President Ersin Tatar said that women assumed important roles in the struggle for freedom.

Emphasizing that if there will be an agreement in Cyprus, it will be with the cooperation of the two states, President Tatar noted that the Turkish Cypriot state in the north will be independent and sovereign in this agreement.

President Ersin Tatar took part in a panel titled “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus from the past to the future on the 40th anniversary of its establishment” organized jointly by the Association of Women Academics, Eastern Mediterranean University Women’s Research and Education Centre and the Cyprus Turkish Women Entrepreneurs Association.

In his speech at the panel, the President said that in the Turkish Cypriot struggle for freedom and existence, women, alongside men, undertook very important tasks both on the front line and behind the front line.

Stating that the Turkish Cypriots established many administrations and states after being excluded from the Republic of Cyprus, of which they were a founding partner in 1963, President Tatar stated that the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus was established 40 years ago as a Turkish state in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Drawing attention to the importance of the Turkish Cypriot struggle for the protection of strategic and national interests in the Eastern Mediterranean, President Tatar explained that although the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is not diplomatically recognized, it has all the institutions, democratic structure, court and judiciary of a recognized state.

He stated that a solution model was imposed on the Turkish Cypriots in which they would be under the yoke of the other side and said, “They want to turn Cyprus into a Hellenic island and make the Turkish Cypriots a minority, exclude Türkiye from the island and take away our rights.”

“Turkish Cypriots have sovereignty rights. Peace came to the island in 1974. Since then, we have been living in peace, security and tranquillity. We are waging a noble struggle together with our women” said Tatar.

Explaining that if there will be a treaty in Cyprus, it will be with the cooperation of the two states, President Tatar noted that the Turkish Cypriot state in the north will be independent and sovereign in any agreement to be reached.

He pointed out that the panel organized by women and the results of the panel were very important.