TCC Press Review 27 Mar 2021

Front Page Headlines

Yenidüzen

“We observed (the funeral) from afar. She was the contact of a contact with someone who tested positive”

43-year-old Hatice Düzova, who died of Covid-19 was laid to rest. Her husband spoke to Yenidüzen. Ahmet Düzova said his wife had gone to the hospital to get tested after coming into contact with another person who was in close contact with a person who tested positive. She drove to the hospital herself, got her tests done. After testing positive her scans were taken and she checked into a (quarantine) hotel. She turned positive on the fourth day of her isolation. “I don’t want to accuse anyone but I believe my wife would still be alive today if her treatment had started earlier,” Ahmet Düzova said.

  • A lawsuit was filed for insulting the president – Abdullah Korkmazhan, one of the founding members of the Left Movement, was brought to Nicosia District Court on charges of insulting President Ersin Tatar. Lawyer Mine Atlı: Such a lawsuit violates Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights. This is an attack on freedom of expression.
  • Turkish Cypriot Doctors’ Association (KTTB): Face-to-face education must resume.
  • KTOEÖS (Turkish Cypriot Secondary School Teachers’ Union): “We do not accept the resumption of face-to-face education for 12th graders.”

Kıbrıs

Threatening both nature and the historic structure

The residents of Yenierenköy (Yialousa) staged a protest against ‘illegal’ construction being carried out by Özkom Ltd in the area known as the ‘Old Port.’ Yenierenköy (Yialousa) Mayor Emrah Yeşilırmak said that the ongoing construction of a breakwater in the sea and the construction of a new building were both illegal. Even though their activities had been stopped, the company is continuing its work. Yeşilırmak noted he is not against investments in the area but pointed out that a historic building in the area had been knocked down to make room for a new building.

  • The night-time curfew to start at 10 pm – The Council of Ministers given the ongoing gradual relaxation of measures, extended some of the restrictions and adopted new decisions.
  • The process to register Hellim (Halloumi) as PDO nears end – Legal adviser and member of the president’s negotiating team Oğuzhan Hasipoğlu, speaking to Kıbrıs, said the amendments to the Green Line Trade regulation (GLR) was approved by the European Commission’s Agricultural Produce Quality Control Commission. He added that the product designation origin (PDO) registration of Hellim (Halloumi) will be debated on Monday.

Diyalog

Robbery with a pair of scissors

The Pakistani gardener, who locked a 74-year-old British woman in a room before making off with £2,000 stolen from her home, also robbed a 57-year-old woman, stealing her money and gold jewellery.

  • No new openingsThe night-time curfew will be in force from 10 pm to 5 am and full-day curfew on Sundays will continue.

Avrupa

Arrest in the defamation lawsuit

The tension that started with the “Love Erdoğan” posters continue. Leader of the Left Movement Abdullah Korkmazhan was arrested and brought before the court following a complaint filed by Ersin Tatar. Tatar’s complaints were based on what he said were insults made against him. Korkmazhan had posted on social media: “A fraudster, who was on the wanted list of UK’s Serious Fraud Office became the president of this country.” The presiding judge Temay Sağer rejected the demands made by the prosecution, stating that the case must be evaluated within the scope of freedom of expression. Korkmazhan was released on bail.

  • They have achieved this outcome with blackmail and threats – Mustafa Akıncı said defamation campaigns were launched against him during the last elections because he had favoured a federal solution. Akıncı also claimed that he had lost the elections due to outside interference. He said: “They needed a culture that will obey them without questioning and will submit to their orders. They have achieved this outcome with blackmail and threats.”
  • The government in the south condemned the attack on the Episkopi mosque – The government spokesman Kyriacos Koushos called the perpetrators “the brainless people.”

Main News

EU proved its biased stance regarding Cyprob, say Tatar & Saner

Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs,Diyalog, Avrupa
Negotiations Process

OVERVIEW

Both Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar and Turkish Cypriot Prime Minister Ersan Saner on Friday slammed the conclusions issued at the end of the EU Leaders’ summit, stressing that the bloc proved once again it could not be impartial when it came to the Cyprus problem or the hydrocarbon activities in the region.

Issuing separate statements, both Tatar and Saner argued that the memorandum adopted justified the Turkish Cypriot sides’ objections to the EU’s participation at the upcoming five-plus-one Cyprus conference.

Tatar stressed that the steps taken by the Turkish Cypriot side in the Eastern Mediterranean were aimed at protecting the Turkish Cypriots’ equal rights over the area’s natural resources. He also recalled the Turkish Cypriot side had repeatedly tabled proposals for cooperation on the issue in 2011, 2012 and 2019, all of which had been rejected by the Greek Cypriot side.

Renewing his call for collaboration on the hydrocarbons issue, Tatar said the EU must persuade the Greek Cypriot leadership for dialogue on the matter if it truly desired peace and stability in the Eastern Mediterranean.

“Nonetheless, the EU summit conclusions embolden the Greek Cypriot side’s maximalist stance threatening the peace and stability in the region,” Tatar argued. He noted that the only positive item in the memorandum is the reference made to Turkey’s proposal to hold a regional conference on natural resources with the participation of all relevant parties.

Tatar dismissed the remarks in the memorandum regarding the Cyprus Issue, arguing that the relevant paragraph “only represented the Greek Cypriot side’s viewpoint and were detached from the realities on the island.”

He argued that the wording in the document proved that the EU cannot be impartial on the Cyprus problem. “Such a statement made under the cloak of membership solidarity not only harms the process but also diminishes the bloc’s reputation in the eyes of the Turkish Cypriots,” Tatar said adding that the EU, instead of focusing on repeatedly failed processes, should focus on the more realistic option which was a two-state solution.

In a separate statement issued on Friday, Saner argued that “The EU will not contribute to the efforts for a settlement as long as it treats the Turkish Cypriots unfairly.”

Saner echoed Tatar’s remarks that the memorandum reflected the viewpoints of the Greek Cypriot and Greek duo, disregarding the Turkish Cypriots’ presence on the island. Saner stressed that the Turkish Cypriot people with support from Turkey will continue to protect their sovereignty and will not allow the Greek Cypriot side to usurp Turkish Cypriots’ rights in the Eastern Mediterranean.

KEY ACTORS
Tatar
>> Summit conclusions reveal EU cannot be impartial on Cyprob & hydrocarbons.
>> TC side’s moves in East Med aimed at protecting rights & interests of TCs.
>> EU must persuade GC leadership for dialogue if it wants a solution in Cyprus.
>> EU summit conclusions further encourage the GC side’s positions.
>> Summit conclusions on Cyprob reflect GC views & detached from reality.
>> Such statements harm the peace process & diminish the EU’s reputation in eyes of TCs.
>> Two-state solution only realistic & sustainable option.

Saner (UBP)
>> EU cannot contribute to a solution as long as it treats TCs presence on the island.


The Episkopi mosque cleaned & restored

Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs,Diyalog, Avrupa
Human Rights

OVERVIEW

Ali Tuncay, Turkish Cypriot chair of the bicommunal technical committee, on Friday announced that the graffiti smeared on the walls of the mosque in Episkopi, Limassol were cleaned.

In a social media post on Friday, Tuncay said the Greek Cypriot members of the said committee had informed him about the development. “Bringing the perpetrators to justice is an important deterrence to prevent reoccurrence of such incidents,” Tuncay stressed, adding that cultural heritage must become an important element of collaboration and reconciliation between the two sides.

He said Cypriots share a common cultural heritage regardless of ethnicity and asked everyone to protect the sites of cultural importance.

The Religious Track of the Cyprus Peace Process (RTCYPP) on Friday joined those who strongly condemned the incident, calling for mutual respect for all places of worship. In a social media post, the RTCYPP said: “Graffiti on places of worship is vandalism, not patriotism.”

Talip Atalay, head of the Religious Affairs Office, in a separate statement also condemned the attack on the mosque, demanding the perpetrators to be found and brought to court.

Noting that there had been other attacks on other mosques in the south, Atalay urged everyone to “stand against any actions to fuel enmity among the people.” Atalay concluded by stressing that attacking any place of worship regardless of faith, is unacceptable.

A message of condemnation also came from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Friday who described the incident as a provocation.


TC side receives 75,000 rapid tests

Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs,Diyalog, Avrupa
Internal Security

OVERVIEW

Turkish Cypriot health officials on Friday received 75,000 rapid antigen tests from the EU at the Metehan (Agios Domethios) crossing point. The delivery was facilitated by the bicommunal technical committee on health.

No statements were made by Cenk Soydan, the Turkish Cypriot chair of the said committee.

Earlier on Friday, the Turkish Cypriot Health Minister Ünal Üstel announced that the teachers and the 12th-grade students who will be resuming in-class education from Monday, March 29 onwards will be tested for coronavirus using the rapid antigen tests.


Translate »