Turkish Cypriot media even spoke of a crisis within the "government" between the KEE and KL partners on Monday, as a result of the revelation that a private jet from Turkey's Antalya arrived on Friday night at the illegal airport in Tibu and the passengers did not enter. in quarantine.
The incident was revealed on Sunday in its main issue by the Yeni Duzen newspaper, while today other newspapers cover the reactions that caused headlines.
According to Jenny Duzen, the ADA TC-ATG aircraft arrived in the occupied territories at 10 on Friday night with 9 passengers on board. The 7 of them left yesterday, the newspaper writes today, after the uproar that was caused. However, according to the "Deputy Minister of Health", the number of passengers on the flight was 13.
The "Minister of Transport", Tolga Atakan, who belongs to the KL, in a message to the MKD last night said that the private plane came with permission given by the "cabinet", which was deceived - in his expression - while "Tourism Minister" Unal Ustel, who belongs to the KEE, said today that the jet came "completely legally".
It was said yesterday that the jet was carrying a special delegation, businessmen and technical staff, regarding the project for the Lapithos marina, but the "mayor" of Lapithos said in a post that the contracts for such a project have not even been signed. Mr. Atakan had stated that the "institutions" that made the wrong manipulations should make the necessary corrections.
Mr Ustel held a press conference this morning with the president of the T / C Builders Association, Xhafer Gurdjieffer. Mr Ustel insisted that the passengers on the private jet had come for the marina as the process of announcing tenders for its construction had been completed and that he was the owner of the second largest travel company.
They responded to the appeal of the "municipality" of Lapithos for the technical study of the project and their arrival was based on the required criteria, added the "Minister of Tourism", saying that the list of passenger names was given to the "Ministry of Health but and "civil aviation." Their names, he continued, were given to the "cabinet" to make arrangements for the hotel where they would be quarantined.
Mr. Ustel also stated that at least two people from the list of passengers had been called by e-mail from the "municipality" of Lapithos giving the dates of the emails and the "Ministry of Tourism" - as he said - responded to this appeal, their arrival It was made legally for the investment in the marina of Lapithos, it is in communication and consultation with the association of construction contractors. Such project studies, he said, have been done in the past.
For his part, Xhafer Gurdjieff said that the event was so magnified that the Anex Tour company is a large, world-class tourist company and that they have spent a lot of effort to bring it to Cyprus, in the occupied territories.
The company said it had not made the first but second offer for the Lapithos marina, but said it would be better for the company to take over the project because it handles a large number of tourists, saying it would bring 500.000 tourists to the "south". »Cyprus.
It is unfortunate that the incident is being reported as if someone had "stolen property from a fire" and is being exploited politically, Mr Gurdjieff added.
The Cyprus Post website cites information that some of the passengers in the jet in question came for the marina in Lapithos and some for the "open-air museum" on the Turkish troops' landing beach in Karava during the invasion and will be inaugurated on July 20. The website writes that the issue has set fire to the issue that has been discussed for days about the mandatory quarantine of those who will arrive in the occupied territories.
The People's Party, according to the Cyprus Post, has given an ultimatum to the "partner" of the "government" to remove the "Minister of Tourism and Environment", Unal Ustel, from office. He is said to have demanded Ustel's resignation.
The People's Party, the report added, said the "ministerial" had been misinformed on the issue of the arrival of the private jet and that there had been no relevant decision regarding the protection measures.
According to a report by Geni Duzen yesterday, the jet was carrying 5 men and 4 women and the return of the aircraft was scheduled for 15:00 today. However, today the newspaper writes that 7 people left last night after the uproar that was caused. According to Yeni Duzen, the passengers were asked when they would enter the quarantine and answered that they had a special permit.
Opposition groups called for the beleagured PM to resign.
We can no longer trust this "government", said RTK President Tufan Erhφάνurman, also criticizing the fact that security and health partners in the "government" have never been able to speak with one voice.
The KDK wrote in a statement about "double standards" (two meters and two weights) that endanger the lives of citizens, noting that the "Minister of Tourism" confirmed yesterday in his first statements that these people came to the occupied areas without PCR tests and they did not enter quarantine. The "government," the statement added, told its citizens, "Go to work and if you come, you will be quarantined," but accepted 13 foreigners without a test and without quarantine.
DK President Fikri Ataoglou said the "tourism minister" had lied about the issue and the passengers on the plane had not been quarantined, while criticizing the absence of statements on the issue from the "prime minister", saying that yesterday Hersin Tatar was on vacation because it was Sunday.
Source: Kathimerini.com.cy