Parties intensify their campaigns
POLITICAL parties have stepped up campaigning for January 7’s general election, holding meetings across the country.
The National Unity Party (UBP) held a rally in Dikmen on Wednesday, when Prime Minister and party chairman Hüseyin Özgürgün, flanked by former president Derviş Eroğlu and parliamentary candidates, addressed passionate, flag-waving crowds.
Mr Özgürgün attacked former coalition partners the Republican Turkish Party (CTP), saying it had pushed relations with Turkey to “breakdown” in a dispute about Turkish water piped undersea to North Cyprus.
He hailed his ruling party for boosting tourist and student numbers, declaring: “Everything done in the TRNC is the work of UBP. If anyone else has done anything, let them come forward and explain. All they do is criticise.”
Main opposition CTP held its own rally in Esentepe on Wednesday, when leader Tufan Erhürman vowed to “change this corrupt system” with public support and an economic and social development programme “backed by civil society leaders”.
“UBP has created a system where only their own become richer and privileged. The scale of its bribery has rocketed in the last 20 months. UBP wants another five years to continue breaking records in illegal activities. Mr Özgürgün, your time is up!” he declared.
The junior coalition partner Democrat Party (DP) was in Girne on Wednesday, with leaders and supporters visiting public offices and businesses.
Deputy Prime Minister Serdar Denktaş, referring to “the dark years” of intercommunal conflict between 1963 and 1974, being marked during Martyrs’ Week, said: “In order for our island never to relive that pain, we must have the [continued] existence of our state and look to a secure future.”
In a statement, DP said it would strive for recognition of conscientious objection to military service and for more laws to protect refugees.
The People’s Party (HP) held rallies in Gazimağusa and Girne, where leader Kudret Özersay said: “On January 7, the silent majority will speak. When the ballot boxes are opened and counted, those who created this bad system and those who are partners in it will get the biggest shock of their lives.”
He urged a vote for HP to “do away with lawlessness, corruption and malpractice [and] vote for clean politics”.
Social Democratic Party (TDP) candidates visited the Lefke region on Wednesday, with chairman Cemal Özyiğit vowing to protect its “natural beauty” via “sustainable production” and adding: “If proper steps aren’t taken to care for the youth of the TRNC, neither they nor our country will have secure futures. Investment, therefore, must be focused primarily on our youth.”
The Communal Liberation Party (TKP) and its United Cyprus Party (BKP) ally visited nearby Güzelyurt, with TKP leader Mehmet Çakıcı pledging more state support for small and medium-sized farms. He added: “We will provide social security to citizens who are unemployed, irrespective of whether they have paid into the system. State support will be given to citizens unable pay electricity and water bills and we will implement tax reforms to fund such payments.” The Rebirth Party (YDP) was in the Karpaz, with chairman Erhan Arıklı vowing to support the revived local tobacco industry. “We are going to implement reforms, to develop the Turkish Cypriot economy. We aren’t going to serve just a section of our public but will become the government of all our people,” he said. Meanwhile, an opinion poll by the Academic Sustainable Education Centre this month found that 23.1 per cent of 774 people questioned planned to abstain from voting on January 7.
It put UBP on 18.4 per cent support, with CTP second on 14 per cent, TKP third on 7.6 per cent and DP fourth at 5.7 per cent — meaning it would pass the 5 per cent threshold to enter Parliament, contrary to previous poll predictions. YDP was put at 3.5 per cent, HP at 2.8 per cent and TDP at 2.7 per cent.