ANKARA DIVIDES THE TURKISH CYPRIOT RIGHT

Nikos Stelgia

Kathimerini 22/8/2010

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Last week two "members", former general secretary of the party Ertuğrul Hasipoğlu, Mehmet Tancer and the "mayor" of Vantili turned their backs to the Democratic Party of Serdar Ntekntas and with other actors from the cycle of family Denktaş passed to the National Unity Party (NUP).

At a time when the Democratic Party is in dissolution, the NUP is seeking ways to strengthen the position of its government, while the leadership declares itself ready to welcome το party all the players who choose to withdraw from circle of family Denktaş. Indeed, according to unconfirmed news last week Turkish Cypriot leader Derviş Eroğlu called the "Health Minister" Ahmet Kasif to resign in order to have a "Ministerial office" to be filled by members of the Democratic Party. On the other hand, inside the NUP the discussions were about Mr. Hasipoğlu and his possible new career in the general secretariat of the party.

Today, in parliament the NUP has 24 "seats". With support within the Democratic Party (DP), the main objective is to increase the "seats" of the party and strengthen the "government" of Irsen Küçük. On the other hand, the party wishes to enhance its image before the large conference in November.

End of an era in Turkish Cypriot politics

Just a few months before the dissolution of the Democratic Party, Derviş Eroğlu was elected to the leadership of the Turkish Cypriots with the support of family Eroğlu and the DP. Last spring, the Democratic Party had made it clear that the support of the Mr Eroğlu, aimed at strengthening the national unity of the Turkish Cypriots. The latest developments in the Democratic Party showed how fragile is the consistency of the Turkish Cypriot right.

The last period the cycle of family Eroğlu made clear its opposition to the financial measures advocated by the "government" of the NUP, based on the guidelines of Ankara. As the T / C left so the Democratic Party, recently states its objective to Ankara for the absolute control of the Turkish Cypriot economic structures. In contrast to this view, the NUP closely following the guidelines of Ankara tries to maintain its consistent political line through close cooperation with the ruling Justice and Development Party in Turkey. Just at this point comes to the surface the great divide in the Turkish Cypriot political scene. The right seems to be divided into two camps: the camp that wants cooperation with Ankara and that is opposed to this partnership. The insistence on maintaining distance from policies of Ankara, weaken the camp of Denktaş and marks a new era in the T / C political scene. In the new season, experienced executives of T / C right seek compromise with the political line of the Turkish ruling Justice and Development Party through the NUP .

The scenarios for the next day

At a time when the second major party in the T / C right is in liquidation, the Freedom and Reform Party (FPP) of Turgay Avci, founded in 2006 with the support of Ankara is preparing to conclude an alliance with the NUP. This party, whose managers have entered the political arena through the structures of the NUP is open to a "cohabitation" with the NUP. In the meantime it express full support of the financial measures advocated by the NUP with agreement with Ankara. Furthermore, according to information obtained by Kathimerini, Tahsin Ertugruloglu, who was removed from the NUP in March, is likely to support or participate in the NUP - RFP coalition government. In this case, the reorganized T / C right (NUP - RFP- Ertugruloglu) will be required to implement the economic package of Ankara.

The electoral base of the NUP and some of the close circle of associates of the Turkish Cypriot leader Eroglu, are the only barrier to realizing the above scenario. This portion of the T / C right keeps cautious attitude towards full cooperation with Ankara and the Turkish ruling circles of the party. Indeed, this circles suggest the cooperation with the two former "members" of the Democratic Party or the "cohabitation" with the Social Democratic Party, whose leadership is seem to be interested to cover two specific ministerial seats.