President Ersin Tatar stated that the Turkish Cypriots are not alone, emphasizing, “The Turkish soldiers (Mehmetçik) will continue to remain there as a deterrent force. We shout from here: the Turkish Cypriots are not alone. The Blue Homeland and the Eastern Mediterranean are vitally important for our motherland and for the entire Turkish world.”

He made the statement during a reception he attended on Tuesday at the Hidiv Pavilion in Beykoz by the Istanbul Branch of the Cyprus Turkish Cultural Association to mark the 51st anniversary of the July 20 Peace and Freedom Day of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).

Delivering a speech during the reception that was realized at the Hidiv Pavilion in Beykoz by the Istanbul Branch of the Cyprus Turkish Cultural Association to mark the 51st anniversary of the July 20 Peace and Freedom Day of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, President Ersin Tatar noted that they would celebrate the 42nd anniversary of the establishment of the TRNC on November 15.

“We wrote a historic epic in the Eastern Mediterranean against the entire world together. This is not only important for the survival and security of the Turkish Cypriots but also for the Republic of Türkiye, our motherland—with its 2,000-kilometer coastline stretching from Iskenderun to the Aegean Islands—the country with the longest Mediterranean coastline.

It is about Türkiye’s own security, dignity, and national resilience at the heart of the Blue Homeland,” said Tatar.

Emphasizing that the Turkish Cypriots are not alone, Tatar said: “51 years after the 1974 Peace Operation, there are still those who believe that Turkish troops will withdraw from the island, that North and South will join the European Union together, and that the EU’s security mechanisms will protect the Turkish Cypriots.

“Our answer to them from here is: such a thing will never happen, because we did not attain this peace, security, and stability easily. We suffered greatly. We were on the brink of total annihilation. By the grace of God, the Turkish soldiers arrived on the island. They will continue to remain there as a deterrent force. We shout from here: the Turkish Cypriots are not alone. The Blue Homeland and the Eastern Mediterranean are vitally important for our motherland and for the entire Turkish world,” said Tatar.

He recalled that the TRNC is an observer member of the Organization of Turkic States and noted that, thanks to the efforts of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, they have been able to make the TRNC’s voice heard in various organizations.

“It is our duty to declare and promote the TRNC to the world” said Tatar and continued “To protect our state and our republic, it is our sacred and honorable duty to persist on this path and to proclaim the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus to the world. It is our debt of gratitude to our martyrs. Therefore, by maintaining our unity and solidarity and never yielding to attacks from opposing fronts, it is our responsibility to elevate the TRNC to its rightful place and ensure a prosperous future for the Turkish Cypriot people.”

Tatar also thanked his Turkish counterpart Erdoğan for his support to the TRNC and underlined that “extraordinary investments are transforming the face of the TRNC.”

He described the Blue Homeland as sacred and said, “We will move forward together, with firm and confident steps.”

Honoring the martyrs with prayers, Tatar added “A nation must understand that history can repeat itself. Therefore, if we are to sign an agreement in Cyprus, only the Turkish Cypriots can agree to a dignified deal founded on strong guarantees—one that includes Türkiye’s guarantorship and the continued presence of Turkish troops as a deterrent force. That is why we draw our strength from you—from Türkiye.”