Front Page Headlines
Surviving on ₺4,324 (€434) a month
An agreement was reached on the new minimum wage after meeting for two months. A 12.95 per cent increase has brought the new minimum wage to ₺4,970 (€498.94) gross and ₺4,324 (€434.09) net. The employees’ trade union has said that businesses that employ fewer than ten people will receive 50 per cent social insurance premium support. Those who employ over ten will receive 30 per cent in support.
- Overcrowded education! – KTOEÖS (Turkish Cypriot Secondary School Teachers’ Union) questions on what scientific basis are overcrowded conditions in classrooms based.
New minimum wage Gross ₺4,970 (€497) Net ₺4,324 (€432)
The commission tasked to identify the new minimum wage finally reached a consensus on a new figure after two months of wrangling. The commission, which consists of representatives from the state, employers and the workers, adopted the decision by unanimous vote.
- The state will cover treatment costs for Asya.
This is not education
The photograph shared by the Turkish Cypriot Secondary School Teachers’ Union (KTOEÖS) from the Lapta (Lapithos) Yavuzlar High School caused outrage. KTOEÖS revealed that some of the schools are not ready for face-to-face education. There are 40 students in 30 m2 classrooms at the Lapta (Lapithos) Yavuzlar High School.
- Consensus reached below the poverty threshold – The commission tasked to identify the new minimum wage, convened for the fourth time yesterday. The meeting was concluded in two sessions and the new amount was identified as ₺4,324 (€432) net.
Preparation for what?
The Greek Cypriot military first carried out a naval exercise with French forces. Yesterday they carried out a joint military exercise in the South with Egyptian commandos. The recent military exercises carried out with France, Egypt and Israel have drawn attention. According to CNA, a naval exercise was carried out off the eastern coast of Larnaca the other day with the participation of a helicopter from the French 460 SAR Air Fleet. A separate exercise started in a forest south of Nicosia yesterday. The exercise named “Ptolemaios 2021″ will continue for two weeks and is said to be aimed at increasing the operational capabilities of both forces.
Knowingly being poisoned
An official from TPIC, which transported the dirty fuel in tankers to the Teknecik Power Plant, following his meeting with the head of KIBTEK’s (Turkish Cypriot Electricity Authority) Board of Directors Turan Büyükyılmaz, confessed to delivering low-grade fuel. He said they had supplied the fuel to the power plant because of the difficult situation KIBTEK was in.
- Education in chaos – Parents are forced to take their children to schools. Social distancing rule disregarded in 30 m2 classrooms.
- Minimum wage: Net ₺4,324 (€432) – The minimum wage is identified and will be valid from September 1 onwards. The decision was adopted by unanimous vote by the representatives from the state, employers and workers.
Main News
New poll reveals majority of TCs support a two-state solution
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
The majority of Turkish Cypriots support a two-state solution in Cyprus, a poll commissioned by the Turkish Cypriot leader’s office revealed. According to the results of the survey published just days before Tatar departs for New York for meetings on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly (UNGA), 49.2 per cent of respondents said they wanted to see a two-state settlement based on equal sovereignty.
The poll, which was carried out with a sample group of 1010 people and implemented by face-to-face interviews, entitled “Tendencies and expectations on the Cyprus issue,” also revealed that only 33.1 per cent want a federal settlement in Cyprus.
In the other options provided for the participants, 11.3 per cent ticked being annexed to Turkey; four per cent opted in favour of a solution under the roof of the Republic of Cyprus and one per cent ticked the confederation option.
Of the participants in response to a question on Turkey’s effective guarantees, 81 per cent said the continuation of the guarantees are important compared to 14.3 per cent saying it is not important. Another 83.2 per cent of the participants said the presence of Turkish troops on the island is vital, compared to 12.5 per cent saying the opposite.
54.1 per cent of the participants said Turkey means “motherland” to them, whereas 25.3 per cent said Turkey is “an ally.” 15.6 per cent of the participants perceived Turkey only as a “guarantor state,” and 2.6 per cent as an “occupying force.”
Anıl Kaya, who is political affairs advisor to Ersin Tatar, in his evaluation of the poll results, said the survey showed Tatar’s policies on the Cyprus issue were being supported by the people. The poll was carried out by the Red Border polling company.
KEY ACTORS
Red border Research
>> Majority of (49.2 per cent) of TCs want to see a two-state solution in Cyprus.
>> Only 33.1 per cent want a federal Cyprus, 11.3 per cent opt for annexation with Turkey, 4 per cent prefer to live under the roof of RoC.
>> 81 per cent support continuation of guarantees, 83.2 per cent want to continue the presence of Turkish troops on the island.
Saner slams British Higher Commissioner Lillie for remarks on Cyprus
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
Turkish Cypriot Prime Minister Ersan Saner on Wednesday said the UK could not contribute to the efforts to reach a settlement in Cyprus by disregarding the Turkish Cypriots’ rights and demands. In a statement issued from his office, Saner reacted to the recent remarks made by Stephen Lillie, the British High Commissioner in Cyprus.
“We have been disturbed by the recent remarks made by the British higher Commissioner Lillie, who is accredited to the Greek Cypriot administration,” Saner said, adding that there were two separate states in Cyprus.
“Lillie is taking sides with the Greek Cypriot side by rejecting the Turkish Cypriot side’s position in favour of equal sovereignty and two-state concept,” Saner stressed, urging the UK to adopt an impartial stance.
He also added that Lillie’s claims on federation being the only way out for a solution in Cyprus is neither realistic nor acceptable.
Saner recalled that the Republic of Cyprus (RoC) only survived for three years until the Greek Cypriot side attacked the Turkish Cypriots on December 21, 1963, to annex the island to Greece. He added since then the Greek and the Greek Cypriot duo have rejected all the solution plans to date.
“Furthermore, the federal solution options completely collapsed due to the attitude displayed by the Greek Cypriot side in Crans Montana in 2017,” Saner argued, adding that not accepting the existence of two states on the island would only serve the Greek Cypriot side’s positions.
KEY ACTORS
Saner (UBP)
>> UK cannot contribute to solution efforts by disregarding TCs rights & demands.
>> British Higher Commissioner taking sides with GC side by rejecting TC side’s position in favour of a two-state solution based on equal sovereignty.
>> UK must adopt an impartial stance on Cyprob.
>> Rejecting the fact that there are two states in Cyprus serves the GC side’s position, not peace.
The new minimum wage set below the poverty threshold
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Economy, Governance & Power Sharing
OVERVIEW
The commission tasked to identify the new minimum wage was finally able to reach an agreement on Wednesday despite objections that the figure was was still ₺142 (€14.2) below the poverty threshold. A consensus was reached on a 12.95 per cent increase, setting the minimum wage as ₺4,970 (€498) gross and ₺4,324 (€434) net.
The commission, which is made of five representatives of the state, five representatives of employers’ and five representatives from the trade unions representing the workers, has met three times since July 28, 2021, before identifying the new minimum wage.
Nonetheless, the Turkish Cypriot Public Servants’ Union (KTAMS) on September 7, had said the gap between the minimum wage and the poverty threshold continues to grow every passing day. KTAMS said the poverty threshold by the end of August stood at ₺4,466 (€446), adding that the families who are trying to make ends meet on a minimum wage salary were being crushed by price hikes and inflation.
The trade union also argued the new minimum should be enough to restore the public’s purchasing power, arguing for the need to make legal amendments to include the minimum wage in the law that regulates giving cost-of-living increments to the public sector once every six months.