President Ersin Tatar on Tuesday slammed members of the opposition for posting videos on social media of segments from the closed session held at the Republic’s Assembly on Monday during which he briefed parliament on the current status of the Cyprus issue.

He criticised the MPs for behaviour unbecoming of democratic traditions and far from the customary understanding of tolerance.

Tatar in a written statement underscored that he has not avoided negotiations, emphasizing the importance of recognizing the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) as an equal entity to the Greek Cypriot administration before any talks of a two-state solution.

Tatar highlighted the historical context: “Given the experiences of nearly 60 years and the unchanging stance of the Greek Cypriots, our demand for sovereign equality and the international equal status of the TRNC is both appropriate and necessary.”

He criticized those who oppose the struggle for the Turkish Cypriot people’s sovereign equality and equal international status, suggesting that they are attempting to erase the experiences of previous presidents who supported such stances.

“Those who ignore the results of the European Parliament elections and push for a federal solution as the only option are misleading our people by suggesting that the Turkish Cypriots should follow the Greek Cypriots,” Tatar said, refuting claims that he has shied away from dialogue and negotiations.

Reflecting on his presidency and the developments since his term in office began, Tatar recalled the April 27-29, 2021 meetings in Geneva, where the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres acknowledged the lack of common ground.

He emphasized that the Turkish Cypriots’ sovereign equality and equal international status are non-negotiable and cannot be postponed until after a solution is reached.

“The Turkish Cypriot people’s need is not a future determined by the Greek Cypriot leadership,” Tatar declared, asserting the community’s desire to exercise their rights freely.

He rejected the notion of normalizing the oppression faced by the Turkish Cypriots under the guise of the Greek Cypriot leadership’s policies of pressure, exploitation, and isolation.

Tatar identified the status inequality between the two sides as a primary reason for the ongoing deadlock on the Cyprus issue.

Tatar noted that his discussions with Personal Representative Maria Angela Holguin aim to establish whether there is a common ground, though he acknowledged the apparent lack of such ground at present.