The 50th anniversary of the liberation of Serdarlı and the surrounding villages was celebrated with a ceremony.
President Ersin Tatar, who attended the ceremony, stressed that Türkiye’s guarantee and military presence are a sine qua non for the Turkish Cypriot people.
A ceremony was held to mark the 50th anniversary of the liberation of Serdarlı and the surrounding villages.
At the ceremony, which took place in front of the Serdarlı Atatürk Monument, wreaths were laid in accordance with protocol, a moment of silence was observed, and flags were raised accompanied by the national anthem.
In his speech at the ceremony, President Ersin Tatar noted that after the 15th of July Fascist Greek Coup, the Cyprus Peace Operation was carried out on the 20th of July 1974 to restore peace and tranquillity on the island, and that massacres against Turkish Cypriots were committed in Muratağa, Sandallar, and Atlılar.
Tatar stated that, as a result of the struggles led by the Serdarlı guard post, the residents of Serdarlı and the surrounding villages were saved from the massacres.
Stressing the importance of young people understanding the Turkish Cypriots’ struggle for freedom and existence, President Tatar said, “We rose from the brink of extinction. With the struggle of our fighters and Türkiye’s intervention, we achieved our freedom and independence.”
Underlining the importance of Türkiye’s guarantee and military presence, Tatar stressed that they will not give up on the continuation of these in any agreement to be reached in Cyprus, and that the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus state (TRNC) will be a part of the agreement.