Project of the Century
Water Management Crisis
jeopardises Government Coalition
The National Unity Party (UBP), which is part of the government coalition in North Cyprus along with the Republican Turkish Party (CTP), gave an ultimatum on Friday to the regime’s prime minister Ömer Kalyoncu to resolve the water crisis by Wednesday or resign.
The management of water from Turkey has become a cause of friction between the two parties that form the coalition government in the TRNC as reports of imminent walkouts abound.
According to a statement published in the Turkish Cypriot media, following UBP’s general assembly where the water issue was discussed, the party called on Kalyoncu, who hails from CTP, to “solve the water by Wednesday the latest” or to resign.
The friction stems from disagreements between the two parties on the proposals discussed with Turkey as regards the management of water distribution which provides for the distribution by a private company or companies, under the supervision of the regime. The proceeds will go to this company or companies. One provision, according to which the company that will distribute the water will also have control over the Northern Cypriot boreholes thus creating a water monopoly, is not accepted by the CTP, which refuses to sign the agreement. Earlier in the week, the UBP had given an ultimatum to CTP members to sign the agreement, or else it would walk out, thus dissolving the coalition…….
The delay in signing the water agreement has also delayed the annual financial aid from Turkey as the economic protocol for 2016-2018, with which the water agreement is linked.
UBP’s announcement adds that this project is of vital importance for the future of the island. It also talks of an “artificial crisis”.
UBP’s chair Hüseyin Özgürgün was quoted by media in the north as saying that he asked for “full authority” from his party members and that after Wednesday he will use this power.
At the moment, the current government continues, he said, however the public has come to a point where it is losing its patience.
Meanwhile, the head of the Democratic Party – National Forces (DP-UG) Serdar Denktash, was reported in Turkish Cypriot media earlier in the week as saying that his party would look positively at a coalition with the UBP.
Kalyoncu announced on Wednesday he was to travel to Turkey in the coming days to discuss the issue again.
Source: Cyprus Mail
The incompetence of the political parties in the TRNC beggars belief. I doubt we could have made up such a story of ineptitude if we tried to make up such a scenario. The Turkish Cypriot people deserve a lot better than what they are getting at the moment.
I absolutely agree it’s totally unacceptable – quite frankly with the way the TRNC government is run will be the ruination of Northern Cyprus, they now have a chance to make something wonderful with this part of the island but what do they do, they allow all these half built properties to remain as a blot on the beautiful landscape, there are no safe laws for the people who buy property and contribute financially. Environmentally it’s a disaster with our estate having no proper septic tank so the sewerage just lies in the fields because the developer deceived us all, and no legal redress so he can con, lie and cheat us all. Over 300 days of sunshine but nothing in place to encourage people to go solar thus saving the much needed electricity. Quite frankly they all need sacking.