Editor's Note
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10th anniversary FES CYPRUS NEWSLETTER EDITOR‘S NOTE The Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung in Cyprus cele- brates its 10th anniversary. To mark the oc- casion the FES newsletter has a new design and we hope you share our excitement over the new look. We hope that the pandemic will allow for an appropriate celebration later this year. In the meantime, we wish you good health and hope you enjoy our “new” newsletter. Newsletter No. 107 APRIL 21 please Follow and visit us on: Twitter I Facebook I Instagram I Online 10th anniversary FES CYPRUS NEWSLETTER CONTENT EVENTS, PODCASTS, PUBLICATIONS 3 CYPRUS PROBLEM 4 HYDROCARBONS 6 GREEK CYPRIOTS 6 Economic Developments Domestic Developments Labour Relations and Trade Unions TURKISH CYPRIOTS 8 Economic Developments Relations with Turkey Domestic Developments Labour Relations and Trade Unions Newsletter No.107 APRIL 21 please Follow and visit us on: Twitter I Facebook I Instagram I Online 2 10th anniversary FES CYPRUS NEWSLETTER PODCASTS in MAY: PODCASTS in JUNE: Huberrt Faustmann (Director FES Cyprus) and Hrishabh Holly McCamant and Hrishabh Sandilya (Project Sandilya (Project Phoenix) joined by Etinosa Erevbena- Phoenix) joined by Zivka Deleva (Director of an Asylum gie and Cynthia Savvides (Generation for Change) and Reception Centre in Berlin), Elizabeth Kassinis (Cari- Migration 2.0 Podcast - Episode 3: Winter Chaos at tas) and Qais Hatefi (Afghani refugee and university Pournara and in Nicosia, Boat Pushbacks and the student in Germany) Council of Europe Reprimands Cyprus Migration 2.0 Podcast - Episode 4: Refugee and (In English) Migrant Integration in Cyprus and Germany - Com- parisons and Lessons Hubert Faustmann and Sertac Sonan (In English) Austerity Policies in North Cyprus (In English) PUBLICATIONS in MAY: PUBLICATIONS in JUNE: No publications in May Kyriaki Chatzipanagiotou, Samuel Akoni, Hrishabh Sandilya and Sarah Morsheimer A Systemic Analysis of the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Refugees, Migrants, and Asylum See- kers in Cyprus: Part II – The Survey (In English) EVENTS in MAY: EVENTS in JUNE: No events planned No events planned so far Newsletter No.107 APRIL 21 please Follow and visit us on: Twitter I Facebook I Instagram I Online 3 10th anniversary FES CYPRUS NEWSLETTER CYPRUS PROBLEM support, stuck to its position on a two states solu- The informal five plus one summit on the Cyprus tion and sovereign equality, while the Greek Cypriot problem between the island’s two communities and side demanded adherence to a federal settlement the foreign ministers of the guarantors Greece, the with political equality, as was stipulated in UN res- UK and Turkey, took place in Geneva between April olutions. Tatar had reportedly been informed by Gu- 27 - 29. The purpose of the summit, coordinated and teres during their meeting that a two-state solution led by the UN, was to find a common ground that was outside the UN framework. would allow substantive negotiations on the Cyprus During the second day of the summit on April 28, problem to resume. the two leaders submitted their proposals during UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, an- the plenary session. Tatar submitted a six-point doc- nounced at the end of the conference that there was ument calling for the adoption by the UN Security not enough common ground for Cyprus negotia- Council of a resolution recognising the Turkish Re- tions to resume. In his remarks, Guterres stated that public of Northern Cyprus1 as an independent state. he will not give up and announced another meeting After this was achieved Tatar’s proposal explained, soon with the objective to move in the direction of the two states would then negotiate their future reaching common ground within the UN framework relationship and for an agreement on property, se- of a bizonal, bicommunal federation. Guterres said curity and border adjustment, as well as relations there would be consultations before the next meet- with the EU. Tatar reportedly explained that negoti- ing, as there were before the Geneva meeting, with ations will be supported by Turkey, Greece, and the the aim of creating the conditions to allow for the UK and when appropriate, the EU as an observer. next summit to be successful. A special envoy might He also suggested the continuation of the system of be appointed to carry out these consultations but guarantees arguing that the two states will mutually there was no information if Jane Holl Lute will hold recognise each other, and the three guarantors will this role. Answering to a question on how he could support this. Tatar also suggested that any agree- square the circle, given the sides’ divergent views ment reached during these negotiations will be sub- the UN Secretary noted: “To square the circle is an mitted for approval in separate referenda in the two impossibility in geometry but it is very common in states. Anastasiades, on the other hand, confirmed politics.” A glimmer of hope has been kept alive in the Greek Cypriot side’s proposals as submitted view of June’s European summit that will take deci- in Crans-Montana in 2017. Anastasiadis also sug- sions on a range of issues regarding EU-Turkey rela- gested examining a model of a “decentralized” fed- tions. eration in which the constituent states would have The summit kicked off on April 27 with Guterres increased responsibilities for their own house, but hearing the positions of the two leaders. He first met would not have sovereignty, as this would lead to a with Turkish Cypriot leader, Ersin Tatar, and then confederation. with the Greek Cypriot leader, Nicos Anastasiades. Assessing the outcome of the summit, Anastasiades As expected, the Turkish Cypriot side, with Ankara’s expressed his satisfaction with the way Guterres 1The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) is only recognised as the government of the whole of the island, recognised by the Republic of Turkey. While for Turkey the entire island is now considered to be a member of the and the Turkish Cypriots, Ersin Tatar serves as President European Union. However, the acquis communautaire is of the TRNC, the international community considers him suspended in northern Cyprus pending a political settle- the communal leader of the Turkish Cypriots. As the gov- ment to the Cyprus problem (see Protocol no. 10 of the ernment of the Republic of Cyprus remains internationally Accession Treaty). Newsletter No.107 APRIL 21 please Follow and visit us on: Twitter I Facebook I Instagram I Online 4 10th anniversary FES CYPRUS NEWSLETTER handled the demands of the Turkish side for a two- tives to plan and develop the closed areas of Fama- state solution. Turkish Cypriot spokesperson, Berna gusta. Dogruyol, highlighted that this is the first time the On April 12, the European Commission official- Turkish Cypriots submitted a realistic and construc- ly registered halloumi as a protected designation tive proposal to break the status quo. of origin (PDO) so that only halloumi produced in On April 24, Cyprus, an initiative supporting the Cyprus according to the product specification can reunification of Cyprus, addressed a letter to Pres- use the registered name. The move to protect the ident Anastasiades in light of the upcoming informal name against imitation and misuse across the EU five-party summit in Geneva. The purpose of the is expected to bring clear economic benefits to the letter was to express support for a solution that will island and will help bolster trust between the two reunite Cyprus in accordance with Security Council communities. For producers in the Turkish Cypriot resolutions and the Greek Cypriot side’s officially community to benefit, the commission also adopted declared positions. The letter called on Anastasia- a measure allowing the PDO product to cross the des to do “whatever is necessary” to ensure the pos- Green Line, provided that the cheese and milk from itive development of the talks, so that an agreement which it was made has met all EU animal and public is reached to transform the Republic of Cyprus into health standards. a bizonal, bicommunal federation (BBF) “with politi- On April 12, Tatar’s spokesperson Berna Celik Do- cal and effective participation of the two communi- gruyol announced that an agreement has been ties”. The organisers of the initiative, a group of five reached between the sides to launch work for the individuals, launched a petition earlier this month in reopening of the crossing points should the epide- support of the reunification of Cyprus, which was co- miological conditions allow. In a written statement, signed by 150 well-known Cypriots, from different Dogruyol said that Tatar’s Special Representative social and political backgrounds. The petition has Ergun Olgun had conveyed the Turkish Cypriot collected 6,000 online signatures since it launched. side’s proposal to normalise crossings to the Greek On April 21, more than 100 organisations from both Cypriot negotiator Andreas Mavroyannis at a meet- sides of the divide and abroad, called for Cyprus’ ing held on March 19 with the participation of the reunification as a BBF with political equality. A to- UN Special Representative and Chief of Mission tal of 113 groups, parties, and trade unions stated Elizabeth Spehar. An agreement was reached to they support a bicommunal march, scheduled to instruct the Bicommunal Technical Committee on take place on both sides of the divide in Nicosia, as Health to establish a roadmap aimed at harmonising a means of responding to the negative political cli- COVID-19 rules on both sides in a timely