"The current system is not sustainable."
The workshop summary final declaration report was also published. Significant points were noted in the final declaration:
Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU) and Dr. Fazıl Küçük Foundation held a workshop at Girne Oscar Hotel between 4 and 5 May, 2018. Titled “Ideal Governance System for TRNC; Presidential System and Parliamentary System”, the workshop featured a series of presentations on the first day and round-table meetings on the last day.
At meetings held with the participation of leading political scientists, public administrators, new and former politicians, party representatives, representatives of non-governmental organizations, experts, media representatives and intellectuals, the following issues were covered:
What are the problems of the current parliamentary system?
Is it possible for the current parliamentary system to reach a productive structure?
Would the presidential system for the TRNC be appropriate?
The Participants Reached a Consensus over the Problems of the Current Parliamentary System and they gathered the issues under the following headings;
The elected ministerial expectations increase intra-party instability, and intra-party instability is reflected in government performance.
Not Small, but Very Important and Big Reforms are Necessary.
A large part of the participants stated that it would be appropriate to restructure the existing system with big and comprehensive reforms or to undergo a radical system change to the presidential system in order to overcome the problems. Participants also agreed that it is no longer sustainable to continue with the existing structure.
Those Who Support the Presidential System Pointed to Stability.
Participants who advocate system change and present the Presidential System as an alternative model in the workshop that was held;
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Overcoming the bottlenecks in the political system in the TRNC
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Reduction of poor management
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Improvement of accountability and predictability
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Nepotism and lack of merit reduction
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Spending more time on primary affairs by the lawmakers of the legislature
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Ensuring that the executive is able to make quicker decisions under the management of the elected president; and
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Emphasizing that the Presidential System could be an important tool for achieving political stability.
On the other hand, instead of changing the system directly in the workshop, those who declared their opinion at the point of improvement of the existing parliamentary system, the constitution, the legislature, the executive, the judiciary and the separation of the strict powers, the electoral system and the political party law pointed out that very serious reforms are required.
SYSTEM CHANGES MAY BE INADEQUATE ON THEIR OWN AND THEREFORE CHANGES IN MENTALITY ARE REQUIRED
Participants of the workshop indicated that the transition to the presidential system might be insufficient in solving the problems identified alone, that the reform of the government system would require serious reforms in the election system, central government and local government relations, public administration and control system and the roles and functions of the state.
In addition to System Change, a Change in Mentality is Also Essential
The workshop is beneficial in thinking together with a mentality change as well as the reforms to be carried out in the government system and in the structure and functioning of the administration because most of the political problems in TRNC are related to the management mentality as much as the system.
Participants Found the Workshop as a Useful and Appropriate Attempt
The workshop was qualified as an extremely beneficial initiative by the participants and they agreed on the necessity of addressing the important public problems of the TRNC in workshop as such.
New Workshops should also be Held to Address System Discussions in an Integrated and Full-scale Manner
It is a very comprehensive one and with the participation of all the stakeholders, a general view on how each dimension is examined in detail through separate workshops and the results are presented to the public and a general consensus came to the light upon the submission to decision-makers.
Closing Presentation by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Deniz İşçioğlu.
After the completion of the workshop and the preparation of the final report, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Deniz İşçioğlu shared the text that emerged from all the tables with the public.
Assoc. Dr. İşçioğlu asserted that an extensive report on the workshop will be completed in the near future, and immediately after the preparation of the report, the full conclusion report will be presented to the public through a press conference.
Dr. Sibel Siber Delivered the Closing Speech of the Workshop.
Dr. Sibel Siber, who is the Honorary President of Fazıl Küçük Foundation, delivered the closing speech of the event. While Sibel Siber conveyed her endless gratitude, she also stated that the results indicate that the current system is out of sustainability. Besides expressing her conviction that decision-makers should take these steps carefully and take the necessary steps to open the way for the Turkish Cypriot people, she also underlined that the country does not have any luxury for losing time.