UBP protest: Govt should resign over flood deaths
AN OPPOSITION National Unity Party (UBP) protest called for the government to “face responsibility and resign” on Wednesday, at the Ciklos bend on the Girne-Lefkoşa main road, scene of last month’s flood fatalities.
A crowd of 150-200 placard-waving MPs and supporters heard party leader Ersin Tatar say that technical reports had shown fault and negligence in the road’s construction, adding: “If so, political authorities cannot run away and must share the responsibility.” He sent his condolences to the families of the four young victims and vowed to closely follow the inquiry.
His statement was echoed by former public works and transport minister and Gazimağusa UBP MP Hamza Ersan Saner, who cited human error and engineering mistakes, but more recent UBP minister Kemal Dürüst, the predecessor of incumbent Tolga Atakan, did not attend the protest.
Mr Dürüst could not be contacted on Thursday and has made no public statement about the road upgrade, which was agreed with the Turkish Highways Department during his term of office in October 2017.
Turkish Highways Department TRNC coordinator Erhan Özkaya was in Ankara on Thursday and unavailable for comment.