Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu said that claims that the foreign ministry had rejected humanitarian assistance for earthquake victims in Türkiye did not reflect the truth.

Ertuğruloğlu issued a written statement in response to the allegations and criticism directed against him.

Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu said on Wednesday that there was a deliberate attempt by various circles to distort the facts.

He pointed out that an earlier statement issued on February 14 had informed the public that the TRNC missions in Türkiye in coordination with the Foreign Ministry and Turkish Embassy in Lefkoşa had been engaged in relief efforts from the moment the first earthquake struck.

“As this is the situation, some circles deliberately refusing to acknowledge or understand the facts are exploiting the deep pain being experienced for political purposes,” he said.

He said that a character assassination was taking place against him despite the fact that his ministry had explained the truth on the humanitarian assistance offered by South Cyprus.