The 13th Sports Council organized by the Prime Ministry began this morning at the Girne Acapulco Hotel with the participation of high-level state and government officials from the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and Türkiye.

During the three-day event, committees will work to make recommendations that will contribute to the development of the country’s sporting sector.

During today’s opening ceremony, President Ersin Tatar, Prime Minister Ünal Üstel, the Turkish Minister of Youth and Sports Osman Aşkın Bak and the Secretary General of the Sports Council Hüseyin Ekmekçi all delivered speeches.

Delivering the first speech the Secretary General of the Council Hüseyin Ekmekci said that that they had made a great effort with the staff of the sports department for the council and said that they will do whatever it takes to follow the decisions that will emerge from the council.

Turkish Minister of Youth and Sports Dr. Osman Aşkın Bak for his part said that they had come to the TRNC with the desire to participate in the 13th Sports Council and noted that they had drawn valuable conclusions from the council held in Türkiye.

Stating that Türkiye had come a long way especially in the last 21 years with the investments made in sports, Bak stated that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has drawn a road map by revealing the effects of sports on society and what can be done.

“Türkiye has modern stadiums and hundreds of swimming pools have been built. Türkiye is progressing rapidly on this path” said Bak.

He reminded that sports have a great role in international promotion and therefore its power should never be forgotten.

“We are ready for all kinds of cooperation with the TRNC in the field of sports” said Bak.

Prime Minister Ünal Üstel started his speech by drawing attention to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Stating that the war has been going on for more than a month, Üstel said that the world remains insensitive to this issue.

“We want peace as soon as possible, we want a ceasefire, we want the war in which murders are committed to end as soon as possible. We strongly condemn the death of innocent lives  in this war” said Üstel.

Also touching upon sporting issues in the TRNC, Üstel said that they attach great importance to the development of sports and want to increase the number of athletes and further develop the sector.

Noting that although the TRNC has been under sports embargoes for years, it has achieved the impossible thanks to young people, as they are achieving significant success both in the country and abroad, Üstel said that it is their duty to increase opportunities for them.

President Ersin Tatar also drew attention to the embargoes enforced against the Turkish Cypriot people in his speech and reminded that he had raised this issue along with other issues during his phone call with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.

“Embargoes are never acceptable” said Tatar adding that they continued their struggle to be a part of the world.

Stating that the Turkish Cypriot People went through massacres years ago and now are trying to be isolated from the world through embargoes, Tatar said that despite all of these obstacles, Motherland Türkiye has always stood by the Turkish Cypriot People.

President Tatar stated that there are Turkish Cypriots who play football in Türkiye’s most important teams, taking part in Türkiye’s national teams and making a voice in the international arena.

He said he was proud of these athletes.

He said that the Turkish Cypriot people have always managed to make a name for themselves with their achievements, and emphasized that their duty is to organize the state and mobilize all opportunities for young people to do sports with contemporary values.

Pointing out that investments are needed in the field of sports, President Tatar underlined that it is everyone’s duty to educate young people and give them hope.