TRNC Parliament ‘farce’
A SWEARING-IN ceremony for 50 MPs turned into a farce on Monday as rival parties walked out on each other, one MP threw a piece of paper at another one’s face and protesters disrupted proceedings from the public gallery.
The event in Parliament was presided over by President Mustafa Akıncı, former presidents Derviş Eroğlu and Mehmet Ali Talat and Chief Justice Narin Şefik.
Outspoken feminist Republican Turkish Party (CTP) MP Doğuş Derya, one of a record nine women to be elected to Parliament in the January 7 general election, was subjected to booing and jeering by angry flag-waving protesters as she was called to the podium to give her oath of allegiance.
Acting Speaker Hüseyin Angolemli was forced to shout through his microphone at the crowd, calling on security guards to “get these people out” after they ignored repeated warnings to remain silent. Ms Derya had at the weekend criticised Turkey’s military operation in Afrin, northern Syria, writing on social media that “those in power who thrive on blood are not capable of making peace — no to war”.
National Unity Party (UBP), Democrat Party (DP) and Rebirth Party (YDP) MPs walked out of the chamber in protest as she took the stand.
After reading out her oath, Ms Derya raised her hand in a V-sign, with her palm facing outwards, towards the public gallery and said: “Standing shoulder to shoulder against fascism.”
There was further tension as she stepped down from the podium when YDP MP Bertan Zaroğlu stood up and flung a screwed-up page from Afrika newspaper at her, hitting Ms Derya in the face. A shocked Ms Derya turned to Mr Zaroğlu — who last November was ordered by a court to pay Ms Derya 45,000TL in compensation and 15,000TL legal costs over offensive comments made against her on social media — before other MPs rushed to keep the two apart. Mr Angolemli admonished Mr Zaroğlu and said that he would face disciplinary action.
The drama continued as Prime Minister and UBP leader Hüseyin Özgürgün was called to take his oath, prompting CTP and Social Democratic Party (TDP) MPs to walk out in protest over Mr Özgürgün’s personal financial dealings.
People’s Party (HP) chairman Kudret Özersay, who has vowed not to form a coalition with UBP, remained seated.
Following the ceremony CTP Asım Akansoy claimed in a post on social media that Mr Zaroğlu had told him to “f**k off” and “I will break your nose and mouth” as he was leaving Parliament.
“Should I laugh or cry at these remarks?” Mr Akansoy commented. “This is the level we have reached in our Parliament.”
Mr Zaroğlu responded by saying that Mr Akansoy had “threatened me first” and “called me a dog and insulted me, which made me walk towards him and this caused the exchange of words”. In a further social media post, Mr Akansoy said that the incident had been “recorded” and that he had “asked for an investigation” into it.