Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 17-07-28

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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] Burcu responded to Christodoulides's remarks

[02] Infrastructure preparation for Maronites' villages started

[03] Opinion poll on how the Turkish Cypriots evaluate the Crans Montana results

[04] Turkish Cypriots "authorities" detained anti-migrant boat

[05] Illegal GAU to open new campuses in Serbia and Montenegro

[06] A new hotel under construction in occupied Trikomo area

[07] Yildirim reassures German investors in Turkey that tension between the two countries would not harm investments

[08] Number of Deputies at Turkey's Parliament increased to 600

[09] Two HDP lawmakers stripped of MP statuses

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Burcu responded to Christodoulides's remarks

"It is for this reason that they have always wanted to see Turkey rather than the Turkish Cypriots as their collocutors, ignoring the internal dynamics of the Turkish Cypriot society", Burcu claimed.

In a written statement issued today, Burcu responded to a statement made by Government's Spokesman Nicos Christodoulides who accused the Turkish Cypriot side of distorting the facts regarding the failed talks at Crans-Montana.

Burcu claimed that the current situation would have been very different had the Greek Cypriot leader shown just a fraction of the determination displayed or the initiatives undertaken by the Turkish Cypriot leader Ak?nc? over the past two years.

"Unfortunately the Greek Cypriot side, first at Mont Pelerin, later in Geneva and finally at Crans-Montana was not able to display the determination needed for reaching an agreement. Their only goal was to develop tactics aimed at laying the blame and responsibility for the non-solution on the shoulders of Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot side. Having failed to do so, they (Greek Cypriots) are now picking quarrels with everyone", Burcu alleged.

"As the president stressed earlier there is a strong need on the Greek Cypriot side to transform its current mentality. It will be the Turkish Cypriots who will welcome such a move the most", Burcu also claimed.

[02] Infrastructure preparation for Maronites' villages started

It has been announced that at first the infrastructure of the villages will be developed and be upgraded.

Speaking on the issue, the so-called "presidential undersecretary" Gurdal Hudaoglu, who is in charge of overseeing the process, said that the work will include the introduction of a number of measures that will ensure the swift and smooth return of the Maronites to their villages.

The work is being carried out in coordination between the "president's office, the relevant government ministries and the Cyprus Turkish security forces", writes the paper.

Reporting on the same issue, Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (28.07.17) reports that the status of the Maronites that will return is not known yet. According to the paper, it has not been revealed if the Maronites will share the status of the Maronites that currently live in occupied Kormakitis village or if the status of everyone will be upgraded. The paper notes that the Maronites that live in the breakaway regime now have no "citizen' rights"; but they have a "right to reside" in the breakaway regime, having a kind of a "half citizen right", as the paper notes. In addition the Maronites living in occupied Kormakitis village can elect their own mayor.

In addition, Halkin Sesi (28.07.17) writes that the "decision" for the Maronites return was like a "cold shower" for the Greek Cypriots who consider this development as part of the "Plan B" of Turkey, after the failure of the Crans Montana summit.

(CS)

[03] Opinion poll on how the Turkish Cypriots evaluate the Crans Montana results

According to the results of the poll, 87,9% find President Anastasiades to be responsible for the summit's failure while 67,6 % find positive Akinci's stance. In addition, 53,4% find positive the statements made by Akinci after Crans Montana and 55,8% find the "presidency" positive after the summit.

Asked what their first choice for the solution is if the Cyprus talks are over after the failed summit, 56.1% stated that they preferred two "states"living are side by side.

The poll was conducted between 17-23 of July , 2017 with a sample of 600 people using telephone conversations.

(CS)

[04] Turkish Cypriots "authorities" detained anti-migrant boat

The captain and his second-in-command were taken into custody while the ship was stopped at the occupied port of Famagusta, K?br?s Postasi reported.

The two men are suspected of having "false documents," the daily said, without elaborating.

It was not clear where the rest of the boat's crew were.

The "Defend Europe" scheme was announced by anti-immigration campaigners from France, Italy and Germany after crowd-funding 76,000 euros ($87,000) needed to hire the vessel.

The far-right group, which calls itself "Generation Identity" (GI), said the 40-meter boat left Djibouti in early July.

It said that the vessel was stuck for a week in the Suez Canal after "left-wing movements and NGOs accused them of transporting arms and mercenaries in a bid to prevent their mission."

A search by the Egyptian authorities turned up nothing, the group said.

(?)

The group said further that "false accusations" awaited them in occupied Famagusta, and that they were accused of transporting illegal migrants.

[05] Illegal GAU to open new campuses in Serbia and Montenegro

According to the paper, a delegation of the illegal university, headed by its "founding rector and chairman of the administration board", Serhat Akpinar, met with the chairman of the Montenegro Mediterranean University, Dr Dusko Knezevi with whom they signed an "academic agreement". At the same time, GAU undertook steps for the opening of campuses in Serbia and Montenegro.

(AK)

[06] A new hotel under construction in occupied Trikomo area

According to the paper, the construction works for the new hotel have already started. The name of the new hotel is Long Beach Resort Hotel and its bearing capacity would be 680 rooms.

(AK)

[07] Yildirim reassures German investors in Turkey that tension between the two countries would not harm investments

"It is very important to us that you are not a part of this tension and do not suffer any damage from the events," Y?ld?r?m said on July 27 at a meeting with senior representatives of leading German companies in Turkey, including Bosch, Siemens, Mercedes, Metro Group, Frankfurt Messe and Thyssen Krupp.

"The Turkish government is not in a positon to escalate tension with Germany," he said.

"I am very clear that we do not consider you as German companies. We see you as companies of this country," Y?ld?r?m stated.

He said that German investors in Turkey should not feel that they are subjected to unfair criticisms and should not pay a price for the relations between Ankara and Berlin, adding that the German companies were "Turkish firms rather than German ones as they have been in Turkey for more than half a century."

He said the political tension with Germany was temporary, adding that taking into account 3.5 million Turkish citizens living in Germany it is pointless for both Germany and Turkey to have permanent negative relations.

Meanwhile, Turkish businesspeople in Germany have voiced concerns to state-run Anadolu Agency over recent tension between Berlin and Ankara, demanding a speedy recovery in relations.

"We do not want any further deterioration between Turkey and Germany," Orhan Bilen, a board member of the North Rhine-Westphalia branch of the Independent Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (MUSIAD), said in an interview earlier this week.

Bilen said no one could overlook how the countries' historic trade relations had reached "very serious numbers."

According to recent figures, the trade volume between the countries hit $35 billion in 2016. Germany remains Turkey's number-one export partner and number-two import partner.

The businessman said that the normalization of political ties was "very important" for Turkish people who live in Germany.

(?)

[08] Number of Deputies at Turkey's Parliament increased to 600

In accordance with the amendment, Turkey's YSK designated the numbers of Deputies in cities and electoral districts on the grounds that the Deputy number in the Parliament has increased to 600. In an article promulgated in the Official Gazette on Thursday, it is stated that the Turkish Statistical Institute (TUIK) sent the information regarding the population in Turkey with respect to data dated 31 December 2016 to the YSK, and according to these data, YSK designated the number of Deputies representing the cities and electoral districts. In the Resolution, it is stated that the cities represented by 36 or more Deputies are divided into 3 electoral districts. Electoral district of the ones represented by between 16-35 Deputies is divided into 2 regions. The cities represented by at most 18 Deputies have only one electoral district.

In the amendment, Ankara's electoral district has increased from 2 to 3, and that of Bursa has doubled. With the same regulation, the number of Deputies represent Ankara will be augmented from 32 to 36, and that of Istanbul from 88 to 97. The number of Deputies representing Adana, Ayd?n, Denizli and Diyarbak?r was increased by 1.

[09] Two HDP lawmakers stripped of MP statuses

The Parliament voted for the dismissal of Sar?y?ld?z, a lawmaker for the southeastern province of S?rnak, and Ozturk, a lawmaker for the eastern province of Van, on July 27 for failing to attend five sessions of parliamentary proceedings in October, November and December 2016.

"You voted for the abolishment of two of our lawmakers' seats in an unlawful, unjust and unfair manner. That would be a medal of honor for you," HDP Deputy Group leader Filiz Kerestecioglu said after the voting on July 27.

"We will continue to do politics in this country; we will continue to practice democratic politics. We are the Deputies of the people. In the eyes of the people, our statuses as MPs can never be lifted whether you judge us or imprison us," she added.

A parliamentary commission evaluating the dismissal of Sar?y?ld?z had referred a report to a plenary voting on July 21.

Sar?y?ld?z and Ozturk left Turkey in the wake of a parliamentary decision to remove lawmakers' immunities in 2016 and have been abroad ever since.

After the immunities were lifted, hundreds of summary proceedings were issued against 50 HDP lawmakers in Parliament, which led to 12 HDP lawmakers, including co-leaders Selahattin Demirtas and former co-chair Figen Yuksekdag, being imprisoned. Yuksekdag was also stripped of her seat in parliament in February as she was being convicted on terror charges.

The Turkish Constitution rules that a Deputy can be removed from his status after failing to attend parliamentary sessions without any excuses or being absent for five sessions by a majority in Parliament that has to make the decision within a month.

(?)

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(AK / AM)

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