Front Page Headlines
The reality of escaping from Güzelyurt (Morphou)
Seven MPs in 1998, three in 2022. The Supreme Electoral Board (YSK) lowered the number of seats allocated for the Güzelyurt (Morphou) District from four to three for the upcoming January 23 general elections. The number of voters in the town in 1998 was 17,842 and the number of eligible voters for the upcoming elections was identified as 17,490. More and more people have been abandoning the area and moving to other districts resulting in a drop in the number of seats allocated for the district in the 50-seat parliament.
- 365 students, 57 teachers and 15 personnel test positive for coronavirus at schools.
- Serious accusations: “Top secret documents on the state, the military and the police, guns and explosives.”
The wrong person buried in the wrong grave
Another shocking development in our country. The bodies of V.G and C.T. were mixed up at the Dr Akçiçek Hospital in Kyrenia, shocking the family members. It emerged that one of the men whose funeral was supposed to take place yesterday had already been buried on December 1 while the other body remained in the morgue.
- This investigation will stir up trouble – The police who searched E.Ç’s house as part of an ongoing investigation into an incident of the violation of privacy found numerous classified documents belonging to the police and the Turkish Cypriot Security Forces (GKK) The police also found two handguns together with bullets and USB drives.
Organised affairs
It emerged that work permits had been issued for the people working for the illegal online betting set-up ‘Perabet’ through a front company. The police investigation on ‘Perabet’ which was launched in Famagusta, is now extended to Nicosia. Police detained two more suspects.
The black box of FETÖ in Cyprus
The investigation concerning E.Ç who posed as Turkish Secret Service MİT agent brought to light new developments. It is claimed that EÇ is behind the documents and videos leaked by Turkish mafia boss Sedat Peker. The special police investigative unit who acted following our reports raided the suspect’s house finding important documents on police officers investigating members of FETÖ (Fethullah Gülen Terrorist Organisation). It is also revealed that the car used by E.Ç has a plate number starting with the letters “FG.” It is claimed that the car was gifted by Fethullah Gülen to Sedat Peker, who then gave it to him.
Main News
Tatar insists on his invitation for the Pope to visit the north
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Diyalog, Avrupa
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar on Friday relayed his invitation to Pope Francis, who is currently visiting the southern part of the island, through the UN.
Speaking on the issue during a visit to Bayrak, Tatar said he believed the Pope’s meeting with him and the Turkish Cypriot Mufti, who is also the head of the religious affairs office would give the world very important messages. Tatar said the official invitation would be handed over to the Pope through the UN on Friday.
Later in the day, Tatar’s office released the invitation letter sent by his special adviser Ergün Olgun. In the letter, Tatar welcomed Pope Francis to the island of Cyprus.
Tatar pointed out that the Republic of Cyprus (RoC) was established as a partnership state by Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots but was then broken up in 1963 following the outbreak of intercommunal clashes.
“Since then the RoC has turned into a Greek Cypriot state and we the Turkish Cypriots were left with no other option but to establish our democratic structure in the north,” Tatar said. He went on to say that the Greek Cypriot side since then has adopted rhetoric to legitimize their positions on the island.
“Nonetheless, the efforts for a settlement despite the UN’s and the Turkish Cypriot side’s goodwill failed to date,” Tatar said, inviting the Pope to the north on behalf of the Turkish Cypriot people.
“I strongly believe it is fairer to listen to the two sides to understand the problem better,” Tatar said, adding that such a meeting would also allow discussing the issues about the Catholic Maronite community who reside in North Cyprus.
“Missing such an opportunity for a meeting would be a disappointment,” Tatar said, expressing his hope for a positive response to the invitation.
Ertuğruloğlu condemned GC side’s unilateral hydrocarbon activities
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Diyalog, Avrupa
Energy
OVERVIEW
Turkish Cypriot Foreign Ministry on Friday condemned the Greek Cypriot side’s unilateral hydrocarbon activities, stressing that the necessary response will be given
In a statement issued, the ministry said, “The Greek Cypriot side granting permits for hydrocarbon exploration proves that they will continue to try to usurp the rights of the Turkish Cypriots.” The statement also noted that the Greek Cypriot side’s unilateral actions not only violate the Turkish Cypriots’ rights but also violate Turkey’s continental shelf.
The statement also recalled that the proposal on co-management of the hydrocarbon resources submitted on July 13, 2019, and Turkey’s proposal of holding a regional conference on the issue are still valid and on the table.
“The Greek Cypriot side is solely responsible for escalating tension in the Eastern Mediterranean,” the statement read, stressing that the Turkish Cypriot side together with Turkey will not refrain from adopting the necessary measures to protect the rights of both the Turkish Cypriots and of Turkey.
KEY ACTORS
Ertuğruloğlu (UBP)
>> TC side will give the necessary response to GC side for granting licenses to Exxon & Qatar Petroleum.
>> GC side’s actions not only violate TCs’ rights but violate Turkey’s continental shelf as well.
>> TC side’s proposal for co-management of hydrocarbon resources remains on the table.
Ertuğruloğlu protests the British SBA Administration
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Diyalog, Avrupa
Internal Security
OVERVIEW
The Turkish Cypriot Foreign Ministry on Friday protested the British Sovereign Base Areas (SBA) administration for handing over a Turkish Cypriot who allegedly was engaged in criminal activity at the bicommunal village of Pile (Pyla) to Greek Cypriot officials.
In a statement issued on Friday, the ministry stressed the village of Pile (Pyla) was located in the buffer zone and had a special status whereby the Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot police were authorized to deal with any incident involving their respective citizens.
“In this regard, and despite the Greek Cypriot police’s acknowledgement that the alleged activity took place in the buffer zone, it is unacceptable and in contradiction with the established practice and custom that a TRNC citizen in question was not handed over to the TRNC authorities,” the statement read, stressing that the Turkish Cypriot authorities strongly protest the SBA administration’s decision, adopted following a trial held at the SBA court on December 3.
“Our diplomatic efforts for handing over of the Turkish Cypriot to the TRNC authorities are underway,” the statement concluded.
The two sides clarify: No changes on the crossings for Cypriots
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Diyalog, Avrupa
CBMs, Internal Security
OVERVIEW
The Turkish Cypriot Higher Board for Infectious Diseases and the Greek Cypriot Head of the bicommunal Technical Committee on Health on Friday both clarified a confusion that emerged following some reports in the Turkish Cypriot press that all those using the crossing points required to present a negative PCR test carried out in the last 72 hours.
Both authorities announced that there were no changes introduced to procedures at the crossing point, that a negative PCR or rapid test carried out in the last seven days would suffice for the vaccinated while non-vaccinated persons would require a negative PCR or rapid test carried out in the last 72 hours.
The committees said the test requirement concerned passengers arriving at air and seaports of the RoC as part of measures aimed at preventing the spread of the new Omicron variant. The bicommunal technical committee on health, following a review of the epidemiological situation on November 19, decided to reintroduce the test requirement for vaccinated persons.
Everyone wishing to cross between north and south is required to present a negative PCR or rapid antigen test, as the island’s epidemiological situation was raised to Level 3 (dark red). The new regime had come into effect on Monday, November 22.
Leonidas Phylaktou, Greek Cypriot head of the bicommunal technical committee on health in his remarks to the Cyprus News Agency (CNA) on Friday also confirmed the same that there are no changes at the crossing points for Cypriots.
The bicommunal Technical Committee is in constant communication and exchanges epidemiological data and vaccination coverage data regularly every two weeks, Phylaktou added.