Prime Minister Faiz Sucuoğlu has issued a message marking the 83rd anniversary of the death of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of modern day Turkey.
In his message, Prime Minister Faiz Sucuoğlu said that Atatürk had led the Turkish nation out of the darkness and into the light with the extraordinary struggle he had waged, leaving behind a legacy unmatched by another figure or state.
Pointing out that Mustafa Kemal Atatürk was a true hero who selflessly put his own life before that of the Turkish nation, Sucuoğlu said that out of the Turkish leader’s struggle emerged from the ashes a modern state.
“Today the Turkish Republic continues to grow as a strong country, guided by the principles and values he entrusted in younger generations. Though he may not be with us today, he lives on with his ideas and accomplishments, showing us the way to the future. That is why it is our sacred duty to protect, defend and uphold those principles, passing them onto future generations,” he said.
Sucuoğlu added that the Turkish Cypriot people will forever follow in Atatürk’s footsteps without abandoning his principles.
He expressed conviction that all of the problems being experienced in the TRNC can be overcome with the support of the Republic of Turkey.
Meanwhile, other ministers, political parties and civil society organisations have also issued messages marking the anniversary.