This week in North Cyprus > 25 April- 5 May 2005
New TRNC Government cabinet named.
The new cabinet of the TRNC government was approved by recently elected president Mehmet Ali Talat. Republican Turkish Party (CTP) president established the cabinet consisting of seven CTP ministers - not including the Prime Minister - and three Democratic Party (DP) ministers.
The new cabinet is as follows:
Prime Minister - Ferdi Sabit Soyer (CTP)
Foreign Minister - Serdar Denktas (DP)
Public Works and Transport Minister - Salih Usar (CTP)
National Education and Culture Minister - Canan Öztoprak (CTP)
Finance Minister - Ahmet Uzun (CTP)
Interior Minister - Özkan Murat (CTP)
Labour and Social Security Minister - Sonay Adem (CTP)
Youth and Sport Minister - Ozkan Yorgancioglu (CTP)
Economy and Tourism Minister - Dervis Kemal Deniz (DP)
Agriculture and Forestry Minister - Huseyin Öztoprak (DP)
A total of three CTP ministers were replaced as were two DP ministers. The former Agriculture and Forestry Minister Rasit Pertev from the Democratic Party has been given the job of under secretary to President Mehmet Ali Talat, succeeding Ergün Olgun. Ex-Labour Minister Erkan Emekçi (DP) has become under secretary at the Ministry of Economy and Tourism, a role that means Emekçi will be heading the Tourism department. President Talat has appointed former CTP propaganda and press secretary Asim Akansoy as his private secretary.
All the new appointments were effective from Wednesday 27th April.
Property Association arrange key meetings
The European Property Assocation (EUPRO) are holding a meeting this week to decide what their response should be to an European Arrest warrant being issued against a British Estate Agent based in Girne. The meeting for Estate agents, developers and other property industry related companies is to be held at 7pm on Wednesday 4th May at Girne's Colony Hotel. The European Arrest warrant was issued against a TRNC based estate agents after claims that a Greek Cypriot couple have discovered the agent is developing land they previously owned. Another meeting is planned at the same venue for the following week where it is hoped that Eupro members will have the opportunity to meet President Mehmet Ali Talat. The meeting will take place on whichever day is most conveniant to Mr Talat. Eupro Chairman Shelley White said "We are hoping he will be able to join us, with the order upheld against the Orams 10 days ago it is now time to tell people what the position is, and what we are doing about it. We shall advertise full details of the meeting next week".
At next weeks meeting there will be chance for those wishing to join EUPRO to sign up.
President Ali Talat aims for Cyprus solution.
Newly elected president Mehmet Ali Talat has announced that among his aims during his five-year term in office he hopes to find a solution to the Cyprus problem. In a statement released to the TAK news agency, Talat explained his ambitions for his presidential term. The president referred to foreign politics commenting that the struggle waged by the Republic to remove the isolation of the Turkish Cypriot people was beginning finally to bear fruits. He added, "The Turkish Cypriot people are moving towards determining new political policies and these efforts will be intensified in the coming days". When asked whether he had personally taken any new initiatives the president replied that he had submitted his requests to the UN secretary general via its representative's office in the TRNC.
President Talat has requested a new initiative be restarted on the island. He wants the UN secretary general to take a more active role against the Greek Cypriot side that is refusing to handover to the UN Secretary General its objections regarding the Annan Plan.
Talat commented, "If a new initiative is taken, other daily issues not relating to the Cyprus Problem can also be discussed and practical solutions can be found. We are ready to discuss these with the Greek Cypriot side." He went on to say, "We will determine our political stance according to the responses we get from the Greek Cypriots".
President Talat was asked if he thought the new government was suitable to help find a solution to the Cyprus problem he replied that the new cabinet had been appropriately elected for the job. He also said that in his view there were important duties awaiting both the new Prime Minister Ferdi Sabit Soyer and the deputy Prime Minister Serdar Denkta s .
Finally, he added, "I am confident that they will work well with one another".
Mine Clearing completed at Bostanci.
The process of clearing Mines at Bostanci has been completed but there are still no signs of the border crossing point being opened. Work on the crossing point will not be done until the end of May and neither side have fixed a date for the point to open. The Bostanci crossing point has a two kilometre long stretch of road across the buffer zone which needs widening. The point also requires fencing off and electricity. Since De-mining work began this year in early February more than 1300 mines have been disposed of in the Lefkosa, Kaymakli and Bostanci areas.
Similar mine clearing operations are due to begin in the coming months at Lefkosa's Ledra Street and in the Dherinia, Kaymakli, Kato Pyrgos, Kokkinokremmos and Lefke areas. The EU legislation is already in place with regards to the opening of both Bostanci and Ledra Street crossing points.
British Woman fined for taking cigarettes across the border.
A British woman has complained after being fined Cyp £300 by Greek Cypriot Customs officer after attempting to take 12 cartons of cigarettes across the border at Kermia into the South. The 63-year-old British woman was returning from a day trip to Girne when customs officials asked her what she had purchased during her visit. The woman claims to have had no idea what the duty free allowance was and admitted that she had bought 12 cartons of cigarettes. The woman did not have enough money available to pay the full fine of Cyp £1400 so officials let her go after paying just Cyp £300. Persons crossing from North to South are permitted to take only 40 cigarettes and 1 litre of spirits for personal consumption.
Chief Customs officer Demetris Hadjicosts said the normal fine for those found to be in possession of up to 5 cartons of cigarettes is Cyp £20 per carton of 200 cigarettes, the fine can rise to Cyp £70 for those found to have in excess of 5 cartons. He added "When a carton of 200 cigarettes costs about Cyp £9 in the North and Cyp £27 in the South it is just common sense that you just can't go over to the North and bring back unlimited quantities".
There are currently no signs at border checkpoints providing information on current allowances, although this is said to be under discussion at a political level.
Summertime Working hours begin this week.
Summertime working hours in government departments and semi-official workplaces came into effect from Monday May 2nd.
As a result government and public offices will now be open as follows:
Monday |
7.30 a.m - 2 p.m |
3.30 p.m - 6 p.m |
Tuesday - Friday |
7.30 a.m - 2 p.m |
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These working hours will remain in force until the first week of October.
This week's weather in North Cyprus .
The weather this week looks set to be partly cloudy and sunny with maybe some rain mid-week. Highest temperatures will be between 22C and 26C.
Last week's minimum and maximum temperatures.
|
Minimum Temperature |
Maximum Temperature |
Lefkosa |
11.4C |
29.5C |
Ercan |
9.2C |
29.0C |
Gazi Ma g usa |
19.8C |
26.0C |
Girne |
12.5C |
21.7C |
Güzelyurt |
6.6C |
28.6C |
This week's exchange rates.
CURRENCY |
EXCHANGE RATE |
£ Sterling |
2.61YTL |
$ Dollar |
1.37YTL |
€ Euro |
1.77YTL |
£ Cyprus pound |
2.95YTL |
Resources: Cyprus Today
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