Turkish Cypriot president asks Kalyoncu to form new govt

LEFKOSA, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus

Turkish Cypriot President Mustafa Akinci has asked Republican Turkish Party-United Forces parliamentarian Omer Kalyoncu to form a new government after Prime Minister Ozkan Yorgancioglu stepped down.

Yorgancioglu submitted the coalition government’s resignation to President Mustafa Akinci on Friday after he was defeated in a vote over the leadership of the Republican Turkish Party-United Forces on June 14.

After meeting Kalyoncu Monday, Akinci said: "It is better the new government be formed at the earliest, both for our pending domestic issues and the ongoing Cyprus peace talks which require the government and the president to act jointly".

Kalyoncu also said that he would submit a list of the Council of Ministers for the approval of the president as soon as possible.

According to the Turkish Cypriot constitution, Kalyoncu must submit the list of the new cabinet to Akinci within 15 days.

"It is obvious that the country needs a new government to be immediately formed, which can tackle with our existing problems," he said.

Kalyoncu added that no certain government pattern had arisen yet from his party's talks with other political parties.

In the 50-deputy Turkish Cypriot Assembly of the Republic, 26 seats are needed for a majority to form a government.

Republican Turkish Party-United Forces has 21 seats and National Unity Party has 18 seats at the parliament while Democratic Party and Communal Democracy Party are represented by eight and three seats, respectively.