‘Ghost town’ Maraş opens
Thousands of people converged on the ‘ghost town’ of Maraş on Thursday, which has been closed to civilians for the past 46 years.
THE opening of part of Maraş has caused a split in the National Unity Party (UBP) – People’s Party (HP) coalition.
On Tuesday the HP announced that it was “withdrawing” its support from the coalition after Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Kudret Özersay – who founded the party but stepped down as leader earlier this year so that he could be an independent candidate in tomorrow’s presidential election – claimed that he had not been informed beforehand by Prime Minister, UBP leader and election rival Ersin Tatar.
“This is not the opening of Maraş, but statements related to Maraş,” Dr Özersay said.
He accused Mr Tatar of “not recognising state organs” and not “fulfilling his responsibilities to his coalition partner”.
HP officials said that while they approved of the opening of Maraş in accordance with international law, they were against it being used by Mr Tatar for his “own election advantage”.
The HP triggered the collapse of the previous four-party coalition in May 2019, opening the door for a UBP-led government.
They returned nine MPs at the last general election in 2018 which, when combined with the UBP’s 21 MPs, was enough to form a majority in the 50-seat Parliament.
There has been no change, however, in ministerial positions since the HP’s announcement this week as Mr Tatar has yet to tender the resignation of the government to the president.