TURKISH
CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C
O N T E N T S
No.
18/15 28.01.15
1. Ertug: The Turkish Cypriots desire to conduct direct
trade with the EU
2. More on the election campaign in the breakaway regime
3. Per capita income increased to 15.302 USD in the
occupied area of Cyprus
4. The number of actively insured persons in the occupied
area of Cyprus reached 80.455 in 2014
5. Yorgancioglu gives his support to the transfer of
Greek Cypriot soccer players to Turkish Cypriot soccer teams
6. Bozkir: New Greek government will not change Greece’s
foreign policy
7. AylinCaglayanOzcan: Turkey is already harmonizing its
energy policies with the EU’s as if the chapter is already open
1. Ertug:
The Turkish Cypriots desire to conduct direct trade with the EU
According to illegal Bayrak television
(online, 27.01.15), Turkish Cypriot leader DervisEroglu’s spokesman Osman Ertug
has said that the current status quo on the island is hurting both sides.
Speaking on “BRT”, Ertug said that the
issue of hydrocarbons can only be solved through dialogue at the negotiating
table.
Pointing out that the Turkish Cypriot
“people” desired recognition by the international community and the
implementation of human rights, Ertug claimed that the international
organisations which have previously perceived changes in the status quo as
risky are now supporting the changing of the status quo because of the
hydrocarbons issue.
Alleging that the Turkish Cypriot side
stands firm on its views and positions, Ertug claimed that Greek Cypriot side
is moving away from the table by setting forward preconditions and it is the UN
Special Adviser who is currently acting as the balancing element in the crisis.
Stressing that the EU should honour its
promise to lift the international “isolations” imposed on the Turkish Cypriots,
Ertug said that the Turkish Cypriot side desires to conduct direct trade with
EU countries just like the Greek Cypriot side and asked for the restrictions
introduced on the financial Assistance regulation to be lifted.
On the issue of the registration of
Hellim-Halloumi, Ertug said that a number of initiatives are currently
underway. He complained however that the Greek Cypriot side is acting on its
own, just like it does on the issue of hydrocarbons. He pointed out that it is
important for the two sides to move together on this issue and to exercise good
will on the matter.
2.More on the election campaign in the breakaway regime
Turkish
Cypriot daily Havadis (28.01.15) reports that the independent candidates
KudretOzersay and Mustafa Akinci called all the other candidates of April 2015
“presidential elections” to participate in an open panel television discussion
in order to address every issue of the “presidential campaign”.
The paper
writes that Akinci further stated that some of the polls that appear in Mass
media do not represent the truth.
Commenting
on the same issue, Kibris Postasi (28.01.15) columnist CigdemDurust stated that
it is the Turkish Cypriot leader DervisEroglu who refuses to participate in
such a debate.
3. Per capita income increased to 15.302 USD in the occupied
area of Cyprus
Turkish
Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (28.01.15) reports that per capita income in the occupied area of Cyprus increased from 15.038
US dollars (USD) in 2012 to 15.302 USD in 2013. Citing data provided by the
so-called state planning organization of the breakaway regime, the paper writes
that Gross Domestic Product increased by
1.1% in 2013 and reached 7.6 billion Turkish liras (TL) in current prices,
while Gross National Product increased by 1.3% in 2013 comparing to 2012.
It is noted
that per capita income in the occupied
area of Cyprus is much lower than the average income of the EU member
countries, but it is higher than Turkey’s per capita income which is 10.970 USD.
GDP’s
increase in the occupied area of Cyprus was 1.8% in 2012 and 1.1% in 2013. For 2014 it is predicted that the increase
will be 2.9% and will reach 8 billion and 178 million TL in current prices.
OdulMuhtaroglu,
undersecretary at the breakaway regime’s “state planning organization”, said
that their target is to announce the definite results for 2014 by the mid of
this year. Muhtaroglu noted that according to their predictions, the highest
decrease (8.5%) for 2014 will be observed in the field of agriculture, while
industry is expected to increase by 2.8%, constructions by 5.5%, trade and
tourism by 5.1% and hotels and restaurants by 3.5%. He said that the latest
predictions were carried out in September 2014.
(I/Ts.)
4. The number of actively insured persons in the occupied area
of Cyprus reached 80.455 in 2014
Turkish
Cypriot daily YeniDuzen newspaper (28.01.15) reports that KasimErkmen, director of the so-called social insurance department of
the breakaway regime in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus, has said
that the number of actively insured persons, that is, those who paid their
insurance premium in 2014 reached 80.455. Noting that this number is by
3.121 persons higher than the one in 2013, the paper notes that Erkmen noted that 46.715 of these persons
are “TRNC citizens”, 27.987 citizens of Turkey and 5.753 citizens of third countries.
The number of passively insured persons, that is, those who
receive a monthly payment from the “department”, increased from 30.445 persons
in 2013 to 31.597 in 2014. The total payments were 645.650.000
Turkish liras (TL) in 2013 and increased to 741.375.000 TL in 2014. The
respective numbers for the total collected amount was 444.057.000 TL in 2013
and 497.991.000 TL in 2014.
Responding
to a question, Erkmen said that there are two kinds of illegality: 1) persons
who are not registered in his “department” and therefore they pay no insurance
or those who are not registered and 2) those who do not declare the real value
of their income and therefore pay smaller insurance premium.
(I/Ts.)
5. Yorgancioglu
gives his support to the transfer of Greek Cypriot soccer players to Turkish
Cypriot soccer teams
Turkish Cypriot daily YeniDuzen (28.01.15)
reports that self-styled prime minister OzkanYorgancioglu, during a meeting
with the sport club of Degirmenlik (translator’s note: occupied village of
Kythrea) said that sports always promote friendship and brotherhood. He
explained that he has always supported the initiatives of the “football
association” regarding the issue of soccer players from the “south”
(translator’s note: the government controlled area of the Republic of Cyprus)
to be able to play soccer on the “north” (translator’s note: the occupied area
of the Republic of Cyprus), adding that this is a phenomenon, which encourages
friendship.
The chairman of the “Degirmenlik / Kythrea
sport club” Emir Ali Oztuccar said that they are the only sport club that has
taken the risk to take soccer players from the “South” and they expect support
from the “government”.
6.Bozkir: New Greek government will not change Greece’s foreign
policy
Turkish
daily Sabah newspaper (28.01.15) reports that VolkanBozkir the Minister of
European Affairs of Turkey, commenting on the election victory of Alexis
Tsipras and the establishment of a new government in Greece, stated that Athens
will not change its foreign policy.
Bozkir said
that Syriza will have to follow a suitable international behaviour in its
foreign policy, therefore the new government will not change its policy as
regards North Thrace and Cyprus.
7. AylinCaglayanOzcan:
Turkey is already harmonizing its energy policies with the EU’s as if the
chapter is already open
According to Ankara Anatolia news agency
(27.01.15), as Turkey attempts to accelerate its EU membership process in 2015
by opening the energy chapter up for negotiations, the chapter remains blocked
by the Greek Cypriots.
Kicking off the new year with a series of
visits to several EU capitals, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu
insistently mentioned that the government will focus on the EU membership
process throughout the year. During his speech at Davos Economic Forum on Jan.
23, Davutoglu said that opening the energy chapter would benefit the EU more
than Turkey, considering the EU's supply security and diversification-focused
energy policy.
Turkey is
already harmonizing its energy policies with the EU’s as if the chapter is
already open, as it is following the EU's recommendations and conducting the
work, AylinCaglayanOzcan, head of sectoral policies department at Turkey’s EU
Ministry told Anatolia news agency.
"The energy chapter is blocked by the
Greek Cypriots. At this stage, we should solve this problem first. When this is
solved and if the Commission brings no opening criteria, the chapter can be
opened," she added.
Spokesperson for the Commission JuriLaas,
when asked about the renewed efforts between the EU and Turkey to open the
negotiations for the chapter with the Greek Cypriot administration's blockade,
said, "There has been an increased number of contacts and some positive
statements lately. However, as you know, there needs to be unanimity within the
EU to open new chapters."
"Cyprus has made itself pretty clear
that Turkey will not get any cooperation on the subject of the EU chapters
until it shows respect on the Eastern Mediterranean gas issue in turn,"
Gary Lakes, director of the Energy Program at the European Rim Policy and
Investment Council in Larnaka, said.
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