Front Page Headlines
Election bells are ringing
The National Unity Party’s (UBP) new leader has been handed the task, political circles are in motion. 18 days after the resignation of the UBP-Democratic Party (DP)- Rebirth Party (YDP) minority government, President Ersin Tatar gave the newly elected UBP leader Faiz Sucuoğlu the task of forming a new government. Political party representatives who spoke to Yenidüzen share the common view: Early elections and a strong government. According to the constitution, Sucuoğlu has 15 days to form a new government or hand back the mandate.
Next on the list is the government
Following the completion of the UBP congress and election of the new party leader, President Ersin Tatar without losing any time gave the task of forming a new government to Faiz Sucuoğlu. He will start meeting with the political parties today.
- Children learn new ways to commit crimes at the central prison – Juveniles due to lack of rehabilitation or correctional facilities, are sent to the central prison when involved in criminal activities
I am determined
Newly elected UBP leader Faiz Sucuoğlu spoke to Havadis about his roadmap. He said he is determined to form an early election government. Sucuoğlu said: “I have been engaging in intense meetings and contacts after officially receiving the task.” He also noted the country must not be left without a government.
- Price hikes forcing the trade unions to go on to the streets – Public sector unions KAMU-SEN (Turkish Cypriot Civil Servants’ Union), KAMU-İŞ (Turkish Cypriot Public Workers’ Union) and KTAMS (Turkish Cypriot Public Sector workers’ union) announced they will stage protests.
- Neither a minority in Greek Cypriot controlled state nor being annexed by Turkey – Social Democratic Party (TDP) Youth Branch staged a protest outside the parliament.
He has asked for three days
Sucuoğlu who was tasked by the president said he will form an election government. The UBP leader said that he will complete his meetings with the political parties tomorrow. He added that his goal is to form a temporary government that will lead the country to early elections. Sucuoğlu pointed out that early elections could be held at the end of December, January or early February. Speaking to Diyalog, the leader of the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) Tufan Erhürman said that they will evaluate the proposals to be made at the party assembly. The leader of the Peoples’ Party (HP) Kudret Özersay said that they could support a technocrat government until the elections on the condition the CTP also joins the coalition.
A temporary two-month election government
Ersin Tatar gave Faiz Sucuoğlu the task of forming a government. Sucuoğlu already launched his contacts to form a new government, expressing the belief that he will achieve 26 seats (out of 50). He said the early election could be held on February 6. Sucuoğlu, who also noted he has alternative solutions, said: “a government will be established until the early elections.”
Main News
Sucuoğlu loses no time, launches efforts to form a new government
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Governance and Power Sharing
OVERVIEW
Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar lost no time on Monday, officially giving the task of forming a new government to the newly elected leader of the National Unity Party (UBP) Faiz Sucuoğlu a day after the congress was completed.
The UBP leader is meeting with the leaders and representatives of the political parties in parliament today and tomorrow. Speaking to reporters after handing the task to Sucuoğlu, Tatar recalled that he had been waiting for the UBP congress to be completed before he could hand the duty of forming a government to the new UBP leader whose party has the highest number of seats in parliament.
Highlighting the economic crisis, the north was currently experiencing, Tatar, underlined the urgency of forming a new government, even if it is a temporary one that will lead the country to early elections. He pointed out that parliament needed to approve the 2022 state budget to ensure that the economy keeps running.
“I believe Mr Sucuoğlu will consider all options available and submit his proposal as soon as possible. The newly elected UBP leader for his part said he was convinced that he could form an interim government to see the country through to early elections possibly by early February.
“An early election is unavoidable,” Sucuoğlu stressed, adding that there is was a consensus between the political parties on holding an early election.
In the meantime, Turkish Cypriot public sector unions KAMU-SEN (Turkish Cypriot Civil Servants’ Union), KAMU-İŞ (Turkish Cypriot Public Workers’ Union) and KTAMS (Turkish Cypriot Public Sector workers’ union) announced on Monday they will be staging demonstrations to protest the political scandals that have rocked the country and never-ending price hikes.
In a joint press conference organized on Monday, the representatives of the unions said they will hold ‘surprise events’ in the coming days, starting with tying a black ribbon on their car mirrors. The unions also called on the Turkish Cypriot community to express their discontentment with what they say are incompetent politicians.
The three unions urged the newly elected UBP leader to call for an early election as soon as possible.
TDP Youth rejects being a minority or annexation by Turkey
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
The youth branch of the Social Democratic Party (TDP) on Monday said that Turkish Cypriots reject the notion of being a minority within a state run by the Greek Cypriots in Cyprus or being annexed by Turkey as an alternative.
Arda Çileker, head of the Youth branch, who read out a media statement at a protest staged by the TDP youth representatives outside the parliament, harshly criticized the Turkish Cypriot leader’s remarks made during his trips to Turkey against a federal settlement in Cyprus.
“Even though Tatar, who has been appointed by Turkey’s Justice and Development Party (AKP), does not refrain from targeting pro-federal circles in the north, we want to make it clear once again that we are opposed to both becoming a minority within a Greek Cypriot state or being annexed by Turkey,” Çileker said.
He also argued that “Tatar is acting like a spoilt child in Turkey and that he is dragging the north into uncharted waters.” Çileker also touched on the current domestic developments, criticising Tatar for choosing to spend his time in Turkey whilst the country was jostling with allegations of corruption, political scandals and an economic crisis.
KEY ACTORS
Çileker (TDP)
>> TCs will not accept becoming a minority within a GC state or annexation by Turkey.
Ceremony held for the EU financed start-ups project
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
EU Matters
OVERVIEW
A ceremony was held for the grant beneficiaries of the EU financed project “Technical and economic empowerment of entrepreneurship (startups)” on Saturday.
In a statement issued from Youth Development and Resource Centre in Kyrenia (GIGEM), a total of €202,000 has been given to Udorm, Grön Vegan Kitchen, Cyprus Codes, Rest Coffee, Trade Green Line, Science For Kids, Bonafide Consulting and Axe Motorsport & Engineering.
Speaking during the ceremony, the head of the European Union Programme Support Office (EUPSO) Michael Docherty said the project outputs will play an important role in the economic development of the start-ups.
Also speaking coordinator of EUPSO Pablo Abrecht expressed his pleasure in seeing female entrepreneurs outnumbering men as applicants in the project.
The project, which is being implemented by SOS Children’s Village, held capacity development activities through tailored programmes and strengthened the position of the SOS and GIGEM as a centre for supporting and developing young people as future entrepreneurs.
The participants were given courses on finance, business planning, market research, and presentation skills.
In the meantime, KAYAD (Support from Women to Living Association) on Monday held a training on ‘trafficking of women’ for the personnel at the Department of Social Services in the north.
Speaking at the training, KAYAD president Meral Akıncı recalled that the Turkish Cypriot interior ministry held a workshop on the issue of trafficked women and came up with a set of recommendations. She said none has so far been implemented.