TURKISH CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
No. 35/13 19/2/13
1.
Atalay directly intervenes in UBP’s congress in favor of Kucuk
2.
Reactions to Atalay’s meddling in UBP’s congress
3. Eroglu admits that there
is neither political nor economic stability in the occupied area of Cyprus
4. A cargo ship carrying
illegal guns from Turkey to the occupied area of Cyprus was arrested; it is
reportedly said that the guns were to be transferred illegally to the free
areas of the Republic of Cyprus
5.
Cicek expects the breakaway regime to get as much attention as Kosovo
6.
TDP and CTP failed to have a common candidate for the occupied Lefkosia “municipality elections”
7.
Bagis: Action plan for chapter 22 to be presented to EU Commission by Turkey
8. AK Party might give up on presidential system in case of reconciliation
8. AK Party might give up on presidential system in case of reconciliation
9. Poll shows that Turks are
against presidential system
10.
Ergenekon ‘coup plot’ trial delayed once again
1. Atalay directly intervenes in UBP’s congress in
favor of Kucuk
Turkish Cypriot
daily Kibris newspaper (19.02.13) reports that the Turkish Deputy Prime
Minister responsible for Cypriot affairs, Besir Atalay has said that the
process of the congress of the National Unity Party (UBP) lasted for too long
and pointed out to the importance of political stability for the success of the
economic program prepared for the breakaway regime for the period 2013.
Atalay gave a
press conference yesterday during a working breakfast at the Palm Beach Hotel
in the occupied area of Cyprus, with the aim of presenting the above-mentioned
economic program. Turkish Minister of Transport, Maritime Affairs, and
Communications, Binali Yildirim, the so-called ambassador of Turkey to the
occupied part of Lefkosia, Halil Ibrahim Akca, the self-styled prime minister
of the breakaway regime, Irsen Kucuk and other so-called ministers attended the
press conference.
In his
statements, Atalay said: “The congress of the ruling party has captured the
second half of 2012 in northern Cyprus and it still continues. If it was
Turkey, it would not endure this, it would not bear this. There could be more
economic instabilities, vibrations. Absolutely no economy in the world could
endure this”.
Atalay noted
that the economic success in Turkey depended on the political authority and
argued that this, secured the trust of the investors for the future.
Atalay
complained that the process regarding the congress of the UBP lasted too long
and argued that changing the chairman of a party in a period when he is “prime
minister” would have negative influence on the economic policies. He added:
“The change of the chairman in the ruling parties always influences this. I say
that in spite of this, it passed lightly, because it has been almost a year
that the congress of the ruling party is in every issue in northern
Cyprus”.
Atalay said that
the implementation of the economic program for the period 2013-15 has already
started in the occupied area of Cyprus and reiterated the allegation that this
program has been prepared by the breakaway regime. He said that within the
scope of the program for the period 2010-12, Turkey had allotted to the regime
the sum of two billion and 584 million Turkish liras and that two billion and
510 TL of this sum has been spent, while the rest was transferred to the period
of the new economic program.
Atalay argued
that the influence of the global economic crisis on the occupied area of Cyprus
has been decreased and the real sector of the economy started to be
strengthened. He said that the “government” and the “assembly” have prepared
important reform “laws” during the past two years and added that these
arrangements had a big contribution in the positive economic indicators.
Referring to
“impressive developments” during the above-mentioned period, Atalay said that
an average growth of 7% was achieved in the field of tourism, the number of
students in the “universities” increased to 55.494 in the period 2012-13 from
around 43.000 in the period 2009-10. He noted that during the same period they
transferred illegal Tymvou airport’s operation rights [to a private company], a
development which will gain acceleration to the economy of the regime, as he
said.
Atalay referred
to the projects for transferring water and electricity from Turkey to the
occupied area of Cyprus and argued that the future of the Turkish Cypriots will
always be better than today. He added, inter alia, the following: “…There is
Turkey’s guarantee, economic power and potential. When water and electricity
comes, we will see. The cheapening of the electricity will directly be
reflected on the social prosperity… There is nothing called uncertainty in the
future of the Turks of Cyprus. Let no uncertainty exist for investments, for
trade. There is no pessimism for the future. Turkey does whatever it can for
contacts abroad. The TRNC will be more advantageous even if it starts living
together with the south again, in equal conditions at the negotiating process.
In any solution model we want the Turkish Cypriots on this island. All these
will strengthen us. Whatever the negotiating process is, the economic
strengthening of northern Cyprus will always be in its favor”.
In his
statements Kucuk expressed the belief that the regime’s economy will be boosted
further with the help of the 2013 -15 economic program. He also said that the “budget”
deficit has been reduced thanks to the program.
After the
meeting, the Turkish Ministers attended the opening ceremony of the occupied
Famagusta-Trikomo divided road and at noon inaugurated the illegal Eastern
Mediterranean University’s “Rauf Raif Denktas Culture and Congress Palace”.
Atalay and Yildirim attended also the foundation laying ceremony of the so-called
Lefkosia Northern Ring Road and participated in an “E-government Executive
Board” meeting.
(I/Ts.)
2. Reactions to Atalay’s meddling in UBP’s
congress
Turkish Cypriot
daily Bakis newspaper (19.02.13) reports that Bengu Sonya, general secretary of
the Democratic Party (DP), issued a statement yesterday reacting to the
statements made by the Turkish Deputy Prime Minister responsible for Cypriot
affairs, Besir Atalay, regarding the congress of the National Unity Party (UBP)
during a press conference for the economic program of the breakaway regime.
Sonya argued
that these statements were “both a shame and a loss” for what he called the
“TRNC state”, that is the breakaway regime in the occupied area of the Republic
of Cyprus. He said: “The fact that officials of the ruling party in Turkey and
their representatives here, exhibit behaviors which could be perceived as open
and without reservations interference in the works of the congress of a
political party here and the fact that they behave in a manner that ignores the
impressions created by these behaviors in our people and the world, is both a
shame and a loss for the TRNC”.
He went on and
argued: “With such approaches, the state we have established cannot go further
than being an ‘allegation’ and therefore the politics and the political
institutions in our country express no other meaning beyond being a race of
interest groups under the mask of playing the game of democracy”.
Meanwhile,
Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen newspaper (19.02.13) reports that Ozkan Yorgancioglu,
chairman of the Republican Turkish Party (CTP), has said that officials from
the Turkish government visit the occupied area of Cyprus showing as pretext
some opening ceremonies in order to openly support one of the candidates in the
UBP congress. In statements yesterday after the postponement of the meeting of
the self-styled assembly due to the lack of quorum, Yorgancioglu said that
those UBP “MPs” who oppose Irsen Kucuk did not go to the “parliament” yesterday
aiming at dealing a blow to the so-called prime minster. He said that “early
elections” were inevitable in order to secure the reshaping of the “will of the
people”.
Writing in his
column in Yeni Duzen (19.02.13) under the title “Interference in ‘Atalay’s’
way”, Sami Ozuslu writes that Atalay did not content himself only with making
statements in favor of Kucuk during a press conference. According to Ozuslu the
Turkish Minister visited a coffee shop in occupied Famagusta and gave a message
to the people who gathered there to vote in favor of Kucuk in the congress.
Moreover, Yeni
Duzen’s (19.02.13) editor-in-chief, Cenk Mutluyakali reports that at the
above-mentioned coffee shop, Atalay listened to the problems of the Turkish
settlers. Noting that he did not follow this visit, Mutluyakali writes that
according to his information, during the meeting Atalay discussed with the
settlers the issue of getting the “citizenship” of the regime, some credits
etc.
Mutluyakali
points out to another interesting, as he describes it, element of Atalay’s visit.
He notes that perhaps for the first time in their history, the “president of
the republic”, as he calls the Turkish Cypriot leader, was “passed over” during
an “official visit” from Turkey.
(I/Ts.)
3.
Eroglu admits that there is neither political nor economic stability in the
occupied area of Cyprus
Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika newspaper
(19.02.13) reports that the Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu met yesterday
with the “chamber of Turkish Cypriot Tradesmen and Craftsmen” who conveyed to
him their problems and supported that the “country” experiences a weakness in
its “administration”.
In statements during the meeting, Hurrem
Tulga, chairman of the “Chamber of Turkish Cypriot Tradesmen and Craftsmen” has
stated that they are aware of the fact that Eroglu is interested on the things
that are taking place in the “country” and added that if the “country” is not administrated in
a good way when the Cyprus negotiation talks will start, and if the “country’s
economy” is bad as he said, these will make more difficult Eroglu’s efforts at
the table.
Tulga supported that “there is a
weakness at the administration and that the country experiences a lack of
administration”. He added that the analysis and researches had shown that the
country is in a bad condition since, as he said, the unemployment has been
increased and the lawsuits at the “courts” had reached to unexpected standards.
Speaking during the meeting, Eroglu
expressed sorrow over the figures presented and said: “You have described a
painful picture, these are the realities in the country”.
Referring to Tulga’s statements that
there is a lack of administration in the “country”, Eroglu said that they
should in any case start discussing the issue of the stability in the
“country”. He added that the economic stability is possible only when the
things go well in the economy and said that this will become true only when the
people will feel that there is economic growth in the “country”.
Referring to Tulga’s statements that a
lot of working places closes and that the “lawsuits” at the “courts” increased
since the “people” are not able to pay their debts, Eroglu said that these some of the “realities” are experienced in the “country” and said that
these should not be kept secret.
Stating the need for restructure, Eroglu
said that the fact that there is “neither political stability nor economic
stability” in the “country”, is a reality which should be seen and stressed the
need for measures to be taken. Eroglu expressed also the view that what should
be done is a restructure in the “country” and especially in the “government
departments”, so that to be able to meet the expectations of the “citizens”, as
he said.
(AK)
4.
A cargo ship carrying illegal guns from Turkey to the occupied area of Cyprus
was arrested; it is reportedly said that the guns were to be transferred
illegally to the free areas of the Republic of Cyprus
Under the front-page title: “Kalashnikov
and 21 thousand bullets in one container”, Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika
(19.02.13) reports that the “coastguard team” in Mersina has arrested yesterday
a cargo ship belonging to the Akgunler Navigation Company and seized one
container Kalashnikov guns and 21 thousand bullets.
According to the paper, the cargo ship
has been caught yesterday afternoon travelling from Tasucu port to the occupied
area of Cyprus. The cargo ship’s sea route was determined to be
Iran-Hatay[Alexandretta], Hatay-Tasucu, Tasucu-“TRNC”. It is estimated also
that the weapons were planned to be transferred illegally to the free area of
the Republic of Cyprus via the “TRNC”, writes the paper.
The paper points out that it was made
known that the Akgunler Maritime Company, as well as the Akgunler Tourism and
the Acapulco tourist village belongs, to the Turkish Cypriot businessman Unal
Caginer. Also, among the information acquired, is that, the Turkish authorities
investigate the case. However, no statement was issued by the occupation regime
“authorities”, or from the Akgunler Company.
(AK)
5. Cicek expects the breakaway regime to get as
much attention as Kosovo
Ankara Anatolia news agency (18.02.13) reports that the speaker of the Albanian Parliament Jozefina Topalli Coba thanked Turkey's contributions and help in recognition of Kosovo.
Ankara Anatolia news agency (18.02.13) reports that the speaker of the Albanian Parliament Jozefina Topalli Coba thanked Turkey's contributions and help in recognition of Kosovo.
Coba and Turkish
Parliament Speaker Cemil Cicek met in Ankara on Monday.
Recalling that
the fifth anniversary of Kosovo's independence was celebrated on Sunday, Coba
said that they were thankful to Turkey for its efforts in recognition of
Kosovo.
Noting that
Kosovo was very important for Turkey, Cicek said that Turkey also expected the
similar attention for Turkish Cypriots too. Cicek said that Kosovo was
recognized by 98 countries so far and added that close cooperation between
Turkey and Albania in Balkans was important in the aspects of peace and
stability, adding that Albania was a key country for the stability of Balkans.
6. TDP and CTP failed to have
a common candidate for the occupied Lefkosia “municipality elections”
Turkish Cypriot daily Ortam newspaper 19.02.13) reports that the Social Democratic Party (TDP) announced that Dr Suphi Hudaoglu will be the party’s candidate for the forthcoming “elections” for occupied Lefkosia municipality to be held on April 7.
Turkish Cypriot daily Ortam newspaper 19.02.13) reports that the Social Democratic Party (TDP) announced that Dr Suphi Hudaoglu will be the party’s candidate for the forthcoming “elections” for occupied Lefkosia municipality to be held on April 7.
In addition, Turkish Cypriot daily Havadis newspaper (19.02.13) reports
that the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) will announce its own candidate for the
“municipality elections” during a ceremony to be held tonight in occupied
Lefkosia. According to Havadis, CTP’s candidate for the position of “mayor” is
Kadri Fellahoglu.
7. Bagis: Action plan for chapter 22 to be
presented to EU Commission by Turkey
Ankara Anatolia news agency (18.02.13) reports that the Turkish Minister of EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis referred to the opening of chapter 22 in accession talks with EU and said that they have completed all the criteria about the chapter and the related action plan was planned to be presented to the EU Commission.
Ankara Anatolia news agency (18.02.13) reports that the Turkish Minister of EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis referred to the opening of chapter 22 in accession talks with EU and said that they have completed all the criteria about the chapter and the related action plan was planned to be presented to the EU Commission.
Speaking about
the EU at a working breakfast, which was held at his ministry in Ankara on
Monday, Bagis said, "The new French presidency decided to lift the block
in front of one of the chapters especially with the contributions of French
business world. Hopefully, we will open a new chapter during the Irish term
presidency. The chapter which will be opened is the regional development
chapter."
Furthermore,
upon a question about the peace process of Kurdish issue in Turkey, Bagis said,
"In general, there is a very hopeful atmosphere in Turkey."
8. AK Party might give up on presidential system in
case of reconciliation
Turkish daily Today’s Zaman newspaper (19.02.13) reports that Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Beşir Atalay stated that the Justice and Development Party (AK Party), which has long voiced its intention to change Turkey's parliamentary system of government into a presidential administrative structure, will not insist on making the transition if all parties agree on the other aspects of a new constitution.
Turkish daily Today’s Zaman newspaper (19.02.13) reports that Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Beşir Atalay stated that the Justice and Development Party (AK Party), which has long voiced its intention to change Turkey's parliamentary system of government into a presidential administrative structure, will not insist on making the transition if all parties agree on the other aspects of a new constitution.
Speaking to
journalists about recent developments during an illegal visit to occupied
Cyprus, Atalay said the parliamentary Constitutional Reconciliation Commission
is working on drafting the text of the new constitution. He said for the past
three electoral periods, the AK Party has promised a new and more democratic
constitution to voters. “We have to make a new constitution this term. The
Prime Minister says we have been promising a constitution for three terms. Of
course, we are pushing for this,” he said.
Atalay noted
that the AK Party prioritized consensus and reconciliation in the making of the
new constitution, but added that if this cannot be achieved, the government
party will look for “alternatives,” such as passing the new constitution with
the support of the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP).
The Deputy Prime
Minister also gave information about a recent visit from Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan to the province of Mardin and its districts. He said the
residents of the Kurdish-dominated provinces had their hopes high about the
ongoing peace talks between Turkish officials and the leader of the Kurdistan Workers'
Party (PKK), Abdullah Ocalan. “The region's people have suffered a lot and they
want normalization. The issue has ripened now and nobody can stand in the way
of this. The main target is disarmament [of the PKK]. There is no diversion from
that target.”
9. Poll shows that Turks are against presidential
system
Turkish daily
Hurriyet Daily News (19.02.13) reports that the majority of Turks favor the
continuation of the parliamentary system rather than the imposition of a
presidential one, even though they would prefer seeing the Turkish Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan as president if such a system were imposed,
according to a survey.
A majority of
1,000 respondents, 65.8 percent, said they favored the maintenance of a
parliamentary system under the country’s new Constitution, according to the
survey “Social and Political Trends in Turkey,” which was conducted by Kadir
Has University in 26 provinces.
Some 34.3
percent of respondents would like to see Erdogan – who has made no secret of
his desire to become head of state with extended powers – as president if the
system were redesigned. Twelve percent of respondents said they would want main
opposition leader Kemal Kılıcdaroglu as president. Current President Abdullah Gul
was picked by 10.7 percent of respondents, while 31 percent of respondents did
not state their opinion on the issue.
Those who
believe that the judiciary is politicized in Turkey slightly increased in 2012
to 52.5 percent over the previous year, the survey said, adding that those who
believe in the need for constitutional reforms decreased to 53.2 percent in
comparison to 2011.
The survey also
said the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) increased its visibility in
the media in 2012 by being cited in 1.3 million news items. The main opposition
Republican People’s Party (CHP) has also increased its visibility, showing up
in 988,661 news items.
Just 29.9
percent of people believe there is freedom of thought in Turkey, according to
the survey, while only 34.2 percent said Turkey was a democratic country, while
28.8 percent of respondents said the press was free in the country.
Those who
believe that the military is the solution to terrorism increased to 50. 1
percent in 2012, while those who refuse negotiations with anyone for a solution
to terrorism increased to 55.5 percent.
However, more
people, 20.5 percent, believe that Abdullah Öcalan, the jailed leader of the
outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), may be influential in a solution to
terrorism, than did so in 2011.
The government’s
policies on the Kurdish issue were seen as unsuccessful by 50.5 percent of
respondents in 2012, a striking increase in comparison to the 39.7 percent of
2011.
A total of 58.7
percent of respondents that define themselves as Kurds believe that the Peace
and Democracy Party (BDP) represents Kurdish people in Turkey. However, one in
two people who define them selfs as Kurdish believe that the PKK does not
represent the ethnic group in Turkey.
Some 87 percent
of people also said the BDP and the PKK had organic relations, while four in
five people said Ocalan exerted influence over the PKK and the BDP. Also, 68.9
percent of respondents said they believed Kurdish people in Turkey wanted to
live in an “independent Kurdish state” in the future.
Those who find
the government’s policies successful decreased to 34.7 percent in 2012, while
one in three people believed that Turkey could become a member of the European
Union. Those who support Turkey’s membership in NATO increased to 66.1 percent
in 2012.
10. Ergenekon ‘coup plot’ trial delayed once again
Turkish daily Hurriyet
Daily News (19.02.13) reports that an Istanbul court hearing the 276th case of
coup plot trial Ergenekon has rejected all the demands of suspects and
postponed the case until March 11, following a police raid on supporters of the
suspects, which resulted in injuries.
More than a
thousand people, mostly supporters of the main opposition Republican People’s
Party (CHP), clashed with the gendarmerie forces to break the security blockage
one hundred meters away from the 13th High Criminal Court on Feb18. Four people
were injured and CHP deputy Mahmut Tanal’s ankle bone was broken in the
clashes, in which gendarmerie forces used pepper gas and pressurized water to
disperse protesters, the majority of whom were over middle aged.
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TURKISH
AFFAIRS SECTION
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