TRNC President Ersin Tatar criticised the European Union’s stance on the Cyprus issue, expressing strong disapproval of the EU’s position following the EU Leaders Summit in Brussels, Turkish daily Yeni Şafak reported.
He accused the EU of favouring the Greek Cypriot side, stating that the EU’s bias violated its own standards, particularly in light of its admission of Greece. Tatar pointed to the origins of the Cyprus issue in actions taken by Southern Cyprus in 1963, arguing that attempts to link Turkey-EU relations with the Cyprus problem were futile.
Tatar blamed the leadership of Southern Cyprus for repeated failures in negotiations and emphasised the principle of sovereign equality for Turkish Cypriots. He refused to participate in processes that had proven unsuccessful in the past.
Calling on the EU to break free from its alignment with Southern Cyprus, Tatar urged the EU to fulfil its commitment to lift the inhumane embargoes imposed on the Turkish Cypriot people, as decided by the council 20 years ago.
Additionally, the TRNC Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the final declaration of the EU Leaders Summit, criticising the EU for perpetuating the status quo on the island with its insistence on exhausted solution proposals.
The ministry blamed the EU for the ongoing situation in Cyprus, highlighting its acceptance of Southern Cyprus despite not meeting its own criteria and accusing the bloc of favouring the Greek Administration.
Asserting that current approaches have been ineffective for over fifty years, the ministry advocated for a two-state solution, suggesting that it was time to explore alternative paths forward.