Turkish Cypriots celebrate 103rd anniversary of creation of Turkish republic

Turkish Cypriots on Thursday marked the 103rd anniversary of the establishment of the Republic of Turkey with events held in various towns and cities throughout the course of the day. The celebrations centred in Nicosia, where a wreath-laying ceremony was held at the statue of the Republic of Turkey’s founding president Mustafa Kemal Ataturk at the capital’s walled city’s Kyrenia gate. That ceremony was attended by Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman, two of his predecessors, Mehmet Ali Talat and Ersin Tatar, Turkish ambassador in Nicosia Ali Murat Bacsceri, Turkish Cypriot ‘prime minister’ Unal Ustel, Turkish Cypriot Nicosia mayor Mehmet Harmanci, and various other dignitaries. At its conclusion, Erhurman signed a memorial book, addressing Ataturk, writing that “I am proud to stand before you on the 103rd anniversary of the founding of the Republic of Turkey.” “The great determination, courage and foresight you displayed while leading the Turkish nation’s fight for its existence continue to guide us today. The principles and revolutions you created, and the modern values entrusted to us by the republic have illuminated our path for over a century,” he wrote. Erhurman: Turkish Cypriots advance on enlightened path opened by Republic of Turkey He added that “the Turkish Cypriot people continue to advance on the enlightened path opened by the Republic of Turkey”, and that “we wish to express once again, in the presence of your cherished memory, our determination to bring our country to the level of contemporary civilisations, prioritising the peace, security and wellbeing of our people above all else”. Earlier in the day, Tatar issued a statement of his own, describing the establishment of the Republic of Turkey as “the highest expression of our ideal of independence, our will for modernisation and our belief in a strong future”. “The republic is the strongest guarantee of our nation’s path to sovereignty, freedom and a dignified future. On this meaningful day, I commemorate with gratitude, mercy and respect, first and foremost Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, his comrades in arms, our beloved martyrs and all our veterans who have passed away,” he said. Elsewhere, a parade was due to be held on Nicosia’s arterial Dereboyu avenue on Thursday afternoon, while wreath-laying ceremonies and parades were also to be held in the towns of Famagusta, Kyrenia, Morphou, Trikomo and Lefka, and in the villages of Galatia, near Trikomo, and both Lysi and Lefkoniko on the Mesaoria plain.