Speaker of the Republic’s Assembly, Ziya Öztürkler, made remarks about the 21st anniversary of the Annan Plan and its referendum during a program he participated on BRT, stating that none of the promises made at that time were fulfilled.

He further stated that the fact that South Cyprus was made an EU member as if it were the sole owner of the island stands as the greatest proof that the international community continued its injustice after the Annan Plan referendum.

Expressing that when considering all the experiences starting from the 1960s, the importance of sovereign equality was once again understood, Öztürkler stressed that South Cyprus’s perception of Turkish Cypriots as a minority had not changed.

Noting that South Cyprus officials, even in 2025, were still able to call for “Hellenism” in a message to their people during a religious holiday, the Speaker of the Assembly pointed out that while the Greek Cypriot authorities were trying to convey a message to the world that “we can agree” by sitting at the table, they continued their hate speech on the other hand.

Öztürkler, expressing his belief that the opening of embassies by some countries from the Organization of Turkic States in South Cyprus would not harm the TRNC’s relations with the Organization, stressed that what they should do was work with all their might to bring the TRNC state and its people to the place they deserve without abandoning the struggle.