Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review-22.06.18
No. 119/18
Contents
A. Turkish Cypriot Press
1. Burcu describes UNSG’s report as “unjust for the Turkish Cypriots”
2. Ozersay visited the fenced off city of Varosha and Deryneia crossing point
3. Tenders were invited by the breakaway regime for the Deryneia barricade
6. “Independent road” movement has applied to the “ministry of interior” in order to become a party
B. Turkish Press
1. Countdown begins for Turkey's 24 June snap elections
2. Erdogan speaks on Turkey’s new presidential system
3. Cavusoglu: “YPG to withdraw from Manbij on July 4”
4. Simsek: “Turkey doesn’t need the state of emergency anymore”
5. 11 detained for ‘PKK propaganda’ on social media
6. More than 500,000 people on probation in Turkey
A. Turkish Cypriot Press
1. Burcu describes UNSG’s report as “unjust for the Turkish Cypriots”
Turkish Cypriot daily Havadis newspaper (22.06.18) reports that Baris Burcu, spokesman of the Turkish Cypriot leader, has alleged that “great injustices” for the Turkish Cypriot side are included in UNSG Antonio Guterres’ report to the UN Security Council regarding the solution process in Cyprus for the period 12 August 2017 – 21 May 2018. In a written statement, Burcu claimed that in an effort to keep the balances (between the sides), the UNSG made no reference to what he called as “positive approaches of the Turkish Cypriot side” during this process and the “negative approaches of the Greek Cypriot side”. “This situation is a great injustice for the Turkish Cypriot side, just like it happened in the report submitted last September”, he argued.
Burcu said that in his report, the UNSG stressed the importance of development of relations between the two communities, the creation of a climate of trust and cooperation, the use of natural resources for the benefit of both communities and the finding of a comprehensive solution to the Cyprus problem.
Moreover, Burcu alleged that the UNSG’s report ignored the fact that, because of the negative approach of the Greek Cypriot side, the use of cell phones in both sides of the island and the permanent connection of the electricity networks could not be materialized within the framework of Confidence Building Measures (CBM). Noting that the UNSG also stresses in his report that the natural gas should be used for the benefit of both communities and encourages the sides to avoid creating tension and show self-possession, Burcu alleges:
“As Turkish Cypriot side, we have all along been warning in the direction of avoiding unilateral actions on this issue and demanding the joint administration of the natural resources by both communities. Like Mr Guterres also says in his report, because the hydrocarbons issue will be a federal power in case of a solution, the two communities will effectively participate in the exercising of this power. However, there is no solution yet. Therefore, it is absolutely necessary to reflect the same understanding in the practices [implemented] before the solution as well. In any case, the UNSG also suggests in his report that the differences should be settled peacefully before the solution as well.
In his report, UNSG Guterres confirmed once again that on 30 June 2017 he had submitted to the sides his framework (the Guterres Framework), which includes his views regarding the six issues, just like we have many times underlined”.
Noting that the UNSG intends to send a high-ranking UN official to the island with the aim of finding out whether the conditions have matured in order to “give the opportunity for the beginning of a new and meaningful process”, Burcu argued that the Turkish Cypriot side approved the UNSG’s representative and is expecting for these contacts to be held “at the appropriate time”.
(I/Ts.)
2. Ozersay visited the fenced off city of Varosha and Deryneia crossing point
According to illegal Bayrak television (22.06.18-http://www.brtk.net/?english_posts=ozersay-visits-closed-city-of-maras), so-called deputy prime minister and “foreign minister” Kudret Ozersay visited yesterday the fenced off city of Varosha.
Ozersay was accompanied by “new diplomats and high level bureaucrats from the ministry” who also held inspections at the Deryneia crossing point.
Following the tour at the fenced off city of Varosha, Ozersay and his accompanying delegation were briefed by “military officials”.
Speaking during his visit to the Deryneia crossing point, Ozersay pointed out that the “government” had launched a tender for the works which are necessary for the crossing point to open.
He alleged that they were working determinedly to open both the Aplıki and Deryneia crossing points as soon as possible. “The opening of the crossing points will contribute to economic activity both in Gazimağusa and Lefka” he further alleged.
Ozersay further argued the view that the Greek Cypriots too will benefit from the opening of the crossing points. “I believe it’s time that we start thinking of solving other problems that have become part of the status quo. We need to think outside the box”, Ozersay stated.
On the same issue, Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika newspaper (22.06.18) reports that Ozersay inspected the works which are taking place in the fenced off city of Varosha. The paper writes that the works for the opening of Varosha continues in order for its legal owners to return for residence under the “TRNC administration”.
(AK)
3. Tenders were invited by the breakaway regime for the Deryneia barricade
Turkish Cypriot daily Havadis newspaper (22.06.18) reports that tenders were invited for building a parking place, a “police” station and other buildings as well as of infrastructure regarding roads, telecommunication and water for the occupied part of the crossing point, which will open in Deryneia area. According to a statement issued by the “central committee for tenders”, the cost of the parking place has been estimated around two million Turkish liras (TL) and tenders will be accepted until 18 July.
Kemal Bagzibagli, “undersecretary” at the self-styled ministry of public works and transport, said that they are at the final stage regarding the tenders for the barricade in occupied Lefka and Apliki area and that they will invite tenders for a parking place there as well, having also as deadline for submitting proposals the 18th of July.
The paper writes that the tenders for the electronic infrastructure and the purchase of other materials for both Deryneia and Apliki crossing points had been invited a while ago and that vacancies will open for hiring “police officers” after the completion of the preparation of the “new regulations” for carrying out exams in the “police”.
(I/Ts.)
4. “Diploma crisis” in the “government” because of the veiled women graduate from the “Hala Sultan Theological school”
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris Postasi (22.06.18) reports that with instructions from the so-called minister of education Cemal Ozyigit the diplomas of the women who cover their hair and graduated from the “Hala Sultan Theological School” were not awarded. The women were awarded diplomats prepared by the “school” which are not valid since they are not signed by the “ministry of education”.
Kibris Postasi writes that apart of the families of the women who reacted against this development, Serdar Denktas, self-styled minister of finance and “deputy prime minister” also reacted against Ozyigit’s decision writing in one of his social media accounts that these students have been studying in the school for four years with the clothes they have chosen according to their beliefs and way of life. “Like every other young person they were getting ready with enthusiasm for their graduation ceremony and suddenly they are told that they have to remove their head cover in order to be photographed otherwise they cannot take their diploma”, he stated. He also added that three out of the four partners making up the “collation government” see the issue as a matter of freedom while the third one deepens the crisis which occurred since it does not reply to calls. “This is the stance of our education ministry and unfortunately we are saddened for its stance towards freedoms”, Denktas stated adding that they are doing their best so that the problem is solved.
Speaking on the issue, the “secretary of the education ministry” Asim Idris said that there is a circular on the issue according to which the graduates cannot be photographed with their head covered. He also said that the opinion of the “attorney general” was asked who confirmed that a diploma to women who cover their hair cannot be awarded.
Vatan (22.06.18) reports on the issue under the title: “Signals of rift in the government” and writes that at his social media account Denktas argued that the Hala Sultan Theological school is used to create a political crisis in the “government”.
(CS)
5. KTOEOS stated that Turkey cut to half its education aid creating problems to the schools of the breakaway regime
Turkish Cypriot Kibris newspaper (22.06.18) reports that the general secretary of KTOEOS (Turkish Cypriot Secondary School Trade Union) Selma Eylem called on the Turkish Cypriot society to react against the finance cuts from Turkey which, as she said, is leaving the children without schools and books.
She stated that Turkey has cut in half the education aid towards the “TRNC” and added that the Turkish government is using its finance aid aiming to make the Turkish Cypriot community obey to its demands.
(CS)
6. “Independent road” movement has applied to the “ministry of interior” in order to become a party
Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika (22.06.18) reports that the “Independent road” movement has applied to the “ministry of interior” in order to become a party.
According to the paper, it will be the first “eco, socialist and feminist” party in the breakaway regime. The party is also against “the hegemony of EU and the Republic of Cyprus” on the Turkish Cypriots and supports that the existence of two “people” in Cyprus is not against peace.
(CS)
B. Turkish Press
1. Countdown begins for Turkey's 24 June snap elections
Ankara Anatolia news agency (21.06.2018-https://www.aa.com.tr/en/politics/countdown-begins-for-turkeys-elections/1181172) reported that the Turkish voters will go to the polls for parliamentary and presidential elections on Sunday, June 24, with 56,322,632 registered voters and 180,065 ballot boxes across the country.
Voting is scheduled to start at 9.00 a.m. local time and continue through 5.00 p.m. local time.
Voters will be able to cast their vote after they show their ID cards or any other official identification document.
It will be forbidden to enter the voting booth with photo/video cameras and mobile phones.
Voters will cast two separate ballot papers in the same envelope -- one for the presidential and one for the parliamentary elections.
After the voting ends, ballots cast for the presidential candidates will be counted first.
For the first time, bedridden voters -- more than 17,000 -- will be visited at their homes by election officials who will pick up their ballots.
Meanwhile, some 1.49 million expats voted in a 13-day period between June 7-19 at 123 Turkish missions abroad.
Expat votes have been brought to Turkey by airmail and they will be counted at the same time as the votes cast in Turkey on June 24.
Balloting at customs gates also began on June 7 and will continue through the election day.
The Supreme Court of Election (YSK) announced that eight political parties will participate in the early parliamentary elections: the Justice and Development (AK) Party, the Republican People's Party (CHP), the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), the Free Cause (Huda-Par) Party, the newly formed Good (IYI) Party, the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), the Felicity (Saadet) Party and the Patriotic (Vatan) Party.
For the first time in Turkish history, political parties will go to elections by forming alliances.
Turkey’s ruling AK Party and the MHP have formed an alliance (People’s Alliance) while the CHP, the IYI Party, and the Felicity Party have constituted another (Nation Alliance).
A bill, submitted by the ruling AK Party and the MHP in February, stated that a political party could back another during elections.
In general elections, a political party must receive 10% of the votes nationwide for any of its candidates to win a seat in parliament. Now, only the alliance needs to pass the 10% threshold in order for the parties to claim seats in parliament.
Ballots will bear the name of the alliance juxtaposed to that of the candidates whose parties have decided to proceed with forging an alliance.
Six candidates are running for President: Recep Tayyip Erdogan for the alliance (People’s Alliance) formed by Turkey’s ruling AK Party and the MHP, Muharrem Ince for CHP, Selahattin Demirtas for HDP, Meral Aksener for the Good (IYI) Party, Temel Karamollaoglu for the Felicity (Saadet) Party, and Dogu Perincek for the Patriotic (Vatan) Party.
On the day of the elections, news media organizations will not be allowed to broadcast any political advertising, predictions or comments about the elections until 06 p.m.
Between 06 p.m. and 09 p.m. media outlets will only be able to publish official announcements about the elections issued by YSK.
Alcoholic beverages will not be sold from 06.00 a.m. to 00.00 p.m. while consumption of alcoholic beverages will also be prohibited in public places.
2. Erdogan speaks on Turkey’s new presidential system
Ankara Anatolia news agency (22.06.18-https://www.aa.com.tr/en/todays-headlines/erdogan-sheds-light-on-turkey-s-new-presidential-system/1181745) reports that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan shed light on the new presidential system of government late on Thursday.
Speaking during a special joint live broadcast on Turkish channel ATV and channel A Haber at Istanbul’s new airport, Erdogan unveiled what it will bring.
“We will reduce the number of Ministries to 16 in the presidential system of government,” he said.
He listed them as the Ministry of Justice, Interior Ministry, Ministry of National Defense, Ministry of National Education, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, Ministry of Environment and Urbanization, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Ministry of Youth and Sport, Ministry of Treasury and Finance, Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Labor, Social Services and Family, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Ministry of Industry and Technology and Ministry of Trade.
Emphasizing that the new system would cement the separation of powers, Erdogan said that the link between the government and Parliament would be cut. “In the new system, the government would just be authorized to submit a parliamentary bill on the budget. The authority for the parliamentary bill only pertains to the parliamentarians,” he said.
As another reform under the new government system, Erdogan said that four significant offices would be established. “In the first stage, four offices for Human Resources, Investment, Finance, and Digital Transformation bear great importance under the new model because they are almost the closest staff to the president,” he said.
He also shed light on the directorates to be established under the new model. “And also, of course, there are directorates to be affiliated to the President, and eight directorates are at stake here,” Erdogan said, naming them as the Directorate of General Staff, Directorate of National Intelligence, Directorate of Defense Industry, National Security Council, Directorate of Religious Affairs, State Supervisory Council, Directorate of Communication and Directorate of Strategy and Budget.
Erdogan also mentioned the changes in the economy under the new system. “Economy administration will be simplified. We will reduce the number of related ministries, which is six now, to three,” he said.
“Economy administration would be based on production, finance and trade”, Erdogan added.
He also mentioned nine councils that will be created which will bring forward proposals for policies and submit reports.
Among them are the “Social Policies Council, Health and Food Policies Council and Art Policies Council”, Erdogan said.
Asked what the motive was behind such a radical and new system, Erdogan said that some handicaps in the current system prevented them from implementing most of their work as they wished.
“The sluggishness of these structures [under the current system], which I constantly call ‘bureaucratic oligarchy’, the operations and processes in the institutions stand in our way,” Erdogan said. “We aim to clear the way with the presidential system of government”, Erdogan added.
Regarding a question on the number of vice Presidents under the new system, Erdogan said the structure in Parliament would affect the decision on it.
3. Cavusoglu: “YPG to withdraw from Manbij on July 4”
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (21.06.18-http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/ypg-to-withdraw-from-manbij-on-july-4-turkish-fm-133592) reported that the Syrian Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG), which is listed by Ankara as a terrorist organization and an offspring of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), is scheduled to withdraw from the northern Syrian town of Manbij on July 4, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has said.
Speaking to private broadcaster CNN Türk on June 21, Cavusoglu stated that Ankara’s deal with the United States on the Manbij issue is “proceeding with no problem” and the YPG is scheduled to withdraw from the town on June 4, according to the bilateral roadmap.
The Turkish army conducted its first patrolling mission around Manbij on June 18 for the implementation of the road map and the second patrolling mission was conducted on June 20.
The U.S. considers the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), dominated by YPG militants to be its main ally in the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in Syria.
Turkey has long pushed for the YPG’s removal from Manbij, where a sizeable U.S. force has also been deployed since early 2016.
The road map, which has a set timeframe, foresees the withdrawal of the YPG from the city and the establishment of a new local council to be composed of mainly Arab locals.
Çavuşoğlu also warned on June 21 that Turkey could launch a military operation in the Mahmur refugee camp in northern Iraq if the United Nations “continues to let the PKK militants stay there.”
“If they don’t do anything, then we’ll do it ourselves,” he said.
4. Simsek: “Turkey doesn’t need the state of emergency anymore”
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (21.06.18-http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkey-doesnt-need-state-of-emergency-anymore-deputy-pm-simsek-133590) reported that Turkey’s Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Simsek, speaking yesterday during a televised interview, stated, inter alia, that there is no need for Turkey to continue the state of emergency anymore as the country has already destroyed the terror corridor.
Simsek said that recent steep fluctuations in foreign exchange rates stemmed mainly from global economic developments, while some uncertainties about Turkey’s monetary policy were the main reason behind the previous fluctuations along with global economic concerns.
“Turkey needed to launch a state of emergency after a coup was attempted on July 15, 2016 and had to extend the emergency rule a couple of times. We do not want to maintain it even for one more day. Our President [Recep Tayyip Erdoğan] has pledged to end the state of emergency. This development is of great importance,” Simsek said during the interview with Habertürk TV in the south eastern province of Gaziantep.
“Turkey has already destroyed the terror corridor through various military operations, like in Afrin. And it has become successful in its fight against the Fetullahist Terrorist Organization [FETÖ]. Therefore, there is no need for the maintenance of the emergency rule anymore,” Simsek added, noting that the end of the state of emergency would positively affect the inflow of foreign fund into the country.
“Besides, the loss in the Turkish Lira has mainly stemmed from deterioration in Turkey perceptions and its negative impacts on the foreign fund inflows into Turkey”, Simsek added, noting that the recent loss in the lira was mainly due to global economic developments, namely an escalation in worries about the outbreak of a trade war.
(…)
5. 11 detained for ‘PKK propaganda’ on social media
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (21.06.18-http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/11-detained-for-pkk-propaganda-on-social-media-133591) reported that a total of 11 suspects were detained in the Turkish capital of Ankara for allegedly promoting propaganda for the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK), the Ankara Governor’s Office announced on June 21.
According to the official statement, the suspects were using social media to promote the PKK, which is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the EU and the U.S.
Meanwhile, two assault rifles and a pistol, as well as their ammunition, were captured during gendarmerie raids targeting the houses and workplaces of the suspects on June 20, the statement added.
6. More than 500,000 people on probation in Turkey
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (21.06.18-http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/more-than-500-000-people-on-probation-in-turkey-133589) reported that a total of 583,083 offenders are under surveillance as part of Turkey’s probation programs, daily Habertürk reported on June 21.
Offering an alternative to incarceration, the fundamental purpose of the probation system is to prevent individuals from committing a criminal offense again, rehabilitating them and monitoring their activities outside the prison.
The probation programs are supervised by the Justice Ministry’s General Directorate of Prisons and Detention Facilities’ Probation Department.
As part of the program, a total of 583, 083 people are on probation and 18,843 of those individuals are children under the age of 18.
As part of judicial control orders, 379,100 people are banned from travelling abroad and report regularly to police stations.
A total of 96,355 people who were released from prison because of good behaviour are now on probation.
Some 22,882 people who received punitive fines are doing community work while 62 individuals are under house arrest.
Some 60,476 people who committed drug-related crimes are receiving treatment and are on probation, including 3,124 children, according to the data.
Some 3,989 convicts are stripped of certain civil rights, while courts have deferred the announcement of verdict for a total of 533 people.
Habertürk also reported that 1,103 people have benefited from the repentance law.
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(AK / AM)
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