The Turkish Cypriot ruling coalition leader, Ersan Saner, has denied involvement in a ‘sex tape’ making the rounds on social media, claiming he has been set up.
Saner’s National Unity Party (UBP) of the tripartite coalition in the north resigned last week, quoting quorum issues within the assembly.
He is to stay in office until fresh elections are held before the end of the year, as no party has the necessary majority to take power.
Rumours on Wednesday implicated Saner in a sex tape scandal, with some Turkish Cypriot media reporting that his resignation was imminent.
However, Saner has refuted any involvement, claiming it was an attempt by certain circles to push him towards “political suicide”.
His party UBP issued a lengthy statement later Wednesday saying that Saner was the “victim of an ugly plot”, set up by people who have access to high-tech methods to fabricate an incriminating video.
“I have always remained faithful towards my duty to protect the peace, unity and solidarity of my family, our party, our people, and their interests,” Saner said in a statement.
He called on people’s judgement, claiming that neither his party nor Turkish Cypriots would believe the ‘set up’.
Mafia link
The ‘sex tape’ scandal first appeared on Twitter when Turkish journalist Erk Adziarer referred to a businessman in the north who allegedly possessed the video, which then allegedly fell into the hands of a Turkish mafia boss, Sedat Peker.
Peker has long been publicising “evidence” against Turkish ministers and has previously referred to cases involving illegal activities in the north.
The mafia boss claims that Ankara was behind the 1996 assassination of a Turkish Cypriot journalist has awakened memories of dark deeds in the Turkey-occupied north of Cyprus.
A convicted mob boss, Peker, 49, now in self-exile in Dubai, caused turmoil after releasing videos with revelations about political figures in Turkey and their alleged nefarious activities.
Such activities ranged from drugs, political assassinations, and rape; Peker fired mainly at President Erdogan’s ruling AK Party members.
He accused prominent members, such as the son of former Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, of having connections to Columbian drug lords.
He then said that a drug ring was set up in the north with the help of prominent Turkish Cypriot politicians.
Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Turkish Cypriot political parties appeared to agree to hold a general election on 26 December.
