Turkish cypriot and turkish media review content s no. 01/16 01-04. 01. 2016



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TURKISH CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW

C O N T E N T S
No. 01/16 01-04.01.2016

1. Akinci’s new year message: It is possible to reach a solution in 2016

2. Burcu: The property issue will mainly be resolved through compensation; the estimated money to be paid for the compensations is 25 billion US Dollars

3. Burcu: We are more hopeful than in the past for a solution in Cyprus

4. The provision of electricity to the Turkish Cypriots by the Republic of Cyprus is described as “temporary but important step”

5. Further decrease in the number of applications to the “immovable property commission” in 2015

6. Ozgur: The economic ‘protocol” with Turkey must be signed the soonest

7. Columnist Yusuf Kanli reports that Turkey always save the economy of the breakaway regime in the occupied area of Cyprus

8. MHP delegation is carrying out contacts in the occupied part of Cyprus

9. An unmanned aircraft fell into the open sea area of occupied Agios Amvrosios village

10. Illegal Tymbou airport received 3,5 million passengers in 2015

11. Erdogan said Hitler’s Germany an example of presidential system with unitary state

12. Davutoglu will increase the initiatives for a Cyprus settlement at Davos
1. Akinci’s new year message: It is possible to reach a solution in 2016

According to Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris (01.01.16), Mustafa Akinci, the Turkish Cypriot leader, said that they will enter the new year with the determination to leave behind the Cyprus problem and with the hope and desire to create a brand new future within peace for the young generations.


Akinci said that although they have not overcome all the difficulties, they will continue with the same determination their efforts for understanding and there is a possibility to reach a solution within 2016.

(DPs)
2. Burcu: The property issue will mainly be resolved through compensation; the estimated money to be paid for the compensations is 25 billion US Dollars



Turkish daily Milliyet (03.01.16) reports that Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci’s spokesman Baris Burcu reiterated Akinci’s statement that the Turkish Cypriot community will not vote for an agreement that will not include Turkey’s guarantees.
In an interview to the paper, Burcu said that there will not be a solution in Cyprus which the one side will be happy and the other side will be disappointed. He argued that the island will prosper after a solution.
He also added that the issue of guarantees, which is seen as a threat for the Greek Cypriots, can be reconsidered. “The Turkish Cypriots, for their own safety, want the guarantee of Turkey. We should start thinking how we can create a guarantee system which will not mean safety for one side and a threat for the other. We should also be creative and constructive when the time comes to discuss this issue” Burcu said.
Explaining that the guarantee agreements were international agreements and that they could only be changed if all sides with signatures on the agreement came together and gave permission, he said “the guarantee system in 1960 was designed according to the conditions of the time. 55 years have passed since then. We are not living in the 60’s anymore. The content of the solution to be found will also be very different. It is going to be a bi-zonal solution.”
Stating that Governance and Power Sharing and the EU and Economy chapters are about to be finalized, Burcu said that “one of the thorny topics of the negotiations, the property issue is on the table now”. He added: “There will be a solution on the property issue which will not ruin the bi-zonality. The Turkish Cypriots will be the majority in their region”.
Stating that reinstatement will take place on some properties, he said it was their target to keep these property returns limited and prevent this from affecting the daily lives of the “people”.
“There is a search for a model in property which both sides would benefit from. Alternative properties or compensation will be granted for the Turkish Cypriots who will need to return a limited number of properties to the Greek Cypriots. The uncertainty will go and the properties will gain value. The property issue will mainly be resolved through compensation. We don’t have an extreme expectation that all money for compensation will be supplied by foreign powers, however we will receive substantial contributions. If this happens then the compensation will be paid in cash. The estimated money to be paid for the compensations is 25 billion US Dollars, said Burcu.
Noting that it is not true that the discussions are only focused on the property issue, Burcu stressed that the presence of the Turkish Cypriot community in the world is also important. He added: “Although we have established the TRNC we haven’t managed to become a recognised state. If we manage to find a solution then we will take our place in the world arena with a state structure which the Turkish Cypriot community will be an equal partner of”.
3. Burcu: We are more hopeful than in the past for a solution in Cyprus

Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (01.01.16) reported that Baris Burcu, spokesman of the Turkish Cypriot leader, has said that together with the solution of the Cyprus problem, the Turkish Cypriot “people” will acquire a legal status in the international law. In statements to a television channel Burcu evaluated the negotiations process for finding a solution to the Cyprus problem and noted that when the current negotiations are compared to the previous processes, we should be more hopeful.


Burcu claimed: “If there will be a solution, it should be balanced for both communities and should be able to take the approval of both sides. Our esteemed president has these balances. He knows well the language of the world and peace. However, he also knows well what the Turkish Cypriot people expect from him. He has created a vision by remolding all these”.
Recalling that an ad hoc committee has been established for the preparation of the Turkish Cypriots for the EU, Burcu said that the self-styled ministries of the regime, the working groups and the technical committees are working on these preparations. “It could not be expected from us to cover within 3-5 months the distance covered by other countries in 10 years”, he argued adding that what they are doing now is to prepare for the EU as soon as possible.
Wishing for the solution to speed up this harmonization process, Burcu said that Akinci will not sign an agreement that is not accepted by the people and added that the negotiating process is based on two fundamental principles: The one is that nothing is agreed until everything is agreed and the other is the secrecy principle. “In these conditions, it is not possible for us to share everything, but if the day comes we will share it with our people within an adequate period of time”, he added.
Describing the possible solution as “revolutionary change” for the Turkish Cypriots’ status, Burcu said: “Today we are complaining about everything. We are complaining about our standards, the services we are offered. The EU norms and standards will make us jump a level for arranging all these. […] The solution will offer us important possibilities. We have infrastructure deficiencies. This is very obvious. Especially under the ‘Economy’ chapter we are discussing how to overcome these. Tourism will develop. With the Euro we will obtain a stable monetary unit. A constructions boom will be experienced and this will develop 40 side sectors. […]”

(I/Ts.)
4. The provision of electricity to the Turkish Cypriots by the Republic of Cyprus is described as “temporary but important step”

Under the title “The first unification in electricity”, Turkish Cypriot daily Halkin Sesi newspaper (02.01.16) reported that a big step had been taken on 1 January on the issue of the unification of the electricity networks in the occupied area and the government-controlled area of Cyprus within the framework of the Confidence Building Measures (CBM) decided by the two community leaders during the negotiations for finding a solution to the Cyprus problem.
According to the paper, electricity of 20-30 MW was transferred though the network because of a defect in the Turkish Cypriot “electricity authority’s” (KIB-TEK) power plant.
Meanwhile, Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (03.01.16) reported that Baris Burcu, spokesman of the Turkish Cypriot leader, has said that the work launched within the framework of the Cyprus negotiations have not yet come to the point of permanently uniting the electricity networks in Cyprus, but electricity could be given on a temporary basis.
Replying to questions regarding KIB-TEK purchasing electricity from the Republic of Cyprus’ Electricity Authority (AIK), Burcu noted that KIB-TEK asked for electricity from AIK because one of its steam boilers was out of order while maintenance was conducted to the other. He said that KIB-TEK will pay the cost for this electricity.
Commenting on the issue, the self-styled minister of agriculture, natural resources and food, Erkut Sahali said that the unification of the electricity networks was “a temporary but important step”. He noted that this is a CBM and everybody will be able to benefit from this.

(I/Ts.)
5. Further decrease in the number of applications to the “immovable property commission” in 2015

Turkish Cypriot daily Kibrisli newspaper (03.01.16) reported that the interest for the “immovable property commission” established by Turkey in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus is continuously decreasing. The number of the Greek Cypriot refugees who applied to the “commission” for their occupied properties was 375 in 2014 and decreased to 182 in 2015.
Fifty applications were filed in January 2014 and only 13 in January 2015. The number of the applications filed last month (December 2015) reached 19.

The total number of applications is 6,261. 723 of these were settled with an amicable agreement and 21 in “court”.

(I/Ts.)
6. Ozgur: The economic ‘protocol” with Turkey must be signed the soonest

Turkish Cypriot daily Detay newspaper (03.01.16) reported that Birikim Ozgur, self-styled finance minister of the breakaway regime in the occupied area of Cyprus, has underlined the importance of signing an economic “protocol” with Turkey the soonest. Ozgur said that if they do not sign a “protocol’, they will not get any aid, adding that the “protocol” must be signed within January 2016.


Referring to the payment of the 13th salary, Ozgur said that he provided for paying this salary from the reform item within the framework of their agreement with Turkey in 2015.
He added: “The year ended and we do not have the possibility of taking this support. During this year, with the new possibilities we will have to cover both our liabilities from 2015 and those of 2016. There are 30 million Turkish Liras (TL) now in the safe of the ministry of finance and 191 million TL are needed for the 13th salary”.

According to the paper, Turkey granted 62,5 million TL for the regime’s budget. 30 million TL of this sum was granted within the framework of the “economic protocol”, 20 million TL were given for defense expenses and 12,5 million TL for infrastructure investments and the real sector of the economy.

(I/Ts.)

7. Columnist Yusuf Kanli reports that Turkey always save the economy of the breakaway regime in the occupied area of Cyprus

Columnist Yusuf Kanli, writing in Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (online, 01.01.16), argued in the following commentary under the title “Saving Turkish Cypriots...” that the economy of the breakaway regime in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus depends on Ankara’s budget:


“Hurrah... Once again Turkey extended its generous helping hand and salvaged the Turkish Cypriots from an economic collapse. Deputy Prime Minister Tugrul Turkes - a Turkish Cypriot from his late father Alparslan Turkes - signed a 62.5-million-Turkish-Lira check to save the Turkish Cypriot economy days before the start of the new year, though on the island the leader of the majority party of the left-right coalition was telling news people that disagreement with Ankara over the administration of water Turkey provided through a suspended pipeline might turn into an unthinkable full-fledged crisis between the Turkish Cypriot and Turkish governments.
It has become some sort of a tradition for Turkey, despite all the rhetoric and indeed efforts to build a self-sustainable economic system in Turkish Cyprus, to salvage the Turkish Cypriot budget from the verge of bankruptcy almost every yearend. Do Turkish wage earners receive a 13th salary? They are even unaware of such a payment. Repetitive Turkish Cypriot governments have all hinted at the possibility of giving up the application of 13th salary, a tax-free additional check at an amount equal to around 1.4 the monthly wage distributed every year sometimes in December or January. Yet, neither the conservatives nor the socialists could walk that very difficult road that might end with considerable decrease in their votes. After all, is it not a fact that directly or indirectly some 60% of the Turkish Cypriots are on the public payroll?
An economy which is not self-sustainable or surviving every year on loans from Turkey - a penny of which has not been so far paid back - should perhaps have given up the 13th salary practice long ago (…) Yet, who would walk that costly road, particularly if every single vote has become so existentially important for the Turkish Cypriot political parties? For example, all through the past two decades, more or less, there has been a cliff-hanger distribution of left-right seats in the Turkish Cypriot parliament, mostly just a few seats in favour of conservatives but sometimes a seat or two in favour of the left. That is, one parliamentarian might bring a party to government or terminate its government.
With the money Turkes - who has been boasting of being the first Turkish Cypriot Minister in Turkish governments since the time of his late father - signed and sent to Turkish Cyprus the publicly-owned milk products giant SÜTEK paid a substantial portion of its overdue payments, while state subsidies for agricultural products were distributed and payments long overdue for agricultural products procured by the public sector were completed. (…) Well, there is still 12 months to think on the problem for 2016’s 13th salary. Who knows what will happen by that time? There might be a Cyprus resolution - in that case, leave the issue for the first federal cabinet to solve the problem - or the country might be compelled to go to an early election or the conservatives might wake up and realize that their combined vote is more than enough to come to power together…

(…)
The Turkish Cypriots are right in objecting to Turkey’s pertinent demands that the Turkish State Water Works must be given the right of local administration of the water it provided. It might of course have a share in a company to be established for that purpose, but is Cyprus a colony of Turkey to leave such administration of such a vital resource to a Turkish public agency? The Turkish Cypriots are wrong in demanding that water must be administered either directly by the Turkish Cypriot public water works agency or with a joint company of the public water works and the municipalities. Turkish Cyprus’ public works has been highly politicized and with political appointments has been extremely overstaffed. It cannot function now and cannot collect water fees particularly from the public institutions or hotels. Municipalities have been problematic for similar reasons. Was not the collapsed Nicosia municipality salvaged with Turkey’s support only three years ago?

(…)”
8. MHP delegation is carrying out contacts in the occupied part of Cyprus

Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris (03.01.16) reported that a delegation from the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) will pay an illegal visit to the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus on January 4 to carry out various contacts.

The MHP delegation is consisting of MHP deputy leader Umit Ozdag and the Deputies Arzu Erdem, Mustafa Parsak and Nuri Okutan. They will have separate meetings with Turkey’s illegal ambassador to the occupied part of Lefkosia Derya Kanbay, the self-styled minister of transport Tahsin Ertugruloglu and the leader of the National Unity Party Huseyin Ozgurgun. They will also have meetings with Kudret Ozersay, Atan Atun and Mehmet Hasguler. The MHP delegation will hold a press conference on Tuesday before their departure.

(DPs)
9. An unmanned aircraft fell into the open sea area of occupied Agios Amvrosios village

Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen newspaper (02.01.16) reported that an unmanned aircraft has fallen into the open sea area between the occupied villages of Agios Amvrosios and Akanthou. According to the paper, a citizen took pictures of the aircraft. It is not known which country it belongs to or why and how it fell.
Meanwhile, Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen newspaper (03.01.16) reported that the so-called security forces made a statement on the issue noting that they do not know who owns the unmanned aircraft and that they are conducting investigations on the issue. They said that they found nothing which will endanger the “people’s security”.
The aircraft was brought to the shore and was handed over to the “police”. It is noted that the aircraft was carrying cameras.

(I/Ts.)
10. Illegal Tymbou airport received 3,5 million passengers in 2015

Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (04.01.16) reports that the illegal Tymbou airport received more than 3,5 million passengers in 2015. The “civil aviation airports operation director’, Mustafa Sofi told Kibris that only yesterday 108 flights were conducted, something which happens for the first time. Sofi said that the number of the passengers received by the “airport” increased by 8% in 2015 comparing to 2014 and pointed out that the annual passenger capacity of the “airport” is one million persons.

(I/Ts.)
11. Erdogan said Hitler’s Germany an example of presidential system with unitary state

Turkish daily Today’s Zaman (online, 31.12.15) reported that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is a strong advocate of a switch to a presidential system, has said that the implementation of a presidential system while remaining a unitary state is possible, showing Hitler's Germany as an example.
Speaking at a press conference late on Thursday shortly after his return from a trip to Saudi Arabia, which was cut short due to the death of pro-government journalist Hasan Karakaya, Erdogan was asked whether a presidential system could be adopted while keeping the country's unitary structure.
“There is no such thing as 'no presidential system in unitary states'. There are examples of this around the world. There are examples in the past, too. When you look at Hitler's Germany, you can see it there. You can see examples in other countries as well," Erdogan said. "What is important is that a presidential system should not disturb the people in its implementation. If you provide justice, there will be no problem because what people want and expect is justice."
On the same issue, Ankara Anatolia news agency (01.01.16) reported that Turkish President Erdogan’s office on Friday hit back at media reports that quoted the President as giving Nazi Germany as an example of a presidential system.
In a statement, the President’s office said: “That type of comparison is out of the question. The attempt to represent remarks by the President, who has declared the Holocaust and anti-Semitism as a crime against humanity alongside Islamophobia, as a positive reference to Hitler’s Germany is unacceptable”.
Erdogan is a proponent of changing Turkey’s parliamentary system for a presidential model.
Clarifying his comments, the statement said: “A presidential system can be implemented in unitary states as well. The presidential system of governance does not have to rely on federalism. What matters first and foremost in both parliamentary and presidential systems is to enforce principles of justice and meet the expectations of the public.
If the system is abused, be it a parliamentary or presidential system, disastrous administrations could result, as in the example of Nazi Germany. Neither the parliamentary system, nor the presidential system, can single-handedly prevent such consequences. What is truly important is adopting an equitable system of governance that serves the nation.”
The statement added that representing Erdogan’s comments as holding Nazi Germany as an example of the effectiveness of a presidential system breached journalistic principles of objectivity and honesty.
12. Davutoglu will increase the initiatives for a Cyprus settlement at Davos

Turkish daily Milliyet (04.01.16) reports that Turkey’s Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu will allocate his time for the foreign and economy policy in the first month of 2016. He will meet with international investors in Britain, will participate in Davos meetings and will participate in a joint cabinet meeting in Berlin.


The paper also reports that Davutoglu at the Davos meetings where Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci is also expected to participate will increase the initiatives for a Cyprus settlement within the context of the EU relations.

(DPs)
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