North opposition leader decries ‘atomic bomb’ of corruption

Turkish Cypriot opposition political party CTP leader Sila Usar Incirli on Monday said an “atomic bomb” of corruption has been dropped on the north after a second ‘MP’ from the ruling coalition was earlier in the day accused in court of lawbreaking in relation to the “fake diploma scandal”.

“Fatos Unal, the former head of the UBP Kyrenia women’s branch, is currently on trial. It is like an atomic bomb has fallen on us during this trial process,” she said in reference to ‘prime minister’ Unal Ustel’s longtime close personal associate who is currently standing trial.

She then directly made reference to the fact that ‘parliament speaker’ Ziya Ozturkler was accused of aiding and abetting Unal in court, describing the allegations made against Ozturkler as “very important”, and adding that “these are very serious matters”.

“It was revealed during the trial that these fake diplomas were created as a result of Ziya Ozturkler’s requests and pressure,” she said, while also pointing out that while Ozturkler was the north’s ‘interior minister’ in 2022, a number of high-profile personnel from the Cyprus Health and Social Sciences University (KSTU), the university which issued Unal’s degree, were naturalised as ‘TRNC’ citizens.

“This country does not deserve this much corruption and darkness. If Ozturkler put pressure on someone regarding fake diplomas, we want prime minister Ustel to launch a very serious investigation. We also expect a report. The public needs to be informed,” she said.

She then asked if the north’s chief prosecutor’s office prepares a file on Ozturkler, the ruling coalition would agree for his immunity to be lifted.

“Will you then try to prevent his immunity from being lifted? Which one of you has not been involved in a scandal?” she asked.

The question of whether Ozturkler’s immunity will be lifted comes after ‘MPs’ from the ruling coalition’s three parties denied a request from the north’s chief public prosecutor’s office to lift the immunity of Emrah Yesilirmak, who, like Unal, Ustel and Ozturkler, belongs to the UBP.

Yesilirmak has also obtained a degree from the KSTU, with a report written by ‘MPs’ from all parties into the matter stating that he did so “despite not attending classes and exams”, but in spite of this, he has not faced criminal prosecution.

On Monday, Incirli lambasted ruling coalition ‘MPs’ for their refusal to lift Yesilirmak’s immunity, saying, “you all raised your hands against lifting his immunity”, and adding, “you prevented an MP, who is already being judged in the court of public opinion, from actually being tried”.

She also warned that “you cannot cover it up by acting this way”.

At this point, she criticised the fact that the UBP had elected to send Yesilirmak to be one of two Turkish Cypriots who represent the community in its contacts with the European Parliament after Oguzhan Hasipoglu had been forced to resign the role when he was appointed as ‘labour minister’ in August.

She then stressed that her party’s representative, Fikri Toros, will henceforth “conduct his contacts and work alone” in Strasbourg and Brussels, and lamented that “this image is not good for the country”.

“This country has entered a storm of darkness and evil. Dark dealings are constantly being revealed. There are cases involving fake diplomas and a chain of corruption. By continuing to pretend that these issues do not exist, you are causing great harm to the country. The chain of fake diplomas and corruption is increasingly strangling this country. Today, another one of these has befallen us,” she said.

Ustel said that “since the day we came to power, we have not lowered people’s living standards, nor have we subjected people to dark days, as you say”.

He said that his ruling coalition “has not covered anything up”, and that it “gave the police full authority” to investigate the matter.

“Any investigation can be conducted into the matter, and we respect whatever punishment the judiciary imposes, but we will not allow anyone to be treated as guilty before a trial starts,” he said.

Ozturkler denied all the accusations against him.

“If I have directed or suggested anything regarding an undeserved diploma, let them explain and prove it. I did not engage in dirty bargaining during my time as interior minister. Let the relevant investigation be conducted, let the correspondence and documents be checked. If even a single suspicion arises, I will ask them myself to lift my immunity,” hesaid.