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FES CYPRUS NEWSLETTER NR. 91 / DECEMBER 2019 Contents 1. New and Upcoming Publications .......................................................... 2 2. FES Cyprus Events ................................................................................ 3 3. Cyprus Problem .................................................................................... 5 4. Hydrocarbons ...................................................................................... 6 5. Greek Cypriots ..................................................................................... 7 Economic Developments ...................................................................... 7 Domestic Developments ...................................................................... 8 Labour Relations and Trade Unions ...................................................... 9 5. Turkish Cypriots ........................................................................................... 12 Economic Developments .................................................................... 12 Relations with Turkey ......................................................................... 12 Domestic Developments .................................................................... 14 Labour Relations and Trade Unions .................................................... 14 FES NEWS - - please follow and visit us on - Twitter.com/FESCyprus - www.FEScyprus.org - www.facebook.com/FEScyprus For subscription to this free newsletter please find the form here www.fescyprus.org/newsletter/ 1 FES CYPRUS NEWSLETTER Nr. 91 / DECEMBER 2019 1. New and Upcoming Publications February May The LGBTI movement in Cyprus Socio-Economic and Political Impact of Activism, law, and change across the divide, Austerity Policies in North Cyprus: Report 2019 A Brief Assessment IS CYPRUS A NEW MIGRATION ROUTE TO Politics and Society in north Cyprus: a survey EUROPE? 2019 Report study, 2019 Report Trade Union Report 2019 Corruption Perceptions in North Cyprus: 2019 Report 2 FES CYPRUS NEWSLETTER Nr. 91 / DECEMBER 2019 2. FES Cyprus Events January Friday, 10th January 2020, 6.30 – 9.30 pm Monday, 13th January 2019, 12.30 – 15.00 pm CAD / Australian High Commission / FES FES Workshop workshop Famagusta Dialogues Expert Workshop on Corruption Perception in Proposal & Work Plan the north Turkish Cypriot Famagusta Community Consultation Merit Hotel, Bedrettin Demirel Cad., Nicosia, Cyprus Ezic Restaurant Meeting Room, Famagusta, Cyprus Not open to the Public Not open to the public Saturday, 11th January 2020, Saturday, 18th January 2020, 10.00 am – 1.00 pm 3.30 pm – 7.30 pm CAD / Australian High Commission / FES CAD / Australian High Commission / FES Workshop Workshop Famagusta Dialogues Famagusta Dialogues Proposal & Work Plan Proposal & Work Plan Greek Cypriot Famagusta Community Joint Famagusta Dialogue #1 Consultation (Turkish Cypriot hosted) Famagusta Municipality Cultural Centre, Buğday Cami (St. Peter and Paul Church) Deryneia , Cyprus 28 Mehmet Çelebi St., Famagusta Walled City, Cyprus Not open to the public Not open to the public 3 FES CYPRUS NEWSLETTER Nr. 91 / DECEMBER 2019 th th Saturday, 25 January 2020, Thursday, 20 February, 6.30 – 20.30 p.m. 3.00 pm – 7.00 pm FES CAD / Australian High Commission / FES Launch Workshop IS CYPRUS A NEW MIGRATION ROUTE TO Famagusta Dialogues EUROPE? 2019 Report Proposal & Work Plan Joint Famagusta Dialogue #2 Fulbright Center (in the UN Buffer-Zone) (Greek Cypriot hosted) Nicosia, Cyprus THALASSA Municipal Museum of the Sea Kriou Nerou 14, Agia Napa, Cyprus Open to the Public Not open to the public st Friday, 21 February, 6.30 – 20.30 p.m. Deutsche Botschaft / University of Nicosia / FES February Launch th Wednesday, 19 February, 6.30 – 20.30 p.m. Presentation – in English and Turkish Deutsche Botschaft / University of Nicosia / FES The LGBTI Movement in Cyprus Launch Activism, Law and Change Across the Divide 2019 Report The LGBTI Movement in Cyprus Activism, Law and Change Across the Divide Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce, 2019 Report No:90, Bedrettin Demirel Caddesi, 99010, Nicosia, Cyprus University of Nicosia, -2 Millenium Building Makedonitissis 46, Nicosia 2417, Cyprus Open to the Public Open to the Public 4 FES CYPRUS NEWSLETTER Nr. 91 / DECEMBER 2019 3. Cyprus Problem had paused the progress on the Cyprus problem because of their refusal to accept political On December 16, the first Turkish military equality with the Turkish Cypriots. Cavusoglu drone landed in the TRNC1 to ‘defend national once again affirmed that Turkish Cypriots interests,’ said Turkish Vice President, Fuat should be represented in all government bod- Oktay. Oktay’s remarks came after the ies. Bayraktar TB2 Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), On December 16 50 Greek Cypriot and 50 Turk- stationed at the Naval Air Base Command in ish Cypriot school principals participated in an Turkey’s Aegean district of Dalaman, landed in event organised the Bicommunal Technical Ed- the TRNC, following a green light from the TRNC ucation Committee entitled “Transformational government (more on this in Relations with Leadership for Peace”. The two respective lead- Turkey sub-section in Turkish Cypriots section). ers, Akinci and Anastasiades both attended the Following their informal meeting with UN Sec- event as well as UN Special Representative, retary General, Antonio Guterres, on November Elizabeth Spehar. 25 in Berlin, the respective Greek and Turkish The United Nations Peace Keeping Force in Cy- Cypriot leaders, Nicos Anastasiades and prus (UNFICYP) announced that a total of 18 Mustafa Akinci, briefed on December 4 their areas that are considered dangerous on both respective political parties on the outcome of parts of the island have been cleared of the Berlin meeting. landmines as part of the demining efforts. The In an interview with Greek daily “To Vima” on confidence building measure was agreed on the December 22 Turkish Foreign Minister, Mevlut 26th of February 2019 by the two leaders as Cavusoglu stated that the Greek Cypriot side part of their commitment towards a mine-free Cyprus. The demining efforts took place under 1 The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) is the supervision of the United Nations Mine only recognised by the Republic of Turkey. While for Action Services (UNMAS) in line with interna- Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots, Mustafa Akinci tional mine standards. “The achievement of this serves as President of the TRNC, the international confidence-building measure underlines the community considers him the communal leader of the Turkish Cypriots. As the government of the importance of dialogue, trust and co-operation Republic of Cyprus remains internationally for an enduring peace across Cyprus,” said recognised as the government of the whole of the Elizabeth Spehar. island, the entire island is now considered to be a member of the European Union. However, the The TRNC Parliament approved a draft bill acquis communautaire is suspended in northern Cyprus pending a political settlement to the Cyprus which extended the Immovable Property Com- problem (see Protocol no. 10 of the Accession mission’s (IPC) period of operation for another Treaty). 5 FES CYPRUS NEWSLETTER Nr. 91 / DECEMBER 2019 two years. Greek Cypriots who had left behind venture will also include Hudong-Zhonghua their properties in the north and fled to the Shipbuilding Co. Ltd and Wilhelmsen Ship Man- south in 1974 will now have another 24 months agement Limited. LNG tanker carrier Galea, to apply to the IPC for remedies. The remedies which will operate from 2021 to 2046, will be on offer include restitution of the property, used as the Floating Storage Regasification Unit exchange of property with Turkish Cypriot- (FSRU). The total cost for the installation and owned property in the south and compensa- the deployment of the floating unit is estimated tion. Speaking in parliament, the President of at around €290m, of which €101m will be cov- the Committee for Legal and Foreign Affairs ered by European Union funds. The goal is to be Oguzhan Hasipoglu (UBP, Famagusta MP) able to use LNG in the market for electricity pointed out that there were currently 6,629 purposes by the end of 2021. applications at the IPC, 1,203 of which had been finalized. He said that the remaining 5,232 cases Meanwhile, President Anastasiades is expected were still pending at the commission. Mean- to hold separate meetings with Greek Prime while, the IPC owes 750 million TL in compensa- Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Israeli Prime tion to Greek Cypriot applicants, the head of the Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu in Athens, where body has said as he called on the government to they will sign an intergovernmental agreement introduce a “capital gains tax” to help fund the for the EastMed pipeline project on January 2. payments. Speaking to the Turkish Cypriot The EastMed is a proposed 1,900-kilometre weekly paper Cyprus Today, Ayfer Erkmen, said natural gas pipeline project that will reportedly there were 203 individual applicants who have carry the region’s reserves to mainland Europe. been waiting to receive compensation since According to Energy Minister, Giorgos 2014 due to a ‘resource shortage’. Lakkotrypis, the outcome of talks between Cy- prus and Israel over a dispute regarding the offshore border with Israel’s Yishai gas field will 4. Hydrocarbons not affect development of the island’s Aphro- dite gas field. Lakkotrypis stated that the devel- Following lengthy negotiations between the opment of the Aphrodite reserve