Front Page Headlines
We need to speed up vaccinations!
Dr Soumya Swaminathan from the World Health Organisation: “We need to vaccinate at least 60 to 70 per cent of a country’s population to achieve herd immunity. The north: 250,502 doses-32.8 per cent of the population. The number of people who have received the first dose is 157,761. The number of people who have received both doses is 125,741. According to the State Planning Organisation’s 2019 population projection, only 32.8 per cent of the north’s population of 382,230 people have received both doses. The south: 970,077 doses-44.3 per cent of the population. The number of people who have received their first doses is 526,537. The number of people who have received both doses is 443,540. According to the last official census, only 44.3 per cent of the population of 838,897 have been vaccinated.
Customs ordeal at the Free Port
The shortage of customs officers at the Famagusta Free Port led to a crisis yesterday. Dozens of trucks with their drivers had to wait for hours for the customs officer on duty, who was assigned to another task outside of the port, to return so that they could exit the freight ships.
- Time has come to share some facts – Tözün Tunalı, Deputy Leader of the Democratic Party (DP) said the party’s central executive board (MYK) will convene next week following Afet Özcafer’s resignation. He said the DP does not intend to withdraw from the government but is planning on calling for an early election in January or February.
Concern and outrage
Havadis spoke to shopkeepers and business owners in Famagusta regarding the city’s sewage network improvement project, which will be completed in two years and which had been awarded to the Çeltikçioğlu Construction for €20.5m following the tendering process.
- “We will veto the positive agenda” – Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades, who met with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, sent a threatening message on Maraş (Varosha) to Turkey from Athens.
- Both north and south of us on fire – Three fires broke out in South Cyprus and a forest fire in Manavgat district of Antalya in Turkey as temperatures linger above the seasonal average.
Let this set an example
Retired doctor Bület Dizdarlı is managing a health centre that carries out over 1000 PCR tests a day and administers over 400 doses of Covid-19 vaccines.
Insults to 48 per cent (of the north): EOKA garbage
The Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) supporters stepped up their attacks and insults against Mustafa Akıncı and the 48 per cent who had voted for him in the last elections. MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli’s deputy Semih Yalçın took his turn to insult Akıncı calling him ‘EOKA garbage.’ They are even unaware that Akıncı, who was wounded from his leg during the fighting in Nicosia in 1974, is also a war veteran.
- Erdoğan was misinformed according to Erhürman – the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) apparently did not attend the special parliamentary session (during which Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan delivered a speech) to protest Ankara but to draw attention to the lack of dialogue (between Turkey and the north).
- A serious warning for Turkey from the EU – If Turkey does not reverse its actions in Maraş (Varosha), the EU will utilize all its tools against Turkey.
Main News
Tatar & Saner continue to defend Maraş (Varosha) initiative
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Negotiations Process, Property, Territory
OVERVIEW
The Turkish Cypriot leadership on Wednesday continued to defend the Maraş initiative, claiming that the move regarding the fenced-off city was designed to reinstate property rights of the town’s former residents.
Both Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar and Turkish Cypriot Prime Minister Ersan Saner on Wednesday condemned the statement issued by High Representative Josep Borrell calling on Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot side to reverse its actions on Maraş (Varosha).
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Tatar said the move will allow Maraş (Varosha) to be freed of its current hostage status, allowing former residents to return. He also stressed it is out of the question for Maraş (Varosha), which falls within the Turkish Cypriot territorial jurisdiction, to be given away to the Greek Cypriot side as a territorial concession.
Tatar also said the EU’s statement, which disregarded the Turkish Cypriot community, has no weight or value for the Turkish Cypriot side. He argued that the Greek Cypriot leadership had suffered a heavy blow in terms of its position on the Cyprus Issue and that it will no longer be able to use Maraş (Varosha) as a propaganda tool.
Tatar reminded that were already 36 applications pending at the Immovable Property Commission (IPC) for properties located within the recently demilitarized area. “The most important aspect of these applications is that the Greek Cypriot property owners have already declared their willingness to claim their rights on their immovable properties in the fenced-off town,” Tatar stressed, adding that the IPC will be allowed to conclude these cases now that the area in which they are located is no longer a military area.
He pointed out that the Greek Cypriot side was actually preventing GC refugees from regaining their properties when demanding the reversal of the decision. “This attitude will only help prolong the status quo on the island,” he added.
Accusing the EU of being biased towards the Greek Cypriot side, Tatar stressed a fair and sustainable agreement in Cyprus can only be established through negotiations based on the common ground agreed by the two sides.
“In this respect, the equality between the two sides is vital,” he stressed, adding that the balance on the island can be achieved when sovereign equality and equal international status of the two sides are accepted and recognised.
Echoing similar viewpoints, Ersan Saner claimed that the EU has disregarded its founding principles of democracy, rule of law and respect for human rights with its statements. “The EU, which encourages the Greek Cypriot side’s irreconcilable attitude, is in the wrong by threatening Turkey with sanctions over the Turkish Cypriot side’s Maraş (Varosha) initiative, which is being carried out in line with international law and respect of European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) decisions,” Saner said in a statement issued from his office.
He said the property claims will be resolved through the IPC as a result of the Turkish Cypriot side’s decision to demilitarise a small portion of Maraş (Varosha). Saner urged the EU to try to make the Greek Cypriot side see the realities on the island instead of trying to prevent the Turkish Cypriot side from taking the correct steps forward.
“There are two peoples, two states and two democracies on the island and as long as this fact is disregarded, the Greek Cypriot side’s irreconcilable attitude will only continue increasingly,” Saner stressed, adding that as a result, it will not be possible for the two states on Cyprus to collaborate and set an example for the region.
KEY ACTORS
Tatar
>> Move on Maraş (Varosha) designed to reinstate property rights of the town’s GC residents.
>> Out of the question for Maraş (Varosha), to be given away to the GC side as a territorial concession.
>> EU’s statement has no weight or value for the TC side.
>> IPC applications prove GC property owner’s willingness to regain their properties.
>> Demilitarization of the area in question will allow IPC to conclude pending cases.
>> GC leadership preventing GC property owners from regaining their properties by demanding the reversal of the decision.
>> EU is biased in favour of the GC side.
>> Fair & lasting solution can only be reached on basis of common ground agreed between two sides.
>> Equality between two sides is vital, only possible through the recognition of sovereign equality & equal international status of two sides.
Saner (UBP)
>> EU has disregarded its founding principles of democracy, rule of law and respect for human rights with its statement.
>> EU is in the wrong by threatening Turkey with sanctions over the TC side’s Maraş (Varosha) initiative, carried out in line with international law & ECHR decisions.
>> EU should try to make the GC side see the realities on the island instead of trying to prevent the TC side from taking correct steps.
Şentop: Isolation of TCs must end
Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog
Regional/ International Relations
OVERVIEW
Speaker of Turkey’s Grand National Assembly Mustafa Şentop, on Wednesday, said the unjust isolations and embargoes imposed on the Turkish Cypriots must end. Speaking ahead of the signing ceremony for the Baku Declaration by the heads of the parliaments of Turkey, Azerbaijan and Pakistan, Şentop pointed to the importance of the steps to be taken by Azerbaijan to decrease the impact of the embargoes imposed on Turkish Cypriots.
He also expressed the belief that the solidarity shown by Pakistan to the Turkish Cypriot people will increase in the future. Emphasizing that Cyprus, like Karabakh, is a national issue for Turkey, Şentop said that the main reason for the non-solution of Cyprus for the last five decades is the Greek Cypriot side’s unwillingness to share power and wealth with the island’s co-owners, the Turkish Cypriots.
He also noted that the Turkish Cypriot side submitted in writing to the UN Secretary-General (UNSG) demanding that its sovereign equality and equal international status be recognized so that the negotiations between the two states can begin.
“The Turkish Cypriot side prepared its proposal on establishing a cooperation relationship between the two states on the island,” he said. “We believe that the aforementioned vision of the Turkish Cypriot side will ensure a solution in Cyprus, strengthen regional peace and stability at the same time and support the vision in question,” Şentop said.
Emphasizing that he sincerely wishes to change the status quo, which has been subjecting the Turkish Cypriots to inhumane embargoes for years, Şentop said, “We expect the international community to support this process and to evaluate the new offer proposed by the Turkish Cypriot side without prejudice.”
Contract signed for conservation works at Agios Synesios Church in Dipkarpaz (Rizokarpaso)
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Human Rights, CBMs
OVERVIEW
The Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage (TCCH) announced the signing of a conservation contract for the Church of Agios Synesios in Dipkarpaz (Rizokarpaso) village.
A statement issued from the UNDP on Wednesday stated that the work to be carried out will ensure that the church is conserved to its originality in accordance with the technical designs and drawings. The specific project is co-funded by local donors and implemented within the framework of the TCCH, with financial support from the EU.
The conservation works, which are due to be completed by the end of March 2022, will focus on conservation of the floor, iconostasis, ambon and other religious and historic items by a conservator; stabilisation of historic plasters, structural consolidation of the church; cleaning, repair and waterproofing of the roof; restoring of the original rainwater drainage system; cleaning of the stone masonry of the church; consolidation of the belfry and restoration of the perforated stone tracery’s and conservation and restoration of existing openings.