Turkish Cypriot parties condemn July 15 coup attempt

By Murat Demirci

LEFKOSA, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (AA) - All political parties at the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus's (TRNC) parliament condemned the July 15 coup attempt of the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) made on July 15 in a joint declaration on Monday.

The parliament's legislative year kicked off with a ceremony on Monday.

"We declare that we condemn the coup attempt against the constitutional order, rule of law and democratic will made on July 15, 2016 in Turkey and we condemn the heinous attack against the Turkish parliament as the TRNC parliament presidency and all political parties represented at the parliament and we are always on the democratic will's side under all conditions", said the declaration.

The speaker of the parliament, Sibel Siber read the joint declaration on behalf of the all political parties in the TRNC parliament.

The Republican Turkish Party - United Powers (CTP-BG), National Unity Party (UBP), Democratic Party-National Powers (DP-UG) and Communal Democracy Party condemned the coup attempt in the joint declaration.

The statement added that the resistance by the Turkish people, who risked their own lives against the coup attempt in July, would not be forgotten.

Turkey blames the Fetullah Terrorist Organization, or FETO, for the July 15 plot. At least 241 people were martyred and nearly 2,200 injured in the failed coup which the government said was organized by followers of Fetullah Gulen, the FETO leader who lives in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania.

Gulen is accused of leading a long-running campaign to overthrow the Turkish government through the infiltration of state institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary, forming what is commonly known as the parallel state.