Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 16-04-27

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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] "Coalition government" received vote of confidence

[02] Siber delivered a speech in "Kosovo"

[03] Turkish Cypriot columnist warns that AKP wants to transform the Turkish Cypriots into Ottomans

[04] Todd visited Atalay

[05] The Greek Cypriots demanded their right to use the 70% of the water produced in the Waste Water Treatment Facility in occupied Mia Milia

[06] The Ravelin / Land Gate in occupied Famagusta lacks of care

[07] Turkey's Parliament Speaker's call to remove secularism from Turkey's Constitution sparks outrage

[08] EU calls on Turkey for 'focused efforts' on integration of Syrian refugees

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] "Coalition government" received vote of confidence

While 27 "deputies" voted in favour of the new "government", 22 "deputies" voted against the motion.

The UBP's 18 "MPs", the DP's 5 "MPs" and the 4 independents all voted in favour of the "government" reaching a majority yes vote which was all that was required for the vote of confidence to pass.

"Deputy" Zeki Celer from the Social Democratic Party (TDP) did not take part in the vote.

According to the "constitution", no party or group of "deputies" can file a motion of no confidence for the first three months after a vote of confidence is secured.

Self-style prime minister Huseyin Ozgurgun, who thanked the"parliament" in a speech after the vote said that the new "government" will be working to serve the "people" during its term in office. He also said that it will be the UBP and DP's priority to do their best to work in harmony with all political parties represented in the "assembly".

[02] Siber delivered a speech in "Kosovo"

Addressing a conference ran by Turkey's Ambassador to "Kosovo" Kivilcim Kilic, Siber delivered a speech on the position of the Turkish Cypriots in the historical process and their current situation. Siber noted that "there are many similarities between Kosovo and TRNC. We see a people that despite the difficulties and the ethnic discrimination have preserved its identity, language and culture and continue and will continue its existence". Sibel further said that although their population is few in Cyprus, has continued its existence despite any difficulty and pressure.

"Kosovo deputy assembly speaker" Fikrim Dana and "deputy" Muferra Sinik attended also the conference.

Meanwhile, Siber met also with Turks living in the city of Prizren.

(DPs)

[03] Turkish Cypriot columnist warns that AKP wants to transform the Turkish Cypriots into Ottomans

Ozuslu writes that the recent statements made by the self-styled deputy prime minister Serdar Denktas, that one of the main goals of the new "government" will be to improve relations with Turkey, which were injured by some circles in the recent past, are really interesting.

"While Serdar Denktas was making these statements in the assembly, the Speaker of the Turkish Assembly Ismail Kahraman was saying that 'secularism must be lifted by the Turkish Constitution'. There is no doubt that the Turkish Constitution is a result of a coup d' etat. [?] However, there is another truth that cannot be doubted as well. The AKP government is moving forward transforming Turkey into a country of 'Islamic law'. This is an issue of a main concern especially for the peoples of Turkey. However; if these developments are evaluated together with the statements of Serdar Denktas and his partner in government Huseyin Ozgurgun at the government's program, we can assume that Turkey is leading the Turkish Cypriots towards some direction as well", Ozuslu writes and adds that the main aim of Ankara is to transform everyone into "Ottomans".

Ozuslu also writes that the road map of those to whom it was assigned to take care of the issues here (in Cyprus) is to connect the northern part of Cyprus with Ankara and the assimilation of the society with the Ottoman culture, the religion and the ottoman civilization. "This is the point and the aim of all the policies followed on economy, culture and society", Ozuslu writes and notes the following:

"Ankara's authoritarian structures want to make everyone the same, to transform everybody into Ottomans, ignoring the communities in Anatolia which have different culture, different religion and nationality. It has the same intention for Cyprus as well", the columnist writes and notes that someone has the duty to inform the Turkish Cypriots about this.

(CS)

[04] Todd visited Atalay

According to a statement issued by the "religious affairs department", during the meeting, Atalay and Todd exchanged views about the inter-religious leader's dialogue.

(AK)

[05] The Greek Cypriots demanded their right to use the 70% of the water produced in the Waste Water Treatment Facility in occupied Mia Milia

According to the paper, the Greek Cypriots want to use their right to take the 70% of the water produced. The paper adds that totally 11 million cubic meters of water a year is produced from the wastewater and flows to the river.

The paper points out that for many years the water was not appropriate to be used due to the salt ratio it had, but with the new project which is planned to be implemented in the waste water treatment facility, the problems will be solved and the water will be appropriate for agriculture use.

The paper adds also that the "Greek Cypriot administration's" demand concerning the water can only be met if "serious investments" take place.

(AK)

[06] The Ravelin / Land Gate in occupied Famagusta lacks of care

According to the paper, due to the miserable situation of the tower and the insensitiveness of the relevant "authorities", the "country's image" to the tourists has been disgraced.

(AK)

[07] Turkey's Parliament Speaker's call to remove secularism from Turkey's Constitution sparks outrage

"As a Muslim country, why should we be in a situation where we are retreating from religion? We are a Muslim country. So we must have a religious Constitution", Kahraman said in a conference titled "New Turkey and New Constitution" in Istanbul, stressing that "as a Muslim country" Turkey's constitution should be religious.

However, the next day Kahraman stepped back from his remarks, saying he had "expressed his personal opinion on the new Constitution" and stressing the need to provide a "clear definition of secularism" in the new constitution. "In the new Constitution, the concept of secularism should be defined clearly and concisely, in a manner preventing its abuse and ill-intentioned interpretations," he said.

Kahraman's comments also drew criticism from within the AKP, with Istanbul Deputy Mustafa Sentop, who also heads Parliament's Constitution Commission, saying the issue was not under discussion. "We have secularism in our efforts for a new Constitution. We haven't discussed the removal of secularism from the Constitution," said Sentop on April 26, stressing that Kahraman was not speaking on behalf of the party.

AKP Deputy Group Chair Naci Bostanc? also commented on Kahraman's statements, stressing that such a change in the Constitution was not on the AKP's agenda.

Republican People's Party (CHP) head Kemal Kilicdaroglu has also criticized the Parliament Speaker's comments on removing secularism from the Constitution, suggesting that the Speaker should leave his job if he doesn't believe in certain principles. "I'd like to call on the Parliament Speaker: Either believe in the state, the Republic, the superiority of law, the equality of men and women, the independence of judiciary, the freedom of the media and a secular, democratic, social law state, or leave that seat," said Kilicdaroglu in the parliamentary group meeting of his party on April 26, while adding that the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) doesn't know the meaning of secularism.

"You can be sure that they [the AKP] don't know what secularism is. Secularism is the guarantee of all the faiths. Secularism means the freedom of religion and conscience. Secularism means the state not abusing religion," said Kilicdaroglu, as he said that secularism is the main guarantor of social peace. "Secularism is being human. In short, it is respecting the people," he added.

The leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), Devlet Bahceli, has also criticized the Parliamentary Speaker for comments on removing secularism from the charter, saying the speaker made a mistake and should correct it.

Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Co-Chair Figen Yuksekdag has also criticized Parliament Speaker Kahraman's comments on removing secularism from Turkey's Constitution, saying the Justice and Development Party's (AKP) "true colours have been shown". "Do they want a religious Constitution because they are religious? But in their perception of religiousness, acquitting thieves and corrupt people is a duty," said Yuksekdag at an HDP parliamentary group meeting on April 26. She also said that Kahraman's remarks were linked to the AKP's bid to introduce an executive presidential system to Turkey.

On the same issue, columnist Murat Yetkin writing in the paper under the title "Secularism is the key for democracy in a Muslim society", reports that Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu did not touch upon the issue during his address to his party group in Parliament. He ended his commentary by writing "President Erdogan's desire for a shift to a presidential system, which could enable the concentration of executive power in one hand, as well as Parliament Speaker Kahraman's recent suggestion, should not overshadow this. Secularism is the key for democracy and state of law in a Muslim society, and it is also the best cure for radicalization. "

Meanwhile, Turkish daily Milliyet (online, 27.01.16) reports that Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, commenting on this issue, said: "My thoughts are known on this subject. The reality is that the state has an equal distance from all religious faiths. This is laicism".

[08] EU calls on Turkey for 'focused efforts' on integration of Syrian refugees

During a visit to southeastern border province of Sanliurfa on April 26, EU Commissioner for Enlargement Johannes Hahn underlined that after five years of conflict in Turkey's neighbourhood, it is time for Ankara to focus on schooling Syrian children and improving the Turkish language skills of Syrian refugees regardless of their age. "When there is peace, there is opportunity for prosperity. Prosperity means jobs and perspectives. Prosperity gives people a hope to stay in their region," Hahn told reporters during a visit to a refugee camp managed by Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) in Harran, Sanliurfa.

Praising the Turkish government for taking the initiative to grant Syrian refugees work permits, Hahn said the opportunities had still not been fully taken. "We saw that this opportunity has not yet been really fully exploited because of the lack of language skills. But we also witnessed during a previous Gaziantep visit a couple of weeks ago that there is still a cross-border relation between Syria and Turkey, and this is something you can build on," the EU Commissioner said.

Referring to their meeting with Turkish government officials in Istanbul earlier this week, Hahn said they also discussed the prospects of offering Syrians the chance to start setting up their own jobs in Turkey. TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

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(DPs/AM)

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