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. 106 MARCH 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 7 Economic Developments Domestic Developments Labour Relations and Trade Unions TURKISH CYPRIOTS 10 Economic Developments Relations with Turkey Domestic Developments Labour Relations and Trade Unions Newsletter No.106 MARCH 21 please Follow and visit us on: Twitter I Facebook I Instagram I Online 2 10th anniversary FES CYPRUS NEWSLETTER PODCASTS in APRIL: PODCASTS in MAY: Hubert Faustmann and Sertac Sonan Hubert Faustmann and Sertac Sonan Politics and Society in North Cyprus - Fighting Mis- Austerity Policies in North Cyprus leading Generalisation (In English) (In English) Hrishab Sandilya, Sarah Morsheimer and Kyriaki Chatzi- panagiotou (Project Phoenix) Migration 2.0 Podcast - Episode 2: The Impact of COVID-19 on Migrants and International Students in the North of Cyprus (In English) Hubert Faustmann and Mete Hatay Varosha: Between Human Rights and Realpolitik (In English) PUBLICATIONS in MAY: Corina Demetriou and Nicos Trimikliniotis Covid-19 and Fundamental Rights in Cyprus (In English) FES/Project Phoenix Report: Kyriaki Chatzipanagiotou, Samuel Akoni, Neophytos Aristodemou, Hrishabh Sandi- lya 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 APRIL EVENTS in MAY: No events planned No events planned so far Newsletter No.106 MARCH 21 please Follow and visit us on: Twitter I Facebook I Instagram I Online 3 10th anniversary FES CYPRUS NEWSLETTER CYPRUS PROBLEM Cypriot delegation at the summit. According to gov- A flurry of diplomatic activity occurred in March ernment spokesman, Kyriacos Koushos, the Greek ahead of the informal five plus one-party summit Cypriot side’s goal is to achieve the continuation on the Cyprus problem, as the involved parties are of the talks from where they left off in Crans-Mon- preparing for the summit, scheduled to take place in tana, in the context of the UN resolutions and deci- Geneva between April 27 and 29. sions that determine the form of a solution. Koushos On March 5, as part of a one-day visit, the EU High further noted that it is important to find necessary Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Pol- convergences that will allow the UN Secretary-Gen- icy, Josep Borrell, visited Cyprus. Borrell held sep- eral to convene a conference for substantive talks arate meetings with President, Nicos Anastasiades for a Cyprus solution. All political leaders except for and Turkish Cypriot1 leader, Ersin Tatar. Following ELAM, stated they would accompany Anastasiades his meetings, Borrell tweeted: “There is a real oppor- to the summit in order to support and advise him. tunity that needs to be seized”. Borrell also met with DISY leader, Averof Neophytou, launched a series of the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative contacts aimed to discuss the Greek Cypriot side’s in Cyprus, Elizabeth Spehar. positions with foreign diplomats and Turkish Cyp- On March 8, the UN Secretary-General’s Special En- riot parties with an emphasis on the issue of politi- voy, Jane Holl Lute, held separate meetings with An- cal equality. As part of his contacts with the Turkish astasiades and Tatar. During their meeting with Lute, Cypriot parties, Neophytou met on March 17 with both leaders reiterated their divergent positions the head of the Republican Turkish Party (CTP), on a Cyprus settlement. Anastasiades repeated his Tufan Erhurman, at DISY’s premises. This was the determination to work creatively beside the UN to second meeting between the two parties after Ne- achieve a functional and lasting solution that will ophytou visited CTP’s offices in the north earlier in ensure the Republic of Cyprus evolves into a bizon- the month. Neophytou also met with former Turk- al bicommunal federation (BBF). He argued that the ish Cypriot leaders, Mustafa Akinci and Mehmet Ali presence of the EU as an observer at the meeting Talat, the head of the People’s Party (HP), Kudret in Geneva was in the interest of both sides, citing Ozersay, and of the Social Democratic Party (TDP), statements of the Turkish government for a positive Cemal Ozyigit. In addition, he also saw former nego- agenda it seeks with the EU. Turkey and the Turkish tiator of the Turkish Cypriot side, Ozdil Nami. Ne- Cypriot side object to the EU’s presence at the sum- ophytou had previously stated that he fully backed mit, arguing it will not be an impartial observer. Ta- Anastasiades’ idea of a decentralised federation, tar reportedly explained to Lute his vision for a two- arguing this would ensure political equality and a state solution, based on sovereign equality, with an functional, federal state. equal international status, which would achieve the Ahead of the five-plus-one conference on the Cy- goal of peace and stability in the region. prus problem on March 24, AKEL Secretary Gen- Meanwhile, Anastasiades, briefed Greek Cypriot eral Andros Kyprianou and the head of the party’s political leaders about the intentions of the Greek Cyprus Problem Office Toumazos Tselepis also paid 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.106 MARCH 21 please Follow and visit us on: Twitter I Facebook I Instagram I Online 4 10th anniversary FES CYPRUS NEWSLETTER separate visits to the TDP and the former Turkish the event of Turkey’s return to the policy of tensions, Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci. ranging from additional listings of entities and indi- Aiming to reward Turkey’s President, Recep Tayip viduals, to restrictions on the economy and tourism Erdogan for pulling back from confrontation over services, the energy sector and technology export gas exploration, an EU Summit held on March 25 be- bans. tween EU leaders, agreed to deepen trade ties with On March 24, President Anastasiades and Russian Turkey, but also warned Ankara to expect sanctions Prime Minister, Mikhail Mishustin held a meeting if it restarts exploration over disputed hydrocarbons in Athens during which the Cyprus problem and bi- in the eastern Mediterranean. Following a discussion lateral relations were discussed. Anastasiades re- by video conference, EU leaders called on Turkey to ferred to the importance of Russia’s contribution to abstain from renewed provocations or unilateral ac- the efforts for a viable and functional solution to the tions in breach of international law, stating that they Cyprus problem. During the meeting, Anastasiades will review progress in June 2021. thanked the Russian government for its positions The conclusions were based on Borrell’s report on of principle on the Cyprus problem, in support of a EU-Turkey relations and came days after EU foreign solution based on the UN Resolutions and aiming at ministers agreed during a Foreign Affairs Council on preventing the two-state solution the Turkish side March 22, to keep all options on the table regarding is pursuing. Anastasiades travelled to Athens to at- Turkey, in case recent signs of de-escalation proved tend events marking the 200th anniversary of Greek unsustainable. Borrell’s report, which was discussed independence where he also met with Greek Prime during the council, stated that the normalisation of Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. EU-Turkey relations would remain extremely chal- On March 25, US President Joe Biden stated he has lenging in the absence of a solution to the Cyprus not given up on trying to find a solution to the Cy- issue. The report noted that Turkey’s non-recogni- prus problem. Speaking on Greece’s Independence tion of the Republic of Cyprus continues to lead to Day during an online conference held with promi- the blockage of different paths of cooperation and nent Greek and Cypriot Americans, Biden said that stressed that the Cyprus settlement issue is a core stability in the eastern Mediterranean is an impor- element of Turkey’s strong disagreements with the tant goal for his administration. EU in the eastern Mediterranean. Borrell suggested Six Cypriot trade unions across the divide, which are in his report that the EU should start negotiations members of the European Trade Union Committee on deeper trade ties with Turkey but be ready to for Education (ETUCE) said women in Cyprus expe- impose economic sanctions if Ankara moves against rienced more victimization during the pandemic as is the bloc’s interests. A so-called ‘positive agenda’ the case in the entire world. KTOEOS (Turkish Cyp- suggested by Borrell included: strengthening eco- riot Secondary School Teachers’ Union), OELMEK nomic ties which he said, was another win-win situ- (Cyprus Secondary Education Greek Teachers As- ation for both sides; and modernisation and expan- sociation), KTOS (Turkish Cypriot Teachers’ Union), sion of the scope of the current EU-Turkey Customs POED (Cyprus Primary school teachers’ union), Union including a guiding framework for economic DAUSEN (Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU) reforms in Turkey.