“The absence of the Turkish language among the official languages of the EU creates inequality for Cypriot youth,” said Mustafa Ozbilgehan

Mustafa Ozbilgehan, Chairman of the Cyprus Youth Federation (Gençlik Federasyonu, GF), made a strong statement on the “360 Derece” program on TV2020, stressing that the lack of Turkish among the official languages of the European Union creates serious barriers and inequality for Turkish Cypriots.

During the interview, Ozbilgehan recalled that the Youth Federation represents the interests of Turkish Cypriot youth both nationally and internationally. He noted that the organization is open to young people from different political movements and seeks to bring together representatives of various views and parties within its structures.

One of the key points he touched on was the upcoming creation of Youth Forums in November–December of this year. According to Ozbilgehan, they are intended to increase youth participation, stimulate discussions, protect rights, and provide a broader dialogue between Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots. He also reported that preparations are already underway for interschool debate competitions to develop young people’s skills in public speaking and critical thinking.

In discussing the issue of interethnic marriages, Ozbilgehan expressed the view that over generations, the problem of “mixed marriages” (karma evlilik) will only grow. He pointed out that many Greek Cypriot young people are unaware of the legal difficulties faced by children of such marriages and called for this issue to receive broader attention and awareness.

However, the central statement of his speech was about structural linguistic discrimination: “The absence of the Turkish language among the official languages of the EU creates serious inequality among Cypriot youth.” He explained that young people are required to master two European languages to meet the requirements for work or study in European institutions, and in this respect Turkish youth are at a disadvantage.

Ozbilgehan urged young people not to remain passive but to actively participate in public organizations, voting, and human rights movements to protect their interests and rights.

In conclusion, he emphasized: The Turkish language must be recognized as an official EU language, and young Turkish Cypriots deserve equal access to European educational and employment opportunities without linguistic barriers.