Front Page Headlines
If it’s going to end, it’s going end’
Quarrel within the minority government continues. While those who earn the minimum wage are after a salary increase, citizens complain about the high cost of living, Covid-19 figures continue to rise, the coalition partners within the minority government are bickering amongst themselves. Tensions between the National Unity Party (UBP) and the Rebirth Party (YDP) flared up again. Once again YDP members said it was not possible to continue with the UBP and said if it’s going to end, it’s going to end.
- Tatar: We will travel to New York in September. We could be holding bilateral or three-way meetings but there will be no official negotiations.
- Anxious countdown to restart face-to-face education begins.
Wholesale market law has become a necessity
The extreme summer heat and high-profit margins of producers have led to the hike of retail prices of vegetables and fruits to unreasonable figures. While the people complain about the high prices, the sellers complain about monopolies in the market. The importers on the other hand complain about the high costs for imports.
- “There will not be official negotiations, there might be bilateral and trilateral meetings” – President Ersin Tatar said the Turkish Cypriot side is planning to go to New York during the UN General Assembly week.
Worse than the pandemic
Havadis looked into the traffic accidents that took place in the country this year. The outcome is frightening. According to police records, 1365 collisions were recorded from December 28, 2020, to August 5, 2021. 11 people have died as a result of these accidents.
We are ready
Prime Minister Ersan Saner said that his party was ready to hold early elections in the blink of an eye if the need arose. He said that holding early elections after the UBP’s general congress on October 24 would be not right in terms of timing as the date for early elections had been set to April 3, 2022. Saner, however, said that they were ready to hold early elections if that was what the conditions dictated. Saner also said that work aimed at the party congress was continuing and that they were listening to the public’s problems wherever they went. “We are receiving good feedback from the public,” he said.
- Reactions to Gjerde – The visit by the UNFICYP commander to the commander of the Turkish Cypriot Security Forces and the photograph taken in front of the Turkish flags outraged Greek Cypriots.
200 new citizens each day
The Interior Ministry has lately stepped up the process of granting citizenships …The government on the other hand is not responding to any questions on the issue. Republican Turkish Party (CTP) MP Asım Akansoy asked whether it is true that the ministry is granting new citizenship to 200 people per day with ministerial approval only.
- The anti-pandemic protest was staged – A group of people objecting to the government’s Covid-19 measures and mandatory vaccination, staged a protest in Kyrenia.
Main News
Tatar: Bilateral & Trilateral talks will be held in NY
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Negotiations Process, Property, Territory
OVERVIEW
Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar on Sunday said that he and his team will be travelling to New York later next month for contacts on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly (UNGA).
He said that he could be attending bilateral and trilateral meetings but ruled out the possibility of holding official talks. “The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres can chair a trilateral meeting with the Greek Cypriot leader, but it will still be an informal one,” Tatar said in an interview with the Turkish Cypriot news agency TAK on Sunday.
Tatar also said that the UN Special Envoy Jane Holl Lute was expected to visit the island in the coming days to hold meetings with both sides ahead of the UNGA. He added that the Turkish Cypriot negotiations team was preparing for the UNGA week, noting that the Turkish Cypriot delegation will also meet with the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in NY.
Responding to a question on his earlier remarks on Güzelyurt (Morphou) under the territorial adjustment chapter, Tatar stressed he is behind his words that Güzelyurt (Morphou) will not be returned to the Greek Cypriot side.
“The TRNC has reached a different level today and nothing is the same as it was in the past,” Tatar reiterated, adding that Güzelyurt (Morphou) is an important area for the economic development of the north. Tatar reminded that the Greek Cypriot side had rejected and squandered opportunities in the past, adding that late Greek Cypriot foreign minister Nicos Rolandis had documented the missed opportunities in his latest book.
“The north’s development must continue despite the international isolations and embargoes,” Tatar stressed, arguing that the Greek Cypriot side continues to use the advantage of its international recognition to exert pressure on Turkish Cypriots.
Pointing to the criticisms directed at the Dutch parliamentarian for visiting Turkish Cypriot Tourism Minister Fikri Ataoğlu, Tatar said the Greek Cypriot side once again has shown its inhumane face. “Despite the Greek Cypriot side’s efforts to silence the north and limit TRNC’s international relations, the Turkish Cypriot side will continue and develop its international relations,” he said, urging the Greek Cypriot leadership to “end its enmity against the Turkish Cypriot side and respect human rights.”
Asked to comment on ceremonies held for those who died during the intercommunal fighting, Tatar said he believes all the remembrance ceremonies must be a state ceremony and marked at the highest level.
KEY ACTORS
Tatar
>> TC side to travel to NY for meetings on the sideline of UNGA but no official talks will take place.
>> Güzelyurt (Morphou) will not be returned as part of territorial concessions. The area is valuable for the north in terms of economic development.
>> GC side continues to use international recognition to further isolate TCs from the international community.
Tatar: GC side’s attempts of domination is unacceptable
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar on Sunday said that the Greek Cypriot side’s domineering mindset was in no way acceptable.
In a written statement issued from his office on Sunday, Tatar evaluated the criticisms directed at UNFICYP’s Force Commander Major General Ingrid Gjerde for her visit to Major General Zorlu Topaloğlu, Commander of the Turkish Cypriot Security Forces.
The UNFICYP commander came under bombardment from the Greek Cypriot side after posing for a photograph in front of Turkish and ‘TRNC’ flags. The Greek Cypriot administration went as far as calling for her removal.
“Such attacks prove once again that the Greek Cypriot side’s racist, anachronic and inhumane mindset has not changed at all,” Tatar argued. He also reiterated that the Greek Cypriot leadership continues its attempts to sanction the Turkish Cypriot side’s international relations while leading the efforts to impose isolations and embargoes on the Turkish Cypriot community.
“This is not only unacceptable but is also a violation of international human rights,” the Turkish Cypriot leader said, arguing that the EU and the international community are keeping quiet about the Greek Cypriot side’s attitude.
Tatar argued that the Greek Cypriot side while perceiving itself as the sole administration on the island, saw the Turkish Cypriots as a minority on the island. “There are two states on the island and TRNC is the Turkish Cypriot community’s state,” the Turkish Cypriot leader stressed, adding that the north without a doubt will continue its international relations.
“We urge the Greek Cypriot administration to end its animosity and come forth for an agreement on the island,” Tatar said, stressing that the Turkish Cypriots have as many rights as the Greek Cypriots on the island.
KEY ACTORS
Tatar
>> GC side’s mindset regarding UNFICYP commander unacceptable.
>> There are two states in Cyprus.
Akansoy questions allegations on citizenships
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Migration and Citizenship
OVERVIEW
Republican Turkish Party (CTP) MP and former Interior Minister Asım Akansoy asked Prime Minister Ersan Saner to confirm or to refute the claims that the Interior Ministry is granting 200 new citizenships per day.
In a social media post on Sunday, Akansoy pointed out that he has yet to receive a response to his inquiry which he filed through parliament three months ago.
“Prime Miniter Saner remains quiet on the matter as well,” Akansoy complained, adding that the citizenship issue causes public distress and harms the public’s conscience. “The authorities must swiftly respond to citizenship queries with facts and numbers,” Akansoy concluded. Avrupa on Monday carried the issue to its front page.