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TURKISH CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW No. 26/2018

 

1.Akinci congratulates Anastasiades

2.Akinci denies interference in the Republic of Cyprus Presidential Elections

3. Ozgurgun: “The statements regarding the map are comical”

4. Burcu replied to Ozgurgun and accused him of not reading the Cyprus talks archives

5. The priorities of the new “government”- The “coalition partners” maintain their positions on the Cyprus problem  

6. An increase to the occupancy rate of hotels in the occupied area of Cyprus in 2017

7. The “state planning organization” announced a decline on the “inflation” in January

8. “Kibris” reveals that the murder of a Nigerian student brought into the agenda the troubles of the African students in the occupied area of Cyprus

9. A church in occupied Yialousa is in a bad condition

10. Kemal Kılıcdaroglu re-elected as chairman of Turkey’s main opposition CHP

11. Turkey’s top religious body: “Demons use their left hand to eat”

 

 

1. Akinci congratulates Anastasiades

According to illegal Bayrak television (05.02.18, http://www.brtk.net/?english_posts=parliament-convened-today), Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci has congratulated President Nicos Anastasiades for his election victory.

 

In a statement on his social media account, Akinci also congratulated independent candidate Stavros Malas for his performance.

 

“I hope Mr Anastasiades during his second term will follow a more realistic and constructive policy for a comprehensive settlement and peace in Cyprus” Akinci said.

 

 

2.Akinci denies interference in the Republic of Cyprus Presidential Elections

According to illegal Bayrak television (03.02.18- http://www.brtk.net/?english_posts=akinci-denies-interference-in-gc-elections) Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci alleged that the attempts to present his latest statement regarding the retraction of the Turkish Cypriot side’s map submitted to the UN in Geneva as interfering in the elections in the “south” was unacceptable.

 

In a statement via social media, Akıncı claimed that he was watching with amazement how conspiracy theories were being created over the issue. “The second round of the presidential elections which will be held in south Cyprus on the 4th of February is an internal issue which concerns only the Greek Cypriots. Just as the Turkish Cypriots decide and vote for their own leader and TRNC president, it is only natural that the Greek Cypriots too decide on who their own leader will be. Our interference in the elections in the south is out of the question”, he alleged.

 

Akıncı further explained that the Turkish Cypriot side’s request from Mr. Eide in July following the developments in Crans-Montana and Mr. Anastasiades were only fulfilled in December and that the map had been returned to the Turkish Cypriot side. “This issue was only made public recently following the inquiry of the media. It is out of the question to accept attempts made to present this issue as interference in the elections in the south” he claimed.

 

 

 

3. Ozgurgun: “The statements regarding the map are comical”

Turkish Cypriot Daily Star Kibris newspaper (03.02.18) reports that the chairman of the National Unity Party (UBP) Huseyin Ozgurgun said that the statements that the map the Turkish Cypriot side submitted  in Switzerland was returned to it after it demanded it, are comical.

 

Ozgurgun was speaking after a meeting of UBP where he said that the fact that the Turkish Cypriot side submitted a map on the first place “was one of the biggest mistakes took place against the Turkish Cypriot people”. He also said that his party warned against the submission of the map which as he alleged provides that the most vital zone of the breakaway regime were to be handed to the Greek Cypriots. According to Ozgurgun, despite their warnings Akinci did even discuss with them these issues.

 

Finally, Ozgurgun wished the best for the “new government” and expressed the hope that Akinci will work with it better, since, as he alleged, the Turkish Cypriot leader participated in its formation.

(CS)

 

4. Burcu replied to Ozgurgun and accused him of not reading the Cyprus talks archives

Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (03.02.18) reported that Baris Burcu, the spokesman of the Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci, criticized the statements of the National Unity Party leader (UBP) Huseyin Ozgurgun that the statements regarding the map the Turkish Cypriot side submitted during the Cyprus talks are comical.

 

Burcu who issued a written statement, accused Ozgurgun of not reading the archives of the Cyprus talks adding that this is the reason that the UBP leader made this comment.

 

 He also said that Ozgurgun is not happy for losing the “prime ministry” adding that he has to search and find out “why he was not able to form a new government after his party came first at the elections”.

 

Burcu said that after the Greek Cypriot side withdrew its proposal, the Turkish Cypriot side asked form the UN the map that it submitted in Geneva. Following this, the map was returned to the Turkish Cypriot side on December 8, 2017.

(CS)

 

 

5. The priorities of the new “government”- The “coalition partners” maintain their positions on the Cyprus problem 

Under the title “Radical revision”, Turkish Cypriot daily Havadis newspaper (02.02.18) reports that the new four-party “coalition government” under “prime minister”, Tufan Erhurman has prepared a “protocol”, which consists of 22 articles and provides for the solution of the “chronic problems of the country which have been waiting for a solution for years”.

 

The “protocol” provides for the quick completion of the “draft-law” as regards the reforms in the “public sector” and for amending the “labour law”. According to the “protocol”, the criteria for granting “citizenship” will change so that the “arbitrary practices” applied in this field are prevented and some boundaries will be put to granting “citizenship”. After a certain period of time those who work in the occupied area of Cyprus with a “work permit” will be granted a “white card” and will have the opportunity to obtain all the “citizens’ rights” except for the “right to vote” and be “elected”. Furthermore, a “law” will be implemented providing that the new “citizens” will not have the “right to vote” in the first elections after they were granted “citizenship”.

 

The parties also agreed that they will deal with the “lawless”, “irregular” and “corrupted” actions of the past regardless of which party had been in “power” when they were committed, that they will undertake initiative before the “police” and the “attorney general’s office” and that if necessary “immunities” will be lifted. Moreover, the “protocol” provides that they re-examine and amend the “election law”, which was implemented for the first time in the “early parliamentary elections” held on 7 January, 2018 and was subject of criticism.

 

The “protocol” provides also that the “government” will undertake an initiative to sign a new “mutual assistance agreement” with Turkey which will make personal record control possible during entering or exiting the occupied area of Cyprus.

 

In the “protocol” the four “coalition partners” state also that they will maintain their positions on the negotiations for finding a solution to the Cyprus problem. It is noted that the “government” will “take care of keeping the dialogue” with the Turkish Cypriot leader as regards the Cyprus negotiations at the “most healthy level”.

(I/Ts.)   

    

6 An increase to the occupancy rate of hotels in the occupied area of Cyprus in 2017

Under the title “Tourism breathed a sigh of relief in 2017”, Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (05.02.18) reports that the average occupancy rate of tourist facilities in the occupied area of Cyprus increased in 2017 to 58.5%, by increasing  20.4% compared to 2016. The average occupancy rate was 48.6% in 2016.

 

The average occupancy rate of the casino hotels was 62.7%, while the average occupancy rate of the other hotels was 48.7%. The data also showed that accommodation increased by 20.3% and overnight at 23.6%.

 

According to tourism data released by the “tourism planning department”, the number of Turkish citizens, who use the tourist facilities in the occupied area of Cyprus, has increased by 14.3% in 2017 compared to 2016, from 621,819 persons to 710,889 persons.

 

Meanwhile, there was an increase of tourists, who were referred to as “other foreigners”. In 2017, 345,584 from the 410,082 persons, who travelled to the occupied areas of Cyprus from third countries, which is equivalent to 84.27% stayed in tourist facilities.

(DPs)

 

7. The “state planning organization” announced a decline on the “inflation” in January

According to illegal Bayrak television (03.02.18- 13:07http://www.brtk.net/?english_posts=inflation-goes-down) the so-called state planning organization has announced that “the cost of living went down in January by 0.22%. The highest price rise was seen in certain vegetables such as green beans, cucumbers and Japanese persimmons. The highest drop in prices was seen in three goods, state lottery tickets, zucchinis and tomatoes. According to the Consumer Price Index there was a drop in the prices of 6 of the 12 main groups and a rise in the other 6”, the statement said.

 

 

8. “Kibris” reveals that the murder of a Nigerian student brought into the agenda the troubles of the African students in the occupied area of Cyprus

Under the title “They are brought with lies and they live in fear”, Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (05.02.18) reports that the murder of a Nigerian student in the occupied area of Cyprus brought into the agenda the difficulties of the students coming from African countries to study in the illegal universities in the occupied area of Cyprus.

 

According to the paper, the educational consultants abroad present the “TRNC” as an “EU country”, a “cheap country” and a “country with high employment opportunities”.  So, when the students in African countries listen to them, they choose to come in “TRNC” by paying those agencies with the hope that “they will study and work at the same time”. Unfortunately, the situation that the students face is completely disappointment.

 

However, the African students, who fall into this illegal situation, are afraid to talk or demand their rights due to the fear of “deportation”. For this reason, they prefer not to give their names to the paper and they want to have an appointment with the Turkish Cypriot leader to ask for help.

(DPs) 

 

 

9. A church in occupied Yialousa is in a bad condition

Under the title “Either demolish it or repair It”, Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (05.02.18) reports that an old church in the occupied village of Yialousa faces the danger of collapse due to abandonment. The families, who their children play around the church, worry that the church will collapse soon and put in danger their children. They have made a complaint to the “authorities”, to repair the church or to demolish it.

(DPs)

 

 

10. Kemal Kılıcdaroglu re-elected as chairman of Turkey’s main opposition CHP

Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (04.02.18, http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/kemal-kilicdaroglu-re-elected-as-chp-chair-126734) reported that Kemal Kılıcdaroglu was re-elected for a 5th term as chairman of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) late on February 3. Voting was held in the capital, Ankara, at the party’s 36th ordinary congress chaired by Yılmaz Buyukersen, Mayor of the Central Anatolian province of Eskisehir.

 

Kilicdaroglu won 790 votes while his main challenger, Muharrem İnce, a Deputy from northwestern province of Yalova, secured 447 votes. Thirteen delegates abstained from voting.

 

After his re-election as leader, Kilicdaroglu said that his new term would not be easy.

“Our struggle is the struggle of 80 million, the struggle for Turkey’s future. We have to advance democracy. This is our main duty and we owe it to this nation,” he said. Kilicdaroglu pointed the finger at the government for leading the country to a point where many people are now questioning the future of the country. “I will give you the guarantee of peace on this land,” he said, pledging prosperity for Turkey.

 

Also speaking after the vote, defeated candidate İnce said he would continue the “righteous struggle.”

 

11. Turkey’s top religious body: “Demons use their left hand to eat”

Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/demons-use-their-left-hand-to-eat-turkeys-top-religious-body-126760) reported that Turkey’s Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) stated on its official website on February 3 that using one’s left hand while eating is not desirable, warning that “demons eat and drink with their left hand.”

 

“Establishing general principles regarding eating and drinking, the Prophet Muhammad did not regard eating with the left hand as pleasant,” the Diyanet said in response to a question on eating habits.

 

“Indeed, he attached great importance to this issue and warned his community that demons eat and drink using their left hand. He therefore advised children to only use their right hand when they eat or drink,” added the statement.

 

The Diyanet was flexible for people with physical disabilities, saying it was OK for them to use their left hand for eating or drinking if necessary.

 

………………….

 

TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

 (AK/ AM)