A ceremony was held on Thursday morning at the Erenköy Martyrs’ Cemetery in honour of the Erenköy Resistance, the cornerstone of the Turkish Cypriot people’s struggle for existence, and those who were martyred in this resistance.
Speaking at the ceremony, President Tatar stressed that the Erenköy Resistance was a saga of heroism.
The President also stated that no agreement in Cyprus can be reached without the Republic of Türkiye.
The ceremony at the Erenköy Martyr’s Cemetry began with the laying of wreaths at the monument according to the order of protocol.
After a moment of silence, a salute, and the raising of the flags accompanied by the National Anthem, the Special Book was signed during the ceremony.
President Ersin Tatar, the Mayor of Erenköy-Karpaz Municipality Hamit Bakırcı, and the President of the Erenköy Veterans Association Mustafa Arıkan each gave speeches at the ceremony.
The President of the Erenköy Veterans Association, Mustafa Arıkan in his speech, highlighted the significance and importance of the day.
“In 1963, the Greek Cypriots and the Greek junta began implementing the Akritas Plan against the Turks, aiming to annihilate the Turkish community and annex Cyprus to Greece. Some Greek Cypriots and former politicians involved in the negotiations later admitted in interviews and memoirs that ‘we were negotiating to buy time.’ It has become clear that what they said was true” Arıkan said.
Arıkan also commemorated the Erenköy martyrs, saying, “May their souls rest in peace and may their resting places be in paradise.”
The Mayor of the Erenköy-Karpaz Municipality Hamit Bakırcı, in his speech stated that the Republic was founded thanks to those who, with their unwavering stance and love for the country, sacrificed their lives, guiding the country to where it is today.
Stating that young people should visit and see Erenköy, Bakırcı urged the authorities to take the necessary steps to make this possible.
Also addressing the ceremony, President Ersin Tatar stated that the epic Erenköy Resistance held a significant place in the history of Turkish Cypriots.
Noting that the young people who went to Erenköy faced the danger of martyrdom as they defended their homeland, fighting against every attack by the Greek-Greek Cypriot duo, who aimed to annex the island to Greece through the Akritas Plan in 1964, just four years after the establishment of the 1960 Republic, the President stressed that their resistance became a symbol of the saga written by the Turkish Cypriots.
President Tatar also added that the Erenköy Resistance was a saga of heroism.
In reference to the Greek Prime Minister’s statements towards Türkiye during the 50th anniversary of the Cyprus Peace Operation, President Tatar said, “We immediately responded to him. There can be no agreement in Cyprus without the Republic of Türkiye because Türkiye has historical rights, legal rights, international agreements, and in 1964, Turkey used its right as a guarantor to intervene.”
In his speech, Tatar also commemorated all the martyrs with mercy and stressed that they will never be forgotten.
The ceremony concluded with a visit to the martyrs’ cemetery, laying flowers on the graves, and reciting prayers.