TURKISH CYPRIOT AND
TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
No. 107/13
07/06/13
CONTENTS
1.Erdogan
returned to Turkey from his tour to North Afrika; he apologized for gas but
said he will not step back on Gezi Park
2. Turkish President Gul stated the he won’t allow
‘witch hunt’ over Twitter
3.
Tenth day of Gezi Park protest in Turkey; Damages surpassed 70 million TL
4. Fethullah Gulen: “Don’t underestimate the ‘invasion
of ants’”
5. Criticism against AK Party grows in EU Parliament;
A US Senator said Erdogan is acting like a dictator
6. Turkish Cypriot press: fears exists that tension
will increase in Turkey because of Erdogan’s stance
7. Turkey and Tunisia penned 21 new agreements;
statements by Erdogan
8. Azeri President Aliyev wants Azeri state-run energy
firm Socar to be Turkey’s number one in Turkey by 2023
9. Turkish oil firm Petoil looks to expand to Uganda
10. Feb 28 coup case indictment approved
11.
Report says that one-third of Turks are poor or needy
12. Kucuk submits his resignation to Eroglu; Eroglu
starts meetings with the parties
13. The “Property Compensation Commission” is
reportedly not working as local remedy
14. The regime gives “permit” to search for gold and
copper in Lefka
15. The promotion of regime’s illegal universities
continues
1.Erdogan returned to Turkey from his tour to North
Afrika; he apologized for gas but said he will not step back on Gezi Park
Ankara Anatolia news agency (07.06.13) reports that
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was welcomed at Istanbul's Ataturk
Airport by thousands of supporters, following his return from his official
visits in Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia.
Erdogan addressed to the huge and enthusiastic crowd
who were cheering with applause outside the airport.
More than 10,000 supporters of the government chanted
slogans against the anti-government protests saying: "Do not give up, we
are with you!" and "I love you Tayyip”.
Stating that he brought sincere greetings from
Moroccan, Algerian and Tunisian people, Erdogan said they all believed that
Turkish government could overcome protests.
Turkish PM Erdogan said he serves for the 76
million-populated country, not for the 50% only, stressing that the government
served from the easternmost to the westernmost part of the country not
discriminating against anyone.
"Having turned into vandalism and having lost the
democratic identity, the protests have to stop immediately," said Erdogan.
Referring to the claims of excessive use of police
force, Erdogan said "The police may have used excessive force when needed.
The Ministry of Interior has been examining the incidents. However, nobody has
the right to attack us over those claims."
Erdogan reminded their promise of advanced democracy
and said, "We will achieve it. As we are respectful to democracy,
elections, and the national will, we expect to be treated respectfully in the
same way."
(…)
Meanwhile, according to Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily
News (06.06.13) Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said
today (yesterday) at a joint press conference with his Tunisian counterpart,
Ali al-Urayyid in Tunis, that his government has expressed its sorrow for those
hurt by repeated police attacks in the early stages of the Istanbul protests
even while vowing to plow ahead with his plans to destroy Taksim Gezi Park.
“The sensitivities of people for environmental issues
have been abused. We already expressed our sorrow for the excessive use of
force,” Erdogan said.
Erdogan was referring to a speech by Deputy Prime
Minister Bulent Arınc on June 4, in which he said: “In that first event, the
excessive demonstration of violence against those acting with environmental
sensitivity was wrong and unfair. I apologize to those citizens. I can easily
say that, but I do not think we owe an apology to those who destroyed the
streets.”
However, Erdogan also underlined his dedication to
finalizing a construction project there, defending the Artillery Barracks
project that is set to be built in the park.
“Our Taksim project is a plant that unites history and
nature. And this project will produce a very beautiful environment in
Istanbul,” he said.
The government also will build a “beautiful and
strong” opera house, replacing the existing Ataturk Kultur Merkezi (Ataturk
Cultural Center), the cultural center in Taksim Square.
“There will also be trees around the opera house”, he
said.
Erdogan also he did not change his stance on the
street violence adding that those who caused damage as part of the Taksim Gezi
Park protests were the same as those who staged the attack on the U.S. Embassy
in Ankara, in which one security guard and one attacker were killed and a
journalist was wounded.
“There are no countries, including developed ones that
do not use tear gas
Erdogan also said.
Erdogan also said.
Regarding the demands of the protesters conveyed to
Arınc on June 6, Erdogan said it was “meaningless to have a race.” “The logic
of ‘If I take this, I give this,’ ‘If you give this, I want this’ has no place
in running a state,” the Prime Minister said, adding that his party never
considered sending its members to the streets.
“People have right to demonstrate, he said. “But you
cannot demonstrate everywhere and burn and demolish,” he added. “We [as a
party] collected 2.15 million votes, but never called our voters to the street.
“The courts have returned our right.”
(…)
2. Turkish President Gul stated the he won’t allow
‘witch hunt’ over Twitter
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (07.06.13) reports
that President Abdullah Gul said yesterday, according to Turkish Bar Association
head Metin Feyzioglu, who met with the head of state over the Gezi Park
protests that citizens cannot be permitted to conduct a “witch hunt” over
Twitter.
Daily Hurriyet report said that according to
Feyzioglu, Gul said: “In this process, everyone needs to act responsibly and
restrained. I will not allow a witch hunt over Twitter. I will be following the
judicial and executive investigation”.
Some 33 people have been detained in İzmir for
“inciting riots and conducting propaganda” on the social media network Twitter.
They were released based on a prosecutor’s decision on June 5, but one person
is still in custody.
Feyzioglu said they had handed images showing police
brutality to the President, including images where police targeted protesters
with gas canisters.
“We emphasized the Twitter issue because we found it
scary that the communication tool of 21st-century youth would be defined as a
menace,” Feyzioglu said.
On June 2, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan
described the micro blogging website as a “menace,” following the heavy traffic
that was witnessed on Twitter during the Gezi Park protests.
“There is a menace called Twitter. Unmitigated lies
are there [on Twitter],” Erdogan said. “The thing that is called social media
is a troublemaker in societies today.”
3.
Tenth day of Gezi Park protest in Turkey; Damages surpassed 70 million TL
According
to Ankara Anatolia news agency (06.06.13) the Turkish Interior Minister Guler
said on Thursday that Taksim Gezi Park protests cost a damage of 70 million
Turkish liras (nearly $40 million).
Speaking
at the Ministry of Interior, Guler said that 915 people had been admitted to
hospitals and 79 of them were under treatment after Taksim Gezi Park protests.
Four
people are in a life threating condition and eight others are in intensive care
unit, said Guler, adding that 516 security forces had also been injured.
"280
business places, 103 police cars, 259 vehicles, one house, 5 public buildings,
12 buildings -one of which belongs to CHP and 11 to AK Party- as well as
advertising boards, traffic signs, bus stops, pavements, surveillance cameras,
signalization systems, park and landscape arrangements, lightning columns,
trash cans and police check points have been destroyed. The cost of damages has
surpassed 70 million TL so far", Guler added.
Guler
said that a total of 7 people of foreign nationality without diplomatic
passports, 6 being in Istanbul and one in Ankara, were detained in relation to
Gezi Park demonstrations.
“Two
of the detainees are French, another two Iranian, one Greek, one American and
one German”, he added.
4. Fethullah Gulen: “Don’t underestimate the
‘invasion of ants’”
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (06.06.13) reported
that Fethullah Gulen criticized the government's handling of the Turkey-wide
protests over the demolition attempt of Istanbul's Gezi Park.
Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gulen called on June
6, the government not to underestimate the Turkey-wide protests that were
sparked 10 days ago over the demolition of Gezi Park in Istanbul, comparing the
demonstrations to an “invasion of ants.”
“We need to act smart and see the smallest problems as
very big, and we need to handle them in a smart way. If you are facing an
invasion of ants, you can’t disregard it thinking that they are ‘ants,’” Gulen
said in a video recorded speech published on his website.
Gulen argued that if the government failed to admit
that some of the protesters were seeking their rights, “the innocent demands of
some innocent people”, participating in the demonstrations would likely be
ignored. “These are generations engendered by our negligence. [The
demonstrators] have some reasonable demands. Indeed they can say: ‘The trees of
a park should not be cut down; the panorama allowing people to walk there
should be preserved. They can say ecosystem, they can say you are killing the
green,’” he added.
The scholar that has lived in a self-imposed exile in
the United States since the late 1990s recommended soothing the protests before
they escalate and spread further.
“Fire and war… Even if you start it, you cannot stop
it where you want. So you should extinguish the fire when it is small,” he
said, while arguing that the events had been perceived as “doomsday” all over
the world.
Gulen also described the protesters as a “wrecked
generation” that needs to be salvaged. He said “such depravity” would continue
unless the youth were restored, urging at the same time restraint and patience
from his followers. “Our duty is to work to rehabilitate hearts,” he added.
5. Criticism against AK Party grows in EU
Parliament; A US Senator said Erdogan is acting like a dictator
Turkish daily Today’s Zaman (06.06.13) reported that members
of the European Parliament (MEPs) have harshly criticized the Justice and
Development Party (AK Party) government's stance on the protests that started
at Gezi Park in İstanbul's Taksim and then spread across the nation.
In a debate at the Foreign Affairs Committee (AFET) of
the European Parliament, MEPs unleashed unprecedented criticism against the
11-year AK Party rule. While some MEPs urged Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan to apologize when he returns from his visit to North Africa, others voiced
concern regarding calls from the right and extreme right-wing parties in Europe
to end accession talks using the Taksim events as an excuse.
Stressing that she was “very disappointed by the
reaction” of Erdogan, the European Parliament's rapporteur on Turkey, Dutch
Christian Democrat Ria Oomen-Ruijten
said: “He does not seem to care about the effects of his language and style.”
There were also voices in the debate that
categorically rejected comparisons with the Arab Spring. Giles Portman, the advisor to EU High Representative Catherine
Ashton said the comparison would be misleading as there was a functioning
democracy in Turkey and Erdogan had been elected three times by getting 50% of
the vote.
British Socialist MEP Richard Howitt strongly criticized Erdogan and referred to the
debate on whether Turkey could be a model for the Arab Spring. “You cannot
support democratic flourishing in Arab Spring countries if you do not protect
democracy at home,” he said.
The European Parliament is expected to discuss the
recent events again next week in a plenary session in Strasbourg and there are
calls from different political groups to have an “urgent resolution” on Turkey.
In the AFET meeting, Greek Socialist Maria Eleni Koppa said Erdogan's real
power will be shown “by exercising humility and accepting to apologize.”
European Commissioner Stefan Fule, who is visiting Turkey and expected to meet with
Erdogan, will also be talking to the Taksim Platform, his office announced.
Meanwhile, the US Senator John McCain has said that Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan is acting like a dictator rather than a Prime Minister in the eyes of
many Turks.
Speaking at Brookings Institute on Thursday, McCain, a
staunch backer of a US intervention in the prolonged Syrian crisis, said there
are more journalists jailed in Turkey than any other country in the world.
Speaking about a wide array of issues, especially
about the current conflict in Syria, McCain said Erdogan is seen as a dictator
in the eyes of many Turks.
6. Turkish Cypriot press: fears exists that tension
will increase in Turkey because of
Erdogan’s stance
Turkish Cypriot daily Vatan newspaper (07.06.13)
reports that Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan has made no
concession from his position that caused the ongoing protests in Turkey, in
spite of the fact that tens of thousands of people continue their protests all
over the country for ten days, and in spite of the use of pepper gas and
pressured water, as well as the hundreds of injuries caused during the
incidents.
“Fears exist that the tension, which exists in Turkey,
will increase further after this stance of Erdogan”, notes that paper adding
that Erdogan returned last night to Istanbul after his four-day tour abroad and
he was received at the airport by a crowd holding flags of Turkey and of the
Justice and Development Party (AKP). At the same time, notes that paper,
rallies protesting against Erdogan’s and AKP’s policies and calling them to
resign were held in Turkey’s big cities such as Ankara, Izmir and Adana.
According to the paper, the common slogan in the rallies, which were turned
into a fiesta, was: “Freedom and democracy” and “WE ARE THE SOLDIERS OF MUSTAFA
KEMAL” [Translator’s note: The capital letters are used by the paper]. The
paper writes that the flag of no political party was carried at the rallies and
that the squares were full with posters of Ataturk.
Meanwhile, Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika newspaper
(07.06.13) reports that what has been said for Syrian President Assad is now
said for Erdogan, who insists on not making any step backwards and ignores the
uprising of the people and all the warnings. The paper writes that while
Erdogan was abroad, he stated that they are determined to demolish Gezi Park
and continue with their plans. After this statement, people flooded into Taksim
Square last night, reports the paper describing Erdogan’s flight back to Turkey
as his “most difficult flight”. Erdogan was expected to arrive in Turkey at
21.00 hours, but later it was announced that he would arrive at 24.00 and
afterwards at 01.30. No statement had been made as regards the place where he
would land, extraordinary security measures with the presence of armoured cars
were taken around his residence and helicopters were flying on the air around
the area.
According to Afrika, Fethullah Gulen is also mad at
Erdogan. The paper notes that Gulen is the person, who actually governs Turkey,
lives in America and is considered as imam and AKP’s spiritual leader. “He is
the teacher of Tayyip Erdogan and the person who brought him to power”, writes
Afrika and refers to a statement made by Gulen, who “reprimands Erogan because
he messed everything up and woke up Turkey which was asleep” [Translator’s
note: For Gulen’s statement see Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review of
today, item 4].
(I/Ts.)
7. Turkey and Tunisia penned 21 new agreements;
statements by Erdogan
According to Ankara Anatolia news agency (07.06.13)
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said at the Turkish-Tunisian
Business Forum, that Turkey and Tunisia established a bilateral economic
relationship based on a strong foundation.
Erdogan said that from now on, the economic relations
among Turkey and Tunisia would be maintained under the secretaries of
Ministers, especially the Foreign Ministers of both countries.
"We are establishing a strong economic
relationship based on strong foundation. We are at the final stage of ending
the custom duties between the two countries," said Erdogan.
Erdogan said that Tunisia was also reducing the custom
duties step by step; moreover, the custom duties would be ended for Turkish
industry goods in June next year.
Erdogan also reminded that Turkey declared 500 million
USD in financial support to Tunisia.
Erdogan stressed that Tunisia, with its intellectual
young population, qualified workforce, strategic position opening to Africa,
had opportunities as transit trade and logistics centre.
"I believe that our entrepreneurs will
efficiently use these opportunities with their Tunisian counterparts,"
said Erdogan.
Prime Minister Erdogan underlined further that
achieving democracy and transformation is a demanding process which goes on
such a long time and for which everyone should be patient. "Our 400 years common history sustains
to strengthen our relations," said Erdogan.
Referring to the trade volume among the two countries,
Erdogan said that it should rapidly rise to 3 billion USD from a billion.
Compared to Erdogan's statements, Tunisian Prime Minister Ali Laareydh
pronounced the number "four" to increase the trading volume among the
two countries.
Erdogan stressed that Turkish companies which have
global experience at construction sector, should be involved in the
superstructure projects in the next term in Tunisia.
"Turkey is the second country at the construction
sector after China in the world," said Erdogan.
(…)Erdogan underlined that 50 Tunisian students
studied at the graduate and undergraduate schools in Turkey. "The number
of students should be mutually increased", he added.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited
Turkish Embassy in Tunisia, and met with Tunisian leader of Al-Nahda Movement
Rashid Al-Gannushi.
Erdogan received information about the activities of
Turkish Embassy from Turkish diplomats.
After the meeting with Al-Gannushi, Erdogan left
Tunisia for Turkey.
Meanwhile, Ankara Anatolia news agency (07.06.13)
reports that in the joint declaration of a High Level Strategic Cooperation
Council meeting, made between Turkey and Tunisia, a call was made expressing
support for independent Palestine and a "solution to the legitimate
demands of the Syrian people."
The Council session was held under the co-chairmanship
of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Tunisian Prime Minister Ali
Laareydh.
In the council session, it was also decided to improve
the work opportunities among entrepreneurs of two countries and to enhance and
support the common projects and mutual investments between Tunisia and Turkey.
The declaration stated that the summit between Turkey
and Tunisia would be held in Turkey next year, and a call was made for giving
support to independent Palestine and "solution to the legitimate demands
of the Syrian people."
After the council session, Erdogan came together with
the President of Tunisia's Constituent Assembly, Mustapha Ben Jaafar.
8. Azeri President Aliyev wants Azeri state-run
energy firm Socar to be Turkey’s number one in Turkey by 2023
According to Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News
(07.06.13) the Azerbaijani President İlham Aliyev has said that he wants Azeri
state-run energy company Socar’s Turkey arm to be the “biggest group in Turkey”
by 2023.
“I want to see the State Oil Company of the Azerbaijan
Republic [SOCAR] become the biggest group in Turkey by 2023,” the Azeri
President said after his meeting with members of Socar, Turkey during the
“Caspian Oil & Gas” fair in Azerbaijan.
Visiting the state energy firm’s pavilion at the fair,
which began on June 4 and ends today, Aliyev received some briefings about
Socar’s operations and investment projects in Turkey, from Socar Turkey head
Kenan Yavuz and Socar President Rovnag Abdullayev. Apparently, he was pleased
with what he heard.
“Our aim was to become one of Turkey’s top three
groups by 2018 with a $15 to $20 billion income,” Yavuz said, speaking to the
press after the small presentation. “But the president wanted us to revise our
target to first place.”
Yavuz says they “sincerely believe” Socar could
achieve this aim with more work, considering the upward trajectory the company
already has in Turkey.
Socar Turkey was founded by Socar to carry out its
activities in Turkey in 2008, as that was the year Socar entered Turkish
markets by acquiring control of Turkish petrochemical giant Petkim.
(…)
9. Turkish oil firm Petoil looks to expand to
Uganda
According to Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News
(07.06.13), Turkish oil firm, Petoil, is looking forward to racing in a number
of tenders for oil exploration licenses that the Ugandan government is set
announce, an official says.
Petoil, a Turkish independent petroleum exploration
and production company, has expressed its official interest in expanding into
Uganda, announcing plans to join a tender for the East African country’s
petroleum resources.
“We have been in Uganda for more than five years,
looking forward to a new oil law. The Ugandan government finally passed the law
in April. They will announce a number of tenders for the existing petroleum
sites. We will be there to compete with other energy companies for these
sites,” Mehmet Ali Ak, the general manager of the Ankara-based Petoil, told
Hurriyet Daily News.
He said that the sites in Uganda have around 3 billion
cubic meters of discovered oil. “The amount is the case for one basin that has
already been drilled. There are two more basins which are confirmed to have
petroleum but need to be drilled to learn the exact amount,” Ak said.
Petoil has already registered a Ugandan subsidiary to
prepare for the new licensing in more than one bloc. The company is now waiting
for the remaining regulations to be made and new institutions like the
Petroleum Authority of Uganda and the National Oil Company, among others, which
are expected in less than one year.
(…)
Rush to Afrika
The company is looking to become one of the
early-comers to Uganda’s still mostly untouched oil market. Petoil
representatives said that Africa may be the most feasible markets for Turkish
investors as other regions having proven energy resources have already been
taken by big oil. The company has operations only in the Kurdistan Regional Government
(KRG) other than Turkey. Petoil holds 20% of the Chia Surkh 10 well with
Anglo-Turkish Genel Energy, which owns 60%of the well, and the KRG, which has
the remaining 20%.
10. Feb 28 coup case indictment approved
Ankara Anatolia news agency (07.06.13) reports that
the bill of indictment for the case related to February 28 military memorandum
was approved on Thursday.
The Ankara 13th High Criminal Court, to which the
indictment was submitted, did not return it for review in the 15 day evaluation
period stipulated by the Turkish Penal Code, meaning the bill was automatically
approved.
It calls for aggravated life sentences for 103
suspects on charges of "participating in forcibly toppling the government
of Turkish Republic."
The February 28 military memorandum was a host of
decisions issued by the Turkish military in 1997.
The then Prime Minister Necmettin Erbakan was forced
to sign the decisions into law, which included the enforcement of headscarf
ban, a cause of long-standing controversy, as well as shutting down of Koran
schools and measures to control media.
Soon after the memorandum episode, Erbakan resigned
his post and the government collapsed. The event has come to be called a
"postmodern coup", as it ended a government without causing dissolution
of the parliament or suspension of the constitution.
11.
Report says that one-third of Turks are poor or needy
Turkish
daily Hurriyet Daily News (06.06.13) reported that according to the 2012 social
assistance statistics released by the Family and Social Policies Ministry,
almost one-third of Turks are poor and needy.
According
to written data the Ministry has released, more than 23.6 million people from
6.7 million households are listed as poor and needy in an online data inventory
of the ministry,
The
country’s population reached 75.6 million in 2012, according to data released
by the Turkey’s statistical authority, TÜİK.
More
than 6.3 million people from 2.1 million households are receiving social
assistance, according to the statistics. More than 19.5 billion Turkish Liras
are allocated for social assistance, according to projections.
The
Ministry’s data said that the rate of poverty decreased for seven years after
2002. Hunger poverty decreased to 0.48% in 2009 from 1.35% in 2002. The report
listed no one in hunger poverty in 2010 and 2011. Those living on less than 1
dollar a day totalled 0.01% in 2005 and the report cited no one in this
category since that year.
The
rate of both hunger poverty and poverty not caused by food, decreased to 18.08%
in 2009 from 26.96% in 2002, according to the Ministry’s 2012 social assistance
statistics.
The
Ministry stated that a serious improvement had been seen in the lives of those
living on less than 4.3 dollars a day. Those spending only 4.3 dollars a day
were 30.30% in 2002, while this rate was 2.79% in 2011, the Ministry’s data
said. The rate of those living on 2.15 dollars a day decreased 0.14% in 2011
from 3.04% in 2002.
More
women benefit from social assistances, totalling 70%, according to the data.
The
budget allocated to social assistance and services increased to 19.5 million
liras in 2012 from 1.3 million liras in 2002, said the report. The Health
Ministry allocated 5.1 million liras to social assistance.
Meanwhile,
social assistance foundations directed 1,088,864 people between the ages of 15
and 64 to the Turkish Employment Organization (İSKUR).
12. Kucuk submits his resignation to Eroglu; Eroglu
starts meetings with the parties
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (07.06.13)
reports that Irsen Kucuk, self-styled prime minister of the breakaway regime in
the occupied area of Cyprus, submitted yesterday the resignation of his
so-called government to the Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu, who accepted
the resignation and launched a process aiming at the establishment of a new
“government”, which will remain on duty until the early “elections” of 28 July.
Eroglu’s first meeting was with the main opposition
Republican Turkish Party (CTP) last night. In statements after the meeting,
CTP’s chairman Ozkan Yorgancioglu said they would meet with the other parties
on Monday and make an evaluation as regards the establishment of a
“government”. He noted that they asked from Eroglu to assign someone with the
duty of establishing a “government” after that meeting.
In statements after submitting the resignation of his
“government”, Kucuk said that their expectation was for Eroglu to decide
without losing his neutrality and to remain committed to the “laws” within the
framework of the constitution.
The leader of the Democratic Party – National Forces
(DP-UG), Serdar Denktas said that they will make the necessary sacrifice in
order for the “country” not to remain without a “government” until the
“elections”. “Let no one have any doubt that we will not leave our people in
any uncertainty”, he noted.
The chairman of the Social Democrat Party (TDP),
Mehmet Cakici stated that the parties which had voted ‘yes’ to the “motion of
census” had not the luxury of leaving the “country” without alternative until
the “elections” and added that within this context, TDP, CTP and DP should
reach a consensus to establish a “structure” which will be on duty until 28
July.
(I/Ts.)
13. The “Property Compensation Commission” is
reportedly not working as local remedy
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (07.06.13)
reports that Tarik Kadri, lawyer of Greek Cypriot refugee Andreas Lordos, who
had applied to the “Property Compensation Commission” for his properties in the
occupied area of Cyprus, has said that in case the decision as regards the
involvement of Evkaf religious foundation in the Lordos cases was not annulled
by the so-called high court, the local remedy would be exhausted and they would
be given the opportunity to carry the issue to the European Court of Human
Rights (ECHR).
The paper recalls that after the “Commission” accepted
Evkaf as intervener in the cases filed by Lordos as regards his immovable
properties in occupied Varosha, the Greek Cypriot refugee appealed to the “high
court” of the regime.
Kadri said that Lordos had applied to the “Commission”
in 2010 for his five hotels, nine apartments, five shops, one house and plots
of land in occupied Varosha and Famagusta area. Kadri recalled that there are
two “sides” in the cases that come in front of the “Commission”: the property
owner and the so-called ministry of interior of the regime. He added that the
“attorney” asked for the Evkaf to be also a side in the case alleging that the
properties in Varosha belong to Evkaf.
Kadri said that the “president” of the so-called high
court, Nevvar Nolan had not determined any date as regards the announcement of
their decision on the issue.
Kadri pointed out that the allegations that the
properties in Varosha belong to Evkaf are ridiculous and noted: “The reasonable
period of time given for the attorney’s office to file a defense at the
Immovable Property Commission (TMK) is around 8-10 months. On the issue of
Varosha, however, three years passed and this is my most long-lasting case. In
spite of the fact that three years passed, no procedure has been carried out.
Both the Commission and the attorney’s office are turning a blind eye on this
issue. The passing of three years show that the local remedy does no work. If
the high court does no annul the decision taken as regards making Evkaf a side
in the cases, the local remedy will not work and the possibility for returning
to the ECHR will be created”.
Kadri said that the “Commission” has not produced any
decision on cases that concern Varosha until today and added that he does not
think that instructions come from some places on the issue of Varosha, like the
Greek Cypriot press is alleging.
(I/Ts.)
14. The regime gives “permit” to search for gold
and copper in Lefka
Turkish Cypriot daily Havadis newspaper (07.06.13)
reports that National Unity Party (UBP) self-styled government has given a
“permit” to “K.K. Santral Madencilik”, a company based in Ankara, to carry out
explorations for metals such as gold and copper in the occupied area of Lefka.
According to the paper, the company will first carry out a survey in a broad
area between the occupied villages of Limnitis and Agia Eirini. Afterwards
excavations could start in areas where inventories are found.
Dervis Besimler, director of the Turkish Cypriot
“Investment Development Agency” (“YAGA”), confirmed the information, saying
that the above-mentioned company’s investment was considered worthy to
evaluate. He added that an application was submitted to them for carrying out
explorations for metals and added that they are in the beginning of the
assessment of this application. He said that they will give the “permit”
provided that the company abides by the necessary conditions.
The paper publishes a copy of the decision of the
“council of ministers” that carries the date 22 April 2013.
(I/Ts.)
15. The promotion of regime’s illegal universities
continues
Turkish Cypriot daily Havadis newspaper (07.06.13)
reports that the illegal American university of Keryneia (“GAU”) has been
accepted as member of the Universities’ Union of Caucasus (KUNIB) during the
latter’s 3rd congress held in Baku Azerbaijan. Illegal “GAU’s”
deputy rector, prof. Dr. Sadik Ulker represented the “university” in the
congress which is considered as meeting that “gives directions” to the high
education institutions of Central Asia. The paper writes that 52 university
rectors attended the congress.
Meanwhile, according to Havadis (07.06.13), the
Administrative Director of the Foundation for International Business
Administration Accreditation (FIBAA), Prof. Dr. Daisuke Motoki and the
president of the so-called Higher Education Planning, Evaluation, Accreditation
and Coordination Council (“YODAK”), Prof. Dr. Hasan Ali Bicak have visited the
campus of illegal Near East University (“YDU”). During their meeting with the
deputy “rectors” of “YDU”, they discussed the application of the “university”
as regards the accreditation by FIBAA of under and post graduate programs
offered by “YDU’s” faculty for Financial and Administrative Sciences and its
School for Tourism and Hotel Administration.
(I/Ts.)
