Turkish Vice-President Cevdet Yılmaz arrived in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) on Sunday for his first official foreign visit.

Pointing out that his first act in the cabinet was to sign the Türkiye-TRNC Financial Cooperation Protocol, Yılmaz stressed that it was a clear indication of the love and importance he attached to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).

Yılmaz, who was welcomed by Prime Minister Ünal Üstel, Turkish Ambassador to Lefkoşa Metin Feyzioğlu, Commander of the Security Forces Command Major General Zorlu Topaloğlu, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Tourism, Culture, Youth, and Environment Fikri Ataoğlu, Minister of Public Works and Transportation Erhan Arıklı, and other officials at Ercan Airport, made a brief statement.

Yılmaz, who thanked the members of the public who gathered to give him a warm welcome at Ercan Airport said, “My first visit to the TRNC was as an expert while working for the Turkish State Planning Organization. Later on, I visited the island as a minister and a member of parliament. This time, I am honoured to be here as the Vice-President of the Turkish Republic.”

He pointed out that the new Ercan terminal building was among his priorities during his contacts in the TRNC, recalling the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s expressed desire to land at the new airport when he visits the TRNC on July 20.

“As Vice- President, the first protocol I signed in the cabinet was the Türkiye-TRNC Financial Cooperation Protocol. This is a clear indication of the love and importance I have for the TRNC,” Yılmaz said.

Following his statement, Yılmaz conducted inspections at the Ercan Airport New Terminal Building.