Cyprus Mail: News Articles in English, 03-07-16

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From: The Cyprus Mail at <http://www.cyprus-mail.com/>

Wednesday, July 16, 2003

CONTENTS

[01] Ministry orders officials to issue full 10-year passports to Turkish Cypriots after discrimination claim

[02] Coup anniversary stirs bitter memories

[03] Turkish Cypriots queuing up for hospital treatment

[04] Turks say no plans to close checkpoints on invasion day

[05] Lifeguards warn they are being stretched to the limit in Paphos

[06] Two tourists stabbed in Ayia Napa

[07] Turkish Cypriot job seekers getting equal treatment

[01] Ministry orders officials to issue full 10-year passports to Turkish Cypriots after discrimination claim

TURKISH Cypriots are being issued Republic of Cyprus passports that are valid for only two years, compared to the standard 10 years for Greek Cypriots, it was revealed yesterday.

Confronted with the reports, which appeared in the Turkish Cypriot newspaper Ortam yesterday, Kyriacos Triantafyllides, the Permanent Secretary of the Interior Ministry expressed surprise and told the Cyprus Mail that the matter had not been brought to his attention.

“Now that I know about it, I will give instructions to amend this to make it exactly the same as Greek Cypriots,” Triantafyllides said.

Ortam splashed the story on its front page yesterday under the headline “Racism”. The paper said the Greek Cypriot authorities were violating the human rights of Turkish Cypriots by not treating them as equal citizens of the Republic of Cyprus.

Triantafyllides said the reason why two-year passports were being given was a throwback to the aftermath of the 1974 Turkish invasion.

He said that after 1974, a policy had been introduced to grant Turkish Cypriots passports for two years only, due to the absence of records.

The two years were to give the authorities time to establish if the applicant was genuine, and if not the passports would expire in a short time and could then be cancelled. Very few applications from Turkish Cypriots were received over the past 30 years, he said, and the two-year system simply stayed in place.

However, since the checkpoints were opened on April 23, thousands of Turkish Cypriots have applied for and been issued passports in anticipation of Cyprus joining the EU next May.

“It seems they (passport officials) just followed that practice without realising that things have changed,” Triantafyllides said. “Now that the matter has come came to my notice I am giving instructions straight away. There is no reason whatsoever nowadays to have this differentiation. There was a good reason, but this no longer exists.”

He said passport officials might be able to start issuing new passports with 10-year validity as of today, but, if not, “definitely in a couple of days”.

“I gave the instructions today,” he added.

Triantafyllides said that those Turkish Cypriots who had already been issued passports would be receiving full 10-year ones when their two years were up.

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2003

Wednesday, July 16, 2003

[02] Coup anniversary stirs bitter memories

AN EXTRAORDINARY House session and memorial services across the island yesterday marked the 29th anniversary of the military coup against President Makarios that sparked the Turkish invasion.

Sirens all over Cyprus blared at exactly 8.20am, the time the tanks moved against the Presidential Palace, while President Tassos Papadopoulos attended a memorial service at the Constantinou and Elenis cemetery, the burial ground of those who resisted the coup.

In a commemorative speech during a commemorative church service, Justice Minister Doros Theodorou stressed that the instigators of the coup should stop being a point of reference in political matters present and future, and should be left to the judgement of history.

“The dead of the resistance belong to our collective memory and with their sacrifice they guide us in the present and future,” Theodorou said.

Speaking after the service, Papadopoulos said the thoughts were with those who gave their lives defending democracy and lawfulness.

“It is the smallest memorial duty and honour that we owe the dead heroes of the struggle,” Papadopoulos said.

But the commemoration of the dead in the coup did not go without controversy.

The problem lies with the state’s refusal to hold a service for 22 conscripts in a coupist commando unit, killed while attacking the Presidential Palace.

Two of the commandos were from Greece.

The Greek junta, which ordered the coup against Makarios, primarily used tanks and commando units in the attack against the Palace.

The service in memory of the commandos is usually held after the state service by relatives who every year complain about the state’s absence.

Three DISY deputies this year attended the service: George Georghiou, Soteris Sampson - son of coup President Nicos Sampson - and Antonis Karas.

Last year, then defence minister Socratis Hasikos of DISY attended the controversial service.

The current administration, which is backed by communist AKEL, refused to attend the service, prompting heavy criticism from those who believe the 22 commandos were merely obeying orders.

“The state is obliged to recognise and honour them from the moment the defence ministry, after a detailed investigation, decided that the 22 commandos died in the line of duty, executing their superiors’ orders, which they could not disobey,” Sampson said.

He added: “I think that any other approach to the issue is a clear attempt to divide our people.”

Sampson said it was wrong to blame 22 young men for the coup when their only mistake was to have been in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The chairman of the reservists commando association, George Fereos, said it was unjust for 22 young shoulders to be burdened with the blame of the 1974 coup.

Fereos said one of the commandos had in fact been defending the Palace, but he too was considered a traitor and a criminal because he wore the Green Beret.

Sixty-eight soldiers and officers died during the coup; “why does the burden fall on 20 commandos who were executing specific orders?” Fereos asked.

“Beyond the 20 lads, there are the parents who have been suffering for 30 years for sending their children to the army to serve their country and ending up being traitors,” Fereos said.

The House observed the anniversary in a special session that started at 11am.

In a special ceremony at 7.30pm last night, the President awarded medals to relatives of those killed fighting the coup.

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2003

Wednesday, July 16, 2003

[03] Turkish Cypriots queuing up for hospital treatment

A SENIOR Health Ministry official yesterday confirmed that an increasing number of Turkish Cypriots were seeking medical care at state hospitals in the government-controlled areas.

Last week alone, doctors at state hospitals around the island examined 270 Turkish Cypriots, said Medical Services head, Dr Constantinos Mallis.

“In the past, there were far fewer Turkish Cypriot patients,” he told the Cyprus Mail.

“Now they are increasing by the week.”

Turkish Cypriots have free access to medical care and medication as citizens of the Republic. The only precondition is that they prove they are Turkish Cypriots by presenting hospital staff with their papers, he said.

Although the Health Ministry only recorded patients visiting outpatient clinics, according to Politis, specialists, such as cardiologists, gynaecologists and oncologists, are in high demand.

Mallis explained that patients seeking specialist care had to book an appointment, which was why the Ministry did not have specific numbers for the increase in specialists’ workload.

“They receive the same treatment as Greek Cypriots because the health system does not discriminate between them. If a doctor has time to fit a Turkish Cypriot patient into his schedule then he does, just the way he does for a Greek Cypriot,” he said.

Until the Green Line opened for crossings between the two communities in April, Turkish Cypriot patients seeking tertiary medical care had to travel to Ankara or Istanbul for more specialised treatment.

At present, the influx of Turkish Cypriot patients is not a problem. Nevertheless, the Ministry is monitoring and evaluating the situation on a weekly basis and if it becomes a problem in future it will assess ways in which to deal with it then, said Mallis.

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2003

Wednesday, July 16, 2003

[04] Turks say no plans to close checkpoints on invasion day

THE TURKISH Cypriot side said yesterday the annual military parade to mark the 1974 Turkish invasion would still go ahead in the north and that there were no plans to close the checkpoints for the occasion.

Sources close to Denktash’s office told the Cyprus Mail that, barring a change of mind later in the week, ceremonies would go ahead as planned.

Reports in the Greek Cypriot press yesterday said Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash was considering several options to ensure events passed off without disruption, since this was the first time in 30 years that people have been free to cross the divide at this sensitive time.

The reports suggested Denktash might close the checkpoints on July 20 and August 15, the anniversaries of phase one and two of the invasion.

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2003

Wednesday, July 16, 2003

[05] Lifeguards warn they are being stretched to the limit in Paphos

THE LIFEGUARDS’ Association yesterday expressed their concern over safety at beaches in Paphos, saying they were too understaffed and under-equipped to be able to provide adequate cover.

Association head Polis Pallikaras said Paphos had the biggest problems in Cyprus when it came to lifeguards.

“We received a letter from the German government asking us what level of safety our beaches had so that they could pass the information on to tourist agencies, and our reply was that, unfortunately, Paphos beaches were not that safe,” he said.

Lifeguards in Paphos are outraged with the situation in the area, saying they were being forced to work 29 days a month because they were understaffed, and were furious with the fact that out of 23 lifeguards hired by the local authorities, seven were not properly qualified.

Pallikaras said the problem lay with the local authorities and that the association was having to train the people hired by them.

“The problem is not with the lifeguards. If you look island wide you will find that all our lifeguards are qualified and well trained. The point is that the local authorities hire people that are not qualified and when we complain they say, ‘well, we hired them, so you can train them’, but it’s not that simple,” Pallikaras said.

“It’s like the Health Ministry hiring people and then asking the Medical Association to turn them into neurosurgeons,” he added.

“Paralimni has a great lifeguard team, so does Limassol, they also have a very good team and it is very well equipped,” he said.

“But that doesn’t mean we are happy with the government, because the Communications Ministry can’t say that we have 100 protected beaches, when we can only cover 30 of them with the number of people we have.”

Pallikaras said the only way to solve the problem was for the lifeguard profession to become a government body.

“What we suggest is that the Lifeguard profession to be upgraded into a government body, like Civil Defence, so there could be local state lifeguard bodies that hire permanent and non-permanent staff, but there should be full-time lifeguards that operate throughout the year, as well as volunteers.”

A British couple drowned off the Paphos coast last week after going out on a dinghy in rough seas. Their nine-year-old son was rescued. The area where they drowned was not a designated beach, and was therefore not covered by any lifeguards.

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2003

Wednesday, July 16, 2003

[06] Two tourists stabbed in Ayia Napa

FAMAGUSTA police were yesterday investigating a stabbing incident in Ayia Napa in which two men were injured, one of them seriously.

It was the third stabbing incident in the resort in nine days, but police yesterday said they did not think there was any connection to the previous attacks.

Police said two Dutch tourists, aged 20 and 22, had to be rushed to a local clinic after they were stabbed on Ayia Napa square.

One bore a serious wound to the sternum and had to undergo surgery, but his condition was stable, police said.

His friend was treated for lighter injuries and subsequently discharged.

One of the victims told police that they had argued with two unknown youths, who spoke very good English, and before they knew it they found themselves in the clinic.

Police said they were searching for two men aged 20 to 25, around 1.75 metres tall and of medium build.

The two are of unknown nationality and have dark complexion and short black hair.

This was the latest stabbing incident in the popular resort in recent days.

On Friday, police arrested two British men following the stabbing of a British tourist.

And on Monday, police were called in again after 18-year-old garage music star Dizzee Rascal was stabbed.

Police believe the incidents are linked and were part of an ongoing rivalry between British groups, which spilled over to Cyprus.

Two individuals are still being sought by police in connection with the stabbing of Dizee Rascal, which came just hours after one of the groups arrived on the island.

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2003

Wednesday, July 16, 2003

[07] Turkish Cypriot job seekers getting equal treatment

TURKISH Cypriots looking for work are dealt with in the same way as Greek Cypriots, Labour Minister Makis Keravnos insisted yesterday. In fact, the government has already started implementing measures to employ Turkish Cypriots, with several already signed up to find work on the ministry’s unemployment register, he added.

“The government’s measures that were announced concerning the employment of Turkish Cypriots have already been put into practice,” said Keravnos.

Several Turkish Cypriots have visited district employment offices to register on the unemployment register, he said. “Many are sent on to employers and others are already employed.” He stressed that Turkish Cypriots were dealt with in the same way as any Cypriot looking for work.

When asked whether the government was promoting the employment of Turkish Cypriots in an effort to reduce the number of foreign workers on the island, Keravnos said the two issues were distinct.

“The question of hiring foreigners is a separate issue,” said the minister, but added the matter was under investigation.

“As part of the government’s general policy, based on the government’s programme for change, there will soon be a policy on this matter.”

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2003

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