ACCUSATIONS flew yesterday that the Turkish Cypriot administration had broken its election pledge of transparency as calls mounted for the north’s ‘foreign minister’ Serdar Denktash to explain why he removed his ‘economy and tourism minister’ from office.
Ayse Donmezer was appointed by Denktash, who is also Democratic Party (DP) leader, just seven months ago when a coalition was formed by him and Republican Turkish Party (CTP) leader Mehmet Ali Talat. Last Thursday she was sacked.
An official statement from Donmezer said simply: “I was asked to resign or be removed from office. So I chose to be removed.”
Denktash’s statement said only that there had been “disharmony” between the two.
But one week after the sacking, the public, the media and opposition political parties have been able to do little more than speculate on what may have been the cause of the disharmony.
Many are accusing the Talat-Denktash administration of a cover-up and are accusing the two of breaking their promise for transparent and accountable governance.
Peace and Democracy Movement (BDH) leader Mustafa Akinci told the Cyprus Mail yesterday: “There must be transparency; this is not a private issue.”
He added that he had information suggesting that Donmezer’s sacking might be connected to her refusal to endorse the building of a number of new casinos.
“If there is a connection, we need to be informed,” he said.
Akinci added that there could be a number of other reasons why Donmezer had been sacked.
“We hear that Donmezer was trying to introduce a law similar to one in Turkey that makes bank owners personally liable if their banks collapse. It appears Denktash was opposed to this.”
Denktash’s father-in-law Salih Boyaci is currently serving a six-year jail sentence for embezzlement of his own bank’s funds. His personal finances, however, remain intact.
Ali Erel, who heads the north’s Chamber of Commerce, said the administration’s approach showed “an unfortunate lack of transparency”, adding that he had heard that Donmezer’s sacking was possibly related to her refusal to grant permission for the building of a hotel in the Kyrenia area. These allegations match a report published in a Turkish Cypriot daily last week.
However, ‘prime ministry’ spokesman Huseyin Arca defended the administration’s silence over Donmezer, insisting that it was under no obligation to explain what had gone on between Donmezer and Denktash.
“It was made clear that the relationship was ending due to disharmony, so what else needs to be known? It’s between them.”
CTP chairman Ferdi Sabit Soyer was more forthcoming. He told the Mail the administration had found it difficult to work with Donmezer because of “bureaucratic obstacles” she placed before investors.
“This is a country that needs investment, so how can we go on with someone who continually blocks investor’s moves,” he said.
Soyer denied Donmezer’s sacking had anything to do with casinos but added: “Investors would be ready to carry out their building work and she [Donmezer] would refuse to grant the licences allowing for bulldozers to come in.”
He said she also opposed a pay increase for ‘state’ employees.
Donmezer was not available for comment.
