Mehmet Harmanci, the ‘mayor’ of occupied Nicosia, made a statement to the press emphasising the significance of the Turkish Cypriot vote for justice and peace as European citizens.
He highlighted that their vote represents a wish for the reunification of Cyprus and a belief in a peaceful future for the country.
“We are voting for our Cyprus and for Europe. We are voting for our parents, who continue to believe in peace in our country. We are voting for justice and expressing our will for the reunification of our country,” he noted.
Harmanci reflected on past missed opportunities for unification, expressing regret that Turkish Cypriots had previously voted for reunification but were left isolated.
“We lost two opportunities to unite our homeland. We missed the chance to stand together in Europe and develop collaborations,” he said.
“This led to a difficult situation for the Turkish Cypriots, and they lost their trust in the European Union. The Greek Cypriot community believed for a moment that they could maintain the status quo,” Harmanci added.
