As you know, the day before yesterday, Prime Minister Derviş Eroğlu spoke at a press conference about the government’s 100% achievements in its first 100 days. What the Prime Minister mentioned was collected in a booklet and distributed to members of the press.
I examined the booklet and, unfortunately, found many omissions!
I suppose the UBP government was being modest and left out of the booklet the achievements I’m about to mention.
Yes, modesty is a fine thing, but if you come to power through elections and leave through elections, this modesty may not work out too well for you...
So I’ll write about the achievements that were left out.
Let this be my gift to the UBP government!
• The Prime Minister and Ministers alike spent 63% of the government’s first 100 days receiving people who had come to congratulate them. This intensive and tedious undertaking made a very significant contribution to the economy. Dozens of people kept florists and chocolate shops busy! The local businesses in my country were delighted and had plenty of work... In the meantime, we condemn Economy and Energy Minister Sunat Atun for ending the practice of accepting congratulations on the grounds that it kept him from getting work done.
• The government spent 42% of its first 100 days making appointments. Almost every day, someone was appointed to a position somewhere; someone else was removed from office. This achievement made a very significant contribution to those who were appointed!
• By not going to Turkey with the President, the Foreign Minister occupied 5% of the government’s first 100 days. Thanks to this, the Turkish Cypriot press was able to broadcast live! This undertaking was very useful for the Turkish Cypriot press, which wants to improve its live-broadcasting capabilities!
• For 1% of the government’s first 100 days, the Finance Minister was the lead story in one of Turkey’s best-selling newspapers! Thanks to this important achievement, our country’s popularity in Turkey increased. Unfortunately, this achievement came at the end of the tourist season. But our tourism operators are hopeful that this popularity will have an impact next season!
• There were protests and strikes in the country for 55% of the government’s first 100 days. Thanks to this important achievement, we got the chance to find out how much civil servants and members of parliament in the country earn! The cards were laid on the table, and the truth came out. Although the disclosure of salaries dampened the morale of those working in the private sector, it was important for us to find out how much everyone earns!
• We didn’t have a single day without controversy during 100% of the government’s first 100 days! First, we debated whether the government that had been formed would last long. Then the quorum problem in parliament came up. After that, there was the Prime Ministry Audit Board, vehicle license fees, Eşel Mobil, overtime, negotiations, and so on...
Ever since the government was formed, we’ve been debating one thing or another.
Of course we’ll debate, but it’s quite clear that we haven’t gained anything from these debates.
After all, the quorum problem seems likely to continue if, by some good fortune, the strikes that have kept parliament from opening are called off and it opens. The Prime Ministry Audit Board case is before the Constitutional Court; hearings have ended, and a decision is awaited! Vehicle license fees could not be reduced to the desired level. Debate continues over Eşel Mobil and overtime. It’s plain as day that there are differences of opinion between the government and the presidency on the Cyprus issue, despite what they say!
The government is facing difficult times on every front, and will continue to do so...
Remember, it was the UBP itself that sought the public’s vote to govern a country with very serious problems on its own—and came to power. The UBP knew this when it asked to govern alone.
I’m not going to say, “The government needs time; these things can’t be done in 100 days,” or anything like that.
Because the meeting held the day before yesterday was very ambitious, and with that meeting the UBP made it clear that it didn’t want to hear that kind of thing!
At this point, in my view, the only reason the UBP is having problems is that it has forgotten that it came to power through democracy! Governing alone comes with serious responsibilities, and from time to time parties overlook them.
That’s what must not be overlooked!
The UBP must make very good use of the argument of democracy in every decision it makes...
Otherwise, these debates will never end!
Hope to see you on Tuesday...
Pay attention to your surroundings, keep them clean, and be courteous in traffic!