Arıklı: YDP Decides to Withdraw From Government

Arıklı made the announcement following his dismissal as Minister of Public Works and Transport. He recalled that he had previously announced his intention to submit a petition to Parliament seeking the removal of his parliamentary immunity.

Arıklı said Üstel had called him around an hour to an hour and a half after that announcement and told him, “For the sake of the investigation, I have to dismiss you.”

Regarding his dismissal, Arıklı said, “I thanked him. This was actually an opportunity I had been waiting for for two years. I thank the Prime Minister for giving me this opportunity.”

“I Had Been Saying the Government Should Go to Elections Much Earlier”

Arıklı said he had previously argued that the government should have gone to elections earlier, adding that he had at times come close to resigning because of problems within the coalition but had backed away following reactions from various quarters.

“The Prime Minister has now given me this opportunity,” Arıklı said.

“We Will Notify the Prime Minister in Writing Today”

Arıklı said the YDP Central Executive Board had been scheduled to meet today, but members of the party’s Assembly had also joined the meeting.

“Our Party Assembly decided today to withdraw from the government, and we will notify the Prime Minister of this decision in writing today,” he said.

“We Do Not Intend to Make a Statement Until the Bodies Are Found”

Recalling that 19 people remained missing following the ferry disaster off Kyrenia, Arıklı said they did not want to trigger political disputes during the ongoing search.

“There is a lot to say, but 19 of our people are missing. People and the relatives of those missing are waiting in anguish,” Arıklı said, adding that he would leave his further comments for the coming days to avoid triggering new political debates.

“For the next few days, until the bodies are found, we do not intend to make any statement. Ultimately, we are withdrawing from the government,” Arıklı said.