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“Betrayal, all for a (political) seat”
Day one of the National Unity Party (UBP) congress was completed under the shadow of the “video scandal” and “political crisis.” Prime Minister Ersan Saner addressed party members for the first time since the sexually explicit video was shared on private social media accounts. In his address, Saner targeted UBP MP Faiz Sucuoğlu, who is one of the candidates for the party’s leadership without actually naming him.
- A president who is a member of a ‘political party’ despite the constitution – 3,646 members cast their vote on the first day.
The anxious wait at the UBP continues
The 22nd ordinary general congress for the UBP, which dominated the country’s agenda for a long time, commenced yesterday. The leadership candidates did not address the UBP members in line with an agreement reached previously however President Ersin Tatar, UBP’s current leader and Prime Minister Ersan Saner and Justice and Development Party (AKP) deputy leader Binali Yıldırım each delivered a speech.
“First” in the political history of the TRNC
The UBP congress started under the shadow of the ‘scandal video.’ Ersan Saner, who asked for blessings from the members as he leaves the post, left Faiz Sucuoğlu out.
- The Pandora Papers causing trouble for him – AKEL demanded Nicos Anastasiades’ resignation in a protest staged outside the Greek Cypriot Presidential Palace.
He has been waiting by her grave for 59 months and a day
İlayda who was one of the three people who died in the horrible traffic accident on November 29, 2016, at the Kyrenia Mountain Road, has not been left alone by her father Salih Öztürk. When we asked him how long has he been there when we run into him at the cemetery, he said “I have been here for 59 months and one day.”
- Binali consoled Saner – Binali Yıldırım, in his speech at the UBP congress, addressed Ersan Saner and said: “These days will be over.”
Main News
Accusations and finger pointing continues as UBP congress gets underway
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Diyalog, Avrupa
Governance & Power Sharing
OVERVIEW
The ongoing war between Saner and Sucuoğlu showed no sign of abating on Saturday as both turned up at the National Unity Party (UBP)’s two-day party congress. Both refused to shake hands and Saner who addressed the congress as the current leader continued to accuse Sucuoğlu of orchestrating a conspiracy against him.
He said that he gave his blessings to everyone as he stepped down, except for one, pointing at Sucuoğlu without directly naming him. Saner said he would continue to wage a legal battle against those who defamed him but also spoke in detail about his achievements as the prime minister.
He highlighted that he had worked in full harmony with Ankara to improve the economic conditions in the north. “We have also worked in close collaboration with President Ersin Tatar and advocated for a two-state solution on the island,” Saner said, adding that he also spearheaded the efforts for the reopening of Maraş (Varosha).
Deputy leader of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) Binali Yıldırım, an unexpected guest from Turkey who is attending the congress, said respecting ethic values, and people’s rights and freedoms should be respected when carrying out politics.
“The attack staged on Saner is committed against all the political institutions of the country,” Yıldırım said, stressing the need to stand against such acts in solidarity. Emphasizing the need for political stability in the north, Yıldırım said Ankara has always perceived the issues faced by the Turkish Cypriots as their own.
Also addressing the congress, Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar urged all the UBP members to vote to show their solidarity and loyalty for the party. “The UBP is synonymous with the Turkish Cypriot people’s independence,” Tatar said, reiterating that he will continue to advocate for a two-state model for the solution of the Cyprus problem.
Reiterating his position against the federal solution, Tatar elaborated on the potential risks a federal settlement entails for the Turkish Cypriot people. He added he will continue to work to achieve a settlement in line with his new vision. Tatar also said the federal solution was an issue of the past.
Meanwhile, Tatar received Yıldırım on Saturday on the sideline of the UBP congress. During the meeting, Tatar underlined that the efforts for a two-state solution on the island will continue especially following the collapse of the process in Crans Montana.
Yıldırım for his part said Ankara will continue to support the Turkish Cypriot side and will not allow a fait accompli in the region. In the meantime, the leader of the main opposition Republican Turkish Party (CTP) Tufan Erhürman on Saturday slammed Tatar for attending the UBP congress and of being biased in favour of the UBP.
In a social media post, Erhürman said impartiality lies at the core of the Office of the President. “The president according to the constitution represents the unity of the state as well as the community,” Erhürman said, arguing that “openly declaring support for a political party would only mean abandoning the principle of impartiality, being the representative of the entire community, and legitimizing the argument of some circles that Tatar does not represent them.”