Erhürman: This Country’s Events Will Be Organised by This Country’s Protocol

Speaking on BRT, Erhürman asserted: “Events in this country will be organised by this country’s protocol, and carried out in accordance with our customs, traditions and values.”

“I Make This a Commitment”

Reiterating that the Turkish Cypriot people maintain a separate identity and lifestyle, Erhürman emphasised their desire to preserve this way of life: “The people of this country are saying, ‘I do not accept being transformed into something else by having these values altered.’” Referring to an event held the previous day, Erhürman criticised the absence of any role for the Turkish Cypriot authorities, stating that he attended as a lawyer and as leader of the main opposition.

Highlighting surveys that show the judiciary as the most trusted institution in the country, he said, “I wanted to be there to stand by our judges. I would have expected an event of such significance to be part of an official protocol that included the High Court.” He further criticised the fact that even the presenters were not selected from within the country’s institutions.

“If an event is going to be held in this country, it should be organised and produced by the people of this country. I make this a commitment. Any arrangements in schools will also be shaped by our local teachers and experts.”

“Customs, Traditions, Protocol Must Be Respected”

Erhürman insisted that all national events must reflect local customs and be conducted by national protocol: “High Court judges, in our tradition, are above politics. In protocol ranking, the president of the High Court is third in line. Yet yesterday, our judges were seated behind us.”

He argued that had the event been properly organised in accordance with local tradition, the judges would have been seated at the front. “Someone familiar with our customs would have known that,” he said, adding, “It is clear that something is being imposed on us that does not fit our values. We are wise and knowledgeable enough to understand what is being attempted. If this is being done under a ‘divide and conquer’ strategy, there can be no greater harm to this society.”

He also stated, “We will not be ruled by anger, but we will not stop calling out what is wrong.”

“Authority Lies Here”

Speaking on how such events should be organised in the future, Erhürman said, “These ceremonies must be under the responsibility of this country’s institutions. That’s how it should be, and there shouldn’t even be a need to discuss it.”

He stressed the importance of dialogue over unilateral decisions: “What is right is not one-sided imposition but dialogue. These matters must be discussed with Turkish officials through dialogue.”

Referring to the remarks made by the High Court President during the event, Erhürman said: “She said, ‘We are here because we were invited.’ Was the High Court merely a guest? The High Court should be the host. But what she said wasn’t wrong — they had no input in the planning or programme. It is time to speak out clearly.”

On recent changes in the education system, Erhürman warned, “Rules in education cannot be changed overnight. Authority lies here.” He continued, “If even a single strand of a child’s hair is harmed because of the chaos they have created, I will bring this country down on their heads. No one has the right to use children for political purposes.”

Erhürman concluded by saying, “Their mindset is to divide and conquer. But this society has not been divided. They will try to divide — we will unite.”