Prime Minister Yorgancioglu spoke to press prior to today’s Council of Ministers meeting about the DP-UG coalition party’s decision to stay in the government but also to remain committed to the local election alliance that the DP, led by Serdar Denktash, had formed with the main opposition party UBP.
Yorgancioglu noted that his party (CTP-BG) did not approve of the DP’s alliance with UBP but that implementation of the government policies overshadowed the DP’s latest moves.
He also stated that whilst seeing through governmental policies, problems could arise, but added that as long as the Turkish Cypriot community’s democratisation and economic development reform laws were taken care of, the government could continue despite certain drawbacks.
Last August, Bayrak TV online reported that Denktash had said that he was in favour of unifying the DP and the UBP (National Unity Party) into a single centre right party.
The prime minister said that DP’s alliance with the government’s opposition party in the local elections could only undermine DP’s credibility. “DP-UG’s effort to hold both sides of the rope only damages DP-UG, this effort is dissolving DP. I don’t think this strategy is a rational one,” Yorgancioglu noted.
Referring to a question regarding the Greek Cypriot’s Good Friday mass that will be held at St George Exorinos church in Famagusta on Friday, Yorgancioglu said that the decision to hold the ceremony in the church was the right one.
“Showing mutual respect to religious faith will contribute to the peace efforts,” he concluded.
