T
urkey has proceeded in a constitutional referendum, voting for an executive presidency and a presidential system that would replace the existing parliamentary system of governance. The country has been driven into a more conservative and authoritarian paths, by increasing the executive power of the president in charge. Through the referendum of the 16th of April and with the marginal domination of ‘yes’ with 51,41%, it was confirmed that Turkey is divided and polarised. The results verify that Turkey is divided into three parts: a) In the Kurdish areas that have been isolated from the urban centres. b) In the conservative Central Anatolia, where the nationalists and the Politic Islam dominate. c) The Western part of Turkey, which is the most cosmic area and more developed capitalistic Economy. There were also polls set up in the occupied part of Cyprus, where the “NO” votes reached the 54,82% of the popular vote but with a participation of 41,6% of registered voters. That result shows that the population of the settlers in the occupied part of Cyprus do not have any homogeinity. It seems that they come from different classes, from different ideological and political views, they have some influence from the events occurring in Turkey, and nevertheless they express their views in the same way they do it in the elections in Cyprus.
The country has been driven into a more conservative and authoritarian paths, by increasing the executive power of the president in charge.
T
he Greek-cypriot side is required to intensify its chances in reaching an agreement around the negotiating table, being stable in the agreement-based. A solution that will secure freedom, peace and reunite the country and its people, in one bizonal, bicommunal federation, in which the human rights and the basic freedoms of the people would be respected inside the community. In the case that the negotiations fail, there will be an increased sense of tense and disappointment, inside the Turkish-Cypriot community. In that way, there is a danger that Turkey will give even more to the non-recognizable part of the Island. We, as EDON, are going to continue watching the events occuring in Turkey, as they influence the procedure of solving the Cypriot Problem, but also influencing the events taking part in the greater area of our country.