TCC Press Review 23 June 2021

Front Page Headlines

Yenidüzen

“We are on the streets for our will. We reject political tutelage”

Republican Turkish Party (CTP) leader Tufan Erhürman and party MPs gave clear messages, expressing their anger at the current state of affairs in Cyprus. “This relationship model with Turkey cannot be accepted. They want to rob Turkish Cypriots of their political will. We reject a relationship based on political tutelage,” said Erhürman.

Kıbrıs

The power supply of the indebted cut-off

The board of directors of the Turkish Cypriot Electricity Authority (KIB-TEK) said that KIBTEK was in financial difficulty and had therefore decided to cut off the power supply of state institutions, municipalities and private businesses that owe money to the authority. Speaking to Kıbrıs, President of the Board of Directors of KIBTEK, Turan Büyükyılmaz said: “We are not able to collect what’s owed to us. We cannot increase the (electricity) price either. It cannot go on like this.”

  • Sovereign equality and international equal status – President Ersin Tatar said the Turkish Cypriot side maintains its position tabled in Geneva after meeting with UN Special Envoy Jane Holl Lute.
  • The ad-hoc committee approved April 3, 2022, as the date for the early election – Sunat Atun, head of the Ad-hoc committee said the committee approved the bill on renewing the parliamentary elections with a majority vote and passed it on to the general assembly.
  • Vaccination rush – There was vaccination chaos at the outpatient ward at the hospital. Tensions rose when people did not queue up.

Havadis

Big fight at the port

Unbelievable things are happening at the Famagusta Port. Only five working personnel are left in the company that provides ground services. And all hell broke loose when they decided to withdraw ₺15m (€1.5m) as an advance payment.

  • The CTP taking to the streets – Main opposition CTP leader Tufan Erhürman together with the party officials laid out the situation in the country and announced their new method of struggle during the press conference organized.
  • The international status (of the two sides) must be equal – President Ersin Tatar relayed his preconditions to UN Special Envoy Jane Holl Lute for the launch of official negotiations.
  • “I’m ready for substantive talks” – Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades gave a clear message to UN Special Envoy Jane Holl Lute.

Diyalog

The financial situation is very bad

KIBTEK which cut off the power supply to several government offices and traffic lights due to unpaid debts gave municipalities that also have unpaid bills until noon today. Following chaos at junctions with traffic lights, the Finance Ministry asked KIBTEK for a week to pay its debts. The head of the Board of Directors of KIBTEK Turan Büyükyılmaz who spoke to Diyalog’s TV2020 said the authority was in serious financial trouble. He said they had sent written warnings to public offices and were forced to cut the power once the payment was not made. He said ₺150m ($17.3m) needed to purchase fuel oil.

Avrupa

Another election while interference is underway

Preparations launched to hold yet another election in the sub-administration of Turkey, continuing to play the game of democracy, parliamentarian system and governance. April 3, 2022, has been identified as the date for an early election in the TRNC. The ad-hoc committee, which was formed to identify the election date and to amend the existing law on elections, approved the date with a majority of votes in its meeting yesterday.

Main News

Tatar tells Lute TC side to stick to its position on a two-state solution

Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Negotiations Process

OVERVIEW

Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar on Tuesday said the six-point proposal submitted in Geneva especially its articles on the recognition of sovereign equality and equal international status of the Turkish Cypriot side must be accepted before launching any official round of talks.

He was speaking after meeting with the UN Special Envoy Jane Holl Lute who visited the island in a bid to find common ground for the continuation of the procedure which started in Geneva. Tatar, who met Lute early afternoon on Tuesday, said he told the UN envoy the Turkish Cypriot side sticks to the position it submitted in Geneva.

Tatar stated that he was ready to participate in an informal meeting but to go to substantive talks it was important that the six-point proposal he had submitted in Geneva was accepted, especially the first point that concerns sovereign equality and equal international status.

“We have already gained our sovereignty, our rights emanating from history. We will never allow sovereignty to be debated at the table,” he added. Tatar also said that the Turkish Cypriot side during the Geneva meeting had also rejected UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ proposal to appoint a special advisor to carry out talks on a four-point proposal based on the Guterres framework, which initially has six points.

Noting that the two discussed the post-Geneva period during the meeting, He recalled the UN Secretary-General’s invitation letter to the sides for the informal meeting, noting that the SG wanted “new ideas” and in line with his demands, he added the Turkish Cypriot side brought a “new idea to the table and displayed a constructive attitude.”

Lute wished for direct negotiations without a second informal meeting, but that there is no such common ground now. He also posed the question of how long a solution brought about through coercion would last.

“We believe that if there is a solution, it can be successful if it is based on equality between two states. And our sovereignty is extremely important,” Tatar added.

Responding to a question on Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades’ meeting with the UNSG in Brussels, Tatar also said that if the UN chief was meeting with the Greek Cypriot leader, he should also meet with him, arguing that the UN should observe the principle of equality.

He said he submitted a meeting request through Lute.


Ad-hoc committee approves April 3, 2022 date for early elections

Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Governance & Power Sharing

OVERVIEW

The ad-hoc committee which is only made up of members of the coalition government, approved April 3, 2022, as the date to hold an early election.

Speaking to Turkish Cypriot news agency TAK, National Unity Party (UBP) MP Sunat Atun, who is serving as the head of the committee, said the decision was taken by a majority vote because the Democratic Party (DP) member Serdar Denktaş proposed February 2022.

He added what is important is to focus on the elections from now on instead of debating on the date. Atun also noted that the ad-hoc committee will work on amending the existing law on elections as well.

Opposition parties Republican Turkish Party (CTP), the Peoples’ Party (HP) and the Social Democratic Party (TDP) had claimed the formation of the ad-hoc committee violates the laws and the parliament’s bylaws. The opposition parties, in addition to taking the committee to the constitutional court, refused to nominate anyone to take part in the committee.


The CTP to protest the situation in the country

Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Governance & Power Sharing, Negotiations Process

OVERVIEW

The main opposition Republican Turkish Party (CTP) announced on Tuesday that it will be expressing its outrage at the ongoing situation in the north as well as the violations of freedoms and laws via street protests.

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, CTP leader Tufan Erhürman stressed that Turkish Cypriots were being stripped of their political will, accusing the government of disregarding democracy, human rights and freedoms in the country.

He also said that Turkish Cypriots will never accept Turkey’s tutelage. “Turkish Cypriots are one of the two equal elements on the island,” the CTP leader said, adding that the majority of Turkish Cypriots desired integration with the world instead of being alienated and isolated.

He also underlined that the Turkish Cypriot side’s current position on the Cyprus Issue demanding political recognition was not possible. “This is nothing but putting the Cyprus problem in the freezer,” Erhürman said.

Touching on the Maraş (Varosha) issue, Erhürman said the CTP supports confidence-building measures in general. He said the fenced-off town must be opened under the control of the UN in line with international law and in a manner that will act as a catalyst for a comprehensive settlement.

Also touching on the north’s relations with Turkey, Erhürman stressed the CTP rejects Ankara’s tutelage, dominance and interference in the north’s domestic affairs. He said the Turkish Cypriots are fully capable of self-governance.

Erhürman, responding to a question on the reports that Turkey was planning to convert the Geçitkale (Lefkonoiko) airport into a military base, said that never before had the Turkish Cypriot community been so blatantly ignored or dismissed.

He also said the announcement of the plans by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan without the knowledge of the parties and government in the north was proof of the unhealthy relationship between the north and Turkey.

He added the CTP is against establishing any military bases on the island. “We are against the idea of a military base in Paphos or Geçitkale (Lefkonoiko) because we want peace on the island,” Erhürman stressed, adding that the CTP is against armament whether in the north or the south.

Erhürman also said the CTP will continue to work for a united federal Cyprus in line with the UN resolutions and based on the political equality of the two communities.

KEY ACTORS
Erhürman (CTP)
>> TCs’ will never accept Turkey’s tutelage. CTP rejects Turkey’s interference in the north’s domestic affairs.
>> CTP supports CBMs. Maraş (Varosha) must be opened under UN control in line with international law & in a way that will support a comprehensive solution.
>> CTP opposes the idea of Turkey establishing military bases on the island.
>> CTP will continue to work for a united federal Cyprus in line with the UN resolutions & based on the political equality of the two communities.


TC car-thief remanded for two more days


Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Internal Security

OVERVIEW

The Nicosia District Court in the north on Tuesday ordered a Turkish Cypriot man, who is being accused of stealing a car from the south and bringing it to the north, to be remanded for a further two days in police custody.

The police are searching for his accomplices as well as trying to locate the stolen car. The police, who had arrested the suspect for stealing a pick-up type vehicle in Avgourou in the Famagusta region, had also identified the suspect together with two others who crossed to the south illegally. The man was caught upon his return to the north.

The Turkish Cypriot police also obtained video footage of the suspect at a petrol station in Famagusta in the north.


Translate »