24.10.2025 14:42
Tufan Erhürman, who was elected as the President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, took the oath at a ceremony held in the TRNC Parliament. Erhürman stated, "Until today, no President has conducted negotiations without consulting the Republic of Turkey. This will not change during my term either."
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The new President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), Tufan Erhürman, officially began his duties after the handover ceremony.
Erhürman, who was elected as the 6th President of the TRNC, took over the presidency from the 5th President of the TRNC, Ersin Tatar, during a ceremony held at the Presidential Palace. The ceremony, which began with a moment of silence and the reading of the National Anthem, continued with the reading of the biographies of Erhürman and Tatar.
"I WILL ALWAYS LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE"
President Erhürman stated that throughout his political life, he has always listened to the Turkish Cypriot people during the election process and emphasized that he will continue to keep his ear to the ground. He noted, "I have always thought that our people in this beautiful country deserve to live a happier, more hopeful, and more prosperous life. I felt deep in my heart that it is our duty and obligation to leave a country for our children and grandchildren where they can live a life worthy of human dignity, at the level of 'contemporary civilization,' as the great leader Mustafa Kemal Atatürk said, after the existential struggle given by our mothers, fathers, grandmothers, and grandfathers."
HE DEDICATED A SPECIAL TITLE TO CHILDREN
Erhürman conveyed that the most important element that unites the Turkish Cypriot people, regardless of political views or parties, is children, emphasizing that every child living in these lands is his own child, no matter where their parents were born.
"As President, my primary duty is to work day and night to ensure that our children grow up equal, free, healthy, and happy. Our champion angels and all the children we have lost in this country are wounds in our hearts. I live with the awareness that this wound will never heal throughout my life," said Erhürman, expressing his desire to announce to the whole world that the thousands of children killed in Gaza are also a wound in the hearts of the Turkish Cypriot people.
Erhürman stated that it is impossible to repay the debt to the children who have lost their lives, saying, "This knowledge instills in me the awareness that we need to work much harder for our children. Our most important debt to the elders who have fought for existence in this country under very difficult conditions and to the children we cherish is to elevate this country and its people to the place they deserve in the world, to connect them with the world, and to provide our children with the opportunities that children in prosperous and developed countries have."
"THE TURKISH CYPRIOT PEOPLE ARE ONE OF THE TWO EQUAL FOUNDING PARTNERS ON THIS ISLAND"
For this reason, Erhürman emphasized that protecting the rights and interests of the Turkish Cypriot people in this country and passing them on to future generations is a primary duty.
"The whole world must know and will know that the Turkish Cypriot people are one of the two equal founding partners on this island, and whatever exists on this island is shared with them. Decisions regarding security, energy, hydrocarbons, maritime jurisdiction areas, trade routes, and European Union citizenship cannot be made without the will of the Turkish Cypriot people, and it is impossible to ignore the Turkish Cypriot people. Upholding the sovereignty rights of the Turkish Cypriot people on this island is both a requirement of this people's status on this island and our obligation to the elders who have fought for existence and to the children to whom we will hand over this country."
Erhürman, as a lawyer, pointed out that he values content over words and concepts, stating, "I know that whether they say federation or two states, our people are fully in agreement on what I just said, that the Turkish Cypriot people are one of the two equal founding partners on this island and that they share whatever exists around this island. The areas I mentioned above are common areas of authority and cannot solely be considered within the sovereignty or authority of the Greek Cypriot people."
"AS MUCH AS THE GREEKS ARE SOVEREIGN ON THE ISLAND, THE TURKISH CYPRIOTS ARE EQUALLY SOVEREIGN"
Erhürman emphasized that just as the Greek Cypriots are sovereign on the island, the Turkish Cypriots are equally sovereign, stating that whatever rights a Greek Cypriot child has, a Turkish Cypriot child has the same rights.
Erhürman highlighted that just as the Greek Cypriots have rights over hydrocarbons, the Turkish Cypriots have the same rights, asserting, "We will never accept anyone acting as if the Turkish Cypriot people do not exist on this island. Everyone will know that the Turkish Cypriot people have always been here. They are here today and will always be here. The Turkish Cypriot people have repeatedly demonstrated their willingness for a solution in front of the whole world, together with the Republic of Turkey, which is the guarantor of the entire island."
Erhürman noted that the Turkish Cypriot people have never shied away from a solution, negotiation, or table, stating that they want negotiations not just for the sake of negotiation, but for the sake of a solution.
Erhürman explained, "This is why the method that makes the political equality of the Turkish Cypriots a bargaining chip, which does not include a time limit, is not results-oriented, and ends as a result of the Greek Cypriot leadership leaving the table, is predictable from the outset that it will not bring a solution. It is impossible to achieve a solution, lasting peace, and stability in this region while ignoring the Turkish Cypriots and the guarantor country, Turkey, and violating their rights and authorities. Therefore, my call to other guarantor countries, the Greek Cypriot people, the Greek Cypriot leadership, and the whole world is to focus on a solution that will benefit everyone, lasting peace, and stability."
However, Erhürman stated that unless the conditions for establishing a negotiation table that will lead the TRNC to a solution are met, the Turkish Cypriot people's willingness for a solution will also be at the negotiation table this time, stating, "It is extremely important for us to address many issues, from the easing of existing crossing points to the problems arising in exports within the framework of the green line regulation, the lawsuits raised regarding property issues, the still unenforced direct trade regulation, the obstacles raised in tourism, and the freedom of movement of our children born from mixed marriages to European Union citizenship."
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He used the expressions.
"THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TURKEY AND THE TRNC IS SPECIAL"
Erhürman stated that these and similar issues would be addressed not only with the Greek Cypriot leadership but also with international organizations such as the European Union, the United Nations, the Organization of Turkish States, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and said that for this purpose, all diplomatic channels that would help Turkey open up, as in the past, would be utilized.
"The relations between the Republic of Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus are so special that they cannot be compared to the relations between any two other states. Until today, no president has conducted negotiation processes and other processes related to the Cyprus issue and foreign policy without consulting the Republic of Turkey." Erhürman emphasized that this would not change during his presidency.
Erhürman stated, "My duty will be to elevate the relations between the Republic of Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus to a much better level," noting that the presidential office has responsibilities not only abroad but also within the framework of constitutional legislation.
President Erhürman said, "Developing a population policy in the TRNC, reducing complaints related to public administration and public services, especially in education and health, addressing security concerns, ensuring meritocracy in public duties, preventing brain drain, encouraging our young migrants to return to our country, respecting the rule of law, focusing on quality rather than quantity in higher education, ensuring the sustainability of the immovable property commission, and making the property regime predictable are some of the issues I will work on with sensitivity as President. The President has direct powers in some of these issues arising from other parts of constitutional legislation, while in others, he has indirect powers that can be expressed as facilitating the resolution of problems."
"EMBRACING THE ENTIRE CYPRUS TURKISH PEOPLE IS MY MOST IMPORTANT DUTY"
Erhürman conveyed that the important point for him is "to empathize with the people's troubles and strive for solutions," and added:
"At this point, I must once again say that the duty assigned to the president in the constitution to be impartial, to represent the entire Turkish Cypriot people, and to embrace the whole nation is my most important duty. The people who know me closely know that I will make maximum effort to solve problems without competing or clashing with the government, regardless of which political party or parties are in power. I will never discriminate among our people, nor will I allow it."
Pointing out that the Turkish Cypriot people have internalized democracy, Erhürman stated that people with different political views have the democratic maturity to sit down, chat, and laugh with each other after intense political debates.
Erhürman said, "These are qualities that we must never lose, that we must cherish, and that we must protect with sensitivity, which can serve as an example to the world. There is no loser in this election. The winner is the Turkish Cypriot people, our children, and our brotherhood. I want to say from the bottom of my heart that I will never allow division, fragmentation, or damage to our brotherhood in the presidency, just as I have not allowed it until now."
"I HAVE FOUGHT A GREAT STRUGGLE ON EVERY PLATFORM"
Tatar, in his speech, stated that he is proud to have successfully completed the presidency in the TRNC, emphasizing that what matters is not the positions but the permanence of the TRNC and its existence as a state with sovereign rights.
Stating that the will of the people in the TRNC is reflected in the ballot box, Tatar noted that Erhürman was elected as the 6th President of the TRNC, congratulating him and wishing him success in his duties.
Tatar said, "Since 1963, I have fought a great struggle on every platform to end the oppression of isolation we have been subjected to. During this period, we declared our vision of a two-state solution based on our sovereign equality and equal international status by making a radical paradigm shift. In April 2021, I recorded this at the 5+1 informal summit held under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General."
Tatar conveyed that it was recorded that "there is no common ground between the two sides," thus entering a new era in the Cyprus negotiations, and stated that he conveyed various cooperation proposals to the Greek side during his term.
Tatar highlighted that one of the developments he is most proud of during his term is the unanimous acceptance of the TRNC as an observer member of the Organization of Turkish States, emphasizing that their acceptance at the summit held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan in November 2022, with the efforts of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, was a historic step that strengthened the international status of the TRNC.
"THE CYPRUS TURKISH PEOPLE ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE TURKISH NATION"
Recalling that he met with citizens from all over the world during his term, Tatar stated that he is the first TRNC President to visit Australia, and that he strengthened the historical and emotional ties with Turkish Cypriots in England and other countries.
Tatar said, "The Turkish Cypriot people are a separate nation. With their own language, culture, and identity, they are an integral part of the Turkish nation and will exist forever. I also call on the European Union: End these inhumane embargoes imposed on the Turkish Cypriot people for 60 years."
Stating that he always felt the support of Turkey during his five-year term, Tatar expressed that they have implemented significant infrastructure investments together in many areas, from health to transportation, from education to communication.
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