TRNC News Today 14th April 2015

444 year Anniversary of establishment of Cyprus Foundations and 59 year Anniversary of transfer of Foundations to Turkish Cypriot Community

The 444 year Anniversary of establishment of Cyprus Foundations and 59 year Anniversary of the transfer of foundations to Turkish Cypriot Community are being celebrated with various activities.

General Director of the Administration of Cyprus Foundations – Prof. İbrahim Benter stated that they are working to make the Foundation properties used to the advantage of the Turkish Cypriot Community. According to the written statement of the Administration, the activities which started yesterday will continue until 17 April 2015.

Australia Turkish Friendship Monument opened

Australia – Turkish Friendship Monument was opened with a ceremony organized yesterday in Melbourne at the “Shrine of Remembrance Park”.

Turkish Ambassador to Canberra Reha Keskintepe, Victoria Prime Minister Daniel Andrews, Victoria Tourism, Comprehensive Activities, Sports and Retirement Affairs Minister John Eren attended the ceremony.

The opening of an exhibition entitled “Landscape of War and Memory“ was also held at the Shrine of Remembrance building’s visitors hall.

Historical maps, pictures and letters sent from the war front and ruins of war materials which were brought from Turkey and belong to Çanakkale War are being put on display in the project contributed by Melbourne University.

The exhibition will be open to visitors between the dates 14 April – 31 August 2015.

TRNC elects her President

The 7th Presidential Election will be held in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) on 19 April 2015. Seven candidates will contest in the election. President Dr. Derviş Eroğlu, President of the Assembly Sibel Siber, Mustafa Akıncı, Kudret Özersay, Mustafa Onurer, Mustafa Ulaş and Arif Salih Kırdağ applied to the High Electoral Council to stand in the election, which is to be held on the 19th of April.

Total number of voters is 176,912 of which 55,763 are from Lefkoşa, 45,992 are from Gazimağusa, 35,397 are from Girne, 20,809 are from Güzelyurt and 18,951 are from Yeni İskele.

General information

The elections in TRNC are held within the framework of Constitution and Laws and are categorized into 3 types as the Presidential Elections, the Elections of Assembly (the elections of Members of Parliament) and General Local Elections.

It is the right and duty of every citizen over 18 years old to participate and vote in the Elections and Referenda; it is determined by the laws that the age to be elected for the elections of Member of Parliament and General Local Elections is 25, and for the Presidential Elections it is 35.

The Presidential elections are held every 5 years.

A candidate, who contests in a presidential election in the TRNC, should poll the absolute majority of the eligible votes. Unless any candidate ensures the absolute majority, the election will be repeated 7 days later between the two candidates who win the highest votes in the poll and the one at the head of the poll becomes the President.

Principles of Presidential election in TRNC

The elections and referenda are held according to the principles of liberal, equal and universal direct suffrage.

Each voter votes personally.

A secret ballot is held.

Counting, breakdown and recording of the votes are made openly.

Qualifications of a voter

Every TRNC citizen who is over 18 years old and registered in the register of voters in conformity of rules of the Elections and Referenda Law is a voter; and is entitled the right to vote in elections and referenda. However, those who are restricted and banned from public services cannot vote.

The date for voting is taken as the basis in the determination of those who are over 18 years old. In processes to be made before determination of the election date, any date determined by the High Electoral Council shall be taken as the basis.

Job description of the TRNC President and a brief overlook to the historical process

According to the Constitution of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus enforced on 5 May 1985 with a referendum, the President of the Republic shall be the Head of the State and he is elected for a period of 5 years. In this capacity he shall represent the unity and integrity of the State and the people. The President of the Republic shall ensure respect for the Constitution of the Republic, carrying out of public affairs in an uninterrupted and orderly manner and the continuity of the State.

The President can preside to the session of Council of Ministers, however he is not entitled to the right of voting. The President of the Republic shall not be responsible for acts committed in the execution of his duties. The Prime Minister and the Minister concerned shall be responsible for appointment orders jointly signed together with the President of the Republic. The President appoints the Prime Minister among the members of parliament and appoints the Ministers upon the proposal of the Prime Minister. The President can terminate the post of any minister upon the request of the Prime Minister. If the President is a supporter of a political party, he/she does not adhere to the decisions of his/her party, and behaves independently. The President and the leader of a political party cannot be the same person.

The President also has the power to reject the laws approved by the assembly or to proclaim the laws by publishing in the official gazette. The President can receive the opinion of the Supreme Court, which sits in the court as a Constitutional Court, whether a law or decision of the Assembly is contrary to the constitution or not. When a martial rule or mobilization is declared according to the Constitution, the Council of Ministers, convened under the presidency of the President, can issue a statutory decree on the subjects necessitated by the case of emergency or martial rule.

Although the role of the TRNC President is limited to that in the parliamentary system it is over being symbolic. To be elected by the public, puts the President in an important position in the executive power. Beyond all these, the function of representing the TRNC in the negotiations concerning Cyprus problem entitles the President the powers which are much higher than being symbolic.

Rauf R. Denktaş, who contested in the presidential elections as an independent candidate between the years 1985-2000, had succeeded to be elected in all elections as the President. Rauf R. Denktaş, who polled 70.2% of the votes in 1985; 66.7% of the votes in 1990; and 62.5% of the votes in 1995 and became the President re-elected in 2000 due to the fact that the number of candidates decreased to one with the withdrawal of the candidate of the National Unity Party (UBP) Dr. Derviş Eroğlu. While Rauf Denktaş did not become a candidate in the Presidential elections in 2005, the candidate of the Republican Turkish Party – Mehmet Ali Talat became a new name in Presidency of the TRNC with 55.59% of the votes. In 2010, the candidate of the National Unity Party (UBP) – Dr. Derviş Eroğlu became the new president of the TRNC with 50.35% of the votes.