Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 15-11-04

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

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] The breakaway regime starts granting a "white card" to foreigners in the occupied area of Cyprus

[02] A conference on economic bridges between Turkey and the "TRNC"

[03] UBP leadership candidates formed an alliance against Ozgurgun

[04] The water stopped flowing into the occupied Panagra village dam; Officials say that there is no problem

[05] Sucuoglu: "At the moment the tourists reach 3 million, we will be a self-sufficient state"

[06] Inflation rate reached 7.39% in the occupied area of Cyprus

[07] Occupied Trikomo "mayor" off to Brussels for contacts

[08] Nokta editors before an Istanbul court over post-election cover

[09] AKP is willing to take the peace process "out of the freezer" if the PKK buries its weapons; HDP calls for resuming of the peace process at Parliament

[10] AKP drafts timeline to form government in late November

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] The breakaway regime starts granting a "white card" to foreigners in the occupied area of Cyprus

According to the paper, the "white card" will be given to the following persons:

- Foreigners, who live continuously for six years in the occupied area of Cyrus with "work permit" or a "permit to establish a business" or having both of these "permits" for the same period.

- Foreigners, who have purchased a residence in the occupied area of Cyprus the worth of which is at least 125 thousand euro and have been granted at least a continuous six year residence "permit".

- Foreigners, who have a guaranteed monthly income that exceeds at least three times the minimum wage and have been granted at least a continuous six year residence "permit".

- The condition for a three year "permit" will be valid for persons who have purchased a house in the occupied area of Cyprus or have a guaranteed income and have completed the 60th year of age.

- Persons, who do not suffer from any "dangerous disease", have not been condemned due to a "shameful crime" and have a "healthy life".

- Foreign citizens, who are born in the occupied area of Cyprus or have come to the occupied area before becoming adults, will be granted "permanent residence permit" in case they apply within two years from the date they have become adults and fulfill the necessary conditions.

- The fee for the "permanent residence permit" will be 2.000 Turkish liras (TL) and the "control fee" which will be taken every two years is 250 TL.

Referring to the rights which those who will be granted the "white card" will have, the paper notes that they will not be obliged to take "work permit" every year and they will not face any problem when they exit from the occupied area of Cyprus or when they enter into the "country".

Every two years a control will be held as to whether these persons work in the occupied area of Cyprus and pay "social insurances". A "white card" holder will not have the right to "vote and be elected". Furthermore, a "white card" will not give the right to its holder to establish a business in the fields of shop keeping and craftsmanship.

Finally, the "white card" holders will have the right to receive an "unemployment insurance wage" for six months.

Former so-called interior minister, Teberruken Ulucay told the paper that those who will come to the island from now on will stop expecting to take the "citizenship". He noted that those who are already in the island will have an easier life with taking a "white card" and in case the necessary conditions are fulfilled after a certain period they could be granted the "citizenship". He said that those who have completed living for continuous twelve years in the occupied area of the island with a "work permit" or a "permit to establish a business" will be able to become "citizens".

(I/Ts.)

[02] A conference on economic bridges between Turkey and the "TRNC"

A delegation with businessmen coming from Turkey will also have bilateral meetings with the Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci, the self-styled assembly speaker of the breakaway regime Sibel Siber, the self-styled economy minister Sunat Atun, the self-styled finance minister Birikim Ozgur, the Chairman of the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce (KTTO) Fikri Toros and the chairman of the "Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Industry" (KTSO) Ali Cirali.

Ceyhun Tunali, the chairman of "GIAD", said that he feels honour to host the industrialists and businessmen from Turkey, adding that their efforts for a close cooperation with Turkey, which is an important economic power in the region, are being showed in every field.

The founding chairman of the EkoAvrasya Hikmet Eren claimed that their most important obstacle in their economy derives from the non-recognition in the international platform. Eren argued that despite the reportedly embargoes and restrictions imposed to the "TRNC" (translator's note: the breakaway regime in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus), the foreign trade volume between Turkey and the "TRNC" reached the level of 1.3 billion dollar.

Nurettin Aslanturk, the chairman of TUKSIAD, noted that the economic bridges that will be established from Gebze, which is Eurasia's industrial base, to "TRNC" will obtain great contributions to Turkey and the "TRNC". He added that these economic bridges will stable more the solid foundations between Turkey and the "TRNC".

(DPs)

[03] UBP leadership candidates formed an alliance against Ozgurgun

The paper writes that the four candidates who failed to pass to the second round stated that they will support Tatar at the election. According to Havadis, Ozgurgun will face a very difficult race since all his opponents formed an alliance against him.

(CS)

[04] The water stopped flowing into the occupied Panagra village dam; Officials say that there is no problem

Birol Cinar, director of the project for transferring water to the occupied area of Cyprus at the Turkish Water Affairs Department, told Kibris that there is no problem in the system and that they will start giving water to the dam as of today. He noted that the water flows 24 hours a day and added that some works are being held to control the system.

(I/Ts.)

[05] Sucuoglu: "At the moment the tourists reach 3 million, we will be a self-sufficient state"

Speaking to administrators and representatives of Turkish Cypriot NGO's in London, Sucuoglu said that the number of tourists who visited the "TRNC" in 2015 was 1 million and added that the 650 thousands were tourists from Turkey. Sucuoglu explained that applications have been made for the commencing of direct flights to the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus within 2016. He further noted that their biggest difficulty is the transportation, adding that there are attempts by private individuals to establish an airline company. He also said that they are discussing this issue with officials from Turkey.

Replying to a question on the tourist numbers from Britain, Sucuoglu said that within the first nine months of 2015, 22 thousands of tourists came from Britain. However, he added that many British people own houses in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus, therefore many British families are hosted in their friends' houses or they are renting their house. It is estimated, as he claimed, that their number is around to 100 thousands.

Sucuoglu visited the "TRNC stand" in the fair and said that the British market is very important for the "TRNC", so they will continue their efforts on the promotion of the "TRNC" in order fo rthis market to get bigger.

On the same issue, illegal Bayrak television (online, 04.11.15) broadcast that Sucuoglu visited the SLR Custom House train station where with a 38 meter long billboard poster and 53 smaller promotion posters of "North Cyprus" have been placed.

Speaking there, he said that the posters were well placed at the entrance of the station where a larger number of people could see them. He added that such advertisements were important for creating awareness towards "North Cyprus".

Meanwhile, adverts promoting "North Cyprus" has been placed on 130 black cabs, one of London's most popular icons. Brochures promoting "North Cyprus" are also being distributed to customers in the taxi cabs.

(DPs)

[06] Inflation rate reached 7.39% in the occupied area of Cyprus

Odul Muhtaroglu, director of "DPO", said that the price of 271 products that are included in the consumer price index went up while the price of 130 products went down.

Clothing, shoes, food, non-alcoholic drinks, health services, houses, water, electricity and gas are among the goods and services the price of which increased. The car prices decreased due to the fall of the exchange rate. Decrease was also observed in the fields of education, entertainment and culture.

(I/Ts.)

[07] Occupied Trikomo "mayor" off to Brussels for contacts

According to a statement by the "Trikomo municipality" Sadikoglu will hold contacts with officials from the European Commission and the European Parliament. He will also meet with the "permanent representative of the TRNC" in Brussels Gizem Alpman and the Turkish Ambassador to Brussels Mehmet Hakan.

(CS)

[08] Nokta editors before an Istanbul court over post-election cover

After the Istanbul public prosecutor Umut Tepe referred Capan and Guven to the Istanbul 8th Penal Court of Peace on Tuesday on charges of violating Article 214, which deals with the crimes of disrupting society and inciting one group of people to commit violence against another, demanding their arrest, Judge Atilla Ozturk ruled for the arrest of the Nokta editors while awaiting trial.

Tepe has in the past initiated several investigations into journalists over their tweets. He was also responsible for the detention of Today's Zaman Editor-in-Chief Bulent Kenes on Oct. 10 by referring him to court for arrest over tweets which the prosecutor alleged insulted President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Kenes was released on Oct. 14 pending trial.

A day after the parliamentary election on Sunday that gave the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) enough votes to once again form a single-party government, police notified the magazine of a decision by Istanbul 5th Penal Court of Peace judge Cevdet Ozcan to pull the publication from the shelves. Ozcan also ordered the detention of the two Nokta editors and banned access to the Nokta website.

In addition, the paper also reports that 71 journalists were dismissed early Tuesday from the Ipek Media Group, which was unlawfully seized in a government-led police operation in late October with the assignment of a number of trustees to the organization, a move drawing the ire of the dismissed journalists and civil society groups.

Millet daily news desk editor Bulent Ceyhan, who is also among the journalists fired, along with reporter Kamil Maman, who was assaulted by the police and then detained during the police raid on the group's headquarters, announced on Tuesday morning that they were forced to go on compulsory leave for several days after the trustees were assigned but are now not allowed to enter the media group's building.

[09] AKP is willing to take the peace process "out of the freezer" if the PKK buries its weapons; HDP calls for resuming of the peace process at Parliament

Omer Celik, the spokesperson for AKP, in a press conference on Monday, said that the AKP is willing to take the settlement process "out of the freezer" if the PKK is willing to "bury its weapons". "When public order is fully restored, the frozen issue will be on the agenda again", he said, adding that the AKP is "not taking seriously any calls to reinstate the settlement process" before public order is reinstated.

However on Tuesday, a 22-year-old was killed during clashes between security forces and the youth wing of the PKK after a curfew was declared in three neighbourhoods of the Silvan district of Diyarbakir.

Also a military statement on Tuesday said that Turkish jets hit PKK shelters, underground bunkers and weapon emplacements in six locations in northern Iraq, including Kandil Mountains, where the PKK leadership is based. The military strikes suggest that there will be no let-up in the military campaign against the PKK in the wake of Sunday's vote.

Ayhan Bilgen, the spokesperson for the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), rebuffed Celik's statement on Tuesday, telling Today's Zaman that the AKP is not acting in a sincere or consistent manner. "A new page can be opened in the settlement process if the search for a new Constitution is not sacrificed to the desire for a presidential system," he said, referring to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's desire to switch from the current parliamentary system to a presidential governing system.

Bilgen said that the AKP claims it will not seek revenge in the new term but the on-going detention of magazine editors and municipal mayors demonstrates otherwise. "This shows the sincerity and consistency of the messages after the election".

On the same issue, Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (online, 03.11.15) reported that the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) and a number of other Kurdish groups have called on the government to establish a joint commission at Parliament to resume the stalled peace process.

"The new term of Parliament should take an initiative based on a solution, negotiation and dialogue particularly for the Kurdish problem. The peace process cannot be left to the mercy of the AKP," said a joint Nov. 3 statement by the HDP leaders, the co-leaders of the Democratic Regions Party (DBP), the sister party of the HDP, the co-leaders of the Democratic Society Congress (DTK), a multi-party based group inspired by the PKK, and the People's Democratic Congress (HDK) block.

A joint commission at Parliament should stand as the official interlocutor of the peace process and "respond to society's demand for peace with a democracy program", read the statement. "We'll respect this approach if the AKP accepts a return to the peace process, respects the will for this kind of solution, and brings the peace process to the floor of parliament with new mechanisms," said the block.

[10] AKP drafts timeline to form government in late November

Accordingly, members of the new Parliament will take their oath on Nov. 17, after the Supreme Election Board (YSK) announces the final official results of the Nov. 1 snap election on Nov. 12. The Deputies will be therefore taking their oaths after Turkey hosts the G20 leaders' meeting in Antalya on Nov. 15-16.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is expected to commission Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu for forming a new government on Nov. 18. Unlike previously, Erdogan will not wait for the election of the new Parliament Speaker, which will take place on Nov. 22. The new cabinet is planned to be formed on Nov. 28.

According to the Constitution, the first session of the new Parliament will be held on the fifth day after the announcement of the results by the YSK, thus starting the procedure for forming the new government.

The timeline drafted by the AKP upon consultation with President Erdogan's office does not require waiting for the election of the Parliament Speaker.

After the June 7 election, Erdogan commissioned Davutoglu, whose party had won the largest share of the vote despite falling short of a single-party majority, to form a government only after members of the parliament speaker's office were elected. Opposition parties had criticized the president for deliberately delaying the process.

As is custom, members of the Parliament Speaker's office will be elected in parallel to the procedure for forming the government.

The AKP's caretaker interim government has apparently chosen not to lose any time, based on Article 114 of the Constitution, which says "The provisional Council of Ministers shall remain in office for the duration of the elections and until the new Assembly convenes." Accordingly, the procedure for forming of the new government is expected to be completed on Nov. 28.

Meanwhile, Deniz Baykal, the former leader of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), will again serve as acting Parliamentary Speaker as the eldest Deputy.

Among potential nominees for the Parliament Speaker post from the AKP, the names of Ismet Yilmaz, who was elected after the June 7 election, former Parliament Speaker Cemil Cicek, and Ismail Kahraman, who returned to active politics upon President Erdogan's appeal, are being mentioned. TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

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(CS/ AM)

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