Top Erdoğan Advisor Insults TRNC PM by Implying He Is Greek Cypriot

Saral tweeted a video of Ustel speaking in ‘parliament’ last week about how he had been “saddened” by the heightening of rhetoric over the matter.

In that speech, Ustel had made specific reference to Ibrahim Damar, the imam of the mosque in the northern Nicosia suburb of Mandres, who had described teachers opposed to hijabs as “infidels” and said he would refuse to lead a funeral service for “anyone who opposes headscarves”.

“First of all, a friend of ours in the religious department made different speeches. First of all, I want you to know that we have removed the friend who is in the religious department. After the investigation is completed, the necessary punishment will be given,” he said.

“We did not do nothing while social media attacks were being made against the people of Cyprus, against people from all sides. All of them have been reported to the people because we want reconciliation in society.”

Saral was less than impressed by this speech, and described Ustel as a “bosbakan”, a play on the word “basbakan”, which means “prime minister” in Turkish, with “bos” meaning “empty”.