The 38th anniversary of the establishment of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus was celebrated with much jubilation on Monday.

Ceremonies were realised at the mausoleum of the late Turkish Cypriot leader Dr. Fazıl Küçük’s mausoleum and at the TMT Monument due to ongoing construction of the mausoleum of the late founding President Rauf Raif Denktaş.

The first ceremony on Monday was realized in front of the Lefkoşa Martyrs’ Monument.

A second ceremony was held at the Atatürk Monument and this was followed by the main parade at the Dr Fazıl Küçük Boulevard.

Addressing the public during the ceremony here, President Ersin Tatar said that the Turkish Cypriot people experienced one of their most joyous days on the 15th of November 1983 and that the anniversary of the TRNC, which was founded with an honourable struggle for existence and unmatched sacrifices, was celebrated with great enthusiasm.

Noting that while experiencing such happiness and in order to take concrete steps towards the future, the past experiences of the Turkish Cypriot people needed to be evaluated correctly, Tatar said there is a need to progress on the path of the national struggle without being hindered.

“If we as the Turkish Cypriot people are able to live freely in our own homeland with our heads held high and in honour, we owe this to the heroic people, to the martyrs, veterans and our national heroes Dr. Fazıl Küçük and Rauf Raif and to Motherland Turkey who paid every price without hesitation” said Tatar.

Explaining that the Greek Cypriot side is calling for a return to the Republic of Cyprus, where it has usurped the rights of the Turkish Cypriot people, Tatar said that the Greek Cypriot side is dreaming of assimilating the Turkish Cypriot people in time.

“It is due to this dream that they have rejected every recommendation put forth during the negotiations process that has continued for 53 years. They also rejected the Annan plan. The process that started in 2008 collapsed in Crans Montana in July 2017 because the Greek Cypriot side refused equality and continued to demand a solution where there are zero soldiers, zero guarantees and called for a solution that would turn Cyprus into a Greek speaking state under Greek rule” said Tatar.

He stated that the ground for a federation, which has been maintained for years in the Cyprus negotiation has been exhausted and added that a negotiations process will not be entered without the acceptance of sovereign equality and equal political status of the Turkish Cypriot side.

Noting that a just and sustainable solution in Cyprus can be achieved through the acceptance of the existing two states on the island and the sovereign equality of these two sides, Tatar said “as the elected president of the Turkish Cypriot people, instead of stepping into new problems and an uncertain future in Cyprus, we have opened the door of a new era with our new vision that can produce solutions to the problems around the island”.

Explaining that with the support of Motherland Turkey the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus will exist forever, Tatar thanked Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on behalf of the Turkish Cypriot people for his support

Touching upon the Maraş opening, Tatar said that the opening had created a new dimension on the Cyprus issue and added that Maraş is the Turkish Cypriot sides. Maraş is under our sovereignty and part of the territory of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

Touching upon the critical developments taking place in the Eastern Mediterranean, Tatar said that a struggle has begun for the hydrocarbon resources in the area and that there are forces that are trying to remove Turkey’s rights in the area.

Noting that tensions are high in the area due to the Greek-Greek Cypriot duo, Tatar said that any initiative that excludes Turkey and the TRNC from the Eastern Mediterranean has no chance for success.

Also noting that the legitimate rights of Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot people will be defended to the end Tatar stated that the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus will exist forever.