President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), Ersin Tatar, emphasized the importance of a two-state solution model based on cooperation as the right direction for Cyprus. Speaking at the opening of the “5th Leadership Academy and Management Congress” organized by the Silifke Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mersin University, and the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce, President Tatar expressed his satisfaction at seeing participants from Turkey in the TRNC.

Tatar remarked that Turkish Cypriots have always seen themselves as part of Anatolia and highlighted their trust in the Republic of Turkey. He stressed the significance of being able to speak with an independent voice as a Turkish state in the Eastern Mediterranean, reflecting on current global events and noting how major powers sometimes oppress smaller nations. He commended Turkey’s role in supporting the Turkish Cypriot community.

“If there are those who do not understand the peace, stability, and security we’ve built in Cyprus, we will continue to explain it,” Tatar stated, citing President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s remark on the 50th anniversary of Turkey’s Cyprus Peace Operation, calling the TRNC “Turkey’s apple of the eye.” Tatar also referenced President Erdoğan’s speech at the 79th UN General Assembly, urging for international recognition of the TRNC and the lifting of unjust embargoes and isolations on Turkish Cypriots.

Tatar highlighted the two-state solution model as a correct step towards establishing an independent Turkish state in the Eastern Mediterranean, emphasizing the TRNC’s strategic importance within the “Blue Homeland” concept.