TCC Press Review 5 Sept 2021

Front Page Headlines

Yenidüzen

Incomplete road poses a high risk

The fatal accident which took place on the Alsancak (Karavas) ring road brought the danger posed by the incomplete road back into the spotlight. The Mayor of Alsancak (Karavas) Fırat Ataser pointed out that the road which remains uncompleted because of a lack of funds poses a serious safety risk. The Minister of Public Works and Communications Resmiye Canaltay said they were looking for money to complete the road.

Kıbrıs

How will the money belonging to workers be paid back?

The Court decided that the ₺100m (€10m) loan taken out from the Provident Fund for the Social Security Department following a decision adopted by the Council of Ministers in 2011, must be paid back with interest. The court also held the Social Security Department and the state responsible for the loan which exceeds ₺250m (€25m) with interest. It seems impossible for the state, already suffering a shortage of funds to pay back the loan.

Diyalog

Big success

It’s been reported that the number of visitors who arrived in South Cyprus in the first eight months of the year has exceeded 2.5m. The figures show that despite a bad tourism season in 2020 due to the pandemic, numbers have gone up again in the first eight months of the year. According to a statement issued by Hermes Airports which runs Larnaca and Paphos airports, 2,511,239m people flew to the south in the first eight months of 2021. The statement also pointed that there were 50 companies operating flights to South Cyprus and that Russian, as well as UK citizens, made up the majority of tourists. While Russians and the Brits prefer Agia Napa and Paralimni, Polish tourists prefer Paphos.

  • I am a victim –Gülnaz Nejmi who criticized Emirates for not recognizing her PCR test carried out in the TRNC for her flight to Dubai called on everyone to raise their voice against the injustice being committed against Turkish Cypriots.
  • The goal is more vaccinations – All eyes in South Cyprus have now turned to the Mu variant of the coronavirus.

Avrupa

Inaugurated a school with prayers

They had promised that North Cyprus would be provided with whatever means available in Turkey. That promise has already come true … Türk Maarif Koleji (High School) in İskele (Trikomo) was inaugurated with prayers…This is the first in our history! Even the British colonial regime which had established the Islamic high school in Cyprus to further push for religious segregation, could not succeed in achieving this.

Main News

Coalition government continues to handout citizenships unlawfully

Yenidüzen
Migration and Citizenship

OVERVIEW

The National Unity Party (UBP)-Democratic Party (DP)-Rebirth Party (YDP) coalition government continues to grant new citizenships daily, Yenidüzen reported on Sunday.

The official gazette published on Saturday revealed the details of 23 more individuals who were granted citizenship, some unlawfully. The daily pointed out that among the individuals was one person who failed to meet the necessary criteria to apply having only worked in the north for four years.

Foreign nationals applying for ‘TRNC’ citizenship are required by law to have worked in the north uninterruptedly for 11 years to be eligible. Yenidüzen had reported on August 28, that the coalition government had granted 2,460 citizenship in the past five months. 673 of these citizenships were given by the “approval of the Interior Ministry,” and the remaining 1787 people obtained the right of citizenship through marriage.

According to the figures the daily published, 13,516 people submitted applications for citizenship from 2006 to 2021 while 3,923 people applied for citizenship through marriage from 2016 to 2021. 12,790 applicants are Turkish nationals and 726 of them are third-country nationals.


Tatar advocates two-state solution during contacts in Turkey

Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Diyalog, Avrupa
Negotiations Process, Energy, Property, Territory

OVERVIEW

Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar on Saturday continued to play the same tune regarding a settlement of the Cyprus Problem.

Tatar who is on a tour of several cities in Turkey reiterated his known position on the fenced-off town of Maraş, stating that the former residents will be able to return to their properties through the Immovable Property Commission (IPC).

Speaking at a press conference following his meeting with the head of the Turkish Bar Association Metin Feyzioğlu, Tatar recalled that the first steps on Maraş (Varosha) had been taken at a meeting held in the fenced-off town with the participation of investors, businessmen and experts.

“I am very pleased to see the decisions adopted during that meeting, which had been organized by the Turkish Bar Association, being implemented,” Tatar said, adding that the reopening of the town will end past grievances and end human rights violations.

Touching on the Eastern Mediterranean, Tatar said the Turkish Cypriot side will continue to act together with Turkey in line with the Blue Homeland doctrine. “The TRNC is Turkey’s representative in the Eastern Mediterranean,” Tatar stressed, adding that together with Turkey, they will stand against the Greek and Greek Cypriot duo’s ambitions to take control of the region.

He also noted that the Geçitkale (Lefkonoiko) airport had been allocated for the use of armed and unarmed unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to monitor the developments in the region. 

For his part, Feyzioğlu said the Turkish Bar Association will do its part in developing ideas and strategies against the Greek Cypriot side’s attempts to make the Turkish Cypriots a minority on the island. “The isolations and embargoes imposed by the Greek Cypriots on the Turkish Cypriots have become severe human rights violations,” he argued, adding that the Greek Cypriot side’s attempts are futile.

Feyzioğlu added the isolations and embargoes can be overcome with smart and practical methods through an effective plan. “During our meeting upon a request from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, we have presented President Tatar a strategic road map,” Feyzioğlu concluded, expressing his gratitude to Tatar for defending and advocating for the Turkish Cypriots’ cause with determination.

KEY ACTORS
Tatar
>> Former residents of Maraş (Varosha) will be able to return to their properties via IPC.
>> Reopening of town will end grievances & human rights violations.
>> ‘TRNC’ is Turkey’s representative in the East Med & will continue to act together with Ankara.
>> Geçitkale (Lefkonoiko) airport to be used to station UAVs to monitor the region.

Feyzioğlu (Turkey)
>> Isolation of TCs can be overcome with smart & practical methods.


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