on the island.

Tatar also noted that the Turkish Cypriot side is preparing to table this new vision during the informal five-plus-one meeting.


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