Front Page Headlines
Arıklı wins the race with 53.6 per cent of the votes
Erhan Arıklı was re-elected as the leader of the Rebirth Party (YDP) at the ordinary general congress held yesterday after receiving 53.6 per cent (2179) of the votes. His rival Bertan Zaroğlu won 46.4 per cent (1891) of the votes. 45 votes were declared invalid.
- Federation only mutually acceptable solution – Former President Mustafa Akıncı in an interview with Phileleftheros newspaper in the south evaluated the latest developments on the Cyprus Problem.
Elections held at the UBP and the YDP
The political agenda was occupied by the elections held at the National Unity Party (UBP) and the Rebirth Party (YDP). While the UBP party assembly elected Famagusta MP Oğuzhan Hasipoğlu as party’s general secretary over Özdemir Berova, incumbent YDP leader Erhan Arıklı won the party leadership race against Bertan Zaroğlu.
- 55 locally transmitted, 68 positive coronavirus cases identified – 7698 tests were carried out in the last 24 hours. 35 coronavirus patients have been discharged.
N/A due to lockdown
N/A due to lockdown
Main News
Arıklı re-elected as YDP leader in narrow win over Zaroğlu
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs
Governance & Power Sharing
OVERVIEW
Rebirth Party (YDP) leader Erhan Arıklı won an uneasy victory at his party’s ordinary congress on Saturday beating his rival Bertan Zaroğlu with a narrow margin of 2179 to 1891 votes. The tightly contested race leading to the congress which witnessed heated exchanges of insults and accusations between the two showed no sign of abating as a bitter Zaroğlu refused to congratulate Arıklı over his victory.
He said that his narrow loss was a stark warning to Arıklı to pick up his act and to listen to his critics within the party. Zaroğlu also said he was still waiting for an apology from Arıklı. “Our relations as brothers are over,” he said, adding that Arıklı’s remarks leading to the congress had deeply offended him.
The congress supposedly held under strict measures due to the pandemic witnessed a scandal after it emerged that one individual was in home isolation for having come into contact with a previously identified Covid-19 case turned up to vote.
As the process to count votes continued late into the night, police were called to disperse supporters waiting for the outcome due to the night-time curfew that is in place between 10 pm and 5 am.
The Turkish Cypriot health minister Ünal Üstel also issued a statement reassuring the public that the individual despite being in isolation had tested negative several times. He said that the individual, detected by security cameras had been taken to a facility where he would spend the remainder of his isolation. Üstel also said he would be facing charges.
Meanwhile, the National Unity Party’s (UBP) Famagusta MP Oğuzhan Hasipoğlu was elected as the party’s new general secretary. Hasipoğlu received 65 of the 114 votes cast by members of the UBP assembly. His rival Özdemir Berova received 45 of the votes.
Akıncı: BBF is the only realistic solution model for Cyprus
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
Former Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akıncı on Friday reiterated that bicommunal, bizonal federal (BBF) solution was and is still today the only realistic model for the reunification of Cyprus. Akıncı was the guest speaker at an online event organised by the bicommunal initiative “Left and the Cyprus problem.”
He said that no Turkish Cypriot would accept a solution that would only give authority to the Greek Cypriots, while the two-state solution promoted by Turkey would not be accepted by the international community. “The solution must be mutually acceptable, and everyone must work in this direction,” Akıncı said.
The stance of the Greek Cypriot Nicos Anastasiades “does not help” as his statements remain unclear concerning the political equality among Greek and Turkish Cypriots, the former leader said. Meanwhile, he said his successor Ersin Tatar continues to insist on the two-state solution.
Akıncı said that if both sides continue like this, “the dependence of the Turkish Cypriots on Turkey will increase and efforts will be made to become a province, something that will not be to the benefit of either side.”
“It is time for action,” he said, urging those who want a solution to the Cyprus problem, including NGOs and political parties to unite and work towards a solution based on a bizonal bicommunal federation in accordance with UN parameters.
Responding to a question from the participants as to why the talks had collapsed at Crans Montana, Akıncı said the process had hit a roadblock after Anastasiades refused to invite the then Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras to the conference to solve the security and guarantees chapter.
He said the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was aware of the fact that Anastasiades had proposed a two-state solution to the Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu on the sidelines of the conference but asked him to wait until after the 2018 presidential elections in the south and his re-election to promote the specific solution.
KEY ACTORS
Akıncı
>> BBF is the only realistic model for a solution to the Cyprob.
>> TCs will not accept a solution that will only give authority to GCs.
>> Two-state solution will not be accepted by the international community.
>> A solution must be mutually acceptable & everyone must work in this direction.
>> Should both sides continue, TCs dependence on Turkey will increase eventually leading to the north’s annexation by Turkey.
>> It is time for action. All must unite & work for a BBF based on UN parameters.