Opposition attempts to open north ‘parliament’, television feed cut

The fifth week of the north’s political crisis began on Monday with opposition ‘MPs’ attempting to open ‘parliament’ under the authority of ‘deputy speaker’ Fazilet Ozdenefe.

Ozdenefe, who belongs to opposition party the CTP, was elected as ‘deputy speaker’ after the 2022 ‘parliamentary’ elections, and the opposition now insists that with no ‘speaker’ having yet been elected since the new legislative year began on October 1, she has the power to open ‘parliament’ and preside over sessions.

However, the ruling coalition insists that Ziya Ozturkler, who belongs to coalition party the UBP, was duly elected ‘speaker’ three weeks ago during a vote held among ‘MPs’, receiving 26 votes in his favour and 23 votes to reject him.

The opposition claims three of the votes counted by the ‘government’ as having been in his favour were actually invalid as the ballot papers had been stamped multiple times.

As such, when Ozdenefe opened ‘parliament’ on Monday morning, ‘MPs’ from the ruling coalition refused to enter the chamber, and as such, she adjourned ‘parliament’ for 10 minutes as the minimum number of ‘MPs’ required for it to be in session is 26, and there are currently 21 opposition ‘MPs’ in total.

She did, however, amend ‘parliament’s’ minutes to read that “the last legitimate and legal session was held on October 18”, the date on which the ruling coalition declared Ozturkler had won the election.
When she rang the bell to declare ‘parliament’ in session, opposition ‘MPs’ filed into the chamber, but the ‘government’ then cut the live television feed which broadcasts ‘parliament’s’ goings on at all times.

Ozdenefe was made aware of this, and informed the chamber, saying, “according to the information I have received, [‘parliament’s’ television channel] has cut the broadcast. If that is the case, I must remind you all that they must continue broadcasting, as is required by law.”

CTP ‘MP’ Erkut Sahali then referred to his party leader Tufan Erhurman’s earlier description of the ruling coalition’s actions as a “coup”, saying “the putschists have lost their minds to the point of interfering with the broadcast.”

Under normal circumstances, goings on in the north’s ‘parliament’ are broadcast on public television channel BRT2, but on Monday morning, BRT2 was broadcasting a pre-recorded choir recital.
Erhurman spoke to journalists while ‘parliament’ was adjourned, saying, Ozturkler had “instructed parliamentary employees to not enter the chamber” when Ozdenefe declared ‘parliament’ open.

“As we have explained in detail many times, no one has been elected in accordance with the law. [Former ‘speaker’ Zorlu] Tore held a handover ceremony which revealed only that he had relinquished the role. Currently, there is only one person who can legally preside over parliament and that person is Fazilet Ozdenefe,” he said.

“Right now, there is no authority to recognise and accept this de facto situation. This is not just a matter for CTP MPs, these MPs who claim to be the government should also have reacted in the way we have.
“Ziya Ozturkler told parliamentary employees to not enter the chamber. He is already null and void and that was an illegal order, he is breaking the law. He is not the speaker; he has no right to give such an order. That was an illegal order which was given against the law.”

The ruling coalition’s insistence on him has spread to Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar, who met Ozturkler in his “official capacity”, as he described it, on Thursday. Tatar had earlier accused Erhurman of “causing chaos”, and criticised Erhurman’s assertion that a coup was being staged in the north’s ‘parliament’.

However, Tatar’s sureness on the matter may not have spread to Ankara. It was notable on Friday that when Turkey’s Environment Minister Murat Kurum travelled to the north, he did not meet Ozturkler, despite it being customary that visiting Turkish ministers meet the north’s ‘parliament speaker’ while on the island.