Ahead of Turkish Cypriot elections, incumbent President Ersin Tatar spoke to broadcaster A Haber and hit out at his main rival Tufan Erhürman, in a veiled criticism of the latter’s advocacy for a bicommunal federation in divided Cyprus.
Tatar and Ankara are on the same page regarding talks for the future of the Mediterranean island, defending the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) as a separate, sovereign state on the island, with the south recognized by other countries as the Republic of Cyprus.
Numerous talks between Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots have failed to produce a lasting solution to the “Cyprus question,” as Greek Cypriots insist on the idea of federation, a stance shared by Erhürman, who will compete against Tatar in next week’s elections.
Türkiye is a guarantor state for the status of the TRNC and maintains a military force on the island, decades after it launched a Peace Operation against Greek Cypriot attacks targeting Turkish Cypriots.
Tatar said in the interview that he always followed a policy of compliance with Türkiye and appreciated President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s backing of a two-state solution on the island. “We are working hard to strengthen the TRNC. Türkiye, the motherland, is the guarantor of peace and stability here. The state and sovereignty of the Turkish Cypriot people are crucial. Today, we have two sides. On one side are realistic people, and on the other are those selling dreams. The truth is that Turkish Cypriots should stand for their state to continue their existence. We should keep Turkish Armed Forces here as a guarantor of this existence,” he said.
Tatar said Cyprus saw what happened in Gaza, although on a smaller scale, in the 1960s. “Turkish Cypriots were pushed around; they faced genocide. With the Peace Operation, they gained their independence, freedom,” he said. Tatar lamented that he now faces a mindset that defends a “federation partnership” with Greek Cypriots and withdrawal of Türkiye from Cyprus.
He stated that the TRNC has recently gained more recognition, noting its status as an observer state at the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) and its rising place in the Muslim world. “We suffered a lot to reach this point. It is in vain to discuss federation and partnership with Greek Cypriots. The idea of federation is outdated, it is over,” he underlined.
The president called on the Turkish Cypriot electorate not to vote for his rival “to revive the idea of federation.”
