Tatar: Russia set to ‘partially recognise’ north

Russia is set to “partially recognise” the north upon the opening of its consular office there, Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar said on Saturday.

Speaking in a TV interview, he said: “It is a partial recognition that Russia has opened a consulate here because they will not officially assign an ambassador, but they will rent an office to serve their citizens here and they will sign a rental agreement according to our terms”.

He added that “there will be stamps belonging to the TRNC on this agreement, and the seal will be signed, and the Russians will even pay tax on it. Therefore, it means they recognise me in a sense”.

In the same interview, he demanded that Turkish Cypriot children who have a Turkish national parent be given Republic of Cyprus passports, accusing the Republic of racism for its refusal thus far to grant them citizenship.

“If one of the parents is a citizen of the Republic of Turkey, they create such a problem. This is a great act of racism because you introduce yourself as an EU state, but there is no racism in the EU’s constitution, every individual has equal rights,” he said.

He added that marriage is “the most human right”.

Tatar himself is not a citizen of the Republic of Cyprus, having been stripped of his passport in 2021.

He also reiterated his demand for a new crossing point to be opened in Mia Milia, on the eastern side of Nicosia, and said Turkish Cypriots abroad should be allowed to vote in Turkish Cypriot elections.