President Ersin Tatar delivered important messages on Monday within the framework of his contacts in Kahramanmaraş, Türkiye.
Speaking during his contacts, Tatar emphasized that the Turkish Cypriot people, an integral part of the Great Turkish nation, will continue to walk into the future hand in hand with Türkiye.
President Ersin Tatar on Monday attended the 104th anniversary ceremony of Kahramanmaraş’s liberation from occupation within the framework of his contacts in Türkiye, visited the February 6 Earthquake Martyrs Cemetery, and gave a conference at Kahramanmaraş Sütçü İmam University.
Speaking at the ceremony commemorating the 104th anniversary of Kahramanmaraş’s liberation from occupation, President Ersin Tatar highlighted that the Turkish Cypriot people, an integral part of the great Turkish nation, will continue to march confidently into the future with Türkiye.
He said that the injustices and attacks against the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) further united the Turkish world.
“Our duty is to shape our future by embracing national values, customs, traditions, and all kinds of richness,” Tatar added.
The president also recalled the epic resistance put up against British rule and the ruthless attacks by Greek-Cypriots against Turkish Cypriots, stating that the TRNC established in 1983 following the 1974 Turkish Peace Operation, solidified Turkish presence in the Eastern Mediterranean, adding that this was highly valuable and precious for the Turkish nation.
Tatar later visited the Kapıçam City Cemetery, where those who lost their lives in the February 6 earthquakes are buried.
Speaking to journalists there, Tatar expressed his sorrow over the tragedy and highlighted the importance of building earthquake resistant structures and avoiding construction in areas where fault lines pass.
Highlighting that the TRNC is a developing independent state, Tatar emphasized the importance of recognizing mutual sovereignty in Cyprus and reaching an agreement through the cooperation of the two states.
As part of his other contacts in Kahramanmaraş, President Ersin Tatar also gave a conference titled “The Importance of the TRNC in Light of Recent Developments” at the Kahramanmaraş Sütçü İmam University.
In his speech, President Tatar provided information about the events in Cyprus before 1974 and the struggle of the Turkish Cypriot people.
President Tatar emphasized the importance of maintaining the TRNC as an independent Turkish state, saying, “The TRNC is the gateway to the Mediterranean for the entire Turkish world.”
Following his speech, President Tatar was awarded an honorary doctorate.
Within the scope of his contacts, President Tatar also met with business people at an event organized by the Kahramanmaraş Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Speaking there, Tatar expressed that amidst challenges such as pandemics, wars, climate change, and the effects of earthquakes, surviving in trade is difficult, Kahramanmaraş has managed to do so.
Reminding that it takes only two hours to reach Kahramanmaraş from the TRNC and stressing the need to work on how this proximity can be turned into economic value, Tatar said efforts should be made to create mutual markets for produced goods.
Later on Monday, Tatar, visited the family of Elif Akbaba, who went to Kahramanmaraş for vacation and lost her life along with her two children in the February 6 earthquake.