Front Page Headlines
The youth unhappy and without hope
The youth spoke to Yenidüzen about their worries and their demand for change. They shared their hopes and despair. A group of young people aged between 18 and 31 from different backgrounds spoke to the daily’s reporters about their daily concerns.
We reached the end of the road
The fourth price hike in fuel in two months has angered everyone. While the people cannot even think about how to make ends meet, sector representatives emphasized that the repeated price hikes have drained the public completely.
- We will be together with our Turkish Cypriot brothers on the first day of Eid al-Adha – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said he will be in the TRNC for July 20 Peace and Freedom Day.
The minimum wage evaporates at the fuel pump
Havadis compared the latest price increase in fuel with the minimum wage. The result is tragic. The minimum wage with the latest increase has gone beyond the point it was in July 2020. Last year, the people were able to purchase 565 litres of 98 octane fuel with ₺3,323 (€324) net minimum wage, however in 2021 with ₺3,828 (€373), one can only purchase 503 litres.
He should definitely take a look
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan should not only visit Maraş (Varosha) but also the historic Kyrenia port. The Turkish President’s upcoming visit to the TRNC on July 20 has become the number one issue for Greek Cypriots who fear losing Maraş (Varosha). It is believed that Erdoğan will be calling on former residents of the town to return to their homes under the TRNC administration. Turkish Cypriots are eagerly waiting for Erdoğan’s visit. Shopkeepers in Kyrenia want the Turkish president to stop by the historic harbour which they say is completely neglected. “The area could be given a face-lift if Erdoğan intervenes,” they say.
- Greek Cypriots in panic – 104 cases in the north, 1081 in the south.
Madness
Anyone who speaks against the fascist dictatorial regime in Turkey is being silenced! A group of Turkish nationals yesterday went to the Kyrenia police headquarters and filed a complaint against Şener Levent, Serhat İncirli, Şener Elcil and Mustafa Ertanın. The police in Nicosia refused to accept the complaint made by another person against the same people in Nicosia. The police told the individual to “go to the Turkish Embassy to file his/her complaint.”
- Tatar switched off the TV for Serhat İncirli – Sibel Tatar claimed İncirli was instigating animosity against Turkey during his programmes on Kanal T and ended his morning programme. Moreover, she said she will file a lawsuit against him as well.
- Turkey is against the critics – This Country is Ours Platform while declaring support to Ali Bizden and Ahmet An, said the Turkish administration has no tolerance for any critical voice in Cyprus.
- KTÖS gave Tatar forms to return his ID – Turkish Cypriot Teachers’ Union (KTÖS) gave the necessary forms to return his Republic of Cyprus (RoC) ID and passport to Ersin Tatar, who said he will but never did.
Main News
TC MFA criticizes Borrell, says Maraş (Varosha) is TC territory
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Property, Territory, Negotiations process
OVERVIEW
The Turkish Cypriot Foreign Ministry on Tuesday described the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Policy Josep Borrell’s latest remarks on Cyprus as extremely unfortunate, stating that his comments disregarded the Turkish Cypriot community.
It is necessary to remind the international community and the EU officials that Maraş (Varosha) is located within the Turkish Cypriot territory and any step taken in the fenced-off town is taken by the Turkish Cypriot side and the government, the ministry said in a written statement.
“The international community’s interlocutor on Maraş (Varosha) and other issues generally is the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus,” it added. Borrell expressed concern on Monday, July 12 over developments regarding the fenced-off town of Maraş (Varosha), given Ankara’s plans to change reopen the fenced-off town.
At a press conference following the conclusion of the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels, Borrell said that both the president of the European Commission and the president of the European Council had reaffirmed the importance of avoiding unilateral action to change the status of Maraş (Varosha) set by UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions.
“The bloc has chosen its side in Cyprus,” the ministry claimed, arguing that the EU’s approach to the Cyprus Problem has made it impossible to speak about the principles of equality or impartiality. It claimed that the EU had made a historic mistake by admitting the Greek Cypriot side as a full member without solving the Cyprus problem.
The ministry also noted that Borrell by rejecting the two-state solution model had once again failed to comprehend the Turkish Cypriot side’s righteous demands. It argued that the Turkish Cypriot side’s proposal based on the sovereign equality and equal international status of the two sides tabled at the five-plus-once conference in Geneva will actually open the way for a mutually acceptable and sustainable agreement on the island.
“Expecting any outcome against the Greek Cypriot side’s positions on the Cyprus issue from the EU, which disregards the Turkish Cypriot community completely, would be naïve,” the ministry argued, adding that the Turkish Cypriot side with Turkey’s support will continue to protect the rights and interests of the Turkish Cypriot community.
KEY ACTORS
Ertuğruloğlu (UBP)
>> Borell’s remarks which disregard TCs extremely unfortunate.
>> Any step or move made on Maraş (Varosha) is done so by TC authorities, not Turkey.
>> EU has made it clear it cannot be impartial on Cyprob.
>> Borell has once again failed to comprehend the TC side’s righteous demands by rejecting the two-state solution model.
>> Two-state solution will open the way for a mutually acceptable & sustainable agreement in Cyprus.
>> Expecting the EU to change its stance on Cyprob would be naïve.
Talat: “Federation means to be equal, not being absorbed by the GC side”
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Negotiations process
OVERVIEW
Former Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat on Tuesday urged the current Turkish Cypriot leadership to change its policies in favour of a federal settlement.
“Federation means being an equal part on the island and not to be absorbed by the Greek Cypriot community,” Talat stressed, warning that the Turkish Cypriot community is now faced with the risk of returning to the early 2000s.
In a statement evaluating recent developments, the former Turkish Cypriot leader said that Turkey’s support on its own was not enough to integrate Turkish Cypriots with the world. He recalled that his and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s efforts to establish a federal settlement that will transform the Eastern Mediterranean into a basin of peace and collaboration was the primary policy that the Turkish side promoted for the past 18 years.
“Nonetheless, the new solution model adopted after the latest presidential elections, based on sovereign equality is pushing everyone who desired a peaceful future on the island to despair,” Talat argued. He added that the statements to be made by Erdoğan during his upcoming visit on July 20 carried the risk of making the situation even worse.
Drawing attention to the example of Kosovo, raised often by those opposing a federal settlement, Talat said Kosovo had earned its semi-recognized status by complying with the requests of the western countries and not fighting with them.
“We as the Turkish Cypriot side must not imitate Turkey’s behaviour in the international arena and instead take peaceful steps,” Talat said, adding that the Turkish Cypriot side only stands to lose by trying to speak louder than the Greek Cypriot side.
He also stressed trying to order around the UN Security Council (UNSC) and demanding that it revokes its resolution on the north is simply unrealistic.
“We have to immediately abandon this path, which is no way acceptable by the world and win international support to push the Greek Cypriot side to accept a settlement on the island,” Talat said, stressing that the best solution model that will receive international support is the one as described in the UNSC resolutions and that is federation.
KEY ACTORS
Talat (CTP)
>> TC side should support a federal settlement.
>> Federation means being an equal part of the island & not being absorbed by the GC community.
>> Erdoğan’s remarks on July 20 could make matters worse.
>> TCs should not imitate Turkey’s behaviour in the international arena & instead take peaceful steps.
>> Expecting UNSC to revoke its resolution is unrealistic.
TC MFA condemns SBA authorities over Pile (Pyla) pipeline dispute
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
Turkish Cypriot Foreign Ministry on Tuesday condemned the Sovereign Base Area (SBA) authorities for removing a water pipeline built for the Turkish Cypriots living within the territory of the Beyarmudu (Pergamos) Municipality.
In a written statement, the ministry accused the British authorities of failing to even tolerate a Turkish Cypriot local administration from delivering a basic service to its residents. It also argued that the Turkish Cypriots living both in base areas and within the municipal boundaries have been receiving municipal services such as water from the Beyarmudu (Pergamos) Municipality for years.
Providing details of the dispute, the ministry claimed the municipality had laid a 40-metre-long water pipeline to water a football pitch located within the municipal boundaries after receiving verbal approval from the SBA administration.
It added that the 40m long pipeline built on July 12 was removed by SBA personnel. The ministry also recalled that the SBA authorities, despite numerous warnings and protests filed through diplomatic channels, was also imposing the Greek Cypriot side’s coronavirus measures in the area which caused the Turkish Cypriot residents of Pile (Pyla) distress. It said that the Turkish Cypriots’ freedom of movement had been restricted for more than a year and a half.
It also argued that the authorities were creating difficulties for the Turkish Cypriot shopkeepers who brought their goods from the north. “We condemn the SBA administration that cannot even tolerate the Turkish Cypriots receiving basic municipal services from a Turkish Cypriot local administration,” the ministry concluded.
KEY ACTORS
Ertuğruloğlu (UBP)
>> SBA cannot even tolerate a TC local administration providing services to its residents.
>> Pipeline was removed despite a verbal approval received from SBA authorities.
KTÖS calls on Tatar & Saner to return their RoC IDs
Avrupa
Migration & Citizenship
OVERVIEW
Emel Tel, President of the Turkish Cypriot Teachers’ Union (KTÖS) on Tuesday said despite all the obstacles and obstructions, the union’s efforts to obtain Republic of Cyprus (RoC) citizenship for children of mixed marriages and to ensure these individuals also enjoy the rights of being an EU citizen continued.
Reading out a press statement at a protest KTÖS staged outside the Office of the President, Tel added that the union, which has been in regular contact with EU officials, foreign missions and the UN on the matter, has won the first case filed at the Greek Cypriot courts.
She said that Greek Cypriot authorities were now by law required to give a receipt of proof when receiving an application filed for citizenship. Tel also argued that the Greek Cypriot officials hold the RoC citizenship as a trump card in their hand given the absence of a solution on the island.
During the protest, Tel also called on the Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar and Turkish Cypriot Prime Minister Ersan Saner to return their RoC IDs and passports to GC authorities as they had earlier claimed they would do so.
She also accused Tatar and Saner of helping Turkish authorities prepare a “blacklist” of Turkish Cypriots. “Both of you are hypocrites. On one side you claim there is no RoC and that Turkish Cypriots cannot join the EU member without Turkey and on the other, you and your relatives benefit from all the rights granted through EU membership,” Tel argued, stressing it was unacceptable.
We will stand strong against all attacks on basic rights and freedoms
Avrupa
Human Rights
OVERVIEW
“This Country is Ours” Platform said the members that form the platform will stand strong against all the attacks on basic rights and freedoms of Turkish Cypriots.
The platform on Tuesday issued a statement after it emerged that former Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akıncı’s press advisor Ali Bizden and researcher, writer Dr Ahmet Cavit An were barred from entering Turkey on the premises that they were regarded as a threat to Turkey’s national security.
Pointing out that the decisions taken against the Turkish Cypriots are parallel to how the “presidential elections” were carried out in the north. “All the anti-democratic implementations that disregard the Turkish Cypriots’ political will are interlinked,” the platform argued, stressing that it will stand in solidarity with all the patriots and progressive Turkish Cypriots against any attack on basic rights and freedoms.
It also argued that the regime in Ankara had no tolerance for an alternative voice in Cyprus, alienating and ostracizing progressive Turkish Cypriots that support a federal settlement on the island.
“The efforts to seal the division of Cyprus with a ‘two-state – sovereign equality’ nonsense has been intensified knowingly violating all UN resolutions and parameters to date; and the work to create a puppet regime in the north by disrespecting and disregarding the secular, democratic and liberal structure of the Turkish Cypriot community have been speeded up,” the platform argued, warning that the developments will only deepen the rift between Turkey and Turkish Cypriots.
The platform urged the authorities to launch urgent initiatives to protect the Turkish Cypriots and stop presenting them to Turkey as if they were Turkey’s enemies. “We urge the Turkish Cypriots to strongly embrace the will for a federal solution on the island and to protect basic rights and freedoms,” the platform concluded.