The Turkish Cypriot leader's verbal altercation with a representative of Turkish doctors has caused a storm of reactions in the occupied territories. The entire TC opposition has harshly criticized Ersin Tatar and apologized to the Turkish doctors.
Asim Akansoi, "deputy" of the Republican Turkish Party (CTP), apologized to the Vice President of the Central Council of the Turkish Medical Association, Dr. Ali Ihsan Okden, who yesterday came under the "fire" of Mr. Tatar.
"The Turkish Cypriot people are democratic and tolerant. They always tolerate different views, but we see that the tolerance of some people has been reduced," Mr Akansoi said in a statement.
Mr Akansoi was reacting to the verbal attack launched yesterday by Mr Tatar against Turkish doctors at an event held in occupied Nicosia. Speaking from the podium at the event, Mr Okten referred to the problems faced by Turkish doctors and to a recent statement by the Turkish President on doctors. Mr Tatar intervened in this speech by claiming that internal Turkish issues are not discussed in the occupied territories. Shortly after the incident, the Turkish Cypriot leadership issued a statement saying that Mr Tatar "reacted strongly to Oqten's statements about the problems allegedly faced by doctors in Turkey, which were addressed to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan".
Criticizing Mr. Tatar, PKK "deputy" Erkut Sahali said that "we do not want to be represented in this way. We are dealing with a president who behaves like a hooligan, like a fan who taunts in the stands. It is an attitude that is extremely painful, embarrassing and very foreign to the TCs."
The position of the TC leadership on the whole issue was also disagreed with by the PKK "MP", Dogus Dergia, who, addressing the Turkish doctors, said "we are grateful to all of you, to all health workers who work for public health in incredibly difficult conditions in Turkey and Cyprus. And we apologise to all of you because we have a president who does not know when to speak and when to be silent. Believe us, we did not elect him."
Another PKK "MP", Sila Usar Injirli on the same issue made the statement that "I am very ashamed of what happened. It is a pity for all of us. The lack of tolerance for discussing the problems of doctors is not acceptable."
The Independence Road Party (IDP) also harshly criticized the TC leader, stressing that "imagine how much disrespect and what kind of interference a politician who interferes with a doctor's speech can show towards doctors who are performing public duties within their jurisdiction."
The Left Movement (AK), describing Mr Tatar as a "palace jester", said in a statement that "(T/C) Commissioner (appointed) Tatar provoked an incident by reacting to Dr Ali Ihsan Okten's criticism of the governance and health system in Turkey. Calling him an "appointed" commissioner is too little for you (Tatar)."
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