TRNC News 27th April - UBP-DP Coalition Government - Vote of Confidence

The new UBP-DP Coalition Government received vote of confidence

The General Council of the Republican Assembly convened today with the aim of a vote of confidence for the new government.

The new UBP-DP Coalition Government which is established under the Prime Ministry of the UBP leader Hüseyin Özgürgün received the vote of confidence from the General Council of the Republican Assembly.

At the conducted open vote, 27 deputies gave an affirmative vote and 22 deputies gave a dissention vote. TDP deputy Zeki Çeler did not participate in the voting. 18 deputies of UBP, 5 deputies of DP and 4 independent deputies used votes in countenance of the new government.

According to the internal regulation of the Assembly, the government received a vote of confidence since the affirmative votes were more than the dissention votes.

Following the declaration of the result of the vote of confidence, Prime Minister Özgürgün made a speech of thanks. Özgürgün said that they will use the period until the elections to produce services in accordance with the expectations of the people and working in cooperation with the Assembly will be their priority.

Siber speaks at a conference in Kosovo

Within the framework of Kosovan Turks National Day activities, Speaker of the Assembly Sibel Siber gave a speech in Kosovo at a conference entitled “The historical and current status of the Turkish Cypriots.”

In her speech, Siber said that there are many similarities between the two countries especially in the field of culture.

“There are many similarities between Kosovo and TRNC. We have seen people who preserve their identity, language and culture through all difficulties and ethnic discrimination in Kosovo. When you look at the TRNC, you see that although the population of the TRNC is very small, Turkish Cypriot people continued their existence through all pressures and problems. Now, we as the Turkish Cypriots believe that we will reach a permanent solution in Cyprus” Siber added.

Todd visits Atalay

British High Commissioner to Cyprus Damian Roderic Todd visited the President of Religious Affairs Prof. Dr. Talip Atalay.

During the visit, Todd and Atalay exchanged their views about continuing meetings between the two religious leaders in Cyprus.

Akıncı: “We need the global power of art in Cyprus more than ever”

President Mustafa Akıncı stressed that they need the global power of art in Cyprus more than ever.

At his reception hosted for World Art Day in the garden of the Presidency, Akıncı said that there are global values of the artists on the basis of a free, democratic and bright future which we are trying to establish in Cyprus.

The “World Art Day” reception which was planned to be hosted on 15 April on the birthday of Leonardo Da Vinci was hosted yesterday due to President Akıncı being overseas at an international activity on that date.

In his speech addressing the artists, Akıncı said that artists produce for a better future, criticize for a more democratic community and they create works and opinions.

Furthermore, Akıncı added “We are trying to establish a new culture at the negotiation table, and you as the artists are trying to establish a new culture with your art. We are trying to act with global values, global sensibility and global responsibility.”

No Greek National Council meeting until the elections in South Cyprus

Disagreements over domestic policy of South Cyprus continued without any slow down yesterday, due to the decision of postponing the process of the Greek National Council until the general elections to be held in South Cyprus in May with the reason of the possibility of leaking of the new reports regarding the negotiations.

The Greek Cypriot daily Simerini reported that the Greek Opposition Parties except AKEL criticized Nikos Anastasiades’ performance harshly about the Cyprus issue. The newspaper also announced that from now on giving information regarding the on-going negotiations will be conducted at meetings between the political party leaders and Anastasiades.

Panel discussion entitled “Federal Cyprus: Is this the last chance?” to be held today

A panel discussion organized by Cyprus Turkish Businessmen Association entitled “Federal Cyprus: Is this the last chance?” will be held at the Home for Cooperation in the buffer zone today. Journalist Evangelos Areteos and Academician Niyazi Kızılyürek will attend the panel as speakers.

The President of the Cyprus Turkish Businessmen Association Metin Şadi, the President of Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce Fikri Toros and Cyprus Representative of the European Commission George Markopouliotis will make opening speeches at the panel. The panel will be moderated by Erdil Nami and it will be held in English.

Joint declaration of the Labour Day was read

Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot Trade Unions, DEV-İŞ, BES, PEO, KOOP-SEN and KTOEÖS organized a press conference regarding the 1st of May Labour Day and read the joint declaration at the Home for Cooperation in the buffer zone.

The joint declaration was read both in Turkish and Greek by Dev-İş President Hasan Felek and PEO Secretary General Pambis Kritsis. They called for the leaders of the island`s two communities “to work with goodwill on all the issues on which convergences have been achieved, so a mutually acceptable solution, based on political equality as defined by UN decisions and resolutions can be reached.

In the joint statement, it was stated that the chaos increasingly experienced in the region and in the world and unsustainable structure of the region is increasing the pressure on the communities living in Cyprus. Indicating that the imperialist capitalist system only cause war, death, tears, migration, unemployment, poverty, racism and discrimination, solidarity was expressed for oppressed people in the world on 1st of May, and wars were condemned.

In the joint declaration, it was stated that the solution of the Cyprus problem is needed for the reunification of the communities again and expressed that non–solution means “no future” and only in the interests of the separatists.

Omiru was shocked by the statement of the European Council President Donald Tusk

President of the Greek Cypriot parliament Yannakis Omiru commented critically over a statement by European Council President Donald Tusk saying that Turkey constitutes a “best example in the world of how to treat refugees.”

In a written statement Omiru expressed his shock over the Tusk`s statement, adding that “it is a statement which constitutes an insult to the fundamental principles and values of the European Union.”

Moreover, Omiru said that the behaviour of European officials diminishes the value of the European vision as they prioritise interests with cynicism instead of EU fundamental principles and values.

Turkey has been conducting an ‘open door policy’ from the beginning of the Syrian crisis and housing 2.5 million refugees.