Clampdown on foreign property buyers in the north
Fact: The Turkish Cypriot administration is working on legal amendments to limit the number of properties that foreigners can purchase in the northern part of Cyprus.
north cyprus
Doctors warn of illegal hair transplants in north
Turkish Cypriot doctors warned of unlicensed individuals performing hair transplants in the north. One person posing as a doctor escaped from a police raid and is currently on the loose. The doctors called on the north’s ‘health ministry’ to carry out more effective and adequate inspections on medical premises.
Tragic tale of Cyprus turtle
The beaches of north Cyprus have the second worst microplastic pollution in the world. The majority of turtles born in Cyprus are female due to the sex of a turtle being determined by the warmth of its nest, with warmer beaches resulting in fewer males being hatched. Climate change has increased sea temperatures, exacerbating this issue, especially in the Eastern Mediterranean where seas are warming 20% more quickly than the global average. Conservation efforts include shading or relocating nests and incubating eggs in controlled conditions to balance the sex ratio. Microplastics raise the temperature of the sand, negatively affecting turtle hatchlings, and larger plastics pose ingestion and entanglement risks to sea creatures. Research suggests that roughly one in 10,000 turtles survive to maturity. Jessica Mills, an executive at Intrepid Travel and author, has written a children’s book to raise awareness about marine pollution and the importance of protecting sea turtles. The book, “Wendy Wanderlust Wakes Up in Cape Greco,” has sold internationally and part of its proceeds go towards turtle conservation efforts in Cyprus.
Fake diplomas scandal in north spreads to military
The Turkish Cypriot community is facing a scandal involving fake university diplomas and corruption, which has now affected the security forces’ command. Lieutenant Colonel Özgür Alp was remanded in custody for using a fake diploma for promotion within the Turkish military. The fake diploma was claimed to be from the Cyprus Health and Social Sciences University in Morphou. A high-ranking police officer, Serif Avcil, was also arrested over a fake diploma. This scandal is part of larger issues involving the KSTU university in Morphou, with allegations of embezzlement and fraud through fake student registrations and diplomas. The university is owned by Levent Uysal, a deputy in the Turkish Grand National Assembly. Celebi Ilik, involved in the scandal, used fake diplomas for civil service promotions and is facing charges related to forgery. Uysal attempted to obtain a €45 million loan from Swiss IntaCapital bank with fake documents in 2022 but avoided judicial proceedings by getting elected to parliament in May 2023. Turgay Avci, chairman of the Turkish Cypriot higher education watchdog Yodak, is under investigation for possibly having a fake diploma. There are also allegations against Dunya Baris Universitesi for operating illegally and investigations into irregularities in a real estate purchase by Altinbas Holding. Ali Altınbaş and Sofu Altınbaş were detained in September 2020 for involvement in a fuel profiteering network and accused of establishing a criminal organisation, aggravated fraud, and forgery.
North a safe haven for criminals
– At least 11 fugitives wanted by Interpol have been located in Northern Cyprus in the last 20 months.
– These fugitives, including notable criminals from Australia, Russia, China, and Italy, had purchased real estate and obtained residence permits from the Turkish Cypriot administration.
– All arrested fugitives were extradited to Turkey, as Northern Cyprus, not recognized by any state other than Turkey, has no extradition treaties and relies on Turkey for Interpol-related arrests and extraditions.
– Northern Cyprus is described as a safe haven for criminals due to lack of international recognition, oversight, and adequate controls on entry and activities within the country.
– Moldovan authorities believe fugitive oligarch Vladimir Plahotniuc is hiding in Northern Cyprus.
– The 2023 Global Organised Crime Index indicates that Northern Cyprus has a significant presence of individuals wanted by Interpol and is a hub for organized crime activities.
– A study based on Transparency International’s methodology found widespread bribery in Northern Cyprus, with 40% of business executives admitting to engaging in bribery.
– The uncontrolled entry of individuals into Northern Cyprus poses a security threat, with instances of apprehended terrorists and foiled terror attacks highlighted.
– Authorities estimate that the number of Iranians living in Northern Cyprus has reached 15,000, with over 40,000 entering through air and seaports in 2023.
– In the last 20 months, 21 individuals were deported for reasons such as threatening public law and order, and 29 Nigerians, many affiliated with violent cults, were also deported.
– The issuance of student visas and the presence of 23 universities hosting around 110,000 students, many of whom are not attending classes, are identified as factors contributing to illegal activities.
Unficyp , ‘continues to injustice Turkish Cypriot people’
The Turkish Cypriot leader, Ersin Tatar, criticized the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (Unficyp) for allegedly being biased against the Turkish Cypriot people and acting under the influence of the Greek Cypriots. He mentioned that construction on a road through the buffer zone between Pyla and Arsos was halted due to the influence of Greece. Tatar also demanded that Unficyp sign a Status of Forces agreement with the authorities in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) to operate there.
North uni, ’s dentistry faculty has licence revoked
The dentistry faculty at Morphou’s Cyprus Health and Social Sciences University (KSTU) had its license to teach temporarily revoked by the north’s higher education accreditation authority (Yodak) until January 31 of the next year due to ongoing investigations into a scandal involving the alleged issuance of fake diplomas. A former private secretary to a former ‘prime minister’, now a civil servant at the ‘labour ministry’, was arrested in connection with the scandal. He enrolled at the university on September 13, 2022, and received a four-year degree certificate on the same day after 61 course grades were entered into the university’s database within minutes. This degree enabled him to receive a pay rise in his public sector job. He was remanded in custody for two days for the police to calculate the financial gains from his alleged deception.
All 19 Zahra Street fight suspects on bail
All 19 individuals accused of participating in a mass brawl on Zahra Street in northern Nicosia were released on bail. During the incident, one suspect placed golf clubs in a vehicle and drove to the scene with another suspect. A minor involved in the brawl was seriously beaten by an individual who has not been arrested. The bails set varied based on the severity of the crimes and the ages of the accused. The fight was described by the Turkish Cypriot Nicosia Mayor as a “mafia exercise.” Zahra Street, located in Nicosia’s old town, is known for its social spaces, cafes, restaurants, bars, and entertainment venues.
140kgs of beef from Republic seized in north
140 kilograms of beef smuggled from the Republic were seized by police in the north, with two arrests made. Meat prices in the north are typically higher than those in the Republic, driving Turkish Cypriot consumers to buy meat products south of the Green Line and, occasionally, illegally take it back to the north.
North to restart Covid vaccinations
The north is set to restart its Covid-19 vaccination program on Monday, as announced by its health ministry. Booster vaccinations will be offered to individuals over 65 years old and those with high-risk chronic diseases. These diseases include lung, kidney, heart, or neurological conditions, as well as people using immunosuppressant drugs, those with diabetes, and individuals with HIV. The health ministry also recommends that children aged 5-11 and adolescents over 12 receive a single dose of the Comirnaty (Pfizer) vaccine. Vaccinations for adults and adolescents will be available at various health centers, while vaccinations for children aged 5-11 will be provided at the Emergency hospital in Gocmenkoy, northern Nicosia.