Front Page Headlines
Minister has no information on (amended) regulation
The Council of Ministers approved an amendment on the regulation governing “Foreigners and Immigration’ on May 12. The amendments will allow the granting of residency permits to foreigners visiting places of worship or convents/dervish lodges within the framework of faith tourism. It was interesting to see that Tourism Minister Fikri Ataoğlu who addressed Parliament yesterday had no information on the amendments approved by the cabinet. He said there was no work in the pipeline concerning the issue. Interior Minister Kutlu Evren said that the amendment had been made for those visiting the Sheikh Nazım dervish lodge.
- He will be attending the Turkey – TRNC Youth meeting which will see the participation of the heads of youth branches of the AKP (Justice and Development Party) from all provinces in Turkey –Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay is coming to attend the inauguration of a water tunnel and youth meeting.
Quarantine free entry for fully vaccinated to begin
The button to launch tourism activities in the country has been pressed. Efforts to reopen the crossing points have reached the final stage and a date has been set to allow quarantine free entry into the country. A detailed announcement is expected today after the Council of Ministers discuss the latest decisions adopted by the Higher Committee for Infectious Diseases.
- Faith tourism is only for those to visit Sheikh Nazım’s dervish lodge – Interior Minister Kutlu Evren clarified the issue for granting residency permits for those visiting for faith tourism purposes.
- Fuat Oktay will be in the TRNC today – Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay will be arriving in the TRNC for a two-day visit.
- Human trafficker fled from quarantine – It is revealed that the Pakistani national, who had been caught red-handed while trying to take four African nationals to the south, had been missing for a week. After his arrest, he had tested positive and was placed at a quarantine facility.
The crossings will not be opened yet
Prime Minister Ersan Saner said that they were waiting for the south’s status to downgrade from red to amber before reopening the crossing points. He said that they were ready to reopen the checkpoints in the event the case numbers in the south fell. Saner also announced that those who have received both doses of a Covid-19 vaccine will be exempt from quarantine when entering the country as of June 10.
Positive step
The Sunday full-day curfew is to be lifted, those fully vaccinated (two doses) will be able to enter the country without having to quarantine as of June 10.
- All eyes on the committee – The Greek Cypriot press announced that the crossing points could open as early as next week.
- ‘Joint interests’ to be defended – Greek Cypriot, Greek and Egyptian defence ministers meet in Nicosia.
- Anger at satan – Greek Cypriot priests protest song which made it to finals of Eurovision song contest.
“He’s MIT (Turkish Intelligence), he is Turkey’s man”
The victims of Bulut Construction’s embezzlement scheme have knocked on every possible door to file their complaints about Erman Çitim. They failed to get across to Turkish Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu, the Force Commander of the Turkish Security Forces (GKK) or the police… A victim called the GKK General Secretary Colonel Ahmet Bozdoğan for help who then told him to go to the police. However, the caller informed the colonel that the police had told them Çitim was MIT (Turkish Intelligence Service) and that he was Turkey’s man… He said he was told, “No one (in the north) can call him to the police station.”
- The curfew on Sundays is lifted – It is announced that the full-day curfew on Sundays is lifted.
- A decision adopted for Sheikh Nazım’s dervish lodge – Interior Minister Kutlu Evren in his statement in the parliament explained the reasons for adopting a decision under faith tourism.
Main News
Mixed messages on reopening of crossing points
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
CBMs
OVERVIEW
Hopes and expectations in the north concerning the reopening of crossing points were running high on Thursday after a number of reports and statements emerged, despite some conflicting and creating confusion.
The committee is set to meet on Friday via videoconference to discuss the matter following a significant drop in cases recently on both sides of the divide.
Earlier on Thursday morning Turkish Cypriot media, picking up a story from the Greek Cypriot daily Althia, reported that the reopening of the checkpoints was imminent and that checkpoints could open as early as next week.
Later in the day, in a statement which further raised hopes, Special Representative to the Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar, Ergün Olgun announced that preparatory work carried out in line with the Turkish Cypriot side’s proposal dated March 19, for the reopening of the checkpoints, was near completion.
Olgun also noted that the Turkish Cypriot side hopes that the bicommunal technical committee will reach a “conclusion on the matter based on the criteria set by the World Health Organisation (WHO).”
He also recalled that the two sides had reached an agreement initially however due to the spike in the number of coronavirus cases in the south which was followed by a ten-day-long lockdown, the reopening of the crossings were delayed. “We hope to avoid politicising this very sensitive health issue,” Olgun said.
Olgun said that the two sides had reached an agreement, but after the steep rise in coronavirus cases in the south, the north had decided to close the crossing points until the situation improved. He added that this negative development delayed the process but now daily cases in the south had dropped to under 200.
“At this point, with the improvement of Covid-19 conditions, the measures implemented by the two parties and the harmonisation efforts have come to an end,” he said. Olgun added the outcome of Friday’s health committee meeting will then be discussed at the meeting hosted by the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative in Cyprus (SRSG) and between the negotiators of the two sides on Monday, May 24.
However, hopes were dashed later on Thursday night, after Turkish Cypriot Prime Minister Ersan Saner announced that the crossing points would remain closed for the time being as the case numbers in the south were still relatively high.
Speaking during a programme on Bayrak, Saner said the checkpoints will open once the risk categorization of the south turns to amber from red. He added that the daily crossings with a negative PCR test obtained in the last 72 hours will be permitted.
However, his announcement that the north as of June 10 would exempt all fully vaccinated individuals or all those who received two doses of approved Covid-19 vaccines from mandatory quarantine upon entry was met with joy, particularly by tourism sector representatives.
He added the relaxation will only apply to countries that are not classified as a risk and the people will still be required to undergo PCR tests before or after arriving. Saner also announced that the day-time curfew on Sundays which has been in force for several months will be lifted, starting this weekend.
Kızılyürek: EP wants to be in closer contact with TC democrats
Yenidüzen
EU Matters
OVERVIEW
AKEL MEP Niyazi Kızılyürek on Thursday evaluated the EP report on Turkey, which was adopted on May 19.
“Turkey had been criticized over its initiatives on Maraş (Varosha), and over the ongoing hydrocarbon activities in the Eastern Mediterranean. Furthermore, the two-state solution model adopted by the Turkish Cypriot side had caused serious disappointment,” Kızılyürek said.
He added the report, which was prepared by Spanish MEP Nacho Sánchez Amor as the rapporteur on the file, referred to the Cyprus problem in length, reiterating that the dispute on the island can be solved through a bicommunal, bizonal federal (BBF) settlement
“The rapporteur also asked for the negotiations to continue from where they left off in Crans Montana,” Kızılyürek said, adding that the EU acquis currently suspended in the north will be implemented once a solution is reached.
“A lasting federal solution is in the best interest of all sides,” he said, noting that the report also addresses the Turkish Cypriot community directly. Kızılyürek said the report emphasized the importance of the EU to be in close contact with the democratic forces within the Turkish Cypriot community.
“It is vital for the Turkish Cypriots who believe in a federal settlement to establishing closer relations with the EU as well,” Kızılyürek concluded.
Turkish VP Oktay to arrive in the north on Friday for a two-day visit
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Governance & Power Sharing
OVERVIEW
Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay will be visiting the north on May 21 and 22 to attend the completion of an underground irrigation water tunnel project as well as to hold other contacts regarding the agricultural sector. He will be accompanied by the Turkish Agriculture and Forestry Ministry Bekir Pakdemirli.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will also attend the ceremony through a video link.
However, according to Oktay’s programme announced on Turkish news agency Anatolia, the Turkish Vice President will also be the guest of honour at a meeting entitled “Turkey-TRNC Youth Meeting,” which all the members of the Central Executive Board of AKP (Justice and Development Party) Youth divisions and the heads of youth divisions from all the districts in Turkey will also attend the meeting.