Öztürkler: Christodoulides' Counterpart Is the Turkish Cypriot Side

Öztürkler criticized Christodoulides' recent appeal to the United States targeting Turkey, calling this approach inappropriate and emphasizing that the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and President Ersin Tatar are the legitimate interlocutors.

In an interview on Hakikat Gazetesi Web TV with Güven Arıklı, Öztürkler also criticized remarks made by Greek Cypriot House Speaker Annita Demetriou, who had stated, "Either we will be left without water, or we will remain dependent on Turkey." Öztürkler expressed that such a statement was inappropriate, pointing to the significant role of Turkey in the region, particularly the importance of the water pipeline project from Turkey to Northern Cyprus, referred to as the "Project of the Century."

“Turkey is a great nation,” Öztürkler stated, highlighting the project's importance. He recalled that when the project was first launched, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had described it as the "Water of Peace," signaling the potential for cooperation between both communities.

Öztürkler emphasized the global nature of the climate crisis and underlined that both the TRNC and the Republic of Cyprus should collaborate on essential issues like water and electricity. “We live on the same island; we should cooperate,” he said, advocating for humanitarian perspectives when addressing strategic issues.

Öztürkler also took issue with slogans heard during EOKA celebrations, reminding that the Turkish Cypriot community’s struggle should not be forgotten. He noted that both the Greek Cypriot side and Greece continue to view Cyprus as part of Greece and emphasized that the withdrawal of Turkish forces from the island was never on the agenda.

Finally, Öztürkler touched upon the social housing project in Güzelyurt, explaining the 2022 reforms introduced during his tenure as Minister of the Interior. He noted that the tax on foreign-owned properties was raised from 6% to 12%, with 3% of the revenue allocated to the Immovable Property Commission and another 3% directed towards social housing projects. Öztürkler stated that this adjustment would help more citizens own homes and contribute to the sustainability of social housing projects.