TRNC president, Mustafa Akinci calls for summer elections

Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci on Wednesday called the presidential election in North Cyprus to be brought forward to August instead of October as formally agreed.

Akinci made the call during an interview on BRT television on Wednesday. According to him, it had been 61 days without any new coronavirus cases in the TRNC and would propose to parties on Friday to bring forward the election date.

The elections for the president of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus were initially slated for April but was postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Akinci said the first round of elections could take place on August 16 and the second one on August 23.

Akinci added that because there was a possibility of a new wave of infections in the autumn it would be better to hold the elections in the summer.