Erdoğan's 'shack' remark: He targets the former presidential building in the TRNC

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan traveled to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) to attend the Peace and Freedom Day ceremonies on the 51st anniversary of the July 20, 1974, Cyprus Peace Operation. Meeting with President Ersin Tatar in Nicosia, Erdoğan spoke at various opening and groundbreaking ceremonies.

'SHACK' COMPARISON

Erdoğan's most notable statement concerned the TRNC Presidential Palace, which was completed by TOKİ in May. Referring to the importance of the new structure, Erdoğan said, "Where was Mr. Tatar serving before we built this place? In a shack! One cannot bring themselves to call that place a presidential building," he stated.

Here are the highlights from Erdoğan's speech:

"We wrote an epic of peace together with the Turkish Cypriots. Today, on the 51st anniversary of that epic of peace, we are holding openings. We continue to strengthen the transportation infrastructure of the TRNC.

We are working to ensure that the TRNC achieves a strong and prosperous structure in every field. I said to my dear brother, 'I said, you were welcoming us in a shack. You remember the well-known presidential building. A shack! We said, 'This is not fitting; find us a place, and we will build both a presidential office and a parliament building, and we will shout to the whole world that we are a state.' We had to do what was fitting for a Turk, and we did it.

Today, we are also laying the foundation for the first phase of the new state hospital with a 320-bed capacity. It will provide services with 110 intensive care beds and 80 polyclinics. All facilities have been considered for our healthcare workers. We have made the largest healthcare investment in the TRNC. We are always by the side of the TRNC. We will hopefully perform the hospital opening together. We did what was fitting for a Turk. We are doing everything to ensure that the TRNC gains a strong and self-confident infrastructure in every field.

We are starting the construction of the Pamukova State Hospital soon. In addition to hospital investments, we are nearing the end of work on health centers for our brothers and sisters living in villages and rural areas. On our next visit, we will also carry out the opening of those works. We had provided significant support for the strengthening of the TRNC through data security studies in the field of digitalization. We paved the way for transactions to be carried out faster. We are taking this process to the next step with fiber infrastructure initiatives. We are taking revolutionary steps in agricultural irrigation.

'INJUSTICE AGAINST TURKISH CYPRIOTS MUST END'

Work is ongoing for the implementation of Family Support Centers and Social Service Centers. Every step we take is not just a building or a road, but a symbol of our brotherhood and our shared belief in the future. We are here for the unity of the Northern Turkish Cypriot, and we will always be here. We are in complete harmony regarding building the political and economic future of the TRNC. We say, 'Crescent and star, we are on the same path.' Our support for the two-state solution vision is full. Diplomatic, political, and economic relations should be established with the TRNC. The injustice against the Turkish Cypriots must end."

News Source: 12punto