Prime Minister Ünal Üstel issues message to mark Erenköy resistance
Date Added: 08 August 2023

Prime Minister Ünal Üstel issued a message to mark the 59th anniversary of the Erenköy Resistance.

In his message Üstel wrote that it should be known that the Turkish Cypriot people will continue to exist in these lands forever and will continue to keep their state alive with faith, determination and fearlessness.

“On this important day, which we realize the 59th anniversary of the Erenköy Resistance, which is one of the most important cornerstones of the Turkish Cypriots’ struggle for existence on the island, I commemorate all our martyrs with mercy and our veterans with gratitude who claimed their homeland with an epic resistance” wrote Üstel.

He said that the Erenköy Resistance is the name of an epic written by young people studying abroad in 1964, who abandoned their education in order to protect their homeland by putting their lives on the line against Greek Cypriot attacks that outnumbered them.

“This honourable struggle is one of the most important events that show the difficult conditions under which we gained our homeland and live in freedom and security today. The epic struggle of approximately 500 university students in Erenköy together with the people of the region is an example of heroism written in golden letters in Turkish Cypriot history” said Üstel.

“In order to contribute to the great resistance of our community and to show that we are not alone, we once again commemorate Pilot Captain Cengiz Topel, who took part in the air force sent to the island by our Motherland Türkiye and was martyred in this resistance” he said.

Noting that Türkiye has supported the Turkish Cypriot people in their struggle for existence throughout the years, Üstel said that the Turkish Cypriot people have always maintained their faith and trust in the Motherland, and with this support, they have succeeded in achieving their own free and independent state.

“It should be known that the Turkish Cypriot people will continue to exist in these lands forever and will continue to keep their state alive with faith, determination and fearlessness” he said.