PM Üstel: Erdoğan's Messages Have Strengthened and Motivated Us

Üstel remarked on the fervor with which the day was celebrated, noting that it was reminiscent of the events of 20th July 1974.

Prime Minister Ünal Üstel expressed his gratitude for the presence of President Erdoğan and other guests from Turkey, emphasizing the impact of Erdoğan's speech on their future actions.

In his statement, Üstel said:

"We celebrated the 20th July Peace and Freedom Day with great enthusiasm. The fervor of our people was remarkable, almost reliving 20th July 1974.

One of the factors that made us feel this way was the presence of our guests from Turkey, especially President Erdoğan. I thank them once again.

President Erdoğan's speech during the ceremony is of great importance in illuminating the path we will follow in the coming days and in strengthening those of us determined to walk this path.

President Erdoğan has reiterated the main points of the policy regarding the Cyprus issue. The Turkish side will not negotiate a federation. The Greek side, responsible for the collapse of the 1960 Republic, must abandon its dream of establishing a similar state under its sovereignty. President Erdoğan's words, 'You cannot bathe in the same river twice, ignoring the realities on the island will get you nowhere. We believe that a federal solution in Cyprus is not possible,' will continue to guide us. Under his guidance, we will continue to work towards a new peace agreement that rises on the realities of the island.

We believe that in order to reach an agreement with the Greek Cypriot side, we must continue to strengthen the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). The TRNC will be strengthened in every aspect. We will continue to develop our relations with Turkish states by advancing on the path opened by Turkey and President Erdoğan. The presence of our friends from Azerbaijan and the support of President Aliyev during the Peace and Freedom Day celebrations strengthen our determination to progress.

President Erdoğan's speech on our political stance, as well as his messages on economic and social matters, are also significant. His emphasis on the Immovable Property Commission (IPC) as the only solution to the problems faced by our real estate sector under Greek attacks is crucial. We are doing and will continue to do everything we can to strengthen the IPC. Greek attacks will not be enough to destroy our real estate sector. I hope the Greek side has also understood Turkey's stance and message on this matter.

President Erdoğan gave our youth a second holiday during the 20th July celebrations. He announced that all students of TRNC nationality who have completed their secondary education in the TRNC and registered at state universities either through the YÖS or YKS exams will not pay any fees for the duration of their programs.

This good news, which facilitates the education of our students in Turkey, is of great importance not only for its potential benefits but also for showing that Turkey is always by our side and will continue to be. This development has further strengthened the unbreakable ties between our two countries.

Turkey's continued support for our young athletes, opening the doors of the world to them, taking them to international tournaments, broadening their horizons, and ensuring their continued success is the most crucial element keeping them connected to life. We will continue to work to support them even more.

President Erdoğan also mentioned the projects we are carrying out together with Turkey, highlighting their importance. These are projects that we value and continuously monitor. With the strength we draw from his support, we will undoubtedly complete these projects and present them to the service of the Turkish Cypriot people.

Every sentence of President Erdoğan's speech was very valuable. All of his messages have strengthened and motivated us in our struggle to uphold and elevate the TRNC. We will continue on our path with the strong support given on the 20th July Peace and Freedom Day. We extend our heartfelt thanks to President Erdoğan once again."