Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 15-02-17

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] Arinc interferes and Eroglu invites Turkish Football Federation's president to solve the Turkish Cypriot football clubs' problems

[02] Sibel accused Eroglu for being inactive on the issue of halloumi/hellim

[03] CTP delegates attend Socialist International meetings

[04] Turkish lobbying activities are launched in Britain on the issue of the occupied fenced off city of Varosha

[05] Real estate expert claims that Russians have withdrawn their investments in the Republic of Cyprus and make investment in the breakaway regime

[06] KTAMS trade union held a general strike in the occupied area of Cyprus

[07] More about the spread of the scrapie disease in the breakaway regime

[08] Outrage in Turkey over the murder of a 20-year old University student; Reaction statements by Erdogan, Davutoglu and Bozkir

[09] A high school student was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment for insulting Erdogan

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Arinc interferes and Eroglu invites Turkish Football Federation's president to solve the Turkish Cypriot football clubs' problems

The paper writes that this problem is reaching a solution, as the Turkish government has undertook action after the decision recently taken by the so-called Turkish Cypriot football federation ("KTFF") to unconditionally become a member of the Cyprus Football Association (CFA or KOP), if the problem is not solved within 45 days. The developments on the issue accelerated after the illegal visit of Turkish Deputy Prime Minister responsible for Cyprus affairs, Bulent Arinc to the occupied area of the island last week.

During this visit, Arinc had stated that as soon as he returns to Turkey he would hold contacts with Demiroren and ask him to solve the problem. The meeting at Eroglu's office is expected to be held at 12.00 hours.

It is reported that Demiroren will meet with Hasan Sertoglu, chairman of the "KTFF" at Eroglu's office and that he did not accepted to meet with Sertoglu at the "KTFF's" premises in order to avoid the reaction of FIFA and UEFA.

Meanwhile, Turkish Cypriot daily Kibrisli newspaper (17.02.15) reports that in statements to Genc TV, Sertoglu reacted to the fact that Demiroren had no contact with him before coming to the island. He noted that no one from the TFF called him to inform him that Demiroren was coming and added that he would express this complain today during their meeting, to which he was also invited by Eroglu.

Responding to a question, Sertoglu said that the TFF officials have told them that they do not recognize the "KTFF" and denied to even sit and talk with its representatives.

Sertoglu noted that they must become member of FIFA and that he exerts efforts to solve the problems of the "federation".

Replying to a question as regards his "federation's" discussions with KOP, Sertoglu said that these discussions had no result and argued that the FIFA President is the one who will force this, adding that they are facing a little problem because of the elections at FIFA. He said that they told KOP officials that they want to become partners and not members of KOP and then the difficulties started.

Asked whether the issue of becoming a member of KOP could cease to exist on the agenda and the Turkish Cypriot football players to start playing in Turkey, Sertoglu said that they will not stop discussions with KOP even if the problem of the football players who go to play in Turkey is solved.

(I/Ts.)

[02] Sibel accused Eroglu for being inactive on the issue of halloumi/hellim

"The presidency is not an authority of actions", Sibel said and added that the international community, encouraged by the silent stance of the Turkish Cypriot leadership, has not persuaded the Greek Cypriot leader, as she called President Nicos Anastasiades, to return to the negotiating table.

Siber supported further that the "presidency" remained inactive on the issue of foreign contacts abroad and presented as an example the issue of halloumi/hellim.

Regarding the halloumi/hellim cheese, Sibel said: "As a result of the initiatives undertaken by the Greek Cypriots to the European Commission, it was decided that hellim should be produced only in Cyprus and that the Turkish Cypriots producers of hellim could be able to export hellim only after taking the approval of the Greek Cypriot Ministry of Agriculture". "This is an unacceptable situation for us. Our leadership remained silent on this issue. This will be a big economic blow for us. Taking into consideration that the hellim production is the 25% of our exports, as the speaker of the assembly, I have sent a letter to the European Commission on behalf of all the political parties represented in the assembly and to the United Nations Special Representative on Cyprus. However, we have not heard the voice of the president on this issue", Sibel added.

(AK)

[03] CTP delegates attend Socialist International meetings

The CTP delegation met on the site of the meeting with Socialist International Secretary General Luiz Ayala, the former Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs Miguel Moratinos and the former Spanish Minister of Defense Carme Chacon.

According to the paper, during the meeting it was stressed that the right conditions must be formed in Cyprus for a just and permanent solution, to be found in the island, under the auspices and the decisions of the UN and in the framework of the international law.

(CS)

[04] Turkish lobbying activities are launched in Britain on the issue of the occupied fenced off city of Varosha

Turkish Cypriot civilian organizations in Britain have launched lobbying activities in London for promoting Varosha. Conferences have been organized at the British Parliament, the University of London and Regency, during which Dervis delivered a speech on the status of EVKAF, a strategic solution plan for the fenced off city of Varosha and the property rights in the city.

In a written statement issued by the Turkish Cypriots' Association of Britain, it is noted that these conferences are the first international lobbying and promotion activities for the Turkish Cypriots' so-called property rights. The activities will continue in Brussels, Ankara and the occupied part of Nicosia.

(I/Ts.)

[05] Real estate expert claims that Russians have withdrawn their investments in the Republic of Cyprus and make investment in the breakaway regime

Cete stated that improvements must be made in the fields of health, education and real estate so that more investments to be made and added that the transfer of water from Turkey in the Mesaoria area is an important development which will help towards this direction.

He also stated that apart of Turkish and some Russian investors, no one else is interested in making investments in the occupied area of Cyprus and added that measures must be taken and infrastructure to be made in order for this to change.

(CS)

[06] KTAMS trade union held a general strike in the occupied area of Cyprus

Speaking on the issue, the "chairman" of KTAMS Ahmet Kaptan claimed that the "government" is trying to change the working hours at public offices and blamed the "government" for freezing the cost of living without consulting the trade unions.

Supporting that the government is standing behind the capitalist business sector, Kaptan said that the strike action was organized to protest the working hours, the freezing of the pay scale, the economic program and to demand job security and humane working conditions for shift workers.

Meanwhile, the Turkish Cypriot Revolutionary Trade Unions Federation (DEV-IS) also gave support to the strike of KTAMS.

[07] More about the spread of the scrapie disease in the breakaway regime

According to the paper, animal breeder Fahri Darbez stated that he has 1,000 animals and he had to slaughter 200 of these because they got the scrapie disease. He also stated that he informed the "authorities" on the issue but no measures were taken.

(CS)

[08] Outrage in Turkey over the murder of a 20-year old University student; Reaction statements by Erdogan, Davutoglu and Bozkir

Addressing an award ceremony organized by the Turkish Contractors' Association in Ankara, Erdogan assured that "the perpetrators will face the most severe penalties."

Erdogan said that violence against women is "a bleeding wound" of Turkey. "I am speaking clearly. Whoever uses violence against women believing that they are poor, incapable, and defenseless is contemptible," he said.

Erdogan expressed hopes that Aslan's murder would pave the way for development of measures to prevent discrimination and violence against women.

Ozgecan Aslan, 20 year old University student, was killed and her body burnt after reportedly resisting sexual assault in Mersin on Friday. Aslan went missing on Wednesday; her charred body was found in a riverbed on February 13. Three suspects were arrested on February 15 in connection with the murder which has shocked the country.

Meanwhile, Turkish citizens, especially women's rights activists, have protested the murder in cities across Turkey.

Also, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said that his government is preparing a thorough action plan to fight violence against women in Turkey in the aftermath of the brutal murder of the female student.

Addressing a press conference before leaving for Pakistan on a two-day official visit, Davutoglu said that the government is also planning a mass mobilization of the Turkish people to raise awareness about the issue.

"We will begin extensive activities and prepare a thorough action plan to fight violence against women," Davutoglu said at press conference at Esenboga Airport.

The Premier believed that the Turkish judiciary system would hand down the severest punishment to the perpetrators of the crime. "This is a savage and barbaric assault that can never be accepted by human conscience," he said.

Turkey abolished the death sentence more than a decade ago and replaced it with aggravated life imprisonment.

Earlier at the weekend, Davutoglu had called on the family of the slain girl and pledged to do everything in his power to "punish the murderers in this vicious attack." Three suspects in the case were arrested early Monday. Davutoglu said it was not only Aslan that got murdered Friday, but also "human conscience itself."

He also appreciated the solidarity, awareness and mutual indignation shown by the Turkish people in the aftermath of the murder, which he said would help in raising awareness about the issue of violence against women.

"I believe the emerging common awareness will spread to all segments of the society step by step and create a brand new conscience," he said.

(?)

Moreover, commenting on the murder, Turkey's EU Affairs Minister Volkan Bozkir said that the personal feelings and the reactions of a state should be separate.

"When considering the death penalty, I think it would be necessary to assess the issue in a much more healthy environment rather the mentality we are in currently," said Bozkir in Ankara.

However, Bozkir added: "If something like this happened to my daughter, I would take a weapon and give the punishment myself and then bear the penalty but, states should not react this way."

He said killing people is not right for states. The job of states is to arrest the guilty and give them the most severe punishment they deserve. States must act within the framework of justice towards everyone.

"I think the implementation of aggravated life imprisonment would be more appropriate instead of the death penalty for such crimes," added Bozkir.

(?)

On the same issue, Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (17.02.15) reports that Erdogan has harshly criticized some women's organizations who have protested the killing of Ozgecan Aslan by dancing, saying it was not a part of Turkish culture.

"They were supposedly protesting the death of our Ozgecan by dancing. What kind of thing is this? Say the Surah Al-Fatihah if you know it. Give your condolences to her family. But they were dancing instead. What place does this have in our culture? It's like enjoying death," Erdogan said in his first public response to the murder of Aslan on February 16.

Erdogan was referring to a protest held on February 14 by a group of women, including Aylin Nazl?aka, a woman lawmaker from the ranks of the Republican People's Party (CHP), who took part in an event to raise their voices against rape, sexual harassment and violence against women by singing songs and dancing.

(?)

Erdogan also said that he condemned those politicians who wanted to exploit the case for political advantage, without specifying who he was referring to.

Nazl?aka responded to Erdogan's criticism in a statement sent to daily Hurriyet on Feb. 16, accusing the Turkish President of "ignorance."

"The dance was part of the One Billion Rising event. It was not an event in memory of Ozgecan," Nazl?aka said, also claiming that "Erdogan is responsible for the fact that violent incidents against women in Turkey have increased by 1,400% in 12 years."

[09] A high school student was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment for insulting Erdogan

The incident took place as the student, identified only by the initials U.H.C. U.H.C., who is a member of the high school group "Young Hopes," gathered with the group on June 15, 2014 in Attalos Square. They were protesting against the charging of two high school students who had gathered at the same square on January 24, 2014 to issue Erdogan with a satirical "report card," after the shooting of Berkin Elvan with a tear gas canister during the Gezi Park protests of June 2013. The charges against the two students who had participated in the earlier protest were later dismissed by the prosecutor in the case.

(?) TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

(AK/, AM)

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

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