Tufan Erhürman, leader of the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) said that Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides has no legitimate right to exercise sovereignty over the entire island of Cyprus.
Speaking after an extraordinary closed session of the Assembly, convened at the request of Turkish Cypriot President Ersin Tatar, Erhürman voiced his disappointment in the meeting’s outcome. “Our expectation for a closed session is to hear information that cannot be shared publicly,” he said. “Regrettably, nothing new was presented beyond what President Tatar has already said to the press.”
Erhürman emphasized that the session focused primarily on national and public security concerns, especially amid escalating regional tensions following the conflict between Israel and Iran.
Turning his attention to Christodoulides, Erhürman criticized the Greek Cypriot leader for forming strategic alliances with foreign countries, which, he claimed, pose a security risk to the entire island. “From our point of view, Mr. Christodoulides cannot act as if he holds sovereignty over the whole island or represents all its people without the consent of the Turkish Cypriots,” he stated.
He stressed that sovereignty must be shared equally between Turkish and Greek Cypriots. “Unfortunately,” Erhürman said, “while we speak of sovereign equality, it is Christodoulides who is practically exercising that sovereignty through these alliances, putting the island’s security at risk.”
Another key issue raised during the meeting was the ongoing property dispute. Erhürman addressed the recent European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruling, clarifying that it should not be seen as a political victory. “The Immovable Property Commission was established under a CTP government. Our concern now is to protect its integrity,” he said.
He also criticized narratives claiming the court ruling was a win for the Turkish Cypriot side or a defeat for the Greek Cypriots, calling such interpretations misleading and unhelpful.
