Maviş: Ruling on Case of Children Born from Mixed Marriages to be Announced on February 21

KTÖS General Secretary Burak Maviş, speaking on behalf of nine unions, stated that they would take the case to the European Court of Human Rights in case of a negative decision. The decision on the case, for which the nine unions have assumed financial and moral responsibility, will be announced on Friday, February 21, at 09:30.

In a written statement on behalf of the nine unions, KTÖS General Secretary Burak Maviş emphasized that if the court's decision is negative, all unions are determined to take the case to the European Court of Human Rights.

Maviş said, "This struggle is not just an individual quest for rights, but also the defense of the future and equal citizenship rights of the Turkish Cypriot community."

He stated that they are closely following the case and will fight until the end of the process, adding that they will make a press statement with lawyers before and after the court session on February 21.

"OUR OWN CHILDREN ARE FOREIGNERS IN OUR OWN LAND"

Maviş stated that one of the most significant social problems created by the Cyprus issue is the deprivation of citizenship rights for children born from marriages between citizens of the Republic of Cyprus and other countries. "This situation reduces our own children to the status of foreigners in our own land due to the arbitrary and discriminatory practices of the Republic of Cyprus," he said.

Maviş continued, explaining that suspending the European Union and Republic of Cyprus citizenship rights of children born from mixed marriages deprives many families of basic human rights and causes serious grievances:

"Due to the arbitrary and illegal criteria set by the authorities of the Republic of Cyprus, many young couples are forced to conduct their births and marriages abroad to secure their children's citizenship rights. This situation places a significant financial and moral burden on families, and also brings serious health and legal risks."

He emphasized that the Turkish Cypriot community is a founding partner of the Republic of Cyprus and an official part of the European Union. "States cannot decide who an individual marries; likewise, no authority has the right to determine an individual's parents. Citizenship is a fundamental human right from birth and cannot be sacrificed to political obstacles."

The names of the nine unions are as follows: KTÖS, KTOEÖS, DAÜ-SEN, KTAMS, KOOP-SEN, BES, BASIN-SEN, ÇAĞ-SEN, and DEV-İŞ.