President Ersin Tatar received the General Director of the Vakıflar Administration İbrahim Benter on Wednesday.

During the meeting views were exchanged on the status of the historic and cultural assets of Turkish Cypriots in South Cyprus.

President Tatar also drew attention to the importance of the work carried out by the Vakıflar Administration in protecting the island’s Turkish-Islamic cultural heritage.

Tatar also evaluated the situation concerning plans on a building located next to the Hala Sultan Tekke, one of the most important symbols of the Ottoman-Turkish cultural heritage in Cyprus.

Noting that the 6,000-decare area where Hala Sultan Tekke is belongs to the Tekke, the president stressed that the TRNC authorities will not remain a bystander to a fait accompli in the area.

Tatar also reminded that the Vakıflar Administration has always been a pioneer in efforts to consolidate the spiritual values ​​of the Turkish Cypriots.

He underlined that he made a great contribution to social memory, particularly through the transfer and archiving of all written sources dating back to Ottoman times.

Tatar said that these records and archives were of great importance as they constitute the most important evidence of Turkish presence in Cyprus.

During the meeting, the General Director of the Vakıflar Administration İbrahim Benter presented President Tatar a map of Cyprus dating back to 1878, which includes the location of 400 mosques, 596 Turkish cemeteries and 109 Vakıf farms in Cyprus.