Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 16-03-01

Cyprus Press and Information Office: Turkish Cypriot Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Ak?nc? discussed the latest developments on the Cyprus problem with the German EU Minister

[02] The Turkish Minister of Science, Industry and Technology is visiting the breakaway regime

[03] Atun evaluated the recent visit of the Turkish Minister of Customs and Trade

[04] Kalyoncu is going to Ankara escorted by three "ministers"

[05] Eroglu claims that a former US Ambassador has told that the USA had spent 30 million dollars for the Turkish Cypriot "yes" vote

[06] Tacoy accused the Greek Cypriot side of unwillingness towards a federal solution in Cyprus

[07] Turkey and the occupation regime signed an agreement for the improvement of the monitoring system for forest fires

[08] The Turkish Cypriot newspapers are struggling to survive; Columnist assesses the situation of the press in occupied Cyprus

[09] The breakaway regime participated in the "Ferie for Alle 2016 Tourism Fair" that took place in Denmark

[10] Kurtulmus called political parties to attend talks for a new Constitution; Reaction statements by opposition parties

[11] Erdogan filed a lawsuit against HDP' co-chairman Demirtas for allegedly "insulting" him

[12] Two Gulen-linked broadcasters shut down

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Ak?nc? discussed the latest developments on the Cyprus problem with the German EU Minister

The latest developments in the Cyprus negotiations process as well as the ongoing work to prepare the Turkish Cypriots for the EU acquis communautaire were discussed at the meeting held at the so-called presidential palace.

The "chief negotiator", Ozdil Nami, the so-called presidential spokesman Bar?s Burcu and the "undersecretary" of the so-called foreign ministry Erhan Ercin were present at the meeting.

No statements were made before or after the meeting.

[02] The Turkish Minister of Science, Industry and Technology is visiting the breakaway regime

Isik will arrive in the breakaway regime tonight and will participate in the 1st KOBI (SMEs, Small and Medium Sized Enterprises) Summit that will take place tomorrow.

(CS)

[03] Atun evaluated the recent visit of the Turkish Minister of Customs and Trade

Atun made these statements commenting about the recent visit of the Turkish Minister of Customs and Trade Bulent Tufekci. Atun stated that Turkey is the biggest market for the breakaway regime and added that having good relations with Turkey will increase the trade volume. He also stated that a delegation of his "ministry" and of the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce will visit Mersin in the coming days in order to promote trade.

On his part, Tufekci issued a statement saying that there are certain standards that must be followed so that investments to be made in any country of the world. He also said that in order for the international respect towards the "TRNC" to be increased and the isolation to be removed, the academic power of the island must be increased.

(CS)

[04] Kalyoncu is going to Ankara escorted by three "ministers"

According to the paper, Kalyoncu is escorted by the "foreign minister" Emine Colak, the "agriculture and natural resources minister" Erkuk Sahali and the "culture minister" Kutlu Evren along with various "bureaucrats". Kalyoncu will hold contacts with Davutoglu tomorrow and also sign the water agreement.

The paper, further reports that the "council of ministers" will hold a meeting today, prior to Kalyoncu's visit.

(CS)

[05] Eroglu claims that a former US Ambassador has told that the USA had spent 30 million dollars for the Turkish Cypriot "yes" vote

Addressing a meeting in Turkey on the occasion of the fifth anniversary from the death of former Turkish Prime Minster Necmattin Erbakan, Eroglu said that Erbakan was one of the architects of the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus and that he lives in the heart of the Turkish Cypriots. He said that he had signed an economic "protocol" with Erbakan, who believed in the industrialization of the occupied area of Cyprus.

Meanwhile, replying to questions of Turkish Milliyet newspaper, Eroglu alleged that the Greek Cypriot side is slyly attempting to take what it wants in the Cyprus problem. "Our side is daydreaming, we have had enough", he added and argued that the Turkish Cypriots should not abandon Turkey's active and effective guarantees and when necessary Turkey's intervention in Cyprus. He said that he sees nothing "extraordinary" in the negotiations adding that "the stance of the Greek Cypriot side is the same, their intention has not changed".

Referring to the latest developments in the occupied area of Cyprus as regards the water from Turkey and the future of the self-styled government, Eroglu said that he is not satisfied with the existing situation and argued that "the water issue has actually ended the government".

(I/Ts.)

[06] Tacoy accused the Greek Cypriot side of unwillingness towards a federal solution in Cyprus

Tacoy accused the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nicos Anastasiases for considering the "acceptance of the federal solution" as a "painful compromise".

Recalling that the interlocutor of the Greek Cypriot leader, as he called President Anastasiades is not Turkey but the "TRNC's president", Tacoy said that it is not Turkey or the Turkish Cypriots the uncompromised side by the Greek Cypriots.

Tacoy alleged also that the Greek Cypriot leadership's aim is to dilute Turkey's active and effective guarantees in Cyprus and to be rescued from the Turkish troops in the island.

Tacoy went on and stated that the main priority of the Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci should be the protection of the Turkish Cypriot's rights at the negotiating table and called him to do so.

(AK)

7 Turkey and the occupation regime signed an agreement for the improvement of the monitoring system for forest fires

Turkish Cypriot daily Star Kibris newspaper (01.03.16) reports that the so-called "Forestry department" and the Turkey's General Directorate of Forestry have signed an "agreement" for the development of the monitoring system for forest fires.

According to information obtained by the so-called ministry of "public works, environment and culture", a delegation of the "forestry department" headed by its "general director" Cemil Karzaoglu held contacts in Ankara recently with officials from Turkey's General Directorate of Forestry and signed the above agreement. The agreement envisages the increase of cameras in forest areas and the renewal of the monitoring system.

Commenting on the signing of the "agreement", so-called minister Kultu Evren said that the "agreement" was signed within the framework of the measures that need to be taken to prevent forest fires during the summer.

(AK)

[08] The Turkish Cypriot newspapers are struggling to survive; Columnist assesses the situation of the press in occupied Cyprus

Referring to the end of the printed edition of Kibris Postasi newspaper as of today and the continuation of its circulation on the internet, the Union argued that this shows that the warnings it had made last year regarding the danger of elimination of the "corporate structure" of the newspapers, the expansion of "informality" etc. are being materialized. The Union said that if the necessary measures are not taken, many other workers will lose their jobs, like the workers of Kibris Postasi.

Meanwhile, under the title "The gangs, the mafia and the media", Turkish Cypriot columnist Basaran Duzgun assessed in Turkish Cypriot daily Havadis newspaper (28.02.16) the situation of the Turkish Cypriot media. He reports, inter alia, the following:

"[?] We are complaining a lot about the gangs and the mafia in the country and we are always skipping over the fact that the media is the place in which the gangs reached their peak.

The Turkish Cypriot press is actually passing through its most horrible period, not only its worst period. The journalists have been taken over by lead soldiers and the biggest part of the Turkish Cypriot press by the mentality which sees the ownership of a newspaper as 'a weapon'. These gangs of interest, which are also making use of the weakness of some politicians, are every day bringing onto the community's agenda their own commercial issues as if journalism was above the 'weapons' which they possess. They threaten everybody and try to fill up their pockets over these threats. There are even some who become so angry that they threaten to instigate the discrimination between 'Turks and Cypriots'. There are some who cooperate with mobsters and lose their temper so much that they threaten businessmen and some who attempt to launder money through the newspapers. [?]

The media entering under the control of those using methods of mobsters causes so dangerous results as the legislative, executive or judicial power being possessed by the mafia. Unfortunately, the Turkish Cypriot press is passing through such a period. The government and the state have the responsibility of abolishing this situation. The first duty belongs to the real journalists. To those who have the ability to exercise this profession".

(I/Ts.)

[09] The breakaway regime participated in the "Ferie for Alle 2016 Tourism Fair" that took place in Denmark

According to the paper, tourist operators, airline companies, travel agencies and tourism technology firms from Scandinavian countries and other European countries participated in the fair.

The delegation of the breakaway regime that participated in the fair held meetings with Danish and Scandinavian tourist operators and searched the possibility of doing business with them, the paper writes.

(CS)

[10] Kurtulmus called political parties to attend talks for a new Constitution; Reaction statements by opposition parties

Speaking to reporters, Kurtulmus underscored the importance of a new Constitution for the future of Turkey and said it is a necessity.

''Turkey needs a new civilian, democratic and participatory Constitution'' Kurtulmus said, and added that any progress without such Constitution would be useless.

Kurtulmus also noted that those who run away from the responsibility to participate in the constitution-making process will be remembered as 'fugitives' and urged all parties to participate with sincerity.

Meanwhile, according to Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily news (29.02.16), Turkey's main opposition leader will not engage in "bazaar diplomacy" with the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) over the AKP's ambitions for a change of regime at an inter-party Constitution commission the Parliament Speaker is currently attempting to rebuild. "We are sitting at the table in a bid to cleanse Turkey of coup laws. The Constitution is also a part of the coup law," Kemal K?l?cdaroglu, the leader of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), said in remarks published in daily newspaper Milliyet on February 29.

Recalling that any change in the first four articles of the current Constitution, which cover clauses about Turkey as a secular state and Turkey's official language as Turkish, is a "red line" for their party, K?l?cdaroglu added: "We would lend support to all arrangements for strengthening the parliamentary system. Sitting around a table for a different system, a different regime, doesn't work for us. What is the use of sitting around a table on an issue which we will not vote for and will not accept?"

K?l?cdaroglu plans to send their response to the Parliament Speaker Ismail Kahraman's call later this week, while the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) is likely to send their response next week. The HDP will define the AKP's insistence on a transition from the current parliamentary system to a presidential system as an "imposition" and will underline that the debate has been "blocking" the negotiations. The HDP will emphasize that a new Constitution will be possible only through consensus by the four parties.

(?)

[11] Erdogan filed a lawsuit against HDP' co-chairman Demirtas for allegedly "insulting" him

The indictment filed to the Ankara Chief Prosecutor's Office by Erdogan's lawyer Huseyin Ayd?n included related sections from Demirtas's speech at a HDP meeting in the southern province of Mersin on February 27.

It said these statements amounted to "insulting the President," which is a crime according to Article 299 of the Turkish Penal Code.

During his party's Mersin meeting, Demirtas had said: "He [Erdogan] wants to be the caliphate of Islam. But thieves cannot be caliphs."

The indictment said Kurdish-issue focused HDP co-chair Demirtas's remarks "cannot be considered within the scope of freedom of thought and expression."

It also said they "cannot be defended legally as they amounted to statements beneath one's dignity and honor."

Since becoming President in August 2014, Erdogan's lawyers have filed hundreds of lawsuits over alleged "insults" uttered by schoolchildren, journalists, and opposition politicians.

[12] Two Gulen-linked broadcasters shut down

In addition, the operations of Koza Ipek Media Group ended as of February 29. Employees have packed up their belongings from the building.

The Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office on Octover 26, 2015, ordered the Koza-Ipek Group to be placed under the management of a trustee panel while an investigation is ongoing into the group's purported ties to the U.S.-based cleric Fetullah Gulen, a former government ally. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the Justice and Development Party (AKP) now accuse Gulen of heading a purported illegal organization that Erdogan believes is trying to topple the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government with followers working as insiders in the police, the judiciary and other state institutions.

Istanbul police used force on October 28, 2015, to enter the media holding's headquarters and seize control of the media outlets owned by the Koza-Ipek Group, dramatically breaking into the main broadcasting room and shutting down the two TV stations owned by the group. TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

http://www.moi.gov.cy/pio

(AK/AM)

Cyprus Press and Information Office: Turkish Cypriot Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article