Ergün Vehbi Passes Away at 83

Born in Limassol in 1941, Ergün Vehbi graduated from Lefkoşa Turkish High School in 1959 and later attended Istanbul Technical University, where he studied Mechanical Engineering. During his university years, he was actively involved in community efforts, notably as President of the Istanbul Student Association during the intercommunal conflicts that began in December 1963. He then returned to Istanbul to continue his studies.

Vehbi graduated as a Mechanical High Engineer in 1968 and also completed his studies at Anadolu University's Open Education Faculty in Economics.

He was one of the thirteen founders of the Istanbul Cyprus Turkish Student Association and served as its president during the 1962-1963 and 1966-1967 terms.

From 1968 to 1975, Vehbi worked in various managerial roles in factories in Istanbul, including Operations Manager, Chief Engineer, and Factory Manager. In 1975, he returned to Cyprus to work with Sanayi Holding, where he served as Group Manager in the Plastic Division for six months before establishing a new plastic manufacturing business in a private company.

He served as the President of the Cyprus Turkish Engineers and Architects Union from 1975 to 1978.

Vehbi was elected as a Member of Parliament for the Republican Turkish Party in the 1981 and 1985 general elections and was a member of the Founding Assembly formed on December 6, 1983.

In the 1990 elections, he was elected to the Assembly representing the Democratic Struggle Party, formed by three parties. On December 28, 1990, he was elected General Chairman of the Social Democratic Party at its inaugural congress and represented the party in the Assembly as its leader.

Vehbi was re-elected in the May 6, 1990 elections for the third term but was not re-elected in the 1993 early elections, ending his tenure as a Member of Parliament.

Fluent in English and Greek, Ergün Vehbi was married, had three children, and was also a grandfather of three.