TRNC NEWS TODAY – 27th March 2013

PM KUCUK: “WATER FROM TURKEY MAY BE EARLIER THAN PLANNED”

Prime Minister of  the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Irsen Kucuk, stressed that the project for carrying water from Turkey to the TRNC with pipelines under the sea may be completed earlier than planned. He also said, the Deputy Prime Minister of Turkey responsible for Cyprus Issues, Besir Atalay and Minister of Forestry and Water Works Veysel Eroglu would come to the TRNC to  investigate the work done on the  project, at the weekend or at the beginning of next week.

Kucuk stated that after Atalay’s and Eroglu’s investigation, tenders for water distribution pipelines in Cyprus would be sent out. Prime Minister Kucuk, spoke to the press last night at Ercan Airport returning from Ankara where he had visited for a series of contacts. Saying he had met with the Prime Minister of Turkey Tayyip Erdoğan and Besir Atalay,

Kucuk stressed that they spoke on the immediate start of the Cyprus talks which broke down prior to the elections in South Cyprus. He stated that they handled the Cyprus issue in the light of the evaluations and statements of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey. He also said that they discussed economic issues and the tenders planned related with the water distribution pipeline in Cyprus too.

OZGURGUN: “UNREAL STATEMENTS AIM TO HARM BOTH GIRNE AMERICAN UNIVERSITY AND OTHER UNIVERSITIES IN TRNC”

Minister of Foreign Affairs Huseyin Ozgurgun said that a statement by the Democratic Republic of Congo Ambassador to Athens to Congo citizen students studying at Girne American University (GAU); “Girne American University’s diplomas will not be valid in Congo” and pressured the students to leave the island are worrying.

Pointing out that unreal statements aim to harm the GAU which is serious and strong educational institution and other universities in the TRNC, Ozgurgun said that “We observe that Greek Cypriots are following the developments in the education sector in the TRNC with concerns and are trying to create obstacles”.

Huseyin Ozgurgun yesterday received the committee of GAU CEO under the Presidency of Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors, Dr. Asım Vehbi. Ozgurgun evaluated also the statements of Democratic Republic of Congo Ambassador to Athens related to GAU.

Ozgurgun stated that although South Cyprus and Athens are about to collapse, they are still trying to create obstacles to developments in the TRNC.  

“The economic crisis is picking on them and they are picking on us”.

 Ozgurgun said that “The economic crisis is picking on them and they are picking on us”.

As the Ministry, Ozgurgun promised to launch an initiative on the issue and said that the unreal political statements of an Ambassador cannot be accepted.

“These are the jobs of unimportant people”

Highlighting that the development of  universities in the TRNC are getting faster, Ozgurgun expressed that development of institutionalized universities cannot be prevented by any power.

Stating that they are picking on ushas been sent to the TRNC by South Cyprus, Ozgurgun mentioned that harming GAU in this way is qualified as “the job of unimportant people”

Ozgurgun:”I hope that there are administrators in the South who have a broader perspective. I want them to understand that if an agreement is reached, the island will have a bright future”.

“While Anastasiadis is struggling with the economic crisis, he should not ignore the Cyprus problem”

 Highlighting that this kind of unreal statement will increase the tension between the Turkish and Greek Cypriots, Ozgurgun said that “We can prevent the attempts to harm the TRNC, but the only thing we cannot prevent is the tension between the two communities.

Reminding that although all kinds of TRNC initiatives in order to become closer in sports with the Greek Cypriot Administration cannot be promoted, Ozgurgun addressed to Anastasiadis that, while he is struggling with the economic crisis, he should not ignore the Cyprus Problem. Ozgurgun wished that a convergence which will be the basis for an agreement and increase the affection and toleration between the two communities in Cyprus shall arise.

 “Education after tourism”

Reminding that the Greek Cypriots are also making bad politics about the TRNC in tourism, Ozgurgun said that Congo’s Athens Ambassador gave a threatening interview to the newspapers in Norway in order to prevent Denmark tourists from coming to the TRNC.

Expressing that they were following the events related to the economic crisis in the South with concern, Ozgurgun said that as well as in the electricity issue, they were thinking of helping the Greek Cypriots regarding  the economic crisis and also have started some initiatives.

“The reality of living in a more prosperous island”

Pointing out that North and South Cyprus should work collaboratively with regard to the solution of the Cyprus Problem, Huseyin Ozgurgun stated that” If the Cyprus Problem is solved, the economic crisis will be overcome easily. Unfortunately, the Greek Cypriots cannot understand the reality of living in a more prosperous island if they support the agreement. The more we are willing to agree, the more they go far way.

Reminding also the statement Turkey made regarding her support to the whole island in case of a settlement, he said that the Greek Cypriots ignore this reality.

TATAR: “MAIN REASON OF GREEK CYPRIOT FINANCIAL CRISIS IS BLACK MONEY LAUNDERING”

TRNC Finance Minister Ersin Tatar has said that the main reason for the Greek Cypriot financial crisis is black money laundering.

Tatar has evaluated the economic crisis in South Cyprus to Bayrak Haber. “Nothing will ever again be the way it was” Tatar said. The Minister of Finance, Ersin Tatar, said that it was a big mistake to allow the Greek Cypriot Administration to unilaterally become a member of the European Union, as he referred to the financial crisis in South Cyprus and the latest bailout deal.

“Greek Cypriots have now returned to pre-1974 conditions because of this mistake. They are now paying the price for their unjust treatment against Turkish Cypriots. A new balance was established on the island with the 1974 Turkish Peace Operation and that balance is now seeing changes again after 40 years” Tatar said.

He noted that previous mistakes made during the terms of former Greek Cypriot leaders Tassos Papadopoulos and Dimitris Christofias have now been ascribed to the new leader Nikos Anastasiadis.

“The fact that South Cyprus was a tax haven and a centre for money laundering, particularly for Russian investors, was something that disturbed the EU. The latest developments, including the bailout, actually came in order to bring an end to this” Tatar stated.

BANKS OF SOUTH CYPRUS TO REMAIN CLOSED IN GREECE

It was stated that banks in Greece which belong to the Greek Cypriot side will remain closed in the following two days. It was pointed out that Greek Cypriot Administration has taken that decision after reaching an agreement with the EU and the delegation of the International Monetary Fund in order to prevent quick withdrawal of money by the customers.

Moreover, it was stated that ‘Laiki’ and ‘Cyprus Bank’ branches in London were open that is why a great amount of money was withdrawn from London branches.

According to Reuters, great amounts of money was sent abroad from London. While these developments were experienced, Greek Cypriot Central Bank appointed new administrators to ‘Laiki bank’ and ‘Cyprus Bank’ for recovery.

MUSIAD CYPRUS TO PARTICIPATE IN BUSINESS TRIP

It was stated that a business trip is going to be organized to Latvia and Lithuania under the auspices of the Turkish President Abdullah Gul and Independent Industrialists and Businessmen’s Association (MUSIAD) is participating in the business trip.

According to the statement of the President of the Turkish Cypriot Businessmen MUSIAD Cyprus, Okyay Sadıkoglu, Turkey-Latvia and Turkey-Lithuania business form will also be realized during the business trip.

The Turkish Minister of Transportation, Maritime Affairs and Communications Binali Yıldırım and the President of MUSIAD Nail Olpak will participate in the organisation under the auspices of the Turkish President Abdullah Gül, hosted by the President of Latvia Andris Berzins and the President of Lithuania Dalia Kaite.

ILICAK: “SOUTH CYPRUS BECOMES EU MEMBER STATE UNDER THE THREAT OF GREECE”

Ambassador M. Haluk Ilıcak, Undersecretary of Turkey’s Ministry of  EU Affairs said “the Greek Cypriots who do not fulfil even the basic obligations of the membership has become EU member under the threat of Greece” and added: 

“The situation of Greek Cypriot administration is a result of habit of the EU on taking a decision on technical issues politically and the rule of consensus in the decisions.

When EU accepted South Cyprus into the EU, she imported the problem and also she spoiled the Greek Cypriots thus they became intransigent.

Greece has used the principles of consensus and threatened by saying ‘If you do not accept South Cyprus, I will veto the others’ and caused South Cyprus to be accepted into EU.

In other words, the Greek Cypriots, who do not fulfil the basic obligations for being a full member, has become an EU member under the threat of Greece which is an EU member.

The EU which has got used to saying ‘no’ to Turkey forgets all the rules if the said country is a Christian one.  If you look at the new countries, you can understand the situation.”

Source: TRNC Public Information Office