TURKISH CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
No. 55/13 20/3/13
1. Eroglu discusses the economic crisis in the
government-controlled area of Cyprus
2. The breakaway regime expects flow of money from the
government-controlled area
3. Rahmnioglu: “Turkish Cypriot banks will investigate
all bank transfers from Greek Cyprus to prevent money-laundering”
4. Most-wanted
Brit arrested
5. How the Turkish Cypriot press covers the decision
of the House of Representatives on Eurogroup’s proposal
6. How the Turkish press covers yesterday’s rejection
of the bailout plan by the House of Representatives of the Republic of Cyprus
7.
Erdogan due to Denmark; The Cyprus problem is included in his agenda
8. Eroglu met with the Dutch and Belgian
Ambassadors
9. A Danish official describes the Republic of
Cyprus unilateral membership to the EU before the solution of the Cyprus
problem as a mistake
10. The walls of occupied Keryneia are reportedly in
danger
11. Double bomb attack at AKP HQ and Turkish
Justice Ministry building in Ankara
12. A former Deputy of CHP joined AKP
1. Eroglu discusses the
economic crisis in the government-controlled area of Cyprus
Turkish Cypriot daily Gunes newspaper (20.03.13)
reports that Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu held a meeting yesterday at
his office and assessed the economic crisis in the government-controlled area
of Cyprus.
The self-styled finance minister of the regime, Ersin
Tatar, Eroglu’s adviser, Hasan Gungor and the self-styled president of the
so-called central bank participated in the meeting.
(I/Ts.)
2. The breakaway regime
expects flow of money from the government-controlled area
Turkish Cypriot daily Gunes newspaper (20.03.13)
reports that the self-styled finance minister of the regime, Ersin Tatar, the
self-styled president of the so-called central bank, Bilan San, the general
secretary of the breakaway regime’s banks’ union, Halil Okur and academician
Mustafa Besim assessed yesterday the economic crisis in the
government-controlled area of Cyprus in statements to illegal TAK news agency.
Tatar argued that because of the haircut in the
deposits and the disadvantages in the taxation, in case the proposal passed
from the parliament, especially some British citizens might prefer to transfer
their deposits to the banks in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus,
which he described as “a save port” from the point of view of the banking
sector and financing.
In his statements, San said that no direct influence
is expected by the haircut in the deposits in the government-controlled area of
Cyprus on the banks in the occupied area of the island, because they have no
relation with the banks in the government-controlled area. Therefore no
situation that necessitates additional measures exists, he added.
“However, the course of the above-mentioned crisis
should be followed from now on”, he said arguing that the measures to be taken
in the government-controlled area could cause flow of money to other countries.
“In this context it is said that there is possibility
for flow of funds towards our country and that there have been demands in this
direction”, he noted.
Okur said that the haircut of the deposits is
something unprecedented in the world and it is wrong. “If the aim was to
prevent the black money, this could be done by punishing these wrong
practices”, he added.
Okur noted that the trust in the banking sector of the
government-controlled area of Cyprus will decrease because of this haircut and
added that the lack of trust will influence all the problematic economies of
the EU and especially Spain, which will be seriously harmed. Okur said that
they do not expect serious flow of money to the occupied area of Cyprus because
of these developments, but argued that they should be careful about black money
that might be transferred from the government-controlled to the occupied area
of Cyprus.
On his part, Besim said that not only Europe, but the
whole world will be influenced by the cut in the deposits. He argued that this
development will direct the depositors towards gold. He also said that the
competitiveness of the occupied area of Cyprus might be influenced, because of
the decrease in the prices in the government-controlled area and that some
Turkish Cypriots, who work in the government-controlled area, might lose their
jobs.
Meanwhile, in statements to Anatolia news agency on
the same issue, self-styled finance minister Ersin tatar argued yesterday that
in case the rescue package did not pass from the House of Representatives, the
Republic of Cyprus would come to the verge of disaster, it would officially
bankrupt and the people would attack the banks.
(I/Ts.)
3. Rahmnioglu: “Turkish Cypriot banks will investigate
all bank transfers from Greek Cyprus to prevent money-laundering”
According
to Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (20.03.13) the chairman of “northern
Cyprus Banks Association” (KKBB) Yunus Rahmioglu said yesterday that “Turkish
Cyprus’ banks” will not accept unidentified bank transfers coming from “Greek
Cyprus”, as he called the Republic of Cyprus.
“We
expect a [monetary] flux from Greek Cyprus’s depositors through our banks. We
will check the origin of the money to prevent money laundering, even if it is a
bank transfer,” Rahmioglu said.
He
stated that the “KKBB” has warned all “northern Cyprus” banks to strictly
investigate bank transfers from the other side of the island.
“However,
the banks will not accept any cash of local or foreign depositors from Greek
Cyprus, they would only accept bank transfer after a detailed check”, he said.
“When deposits come via bank transfer, it is not ‘OK’ for us... Our duty is to
ask its origin and how it was earned,” he added.
Rahmioglu
noted that they needed to investigate the origin of the deposits coming from
“Greek Cyprus”, claiming that Russians had a considerable amount of deposits in
the Greek Cypriot banking system.
“Northern
Cyprus” should not open up to Russian deposits from “Greek Cyprus” without
investigation, said Rahmioglu. He noted that their banking system was in a
vulnerable position, whereas “Turkish Cyprus” was not a recognized country in
the world.
The
European Union has not been tolerant of “Greek Cyprus”, Rahmioglu, said.
He
said the EU aims to tax illicit money by loading a part of the burden on it.
“We do not want this illicit money to come to the north. Because they are
suspicious,” he said.
Rahmioglu
underlined that if the depositors transfer their money to the “north” with the
aim of money-laundering, “northern Cyprus” would become “a country that helps money-laundering”, adding that “northern
Cyprus”, whose economy has always been transparent abroad, always fights
illicit money.
Nonetheless,
he repeated that if bank transfers from “southern Cyprus”, referring to the
Republic of Cyprus, proved not to be illicit, they could accept it.
(…)
4. Most-wanted Brit
arrested
According
to Midweek Turkish Cyprus
Today newspaper (20.03.13), Britain’s most-wanted man has been arrested in occupied
Cyprus after more than a year on the run.
Murder
suspect John Anslow, who goes by the nickname Skitz, was arrested in occupied
Karavas village on Wednesday, and deported by “TRNC authorities”.
The
32-year-old is charged with the murder of 27-year-old skip hire boss and
father-of-two Richard Deakin, who was shot twice in his bed in Chasetown,
Staffordshire, in July 2010.
Anslow
was placed into the custody of Staffordshire police at Heathrow Airport on
Saturday.
The
fugitive became the first Category A prisoner to escape in 17 years, when a
gang of masked men armed with a sledgehammer attacked the police van due to
take him to court, near HMP Hewell, Redditch, on January 23 last year.
A
£10,000 reward was placed on Anslow’s head and the killing featured on the BBC
Crimewatch programme.
Anslow
was officially named Britain’s most-wanted man by police three days after his
escape. There were reported sightings of
him in Morocco, Spain and Birmingham.
There were also claims he had been killed by those who had freed him.
It
is still not clear how the suspect, reputedly a multi-millionaire, dodged
capture by a multi-force operation which monitored the UK’s ports and airports.
The
paper writes that he was arrested over immigration offences in the “TRNC” last
Wednesday and is now being held at a high-security unit. He appeared at Stafford Crown Court on Monday
afternoon via video link.
He
was charged over his failure to attend court on January 23 last year, and still
faces the murder allegations.
According
to the paper, ““TRNC”
police spokesman told Cyprus today: 'Because
the TRNC is unrecognised there is no extradition treaty but we abide by the
international organisation Interpol on serious crimes'.
'Mr
Anslow was arrested for immigration violations and deported' ”.
5. How the Turkish Cypriot
press covers the decision of the House of Representatives on Eurogroup’s
proposal
The Turkish Cypriot daily newspapers give extensive
coverage today (20.03.13) to the fact that the House of Representatives of the
Republic of Cyprus rejected yesterday the proposal by the Eurogroup regarding
haircut of the bank deposits on the island. The papers use the following titles
and subtitles:
Kibris: “No to the EU”, “The Greek Cypriot parliament
rejected the draft-law providing for the expropriation of a part of the bank
deposits”, “People raided into the parliament”, “People’s voice was listened
to”, “The only hope is Russia”
Afrika: “The Greek parliament in the south said ‘get out’ to
the EU”, “The Greek side in Cyprus did what Greece could not do. The Greek
Cypriot parliament rejected with vast majority the EU’s destruction package
that has been submitted under the name of ‘rescue’. While 36 ‘no’ votes came
out in yesterday’s voting for the package, 19 abstained. Not a single person
said yes! Nikos Anastasiades, who has not completed even one month at the
presidency, received the first strong slap and became the first president whose
resignation is asked within such a short period of time…”
Haberdar: “OXI to the EU!” “…While after the ‘no’ decision,
the EU is expected to take the parliament into consideration and sit again with
Greek Cypriot leader Anastasiades at the table, south Cyprus knocked the door
of Russia, which owns 20 billion out of the 70 billion-euro deposits in its
banks. The Greek Cypriot administration, which is concerned of losing the
Russian support, is trying to find support by sending Finance Minister Michalis
Sarris to Moscow. It is believed that the citizens, who have been protesting
outside the parliament during the meeting and were shouting slogans such as ‘we
will not be the slaves of the 21st century’ and ‘no to Troika’, have
been influential in the ‘OXI’ decision”.
Yeni Duzen: “Rejection to the cuts from the deposits!”
Havadis: “OXI to the Eurogroup”
Gunes: “The Greek Cypriot people rioted”
Star Kibris: “The uprising caused fear”
Halkin Sesi: “There is no ‘yes’ to the EU”
Vatan: “’No’ to the EU package from the Greek Cypriots”
Volkan: “The Greek Cypriot people in the streets”, “The
Greek Cypriots asked for the resignation of Anastasiades during the ‘no to the
haircut’ protest, they lowered the German flag and opened the Russian flag”
Kibrisli: “’Rejection’ by the Greek Cypriot Parliament”
Ortam: “NO to the package in the south…”
(I/Ts.)
6. How the Turkish press covers yesterday’s rejection
of the bailout plan by the House of Representatives of the Republic of Cyprus
All Turkish
dailies give extensive coverage today to the rejection by the House of
Representatives of the Republic of Cyprus yesterday of the bailout plan which
envisages one-off tax on deposits in Greek Cypriot banks.
Following
are some of the titles of the Turkish papers:
Hurriyet: “Greek Cypriot
roulette”. The paper writes that the Greek Cypriot government has rejected
yesterday the haircut on bank deposits underlining that not even one Deputy has
voted “yes” to the bill.
Cumhuriyet: “Greek Cypriots rejected
the EU package”.
Zaman: “The Greek Cypriot assembly
did not approved the haircut on bank deposits”
Sabah: “Greek Cypriots said ‘no’
to the bank deposit tax”
Aksam: “Greek Cypriots rejected
the package”
Milliyet: “Painful hours in
the island, stretched south Cyprus”
Today’s Zaman and Hurriyet Daily News (online-in
English): “Greek Cyprus throws bailout into disarray,
seeks Russian help”.
(AK)
7. Erdogan due to Denmark; The Cyprus problem is
included in his agenda
Under
the title: “Cyprus is also in his agenda”, Turkish Cypriot daily Havadis
(20.03.13) reports that the Turkish Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan went yesterday
to Denmark for several contacts.
In
statements at the Esenboga airport prior to his departure for Denmark, Erdogan
made statements about his trip and replied to questions of reporters.
Speaking
about his visit to Denmark, Erdogan said that he pays visit to Denmark and the
Netherlands upon invitations he received from the Danish Premier Helle Thorning
Schmidt and the Premier of the Netherlands Mark Rutte. He added that he would
be accompanied by Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, Turkey’s EU Minister and
Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis, Economy Minister Zafer Caglayan and several
Deputies.
Erdogan
added that during his bilateral meetings, he will evaluate and discuss several
issues such as issues related to Turkey’s EU membership bid, Cyprus, Syria the
peace process in the Middle East, the developments in the Middle East and north
Afrika, and international and regional issues related to Afghanistan, Pakistan,
Iraq, Iran and the Balkan countries.
(AK)
8. Eroglu met with the Dutch and Belgian
Ambassadors
According
to illegal Bayrak television (19.03.13) the Turkish Cypriot leader President
Dervis Eroglu met today with the Dutch and Belgian Ambassadors to Cyprus,
Brechje Schwachhofer and Guy Sevrin, .
The
latest stage in Cyprus issue and the future of the Cyprus negotiations process
was discussed during the meeting.
Eroglu
is continuing diplomatic contacts on the Cyprus issue, following last month’s
Presidential elections in “south Cyprus”.
Eroglu’s
“special representative and spokesman” Osman Ertug and his “undersecretary”
Hasan Gungur were present at the meeting.
No
statement was issued to the press before or after the meeting.
9. A Danish official describes the Republic of Cyprus unilateral
membership to the EU before the solution of the Cyprus problem as a mistake
Turkish
daily Today’s Zaman (20.03.13) reports that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan
started his visit to Denmark on Tuesday, the same day on which the President of
the European Movement Denmark, Erik Boel, said in Istanbul that Denmark is
divided over Turkey's membership in the EU. However, according to him, the
current government of Denmark is more pro-Turkish than the previous one, which
was in power during Erdogan's visit to Denmark in 2005.
“The
former government was dependent on an extreme right party, the Danish People's
Party, which is a xenophobic, anti-Turkish party,” said Boel in a presentation
at the Global Political Trends Center (GPoT). In response to a question from
Today's Zaman on what really leads to opposition to Turkey's membership in the
EU, Boel said it is Islam and “the idea that the EU is a Christian club.”
Expressing support for the diversity that Turkey could bring, Boel, however,
said: “There is a lot of double-talk and standards in the EU towards Turkey.”
According
to Boel, Turkey was “presented with criteria that are not found in the
Copenhagen criteria” and the issue of “Greek Cyprus”, as the Republic of Cyprus
is called, is used as a pretext to delay membership, especially by France. “We
should not have allowed membership to Cyprus before the issue was resolved,”
said Boel, who defined the inclusion of “Greek Cyprus” before a solution as a
mistake. “It is not about Turkey, it is about the EU,” said Boel, with regard
to the lingering membership negotiations, while he says that the EU has been
surprised about a Turkey that is growing fast and performing well economically.
He believes that Turkey would contribute economically to the union.
Commenting
on political trends in Turkey, Boel said that from the Danish point of view,
there is “no ground for Islamism.” Referring to public opinion polls in Turkey
that show 80% of the people to be in favor of the removal of the headscarf ban,
Boel says the headscarf has become a “hot issue” in Denmark as well. “We see it
not as Islamization but as modernization,” he added.
Boel
directs a think tank in Denmark that is promoting enlargement in Europe as well
as a directly elected President for the EU. He is also the co-author of the
book “Turkey on its way through the EU's needle's eye.”
10. The walls of occupied
Keryneia are reportedly in danger
Under the title “We do not attach importance to
historic monuments”, Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (20.03.13) reports
that the walls of the castle of occupied Keryneia are facing the danger of
collapsing. Yesterday a bulldozer started digging in the ground next to the
walls for placing sewer pipes within the framework of a project of the
“municipality” that has been continuing for months.
The paper writes that “citizens” were furious about
the digging works, noting that even music is not allowed to play loudly in the
area in order for not harming the Castle of occupied Keryneia. They wondered
who will give account in case the walls of this unique caste collapse.
The so-called director of the “antiquities and museums
department”, Emine Pilli told Kibris that it is extremely dangerous to work
with a bulldozer around the castle and that they will investigate the issue of
whether the provision of using bulldozer had been included in the project
submitted to the “monuments’ higher council”
(I/Ts.)
11. Double bomb attack at AKP HQ and Turkish Justice Ministry building
in Ankara
According
to Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (19.03.13) one person has been injured in
a bomb explosion in front of the Turkish Justice Ministry in Ankara, while the
Justice and Development Party (AKP) headquarters in the city was also attacked
by a flame thrower.
Police
teams and ambulances were immediately transferred to the scenes after the
blasts, with the police taking strict measures in the surrounding area. Police
precautions were increased across the city.
“One
person was injured in a double fragmentation bomb attack somewhere close to the
car park of the ministry”, Justice Minister Sadullah Ergin said in a televised
interview. “The injured individual was the spouse of a ministry employee and
was released after treatment”, he said.
Interior
Minister Muammer Guler said in a televised interview that some equipment of the
thrower was found close to the scene and that police were searching the area.
The
Minister also confirmed that the attack on the AKP building was probably
realized by a flame thrower attack.
Dogan
News Agency reported that the bomb hit a point between the eight and seventh
floors, where the office of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is located.
Erdogan
is currently in the Netherlands for an official visit, but he has been informed
of the attacks by both Ergin and Guler.
Two
have been detained in relation to the attack on the Ministry building, some
media reports said, but Guler did not confirm the information.
Separate
reports said a written statement carrying the name of the outlawed
Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party/Front (DHKP/C) was left at the scene in
front of the ministry.
Police
have been continuing operations against the group since it claimed
responsibility for the Feb. 1 suicide attack targeting the U.S. Embassy in
Ankara, which killed one person, as well as the attacker, Ecevit Sanlı.
The
attack also comes at a time when the Turkish government is engaged in its
process to find a peaceful solution to the Kurdish issue.
12. A former Deputy of CHP joined AKP
Ankara
Anatolia news agency (19.03.13) reported that a former Deputy of the main
opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) from the south-eastern province of
Adiyaman, Salih Firat, joined on Tuesday the ruling Justice and Development
(AK) Party.
Firat
joined the ranks of the AK Party at the group meeting of his party in the
Turkish Parliament on Tuesday.
Speaking
to reporters, Firat said that he thought for a long time before joining the AK
Party. "I am ready to help the process of solution in Turkey," Firat
said.
---------------------------
TURKISH
AFFAIRS SECTION
/EI
