Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review-14.08.19
No. 152/19
Content
1. Elvan: “Turkey is a guarantor in Cyprus. It will definitely take Turkish nation’s rights”
2. Efforts to build more mosques in the occupied area of Cyprus
1. Yeni Safak claims that a partnership model based on cooperation should be discussed in Cyprus
2. Erdoğan says that they won’t let former allies to break their fraternity
3. Only modest recovery expected in Turkey’s economy for 2019: report
A. Turkish Cypriot Press
1. Elvan: “Turkey is a guarantor in Cyprus. It will definitely take Turkish nation’s rights”
Turkish Cypriot newspaper Vatan (14.08.19) reports that speaking during a meeting of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) in Mersin, within the framework of the celebrations for the Feast of Sacrifice, Lutfi Elvan, chairman of the Planning and Budget Committee of the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA), has referred to the importance of the occupied area of Cyprus and alleged:
“Turkey is a guarantor of Cyprus. In spite of this, efforts are exerted to prevent the way of both our country and the TRNC in the Eastern Mediterranean. We have struggled against these and we keep struggling. Whatever the rights of the Turkish nation and the TRNC are, they will be obtained. No one can prevent Turkey, no one will be able to prevent Turkey […]
While on the one hand intensive efforts are exerted to create a terror corridor in our south, on the other there are some circles who are in a quest in the Eastern Mediterranean saying ‘how we could corner Turkey, how and in which manner we could prevent Turkey’s way?’ […]”.
(I/Ts.)
2. Efforts to build more mosques in the occupied area of Cyprus
Under the title “While tens of mosques are empty…”, Turkish Cypriot newspaper Afrika (14.08.19) reports that efforts to build more mosques in the occupied area of Cyprus are exerted in spite of the fact that many of the existing mosques are empty. In its column “Kalay” (“Tin”), the paper writes the following:
“A picture was shared on the social media on the first day of the Bayram. The picture had been taken during the prayer for the Bayram at the Gonyeli Mosque. Afterwards, it was understood that the picture, which shows people praying in the street because they could not fit into the mosque, was taken last year. It is obvious that the aim of those who shared the picture is to force the construction of a new mosque by creating the impression that the mosque in Gonyeli is inadequate. Immediately afterwards, they anyway started saying that ‘a mosque of 10 thousand persons in Goneyli has become absolutely necessary’. While tens of mosques are empty, they may continue praying in the streets until a new mosque is built and no one can tell them to stop. In any case, mosques are military barracks and the believers are soldiers…”
(I/Ts.)
B. Turkish Cypriot Press
1. Yeni Safak claims that a partnership model based on cooperation should be discussed in Cyprus
Under the title “A new model in Cyprus”, Turkish daily Yeni Safak (14.08.19, https://www.yenisafak.com/dunya/kibrista-yeni-model-3502007) on its front page, reports: “The TRNC administration [Trans. Note: the breakaway regime in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus] has turned towards new models since the searches for solution, who have been going for a half of a century, have remained fruitless. A partnership based on cooperation would now be attempted. Until now, all kind of negotiations have been tried in Cyprus, technical, political, face-to-face and between committees. There were meetings during breakfast, lunch or dinner. The leaders sat at the table with and without ties, with their spouses and without. No result has come out from any trilateral, five-side or closed meeting or even meetings with referee. In the new model, the TRNC will seek a ground for cooperation with the Greek Cypriots on the island’s wealth, combating terrorism and human trafficking. It will be agreed within the process whether this model will launch or not a period for new solution.”
The paper further reports that the “TRNC administration” has already turned towards new models by recalling the latest statements of Kudret Ozersay, self-styled foreign minister, during the 11th annual Ambassadors’ Conference in Ankara, who said that “the conditions for a federal partnership do not exist today in Cyprus, because the federal partnership is a model of partnership based on sharing administration and wealth and the Greek Cypriot community was allegedly not ready for sharing. (…) Partnership models based on cooperation should be discussed. The continuation of the negotiations without questioning the ground would be the continuation of the status quo and the non-solution”.
(DPs)
2. Erdoğan says that they won’t let former allies to break their fraternity
According to Turkish news portal Turkish Minute (13.08.19, https://www.turkishminute.com/2019/08/13/erdogan-addresses-new-party-efforts-says-akp-to-continue-getting-stronger/), Turkey’s President, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, on Tuesday addressed former allies who are engaged in efforts to establish new political parties, stating that his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) would continue to get stronger, according to Turkish media.
“We won’t let them break our fraternity,” Erdoğan told party members in a video conference call during a gathering for Eid Al-Adha. Former AKP heavyweights Ali Babacan and Ahmet Davutoğlu are in talks to separately establish new political parties.
In a statement on Thursday Babacan said he is working with colleagues to bring together a staff that is strongly representative and inclusive, underlining the need for new strategies and plans required to overcome the problems the country is facing. He is supported by Turkey’s former President, Abdullah Gül, while avoiding former Prime Minister Davutoğlu.
Erdoğan had previously threatened them, saying that “those who betray will pay a heavy price”. According to the latest poll, Babacan’s party would garner around 8% while Davutoğlu is expected to get 3% support.
Meanwhile, Turkish online newspaper T24 (11.08.19, https://t24.com.tr/haber/meclis-kulislerinde-konusulan-anket-yeni-partiler-ne-kadar-oy-alir,834436) reported that according to a poll discussed in the backstage of Turkey’s Assembly, if elections were held today, the AKP would have received 39%, CHP 27%, HDP 11%, IP 10.1%, MHP 9.9%. The paper also reported that in case the two parties were established, then Babacan is expected to get 8% and Davutoğlu will get around 3%.
The two new parties would get 4-5% points from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), and it is expected that the percentages of the Good Party (IP), the Republican People’s Party (CHP) and the National Movement Party (MHP) would also lose 1.5-2 points from their percentages.
The only party that would not be affected by the establishment of these two parties is HDP for the time being.
3. Only modest recovery expected in Turkey’s economy for 2019: report
According to Turkish news portal Turkish Minute (13.08.19, https://www.turkishminute.com/2019/08/13/only-modest-recovery-expected-in-turkeys-economy-for-2019-report/), Turkey’s economy, which suffered a currency crisis last year, is still in the doldrums and only a modest recovery is expected, according to Dutch bank ABN Amro, the Ahval news website reported.
Key measures reflecting consumer and business confidence show no indication of a sharp bounce back from previous lows, ABN Amro economist Nora Neuteboom said in a report published on Tuesday. “While we have seen the worst, we only expect a modest recovery,” she said.
Turkey’s government is seeking to stimulate the economy through cheap lending from state-run banks and lower Central Bank interest rates. The lira hit a record low of 7.22 to the dollar last August after concerns of an overheating economy were exacerbated by a political crisis with the United States over the detention of an American pastor.
Treasury and Finance Minister Berat Albayrak, the son-in-law of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, says Turkey is emerging from its downturn and that economic growth will be positive this year.
ABN Amro expects an economic contraction of 1.5% in 2019 before the economy recovers to post growth of 2.5% next year, Neuteboom said. Recovering consumer confidence suffered another blow in May, while retail sales and the manufacturing outlook remain negative, she said. (…)
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