The General Secretary of the National Unity Party (UBP) Oğuzhan Hasipoğlu has stressed that the UBP is ready for the local elections.
He said that they aimed to complete the process of nominating candidates in October.
On the Cyprus issue, the UBP General Secretary called on the opposition parties to unite as one voice in demanding the recognition of the sovereign equality and international equal status of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).
Speaking on a program on BRT, the General Secretary of the National Unity Party Oğuzhan Hasipoğlu said that the UBP which played a leading role in the foundation of the TRNC has been serving the public for 47 years.
He stressed that the UBP was ready for the elections with all its bodies and that there were ongoing talks on forming alliances with the other members of the coalition for the municipal elections in some areas.
Stating that they had focused on the upcoming local elections at the Central Executive Board meeting, he noted that they were currently preparing for elections at 18 municipalities but that this could change if the Supreme Court ruled that the municipal amendment law is unconstitutional.
Stating that the issue of nominating candidates was very sensitive for them and that they had been working on this issue for a long time, Hasipoğlu pointed out that there were more than one candidate in some regions, but their goal was to focus their energy on candidates who had the strongest chance of winning.
The UBP General Secretary also added that they aimed to complete the process of nominating candidates before the end of October.
Regarding the Cyprus issue, Hasipoğlu stressed that the UBP’s position on the Cyprus issue was clear, the recognition of the sovereign equality and international equal status of the TRNC.
He added that a federal settlement was no longer on the table.
Referring to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s statement at the 77th General Assembly of the UN that the TRNC should now be recognized and the embargoes should end, Hasipoğlu said, “Mr Erdoğan’s words have given us strength. We will continue our efforts in that direction.”
The UBP General Secretary also called on the opposition parties to unite as one voice in demanding the recognition of the international equal status and sovereignty of the TRNC. He said that this would strengthen their hand at the negotiating table.