Front Page Headlines
Making ends meet during the pandemic: “There are those who end the day with pitta and ₺5 (€0.50) worth of halva”
Father of one, Hakan Güzeloğlu who was unemployed for six months after the casino he worked at shut down a year ago has been living with his brother since. He sold his car and is now trying to make a living in a small store in the walled city of Nicosia. Güzeloğlu explains that some families in the walled city have up to ten children. “A kg of meat cost ₺150. We can’t even imagine which one of those families bring home meat. Some people are in such a bad situation they even buy two eggs with store credit. These problems are not solved through charity,” he said.
A new process, a new struggle
Hellim (Halloumi) has finally been registered as a protected designation of origin (PDO) by the EU, allowing Turkish Cypriot producers to sell their products to the EU through the Green Line. There is only one step left before the decisions enter into force but there is still uncertainty on how the process will be implemented in practice.
- 1,700 wristbands, each at ₺750 (€77) – Tourism Minister Fikri Ataoğlu said following consultations with the health ministry and the Higher Committee for Infectious Diseases, closed-circuit tourism will commence, and tourists will be monitored through the wristbands they wear.
- 33 locally transmitted, 57 positive coronavirus cases in the TRNC – One person passed away due to coronavirus.
Plenty of statements for martyrs, but their children are troubled
Children of the martyrs from Baf (Paphos)/Güzelyurt (Morphou) areas are outraged due to the state’s failure to complete infrastructure on the plots of land allocated to them. Speaking to Havadis, they complain that authorities regularly issue statements on the martyrs but are not doing anything to help solve their problems.
- Foreign currency value bulldozed through – The fluctuation in the foreign currency values since the removal of Naci Ağbal, governor of the Turkish Central Bank from duty, has not stopped for days. The value of one British pound reached ₺12 in the market yesterday.
- Police investigating the aftermath of the missing Greek Cypriots – Police called on the people with information including the relatives of the missing Greek Cypriots on the circumstances or causes of death of the missing Greek Cypriots.
- The problem of confidence in the EU regarding Hellim (Halloumi) – The organisations that directly or indirectly make a revenue from the dairy products sector received the product designation origin (PDO) registration of Hellim (Halloumi) by the European Commission with cautious optimism.
‘Lock up and leave’ if you don’t have ₺5m (€500,000)
Mayor Fırat Ataser reacted to the halt of work on the Kyrenia-Alsancak (Karavas) road. Residents also expressed their reaction to the failure to complete the work in the last ten years. Despite significant progress achieved in the last year, the incomplete sections pose a danger and an invitation for accidents. Speaking to Diyalog, Alsancak (Karavas) Mayor Fırat Ataser said ₺5m (€500,000) was needed for the completion of the road and another ₺14.8m (€1.5m) to complete the second phase.
We torched a mosque and bombed the embassy
Let us remind the TRT filming crew, who are distorting our history with the “Once upon a time Cyprus” drama series what we once did. General Sabri Yirmibeşoğlu had confessed to setting the Bayraktar and Ömeriye Mosques on fire in 1962. Rauf Denktaş had also revealed that we had bombed the Turkish News Bureau which operated under the Turkish embassy. These were provocations to create a conflict between the two communities.
- “Annexation” means “Enosis” – KTÖS (Turkish Cypriot Teachers’ Union) gives a response to those in favour of “annexation.” Those who have such aspirations are the real enemies of the freedom of all Cypriots, the reunification of the island and the Turkish Cypriots’ desire for self-governance and their political will.
- 33 locally transmitted, 57 positive coronavirus cases in the north, 439 cases and two deaths in the south.
Main News
TC officials call for more clarity on Hellim (Halloumi) PDO
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Economy
OVERVIEW
News of the registration by the EU of halloumi/hellim as a protected designation of origin (PDO) was met in the north on Tuesday with calls for more clarity about how the inspections will be carried out for the verification of the production standards.
Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar on Tuesday expressed cautious optimism on the issue, noting that while some of the Turkish Cypriot side’s concerns have been addressed, there was still uncertainty about how the inspections will be carried out both in practice and within the scope of the Green Line Regulation (GLR).
In a written statement, Tatar said he will continue to raise the matter with the EU commission at the highest level to defend the rights of the Turkish Cypriot producers. He recalled that the Turkish Cypriot side had submitted a proposal to the Greek Cypriot side both directly and via the EU to use the issue of Hellim (Halloumi) as a confidence-building measure (CBM) to build trust between the two communities but that the Greek Cypriot side had turned down such an offer.
Turkish Cypriot Agriculture Minister Nazım Çavuşoğlu on Tuesday also welcomed the PDO registration of Hellim (Halloumi), noting that the registration was the result of the collective efforts put forth over the years.
In a statement issued from his office, Çavuşoğlu said his ministry together with the relevant stakeholders were willing and ready to take on the responsibility to achieve EU food safety standards. He pointed out that at the current stage, the geographic registration of hellim and the expectations required for trade in line with the GLR have not been clearly shared with the Turkish Cypriot side yet.
Çavuşoğlu also noted that the uncertainty on how the inspections will take place in practice and within the scope of the GLR remained, adding that talks with the European Commission were ongoing to avoid any problems along the line. He said the ministry was well aware of the need to increase the daily output of sheep and goats milk as well as the improvements in other areas to facilitate GLR trade.
In parallel tandem, Çavuşoğlu also noted the ministry is also working on harmonizing the Turkish Cypriot legislation in place on agriculture, and agricultural products and have been working on the matter with EU experts. According to Çavuşoğlu, a €3.2m EU project will be initiated to enable milk producers in the north to meet EU food safety standards.
Unlike Tatar and Çavuşoğlu, Candan Avunduk, head of the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday painted a bleaker picture on the issue, outlining the realities faced by Cypriot producers.
“It will take at least 15 years to reach the small livestock milk output required by the EU,” Avunduk said, noting that according to the PDO requirements the content of sheep or goats milk used in the production of the traditional Cypriot cheese should be at least be 51 per cent.
Speaking during a programme on Bayrak, Avunduk said the Turkish Cypriot producers currently use 11-12 per cent of sheep or goats milk when producing Hellim (Halloumi) whereas the Greek Cypriot producers use around 15-20 per cent.
He added increasing the small livestock milk content in the production would mean increasing costs which in return will push Turkish and Greek Cypriot producers into a tight corner. Avunduk also argued that the PDO registration is incomplete, noting that the products such as light or grated Hellim (Halloumi) are not covered by the registration.
He argued the missing product variations will negatively affect the producers’ competitiveness in the market. Avunduk also said the chamber has not seen the content of the PDO registration including the provisions on the GLR, adding that he believes it will take about eight months for the registration to come into force once the final voting by the commission takes place.
He pointed out there might be problems in the inspections in the coming period, suggesting that the inspection company will be appointed by the commission to carry out hygiene and quality control inspections.
Avunduk nevertheless said the amendments made to the GLR provides Turkish Cypriot producers with an important opportunity to enter the EU market. He however expressed hope that the same obstacles created by Greek Cypriots on olive oil exports are not experienced with Hellim (Halloumi).
On a positive note, Avunduk said the north is compliant with EU standards up to 90 per cent in terms of eradication of animal diseases, and 85 per cent compliant on daily raw milk output, saying that the ‘cold chain’ system works well. He noted all the factories operate within EU norms and the foodstuff used are at EU standards as well.
Echoing a similar message, the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) leader Tufan Erhürman on Tuesday also highlighted the importance of the PDO registration of Hellim (Halloumi).
In a social media post, Erhürman said there is a lot more to be done in order not to experience problems in exports. “It is time for planning and for developing strategies on increasing the daily output of sheep and goat milk; to overcome the problems caused in the Green Line Trade regulation; to compete with other similar products produced in other countries,” Erhürman concluded.
Cypriot political parties discuss Cyprob with ASG Jenca under Slovak initiative
Yenidüzen
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot political parties discussed current issues related to the Cyprus problem with Miroslav Jenča, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Europe, Central Asia and the Americas of the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs – Department of Peace Operations on Tuesday.
The Slovak Embassy in Nicosia issued a joint communique stating that the leaders and the representatives of the Turkish and Greek Cypriot political parties participating in the bi-communal meetings gathered at the Ledra Palace as part of the ongoing Slovak initiative, held a teleconference with ASG Jenca.
MGK: Two-state solution must be tabled for lasting solution in Cyprus
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
The Turkish National Security Council (MGK) on Tuesday said the concept of the two-state solution must be tabled at the upcoming five-plus-one Cyprus conference for a lasting solution on the island.
The MGK, which convened under the chairmanship of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Tuesday discussed the latest developments in the Cyprus issue. “Instead of the half-century-long negotiations processes that have failed to yield the desired outcome and disregarded the presence of the Turkish Cypriots on the island, it is vital to table the two-state solution that is based the realities of Cyprus,” a statement issued by the MGK after the meeting read.
The MGK also noted that Ankara will continue to work towards resolving disputes in the Eastern Mediterranean in line with international law and demand the equitable sharing of the region’s resources.
TC Police call on witnesses with information on missing persons to come forth
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Human Rights
OVERVIEW
Turkish Cypriot Police on Tuesday called on people who might have any information on the causes of death or circumstances leading to the death of the Greek Cypriots, who were listed as missing persons until the Committee of Missing Persons in Cyprus (CMP) had located, exhumed and identified the remains.
In a written statement issued, the police noted the issue is being conducted under the supervision of the Attorney General’s office. The call is carried out upon the regular request of the CMP who investigates the causes of death or circumstances leading to the death of missing persons to provide families with information.
Telephone numbers were also provided in the statement for those who want to make an appointment to provide information to the authorities.