What the papers say
“HAVE you decided who to vote for?” That was the question posed by Kıbrıs editor-in-chief Ali Baturay, who told readers that if they hadn’t made a decision on how to vote in tomorrow’s general election, they “should have”.
Writing on Thursday, he said: “Both political parties and candidates have largely expressed themselves, and actually people residing in this country — people aware of what’s happening — have no difficulty in making a decision.
“Sorry, but if there are still undecided voters then it means they either don’t know what’s going on or they have different expectations.”
He explained: “We should have decided when the election campaign process started. But let’s say we need to wait for the candidates. What’s the point of thinking after the candidates are announced — do we need to hear what they say too? OK, let’s listen them . . . And we have been listening, but everyone knows each other . . . But let’s assume we don’t know some of them. They made various statements as part of the election campaign, and now we need to decide.
“What is important for you: individual candidates or manifestos? Do you have expectations of parties or of individual candidates?”
Abstaining from voting was also a choice, he added, and that meant you had “no expectations from any parties”. “I cannot tell [abstainers], ‘You are wrong’, because people have become alienated after being continuously deceived, disappointed and reaching deadlock.”
Addressing those who would vote, Mr Baturay asked how much they had been influenced by campaign speeches.
“How realistic do you find the statements? Do you believe those who made promises but failed to keep them? Did you ever say, ‘It didn’t happen last time, but this time it will’?
“Can you not recognise those who present something immature as mature or try to sell something to us which will not happen?
“Do you have big expectations? Are you trying to pursue a big change? Or you will be fine with minimalist goals?”
Mr Baturay questioned whether readers needed to be urged by someone else to vote, whether they themselves were aware of what they needed or whether they were seeking “personal benefit” from their vote.
Pointing to the strong influence of “family tradition” on TRNC voting habits, he asked: “Are you a sheep? If your mother or father stick to a party despite all the negativities, do you have to follow the same path? If you cannot make your own decisions how are you going to be a free individual? How are you going to be yourself?
“Be yourself. Don’t look for your personal interest. Think of the public good.
“You might gain some personal benefit now, but those benefits will be your communal loss in the future.”
He concluded: “If you think any party will be good for the public, vote for it. Don’t be fooled by others — choose the one you see as convincing and realistic. Exercise your own will. If you want to join those who are boycotting the vote, join them. But please don’t tell me you haven’t decided yet.”