Turkish Cypriot coalition party withdraws from govt

LEFKOSA, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus

One of Turkish Cyprus’ coalition parties said on Saturday it would withdraw from the government, a move which could trigger new elections.

National Unity Party (UBP) Chairman Huseyin Ozgurgun said that the party decided unanimously to withdraw from the government due to the government’s inability to address the country’s economic problems.

Ozgurgun added that a recent move to pay civil servants’ salaries in installments is what led his party to withdraw.

If the UBP leaves the coalition, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Prime Minister Omer Kalyoncu is expected to resign, and the race would be on to succeed him.

TRNC is in the midst of talks with the Greek Cypriot administration, and hope has run high that a reunification agreement would be reached this year.

The UBP last year formed a coalition government with the Republican Turkish Party-United Forces (CTP-BG).

The CTP-BG currently has 20 seats in the Turkish Cypriot parliament, and the UBP has 18.

The Democratic Party-National Forces (DP-UG) has five deputies, the Communal Democracy Party (TDP) has three, and there are four independent deputies.