Front Page Headlines
Never-ending fight
Strong accusations: “give a testimony to the police”. Former National Unity Party (UBP) leader and Prime Minister Ersan Saner who claimed he was the victim of a character assassination regarding the scandal video called on the new Prime Minister Faiz Sucuoğlu to go and give a testimony to the police.
Police receive numerous calls from female victims of violence
Incidents of violence against women continue to rise in the country… The police unit established to investigate such incidents received 1063 calls in 2020, however, the same unit received 834 calls from January to October of 2021. It is noted that women are subject to assault, battery, harrassment and threats.’ Mahmut Gümüşsoy, head of the relevant police unit, also noted that many victims do not file complaints when under pressure, or if there is a child in the house or when the victim does not have a place to go to. He also pointed out that some of the victims are women of certain economic power and status. “The women who suffer from violence are under police protection and they must know nothing will happen to them. The victims should not refrain from calling the police and filing a complaint,” Gümüşsoy stressed.
- History about to vanish – 200-year-old Boltaşlı (Lythrangomi) mosque is left to its fate. The restoration that started seven years ago, was never completed.
The gap is big
The total amount of bank deposits in North Cyprus is €4.7bn, 41.2bn in South Cyprus. Despite the opportunity that emerged in 1974, North Cyprus has not been successful economically. Despite having sold land and property belonging to Greek Cypriots or having found the citrus orchids and olive groves ready to be exploited, the TRNC has not only been unsuccessful in standing on its own feet, but its citizens have also fallen behind their Greek Cypriot neighbours. The total amount of deposits in banks in South Cyprus as of September 2021 has reached €41.2bn. The north remains at €4.7bn. A €2.1bn increase was recorded in savings of foreigners in September who has settled in South Cyprus.
- TRNC silent and shows no reaction – The Greek Cypriot administration will be able to monitor the UAVs with the thermal cameras placed along the Green Line.
- He received $40,000 – It was claimed that the Azeri national was planning to assassinate five Israelis.
Sucuoğlu is avoiding the police
Ersan Saner’s outrage against Faiz Sucuoğlu is not subsiding. Saner pointed out Hasan Taçoy went to the police to testify but Faiz Sucuoğlu, even though he had said he will go to the police immediately after the UBP Congress, has yet to go to the police. The congress had been completed nearly a week ago, but Sucuoğlu has yet to testify at the police.
- Workshop held on the history of Cyprus in Şanlıurfa (Turkey) – History teachers working in Cyprus also attended the workshop on the history of Cyprus organized by the Turkish Historical Society and the TRNC Education Ministry.
Main News
Ertuğruloğlu: We will inform the new SRSG on our position as well
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Diyalog, Avrupa
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
Turkish Cypriot Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu on Saturday said he will be filling in the incoming Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) in Cyprus Colin Stewart on the Turkish Cypriot side’s positions.
Speaking during a web TV programme, Ertuğruloğlu noted that he had “argued with the outgoing SRSG Elizabeth Spehar for years and now will do with Stewart. We will try to teach him something.” He also reiterated that he does not have any expectations from the UN.
“We will continue to maintain our determined position as the UN will continue to treat Turkish Cypriots unfairly while respecting the Greek Cypriot side as a UN member state,” he stressed, arguing that he is fully aware of UN not displaying any equality, justice or impartiality between the two sides on the island.
UN Secretary-General (UNSG) on Thursday announced the appointment of Colin Stewart of Canada as his new Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP). Stewart is expected to assume his duty by the end of November.
KEY ACTORS
Ertuğruloğlu (UBP)
>> TC side to fill in new SRSG on TC side’s positions.
>> UN will continue to treat TCs unfairly, UN is not displaying any equality, justice or impartiality between the two sides on the island.
Tatar: “Unacceptable to try to force TC producers under GC authorities”
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Diyalog, Avrupa
Economy, EU Matters
OVERVIEW
Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar on Saturday officially admitted he had sent a letter to EC President Ursula von der Leyen to draw attention to the difficulties created for the Turkish Cypriot producers on the Hellim (Halloumi) process including its export to EU even though the product designated origin (PDO) registration of the Cypriot cheese was adopted on April 12, 2021, and the decision had entered into force on October 1.
In a statement issued from his office, Tatar claimed that the goal is to try to force the Turkish Cypriot producers to accept and be subjugated to the Greek Cypriot authorities on the issue of PDO registration.
“The discrimination and unfair treatment of the Turkish Cypriot producers is unacceptable,” Tatar said in his letter, urging von der Leyen to revise the EU’s demands on the Turkish Cypriots as it violates the bloc’s core value of neither side exerting its authority over the other side.
“The Greek Cypriot side by taking the Turkish Cypriot producers under its control aims at exercising its authority throughout the entire island,” Tatar said, warning that the Greek Cypriot side’s approach would not help bring peace or stability on the island.
Reminding EC its responsibility to establish a workable mechanism on the PDO registration throughout the island, Tatar also demanded the Commission to appoint a company for the hygiene controls for the Hellim (Halloumi) to be exported via the Green Line Regulation (GLR) to the EU.
Tatar underlined that the decisions are taken by the EU on Hellim (Halloumi) harm the current environment on the island while the sides continue their efforts to find areas of collaboration and to build confidence between the two sides and harm the Turkish Cypriots’ confidence in the bloc as well.
KEY ACTORS
Tatar
>> GC side trying to pressure TC producers to operate under its authority.
>> Discrimination & unfair treatment of TC producers is unacceptable.
>> GC side’s approach will not help bring peace or stability.
>> EC should appoint a company for hygiene controls to Hellim (Halloumi) to be exported via the GLR.
>> EU’s decision is harming the current environment on the island as efforts continue to build confidence between the two sides. TC side’s trust in the EU is also being shaken.