President Ersin Tatar and First Lady Sibel Tatar participated in the opening ceremony of TEKNOFEST 2025 TRNC that is being held at the old terminal building of Ercan International Airport from May 1 to 4.

Addressing the opening ceremony on Thursday, President Tatar welcomed Mehmet Fatih Kacır, Minister of Industry and Technology of the Republic of Türkiye,  Chairman of the Board of Directors of T3 Foundation Selçuk Bayraktar and all the guests, and recalled that he had visited Selçuk Bayraktar two years ago,  which was when he requested for an edition of the TEKNOFEST to be held in the TRNC.

President Tatar stated:  “TEKNOFEST – an aerospace and technology festival -- has become a world renowned success showcasing different pioneering technologies of the Republic of Türkiye that has attracted millions of people.  It educates, inspires and acts as a beacon of light for the youth, providing them knowledge about emerging national technologies.   I stated to Mr Bayraktar two years ago that organising an edition of TEKNOFEST in the TRNC would inspire our youth and contribute greatly to the promotion of the TRNC.  He accepted my proposal with pleasure, and we are here today, at TEKNOFEST 2025 TRNC, with great pride and honour. I wish to pay tribute to and express my gratitude and appreciation to everybody for contributing to the realisation of this meaningful event, starting from President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, to all officials, Mr Bayraktar and everybody involved in organising TEKNOFEST in our country.”

 
“Turkish Cypriot People are not alone”

Stating that the “TRNC is not just a piece of land measuring 3,800 square kilometres with rights and interests in the seas, airspace and the eastern Mediterranean,” President Tatar said:  “We are, with the support of the Republic of Türkiye, determined to preserve the sovereignty, independence and freedom of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus forever. The Turkish Cypriot people are not alone. Türkiye is with us in all circumstances.”

In reference to the Cyprus issue, the President continued: “There are different ideas and calculations being made in Southern Cyprus. . . we are against negotiations for the exhausted federal solution.  A settlement under that basis would bring the North and South within the EU.  However, because Motherland Republic of Türkiye is not a part of the EU, her guarantee would eventually be demolished and the Turkish army would be compelled to withdraw from the Island leaving Turkish Cypriot People vulnerable and susceptible to a dangerous future.”

President Tatar touched on the importance of technology, software and science gaining a strong presence in the TRNC alongside the higher education, tourism, industry, services and real estate sectors. “Our youth turning to technology is of vital importance in terms of establishing a more efficient economic structure in the future. For this reason, events such as TEKNOFEST are very valuable,” President Tatar said.

“The festival has attracted great interest from young people, and I am proud to see thousands of participants from the TRNC, Türkiye and other countries, who have come to TEKNOFEST,” President Tatar said.

 

Turkic States

Stressing that the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is an observer member of the Organisation of Turkic States, President Tatar said: “Today, we have guests from the Council of Elders of the Organisation of Turkic States – headed by its Chairman Binali Yıldırım, and its members from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Azerbaijan. We will continue to work for the unity and solidarity of the Turkic World.  I emphasised the importance of cooperation in my meeting with the President of Azerbaijan, İlham Aliyev."

At the end of his speech, President Tatar expressed his gratitude to President Erdoğan, “who has on every international platform invited the world to formally recognise the TRNC and to end the inhumane isolation on our people.  I wish to reiterate the Turkish Cypriot People are not alone and this is once again being demonstrated with TEKNOFEST”.

President Tatar said: “Türkiye is determined to share her wealth with us. We, as the President, Prime Minister, Ministers and the government, will continue to work in harmony with Türkiye.”

President Tatar stated that he is “very pleased that TEKNOFEST has been organised in the TRNC,”
 and wished for it to be beneficial to the country.