By This post is also available in: ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ (GREEK) TÜRKÇE (TURKISH)
There has been a serious ‘internal legitimacy’ crisis in the north of Cyprus over the last five years…
Someone who did not ‘deserve’ had been placed in the ‘Presidential’ seat through external intervention.
Tufan Erhürman’s great success in an ‘asymmetrical’ race, a ‘tainted’ election, restored the ‘internal legitimacy’ of that office.
Expectations from Mr. Erhürman are particularly high in the context of the ‘Cyprus problem’.
However, judging by the ‘reactions’ to his statements on the Greek Cypriot side, we cannot be overly ‘optimistic’.
Mr. Erhürman has demands that could be described as ‘preconditions’ for sitting at the negotiation table…
When leaving the table, other ‘conditions’ come into play.
It is also taking longer and longer for him to meet with Mr. Erdoğan in Ankara, and the public is focused on what he might say after this meeting.
More importantly than all this are the well-known ‘hawkish’ views of the President of the ‘Republic of Cyprus,’ Christodoulides.
Christodoulides is one of the architects of the failure in Crans Montana.
Of course, I expect them to establish a very different, very productive ‘dialogue’ with Tufan Erhürman than how it took shape over the past five years.
However, I do not harbour much ‘hope’ that the ‘Cyprus issue’ will be discussed starting from where it left off at Crans Montana, or more accurately, the Berlin Agreement.
Of course, they will move forward with very practical, technical collacorations, and cooperations that make everyday life easier. Both sides need this.
We are craving for the simplest steps they might take without getting into the essence of the ‘Cyprus problem’.
That is why I do not have very high expectations from the ‘negotiation table’.
Let’s move on to what Tufan Erhürman can do as the ‘President’, in domestic terms…
Erhürman will start by repairing the system that has been reduced to ‘ruins’ over the last five years.
In fact, this will be an ‘operation’ that will also make those who say “the TRNC must live forever” happy.
Because what has been derailed is actually the ‘state’ itself.
Therefore, first, the ‘state’ that no one recognises will have to be put back on track.
Tufan Erhürman’s ‘primary’ task will be to make the system work with ‘non-separatist’ touches.
Let us not forget that all people living in the north of Cyprus hold the right to have a ‘neutral’ and inclusive President, and to live under a transparent and accountable administration.
These ‘qualities’ have been pushed far outside the system over the last five years.
I wrote several times during the election period that Tufan Erhürman would rely on the ‘constitution’ as a President more than Mr. Tatar did.
With the energy that his legal background gives him, Mr. Erhürman has another important task in restoring this ‘derailed’ state…
To erase the image, created over the past five years, that this state is governed by a ‘presidential system’—thanks to the ‘contributions’ of Ankara and Erdoğan…
Unfortunately, a ‘de facto’ ‘presidential’ experiment was being conducted, even though neither the Constitution nor the laws allowed for it.
Mr. Tatar’s position as Ankara’s ‘direct’ agent, drawing his power from Erdoğan, enabled him to establish a ‘subordinate authority’ over the three-party coalition.
Those in power were resolving all their issues through a ‘sharing system’ based upon a ‘give and take’ generosity.
It was said that the ‘külliye’ was a symbol of the state’s sovereignty, but it was actually a symbol of the ‘presidential system’ in the hearts of those in power…
It was an indication of a movement, an intention, in that direction.
That is why it was called the ‘Presidential Complex’ by building another city within the city.
The Parliament and Supreme Court buildings in the same area gave the impression of being tiny units of this ‘complex’.
The Parliament, which should have been most intimidated by this ‘image’ that trampled on the principle of ‘separation of powers’ of the state and the Constitution, did not utter a word.
Now, Tufan Erhürman will have to devise another ‘plan’ emphasising the ‘supremacy of law’ and the ‘separation of powers’ in relation to the complex.
He could start by disrupting the ‘interconnectedness’ of these buildings on the ground.
He could arrange for the three separate ‘powers’ to be organised into three separate spaces.
Let’s move on to other administrative, or ‘symbolic’ steps that could be taken…
What did Mr. Tatar do?
His first act upon taking office was to replace the ‘Turkish member’ on the !’Committee on Missing Persons’.
I wrote about it then…
The active, productive and globally influential ‘Committee on Missing Persons’ spent five whole years beating around the bush…
He disrupted the ‘system’ established by Mehmet Ali Talat and continued by Derviş Eroğlu and Mustafa Akıncı, and destroyed the structure.
He brought back the “We have no missing persons” approach that had been pursued for years prior to Talat.
Mr. Erhürman should help make room for this committee to carry out rapid work to make up for lost time.
He should bring experienced former staff back to work.
Another commission that Mr Tatar ‘killed’ is the ‘Immovable Property Commission’.
Rescuing this commission from ‘inertia’ and reviving it is also a matter of urgency.
Erhürman’s immediate steps to appoint new personnel there and secure resources will bring us many benefits at a global scale.
Of course, Erhürman must also scrutinise institutions such as YÖDAK [Editor’s note: The Higher Education Planning, Evaluation, Accreditation and Coordination Council] and the Public Service Commission.
The Public Service Commission has been particularly implicated in ‘election bribes’ and has been a thorn in the Prime Minister’s side.
Believe me; if he takes practical steps with Christodoulides, and also takes steps to reform these four institutions internally, he will make a tremendous ‘difference’ and society will not forget what has been done.
This article was originally published on 04.11.2025
Source: I EXPECT SMALL STEPS FROM ERHÜRMAN… LET THE BIG ONES COME LATER…
