Tempers flare at Turkish Cypriot legislature as welfare dispute remains unsolved

Debate over the north’s ruling coalition’s planned alterations to the payment of the cost-of-living allowance for public sector workers continued into the early hours of Thursday morning at the Turkish Cypriot legislature, with an oftentimes bad-tempered session eventually being called to a halt shortly after 4am.

The legislature opened on Wednesday evening, with the coalition attempting to pass its plans through the legislature having repealed a decree which slashed cost-of-living allowance payments earlier in the day. However, no vote was held and the matter remains unsolved.

Meanwhile, Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman had lamented that his efforts to mediate between the coalition and trade unions, who had called a general strike on Monday and had thrice marched on the legislature building this week, had borne no fruit.

First to speak in the legislature was ‘finance minister’ Ozdemir Berova, who outlined the coalition’s new plan, which would see payments of the cost-of-living allowance ringfenced for those earning less than 75,000TL (€1,443) per month and cut for those earning more.

However, he lamented that while the coalition had “sought” to negotiate with the trade unions, “common ground could not be reached”.

“Despite all our efforts, the dialogue process has been unsuccessful. The bill will continue to be debated in parliament,” he said.

Opposition members remained less than convinced, however, with Devrim Barcin, who belongs to opposition party the CTP, describing Berova as “short-sighted”.

In response, Berova said that Barcin is an “anarchist”, provoking a heated response.

“You are a fascist dictator! You said the law would not pass without consensus! You did not keep your word! I would rather be a communist than be like you, like Hitler from Nazi Germany!” he retorted.

Next to speak was CTP leader Sila Usar Incirli, who criticised Berova and the ruling coalition for not having published any economic forecasts regarding its planned cuts to the cost-of-living allowance.

“Perhaps Ozdemir does not have to say he has a forecast. Do not bother him, some things cannot be said openly. They must remain state secrets,” she said.

She also made reference to the fact that Berova had earlier said that he would have to wait until June to be able to find out how much money the Turkish Cypriot authorities would save.

“This man invented a time machine. He knows how much he can save by travelling through time. Everyone knows Berova does not deal with calculations. He will get the job done with a time machine instead of with a calculator,” he said.

Additionally, she criticised the coalition for “using the war as an excuse” for cutting welfare payments.

“Even before the war in the Middle East started, the cost of living in this country was high, and workers were struggling. It is ridiculous to use the war as an excuse for everything … Just admit that you have ruined public finances,” she said.

‘Energy minister’ Olgun Amcaoglu was next to make a speech, and stressed that the coalition is doing its utmost in its efforts to keep the cost of living under control.

He pointed out that the price of fuel in the north has remained stable for three weeks, with no fewer than six fuel-related taxes having been zeroed, before lamenting that “an impression is being created that we are gleefully raising prices for everyone”.

To this end, he said that “economic crises are inevitable”, and that fuel-related losses are costing the Turkish Cypriot authorities 60 million TL (€1.2m) every week.

At one point, Amcaoglu’s speech drew the ire of the CTP’s Biray Hamzaogullari, who interrupted Amcaoglu to lambast the coalition for disregarding public opposition to its plans, while also making reference to the “fake diploma scandal”, in which high-profile members of the north’s ruling coalition handed out and received forged degree certificates.

In response to this, Emrah Yesilirmak, of ruling coalition party the UBP, who is himself credibly accused of having received a forged degree certificate, called Hamzaogullari a “retard”, with an argument breaking out among backbenchers from the coalition and the opposition as a result.

Later, Hamzaogullari, in his own address to the legislature, asked, “is getting a fake diploma not retardation? For God’s sake”.

Shortly afterwards, the UBP’s Hasan Kucuk was hospitalised, complaining of heart-related issues.

This was referred to during a speech made by the CTP’s Ceyhun Birinci, himself a doctor by trade.

“When people see you on screens, on the road, in the street, their blood pressure rises. They have nightmares …. Do you know who I have treated as a doctor? I have seen police officers, workers, we even have MPs who have gone to the infirmary! You created this!” he said, before calling on the ruling coalition to resign.

The CTP’s Dogus Derya also had stern words for the coalition, drawing attention to the fact that large corporations operating in the north, such as airport operator T&T and energy company Aksa, are granted tax exemptions, but saying that when cuts are to be made, they fall on working people.

“This government, which has no vision whatsoever for workers, low-income earners, or the poor, has built a transfer economy. It transfers public resources to its cronies and to large capital groups. It grants tax amnesties and does not hold accountable companies which pretend to be making losses but actually make profits. Is it not this government which brought Aksa down on our heads?”

She also said that the coalition has “used the war as an excuse to turn the country into a battlefield”, and added, “you are trying to cover up your lack of foresight by saying things are unpredictable”, before returning to the matter of last week’s decree.

“You are issuing decrees by passing the legislature. You are constantly bypassing the powers of the legislature as the executive branch. This does not happen in democracies. It happens in autocracies,” she said.

“Even Eoka did not do what you have done.”

The session was eventually called to a halt shortly after 4am by ‘parliament speaker’ Ziya Ozturkler. The legislature is expected to reconvene on Monday.