Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot Press and Other Media, 98-02-12

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From: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>

TURKISH CYPRIOT PRESS AND OTHER MEDIA

No. 26/98 -- 12.2.98

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Denktash to address pseudo-assembly.

[02] Dispute over radio, TV frequencies in Cyprus.

[03] Dini: No preconditions for EU-Cyprus accession talks.

[04] Turkish budget figures.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Denktash to address pseudo-assembly

This important meeting will be broadcast live on illegal Bayrak Television lst Channel and on illegal Bayrak Radio 1.

Great importance is attached to the session as it is held at a time when diplomatic contacts on the Cyprus problem are being intensified and pressure on the Turkish side is expected after the second round of the presidential election next Sunday (15 February).

Britain's decision to impose visas on so-called TRNC citizens, the inauguration of the Paphos military airbase, the Greek Cypriots' preparations to deploy S-300 missiles in the south, and the pseudo- Assembly's ratification of the "agreement" on establishing a partnership council between Turkey and the "TRNC" are some of the important issues to be taken up at the meeting.

[02] Dispute over radio, TV frequencies in Cyprus

Voicing unease over the situation, officials at some private radio and television stations in the "TRNC" have warned that "unless measures are taken, soon there will be no properly audible and viewable Turkish radio and television broadcasts in north Cyprus."

Ersin Tatar, spokesman for Show TV and Cine 5, proposed that the existing transmitters set for broadcasting on Channel 63, on which a Greek Cypriot television now transmits, should be used to jam that coded Greek Cypriot channel. Tatar said that the jamming could be stopped once the Greek Cypriots move out of cine 5's Channel 23.

Cine 5, whose broadcasting studio is headquartered in Istanbul but is transmitted in the occupied area via illegal BRTK (Bayrak Radio, Television Broadcasting Corporation) transmitters was first to suffer from the frequency allocations in the free areas, the report claims.

In a letter to illegal BRTK "director" Ismet Kotak, Denktash and the "Foreign Minister", Ersin Tatar, spokesman for Cine 5 and Show TV, emphasized that "it will be unfortunate if the Greek Cypriots are allowed to seize Channel 23 on which Cine 5 broadcasts in the TRNC," as he put it.

A similar situation was experienced some time ago by ES-FM broadcasting in the Nicosia region. The radio first went on the air on 104.7 NHz but after a while a powerful private radio in the free areas began broadcasting on the same frequency. ES-FM then shifted its broadcasts to 87.5 MHz.

Presently, five local and five Turkey-originated radios broadcast in the "TRNC". Turkish Cypriots follow a total of 10 television broadcasts, two of them local, on some 20 frequencies.

However, none of the radio and television frequencies are "officially" registered. This situation is securing a major advantage to the free area's radios and televisions, which have launched their officially registered broadcasting careers in line with the international agreements.

[03] Dini: No preconditions for EU-Cyprus accession talks

This is what has been decided".

[04] Turkish budget figures

Upon taking office, the ANASOL-D (Motherland Party-Democratic Left Party- Democratic Turkey Party) government assumed the 1997 deficit will stand at 2.6 quadrillion. However, the deficit for 1991 rose only to 2.181 quadrillion because of additional taxes on KIT (State Economic Enterprise) products and reduction in expenditures. This notwithstanding, the budgetary figures revealed at the same time the government's failure to adopt a serious anti-inflationary program. Current expenditures rose by 128 percent and capital outlays by 150 percent.

The Finance Ministry announced the 1997 budget performance yesterday. Accordingly, expenditures stood at 8.035 quadrillion and revenues at 5.854 quadrillion. The budget deficit was put at 2.181 quadrillion. The rate of deficit increase has been found to be 76.9 percent, a considerably drop compared to 1996 when the deficit rose by 283 percent over the previous year and stood at 1.233 quadrillion.

The increase in income from taxes and other normal incomes not related to taxes played the major role in bringing down the projected budget deficit by 419 trillion. Income from taxes rose by 111.7 percent and reached 4.750 quadrillion in 1997. Normal income not related to taxes, augmented by price hikes on KIT products, rose 152 percent compared to the previous year and reached 404 trillion. Special incomes and funds rose by 116.4 percent and reached 608 trillion. And, additional budgetary revenues rose by 114.9 percent and reached 92 trillion. All these rates are higher compared to 1996 rates.

Despite the government's pledge to curtail capital outlays to reduce inflation, the rise in public investments continued. The public investments rose by 150.1 percent compared to the previous year and reached 638 trillion. Compared to the 112.8 percent rise in personnel expenditures, there was a 128.2 percent rise in other state expenditures. The rate of interest payments and transfer expenditures, which include assistance to the social security institutions, has fallen compared to the previous year. While the transfer expenditures rose by 146.3 percent in 1996, they fell by 90.6 percent in 1997 and stood at 4.612 quadrillion.

Rate of Change in Consolidated Budget Revenues for 96-97

Percent Increase

Fiscal Fiscal

Year 1997 Year 1996

End of 1997 (97/96) (96/95)

Tax revenues 4.750 quadrillion 111.7 107.0 Tax-unrelated normal income 404 trillion 152.3 85.9 special incomes and funds 608 trillion 116.4 29.2 Additional revenues 92 trillion 114.9 100.0 T O T A L 5.854 quadrillion 114.6 93.6

Rate of Change in Consolidated Budget Expenditures for

96-97

Percent Increase

Fiscal Fiscal

Year 1997 Year 1996

End of 1977 (97/96) (96/95)

Personnel expenditure 2.73 quadrillion 112.8 93.8 Other current expenditure 712 trillion 128.2 117.7 Capital outlays 638 trillion 150.1 147.9 Transfer expenditures 4.612 quadrillion 90.6 146.3 T O T A L 8.035 trillion 102.8 128.8

From the Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office (PIO) Server at http://www.pio.gov.cy/

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