TURKISH
CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C
O N T E N T S
No.
115/16
22.06.2016
1.
Turkey has reportedly decided not to send help for the fire on Troodos
Mountains
2.
The Turkish Cypriot press continues covering the fire on Troodos Mountains;
Positive reactions to the Republic of Cyprus’ accepting Turkey’s help
3.
Akinci and political parties conveyed their condolences to the families of the
two fire-fighters who lost their lives
4.
Turkish Tourism Minister will pay an illegal visit to the occupied area of
Cyprus
5.
The minimum wage in the occupied area of Cyprus is determined at 1.834
TL
6.
Turkish Cypriot scuba driver will try to break his record in the Guinness World
Records
7.
Erdogan to attend the NATO summit in Poland
8.
Yildirim:
“Anti-PKK operations over, time for reconstruction”
9.
Demirtas calls on people to stand up for their municipalities
10.
Kilicdaroglu: “AKP’s failed policies hit tourism”
1.
Turkey has reportedly decided not to send help for the fire on Troodos
Mountains
According
to Pusula Kibris website (22.06.16, http://pusulakibris.com), Turkish
officials in Ankara got angry with the conditions put forward by the Republic of
Cyprus for accepting Turkey’s offer to help in extinguishing the fire on Troodos
Mountains and decided not to send the two firefighting helicopters and the one
airplane which are waiting ready to interfere in Silifke and Antalya.
Noting
that Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci conveyed to Turkish officials the
conditioned acceptance of their offer by the Greek Cypriots, the website claims
the following:
“Ankara
evaluated the conditioned proposal of the Greek Cypriots. The Turkish diplomats
reacted by saying: ‘This is a natural disaster. We are offering help and we are
getting ready. And the Greek Cypriots put as a condition about the route. The
pilots are those who decide the route of the flight and where the water will be
poured’. After the conditions to offering help, Turkey decided not to
send the two helicopters and the one airplane which are waiting in Silifke and
Antalya”.
(I/Ts.)
2.
The Turkish Cypriot press continues covering the fire on Troodos
Mountains; Positive reactions to the Republic of Cyprus’ accepting Turkey’s help
The
Turkish Cypriot newspapers continue giving extensive coverage on their front
pages today (22.06.16) to the fire on the Troodos Mountains.
Under
the title “Conditioned Yes”, daily Afrika newspaper reports
that the Tweet of President Anastasiades that the Republic of Cyprus accepts
the help offered by Turkey in the efforts of extinguishing the fire on the
condition that the Pafos and Larnaka airports are used and the water is taken
from the Republic of Cyprus’ territorial waters fell “like a bomb” yesterday on
the agenda. The paper writes that following instructions by Prime Minister
Binali Yildirim two firefighting helicopters and one airplane are waiting
ready to help in the efforts of extinguishing the fire on Troodos. The
Turkish Forests and Water Affairs’ Minister, Veysel Eroglu stated yesterday
that if “south Cyprus”, as he described the Republic of Cyprus, asked for help,
“we will not refrain from extending our hand to help”.
Under
the title “Let peace be born from the ashes”, daily Yeni Duzen
cites sources from Turkish Cypriot leader Akinci’s office, according to
which the “official contacts” as regards this development were taking place all
night long yesterday. The “officials” said that Turkey’s aid in extinguishing
the fire will the earliest start today in the morning.
Daily
Kibris Postasi refers to the issue under the title
“Akinci-Anastasiades talked three times, the Greek Cypriots accepted Turkey’s
offer for help in the end”! The paper also cites sources close to
Akinci and writes that Akinci called three times yesterday to President
Anastasiades to offer him help and told him that “you can take water from Morfou
Bay whenever you want”. According to the paper, the third conversation
between Akinci and President Anastasiades took place after Veysel Eroglu’s
statement that Turkey was ready to offer help. Akinci has reportedly
conveyed the conditions of the Republic of Cyprus to Turkey and received a
positive reply.
Daily
Ortam refers to a “correct decision” by the Republic of Cyprus and
reports that “logic prevailed”. Noting that the decision “broke down
an important taboo”, the paper writes that the Greek Cypriots did not
commit the mistake made by the Turkish Cypriots, who had not accepted the Greek
Cypriot help in 1995 when occupied Pentadaktylos Mountain was burning.
Other
papers cover the issue under the following front page
titles:
Kibris:
“South Cyprus accepted Turkey’s demand for help”
Havadis:
“Important cooperation”
Kibrisli:
“They conditionally accepted Turkey’s help”
Halkin
Sesi:
“Historic cooperation”
Vatan:
“Turkey is coming”
Star
Kibris:
“Historic decision by the Greek Administration of South
Cyprus”
Detay:
“Our lung burned”
Gunes:
“The Greek Cypriots accepted”
Diyalog:
“Yes under conditions by the Greek Cypriots”
Yeni
Bakis:
“Together in the intervention in the tragedy”
(I/Ts.)
3.
Akinci and political parties conveyed their condolences to the families of
the two fire-fighters who lost their lives
Turkish
Cypriot daily Kibris Postasi newspaper (22.06.16) reports that the Turkish
Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci conveyed his condolences to the Greek Cypriot fire
fighters who lost their lives in the forest fire in Troodos mountains.
According
to a statement issued by Akinci’s office, the statement read: “It is with great
sadness that I have been following from the very beginning the destruction and
devastation caused by the fires in Troodos. I have also learned about the tragic
loss of the two fire fighters. On behalf of the Turkish Cypriot community and
myself, I would like to convey heartfelt condolences to their families and loved
ones, while sharing the grief of the Greek Cypriot
community”.
On
the same issue, the paper reports that the leader of the Social Democracy Party
(TDP) Cemal Ozyigit, in a written statement, called all the Greek Cypriot and
Turkish Cypriot political parties that will meet today at Ledra Palace hotel
under the auspiceσ
of the Slovakian Embasy to have a “fire agenda”. He added that although the
agenda is determined from before, the fire issue is an emergency and they should
discuss what and how the political parties can do in such
situation.
Ozyigit
further said: “While our common land is being burned furiously, the operations
should be done jointly”, adding that the fire at the Troodos mountains tears
their heart out. He also conveyed his condolences to the families of the two
Greek Cypriot fire fighters who lost their lives.
Furthermore,
the paper reports that Kemal Gulercan, member of the party committee of the
United Cyprus Party (BKP), said that
they suffer watching this tragedy which started at the Troodos mountain and
still continues. He reminded the big fire on Pentadaxtylos mountain range on
June 26. 1996, which was the cause to lose the 9% of their forest. He noted that
ecology is the biggest wealth for the humanity and made a call to the leaders to
make a step together in order to develop the cooperation and trust to the
communities.
The
Famagusta Initiative called Akinci and Anastasiades to take the lead, to be the
carriers of a joint work in order to reform and rehabilitate the burning area at
Troodos mountain.
Turkish
Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen newspaper (22.06.16) reports that the Republican
Turkish Party (CTP), in a message, expressed its sadness for the fire and the
loss of the two firefighters. It added that the pain is huge to see the island
to be burned and conveyed its condolences to the families of the fire
fighters.
(DPs)
4.
Turkish Tourism Minister will pay an illegal visit to the occupied area of
Cyprus
According
to illegal Bayrak television (21.06.16) reported that the Turkish Minister of
Culture and Tourism Nabi Avcı will be paying an “official” visit to the “TRNC”
on Wednesday, as guest of the so-called minister of tourism and environment
Fikri Ataoglu.
According
to a statement issued by the “ministry”, Avcı and his accompanying delegation
will meet with the Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci, the “speaker” of the
so-called assembly Sibel Siber, the so-called prime minister Huseyin Ozgurgun
and the so-called minister of “national education and culture”, Ozdemir Berova.
Avci
will also attend a meeting of “delegates” of the two “countries” at the
“ministry of tourism and environment”.
Avci
and his accompanying delegation will depart from the occupied area of Cyprus
tomorrow evening.
5.
The minimum wage in the occupied area of Cyprus is determined at 1.834
TL
Turkish
Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (22.06.16) reports that the minimum wage
in the occupied area of Cyprus was increased by 104 Turkish liras (TL) and
reached 1.834 TL. The “committee” which determines the minimum wage decided
yesterday that as of 1 July the new gross minimum wage is 10,58 TL per hour,
84,65 TL per day, 423,23 TL per week and 1.834 TL per month. The current monthly
minimum wage is 1.730 TL.
The
paper writes that the employers wanted the minimum wage to be 1.762 TL and the
employees 2.450. The employees’ side reacted to the decision and abandoned the
meeting. Representatives of KTAMS, Dev-Is and Hur-Is trade unions told Kibris
that with the increase of 104 TL to the minimum wage the employees are “mocked”.
(I/Ts.)
6.
Turkish Cypriot scuba driver will try to break his record in the Guinness
World Records
Turkish
Cypriot daily Kibris Postasi newspaper (22.06.16) reports that the Turkish
Cypriot scuba diver Cem Karabay, who has the Guinness world record of the
longest open saltwater scuba dive last year with 72 hours, will try to break his
own record by remaining under the water for 142 hours. He will dive on July
14th until July 20th, which is the 42nd
anniversary of the Turkish invasion in Cyprus.
Karabay
said that he was honoured when the Guinness World Records website entered his
record as “TRNC” (translator’s note: the breakaway regime in the occupied area
of the Republic of Cyprus).
(DPs)
7.
Erdogan to attend the NATO summit in Poland
Turkish
daily Sabah (21.06.16-online in English) reported that President Recep Tayyip
Erdogan will represent Turkey at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
summit which will be held in Poland on July 8-9.
The
summit, which will be the last attended by U.S. President Barack Obama, will
mainly focus on strengthening the organization's Eastern Europe borders,
Russia's activities in the region, the crises in Syria and Iraq, as well as
DAESH's activities.
Apart
from the official agenda of the summit, Erdogan is expected to raise Ankara's
concerns at bilateral meetings regarding the Syrian crisis, which has led to
instability in the region and created a huge wave of refugees.
Erdogan
is also expected to express his frustration over the Syrian PKK-affiliate, the
Democratic Union Party's (PYD) armed wing and the People's Protection Units
(YPG).
(…)Turkey's
plan for a safe zone along the Turkish-Syrian border will be reiterated at the
bilateral meetings, according to sources in Ankara. Other topics to be discussed
at the summit will reportedly be cyber-security and security of natural energy
resources.
8.
Yildirim:
“Anti-PKK operations over, time for
reconstruction”
Turkish
daily Hurriyet Daily News (21.06.16) reported that Turkey’s Prime Minister
Binali Yıldırım has declared the end of military operations in Turkey’s
southeast and said that the government is entering a “second phase” by launching
a massive campaign for the reconstruction of cities damaged by clashes between
the security forces and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
Speaking
during his parliamentary address to ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP)
lawmakers on July 21, Yildirm said: “Now the operations are over, there will be
physical and social renovation. We are replacing destroyed buildings with more
beautiful ones. Work is underway”.
“Ankara
also plans to take legal action against municipalities and mayors from the
Kurdish problem-focused Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) who is alleged to have
transferred state resources to the PKK”, Yildirim added.
“As
we have ended our operations, there are now some other steps we should take.
It’s time to settle accounts with the municipalities supporting terrorism. You
transfer the money allocated to you for public services to the terror
organization. But we won’t allow this,” Yıldırım said.
“As
soon as possible, we’ll ask these local governors to pay the price for not using
the state means given to them for the people,” he
added.
The
alleged financial and logistical support of HDP municipalities to the PKK was
brought to the agenda of the cabinet meeting chaired by President Recep Tayyip
Erdogan.
Prime
Minister Yıldırım said also the government would soon be introducing a bill to
prevent this support from municipalities and mayors to the PKK, slamming local
officials for having a “direct relationship with terrorists.”
Yıldırım
also accused the HDP and PKK of “trying to prevent the government from serving
the people of the region.”
“Following
the end of operations, the government will take measures for economic and social
development of the region by building factories to generate jobs in the region”,
Yıldırım said.
“We’ll
build factories [as the state] but they will be run by the private sector. We
will purchase their products for a certain period of time. We will introduce a
much better future to all our people, all our youngsters, by providing jobs.
That’s how we’ll be able to save our region’s people and youngsters from the
exploitation of the terror organization,” Yildirim also said.
9.
Demirtas calls on people to stand up for their municipalities
Turkish
daily Hurriyet Daily News (21.06.16) reported that in the face of the ruling
Justice and Development Party (AKP) government’s plans to take legal action
against municipalities and mayors from Turkey’s Kurdish problem-focused Peoples’
Democratic Party (HDP) and its sister party, the Democratic Regions Party (DBP),
the co-chair of the HDP Selahattin Demirtas has urged their electorate to stand
up for the municipalities which they elected.
“Inspectors
who are conducting investigations in our municipalities would disclose if they
had a conscience. They have been investigating for years; there is no single
[piece of] evidence,”
Demirtas said on June 21 at a parliamentary group meeting of his party.
“They
go to [the eastern province of] Van and say: “we gave you 400 trillion [Turkish]
Liras, what are you doing with that money?’ 400 trillion liras is your palace’s
water bill money for two years,” Demirtas said, referring to remarks delivered
by Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım during a visit to Van.
“They
think they can do all kind of unlawfulness after turning to the west of Turkey
and saying, ‘They are aiding terror,’” Demirtas
said.
“People
who have chosen their municipalities, you have to stand up for your
municipalities at all costs. It is about your willpower, not the
municipalities”, Demirtas also said.
Numerous
mayors from the HDP and the DBP have been suspended and detained, while many
municipalities under the DBP have been subject to investigations on charges
related to “supporting autonomy,” “maintaining a co-chair structure,” and
“terrorism.”
The
AKP has long been working on a new legal arrangement paving the way for the
transfer of authorities from local mayors to “trustees” if crimes related to
terrorism are committed by the former.
Demirtas
also castigated Turkey’s administration for the arrests of three prominent
campaigners for press freedom, Erol Onderoglu, Ahmet Nesin and Sebnem Korur
Fincancı.
The
three were arrested on June 20 because of their participation in a solidarity
campaign in support of daily Ozgur Gundem, a pro-Kurdish publication. The
campaign involved participants acting as editors-in-chief for a
day.
10.
Kilicdaroglu: “AKP’s failed policies hit tourism”
Turkish
daily Hurriyet Daily News (21.06.16) reported that the main opposition
Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıcdaroglu blamed the
government’s failed domestic and foreign policies for the sharp fall in Turkey’s
tourism industry.
Speaking
during a parliamentary group meeting on June 21, Kılıcdaroglu said that he held
a meeting with stakeholders in the country’s tourism sector over the weekend and
listened to the gloomy picture painted by sector professionals.
He
claimed the only party with the political will to resolve the ongoing crisis was
the CHP, adding the right way to start coping with the issue was to ask why
tourists no longer preferred Turkey. “The fundamental reason why tourists no
longer come to Turkey is Turkey’s damaged international image,” Kılıcdaroglu
told his party’s members.
“Turkey
does not look like a modern country. There is no democracy [or] rule of law in
Turkey; there is a dictatorial regime in Turkey,” he added, pointing out that
news about Turkey in any given foreign country mentions human rights
violations.
Kilicdaroglu
dismissed the argument that the only reason for the decline was the country’s
strained relations with Russia, after Turkey downed a Russian fighter jet.
“When
we set out from these facts, okay, we had a fight with Russia. But we did not
have a fight with Germany, with France, with England, why don’t they come?”
Kılıcdaroglu inquired, citing Turkey’s damaged international reputation as the
reason.
He
also said that the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) continued to not
refrain from inflicting further harm on the country’s image, as three prominent
activists were arrested on June 20 on charges of making terror
propaganda.
(…)
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