Ziya Öztürkler met with the delegation of the TMT Fighters Association

The Speaker of the Parliament of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), Ziya Öztürkler, received a delegation of the TMT Fighters Association (TMT Mücahitler Derneği) led by its chairman Celal Bayar and board members.

During the meeting, Öztürkler emphasized that the parliament and he personally support the two-state position, based on the principles of sovereign equality and equal international status of Turkish Cypriots. According to him, this is the only realistic approach to the Cyprus settlement. He reminded that the relevant resolution, proposed by 29 MPs from the UBP, YDP, DP parties and one independent member, will soon be submitted for consideration at the plenary session.

Öztürkler also criticized the actions of the Greek Cypriot administration, accusing it of militarizing the southern part of the island and attempting to strengthen the international isolation of Turkish Cypriots. He stated that the repeated statements by the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides, denying the political status of Turkish Cypriots, "confirm the lack of genuine willingness to achieve a just settlement."

The chairman of the TMT Association, Celal Bayar, expressed gratitude to the parliament for the initiative to establish the principle of two states and emphasized that TMT fighters view this step as recognition of their historical struggle and contribution to the creation of the Turkish Cypriot state. He recalled that the organization played a key role in defending Turkish Cypriots from 1960 to 1974 and continues to uphold the ideals of independence and sovereignty.

At the end of the meeting, Öztürkler noted that the parliament "draws strength from the TMT veterans," who, in his words, symbolize the resistance, resilience, and unity of the Turkish Cypriot people. He thanked the delegation for the visit and emphasized that the national values and ideals of TMT continue to serve as a guide for future generations.