TURKEY may be behind the surprise resignation of four right-wing parliamentary deputies, sources in the north said yesterday.
The resignations – three from the major opposition party the National Unity Party (UBP), and one from junior coalition partner the Democrat Party (DP) – came late on Thursday, with the four saying they would combine to create a “new formation” in Turkish Cypriot politics that would ultimately become the ruling Republican Turkish Party’s (CTP) new coalition partner.
The move comes after more than two months of squabbling between existing collation partners the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) and the DP over the allocation of ministries and the overall direction of the alliance.
But one unnamed political analyst told the Cyprus Mail yesterday the reason behind the resignations was “a falling out” between Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), led by the EU-enthusiastic Tayyip Erdogan and DP leader Serdar Denktash.
“The aim of what will become the new party is to create a more liberal, pro-EU group that includes settlers,” the analyst said, adding that a likely name for the new party was the Liberal Party.
Turkey, he continued, hoped to break the deadlock over ministries, while at the same time encouraging the further integration of mainlander Turks into the political landscape of the north.
“Most likely, one of the ministries will go to one of the two settlers in the breakaway group,” the analyst said.
According to other political sources, the resignations had come after lengthy consultations between Turkey’s Cyprus Affairs minister Saban Disli and a number of Turkish Cypriot deputies, and has more to with a political power struggle than with political ideology.
“These are top people in the UBP and they are resigning for money and power. This is not an ideological movement. This is a bogus party that will facilitate the CTP’s functioning according to AKP’s vision for the next three years,” a source close to the UBP said.
DP general secretary Ertugrul Hasipoglu was also highly critical of the resignations, saying they constituted “a temporary marriage of convenience” in reaction to a “fabricated crisis”. He accused his ex party colleague and the ex UBP deputies of making “unethical moves” in response to a promise of government.
The four deputies yesterday held a press conference aimed at outlining their objectives. Former UBP general secretary Turgay Avci denied that the breakaway deputies had taken financial incentives or that a desire to join the CTP in government had motivated the move.
“Those who have accused us of taking financial incentives to do this are probably those who have used the method themselves,” Avci said.
As for whether the “new formation” wished to replace the DP as coalition partner, Avci said, “All parties seek to rule. If the current crisis continues, we can’t say we won’t be engaged in meetings with the government”.
Asked to respond to accusations that Ankara was behind the resignations, Avci said there was “no direct link between the AKP and the resignations” but admitted to have held meetings with Saban Disli while in the Turkish capital.
Speculation surrounding a possible coalition deal between the four and the CTP continued yesterday with the Turkish Cypriot press quoting sources saying that the CTP general secretary Omer Kalyoncu had held meetings with them in which it was discussed how “ministries” would be split between the two parties. One paper said it was likely the CTP would be willing to allow the “new formation” to run three out of 10 ministries. The CTP would, however, insist on taking over the ‘foreign ministry’ currently being run by the DP. It has also been mooted that an ‘energy and resources ministry’ be formed, which would also be run by the CTP.
