Ersin Tatar elected new TRNC president, Akinci ends 45 years political career

UBP presidential candidate, Ersin Tatar has been voted as the new Turkish Cypriot leader after he ousted incumbent leader, Mustafa Akinci with 51.74 per cent of the vote to 48.26 per cent in Sunday's election.

Speaking to his supporters after his victory at the polls, Tatar, 60 who was elected as the 5th President of the TRNC thanked all those who elected him as ‘president’.

He called for unity, so that everyone, those who voted for him and those who did not, could work together for everyone’s benefit.

He also thanked “Turkey” and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for all the help given to the TRNC during the difficulties faced due to the pandemic, especially the economic ones.

Speaking also in English Tatar said;

We are the voice of Turkish Cypriots, we are fighters, we are fighting to exist within the TRNC, Therefore our neighbours in the south and the international community should respect our fight to live with freedom within the TRNC.

President Tayyip Erdogan in a congratulatory message to Tatar on social media on behalf of himself and the Turkish nation said;

Turkey will continue to make every effort to protect the rights of the Turkish Cypriot people.

Akinci, 72 who bought down the curtain on his 45 year political career also congratulated Tatar but also took a swipe at Turkey. 

I already said what happened during the election campaign and everyone knows what happened, he said, right after the final results were announced.

He added that it had not been a normal election campaign. 

I congratulate Tatar and those who helped to bring this result, we all know who helped bring these results. I hope these interventions won’t happen again.

He described the lead up to the election as ‘black pages in our history’.

Tatar’s win will have huge implications for the Cyprus issue and the way forward. 

Pro-federation Akinci has been negotiating with the south since he was elected as the Turkish Cypriot leader in April 2015 but Tatar, who is backed by Ankara, is not a proponent of a Cyprus federation and has led the charge recently in opening up parts of the fenced-off area of Varosha in Famagusta.