TRNC News Today 17th March 2015

Eroğlu: “Confirmation of application will give a serious blow to Turkish Cypriot Economy”

President Derviş Eroğlu drew attention to the fact that if the application of the Greek Cypriot side for Hellim registration is accepted with its current state, it will give a serious blow to Turkish Cypriot Economy and will increase the economic challenges of Turkish Cypriot side who are already having difficulties because of the isolations and limitations caused by the Greek Cypriot side.

Eroğlu said “This case is obviously against the spirit and promise of the EU decision dated 26 April 2004, along with the reports coming from the UN Secretary General that foresees removing the isolations imposed on the Turkish Cypriots”.

President Eroğlu sent a letter to the President of the European Commission Jean Claude Junker on the issue of “Hellim” and mentioned the difficulties that will rise if the Greek Cypriot side’s application is approved in its current state and made suggestions.

In his letter Eroğlu indicated that Hellim is a mutual traditional culture of both societies on the island, and that the Turkish Cypriots have equal rights to use the advantages of it too, adding that approximately 16.5% of Turkish Cypriot population earn their living by producing hellim and exporting hellim corresponds to 24% of North Cyprus’s exports.

UN Secretary General’s Special Advisor on Cyprus Eide started his contacts in the island

UN Secretary General’s Special Advisor on Cyprus Espen Barth Eide started his contacts in the island yesterday and held his first meeting with the Turkish Cypriot negotiation delegation. Eide will meet with President Derviş Eroğlu today and stay in the island until 18 March. Eide will also meet with Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Anastasiades, Greek Cypriot negotiation delegation and concerned sides.

In the statement of UNFICYP, it was stressed that Eide will organise an activity towards media and women representatives of non-governmental organisations within the framework of supporting the actors who can play a critical role for a solution of the Cyprus problem.

Ergün Olgun: “We can start setting up a substructure”

Turkish Cypriot Negotiator Ergün Olgun said that Turkish Cypriot side has a positive perspective for resumption of negotiations and if the Greek Cypriot side shows the same perspective for resumption of negotiations, they can start setting up a substructure for result-oriented negotiations.

Ergün Olgun said that he is hopeful that the negotiations will carry on from where it stopped after the presidential elections in April.

Ergün Olgun answered the questions of Kıbrıs newspapers after meeting with UN Secretary General’s Special Advisor on Cyprus Espen Barth Eide and said that they exchanged views for resumption of negotiations.

Negotiator Ergun Olgun also told that his Greek Cypriot colleague Andreas Mavroyannis also mentioned the opportunities that will rise in April for resumption of negotiations, adding that the International Community also considers that the Cyprus problem should be solved for providing stability in the island.

Conference by Ergün Olgun

Turkish Cypriot Negotiator Ergün Olgun is leaving the island today to give conferences in the UK and Belgium.

The Turkish Cypriot negotiator will give conferences at Manchester University on 18 March, Wednesday and at the European Policy Centre in Brussels on 19 March, Thursday.

During the conferences, Olgun will explain the stage reached in the Cyprus negotiations, necessary steps which should be taken nowadays for resumption of negotiations and constructive views of the Turkish Cypriot side for solution of the Cyprus problem.

Scandal in South Cyprus

A new scandal burst in South Cyprus after the words of the President of Greek Central Bank Hristalla Yorgacis and Member of Board Stelios Kiliaris about loans of Greek deputies that they don’t pay and Assistant Attorney General’s accepting a bribe.

Comments come to the fore in South Cyprus.

Yorgacis stated that there are loans unpaid of many Greek deputies to old “public bank” (Laiki Bank) and also Greek Assistant Attorney General Rikkos Erotokritu accepted a bribe of a Law office.

In his statement Kiliaris indicated that the deputies who have loans have benefits specially related to mortgage law and that he is ready to give sworn statement to show that his words are true.

On this occasion, in his written statement, Greek Attorney General Kostas Kliridis announced that he will start a criminal investigation on Erotokritu.

Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Anastasiadis asked Attorney General to start the procedures to dismiss the President of Central Bank Hristalla Yorgacis.

Parliamentary Spokesman of DISI proposes early general election

Parliamentary Spokesman of DISI Nikos Tornaridis has proposed that the members of parliament should resign and an early election should be called.

Tornaridis also made the suggestion to the parliamentary group of DISI to make investigations for the possibility of dissolution of the assembly and going to an early election for the purpose of submitting to the approval of people and political parties, to vote the inconsistency law before the assembly is dissolved and to examine the proposal for mixed ballot.

Greek Cypriot Political Party DISI announced that the proposal of dissolution of the assembly and going to the polls is the personal proposal of Tornaridis, the party has no such attitude and the issue has never been conveyed to the party bodies.

On the other hand, DISI Limasol MP Efthimio Diplaro gave support to Tornaridis.

Ceremonies will be organized in Paphos Hamam and Çerkez Mosque

Ceremonies will be organized for completion of restoration of Paphos Hamam and Çerkez Mosque which are put under preservation by Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage and UN Development Program – Partnership for the Future in Cyprus (UNDP-PFF). The activity will be held on Wednesday between the hours of 11:00-14:00.

First, Committee members will visit Paphos Hamam together with the representatives of EC and UNDP. Following the speeches and opening ceremony in Paphos Hamam, they will visit Çerkez Mosque and a similar ceremony will be held there also.