Erhürman: We Will Restore the Presidency as a Mechanism That Speaks to the World

Emphasizing that predictability in domestic affairs cannot be achieved without strong international ties, Erhürman criticised the property policies that have strained external relations and declared the past five years as wasted.

Addressing the group alongside some of his party's MPs and KTEZO officials, Erhürman said, "The wheels of the economy turn through sound communication with the world." He underlined the need for a new approach to the Cyprus talks, questioning the repetition of unsuccessful negotiations. "How many more times will we discuss the same issues without reaching a result?" he asked, insisting that this time talks must aim for a real solution.

Erhürman also shared CTP’s four-point proposal for restarting official negotiations, clarifying that these were not preconditions but points previously emphasized by the United Nations. He lamented the lack of tangible progress on Confidence-Building Measures, noting that beyond the Geneva and New York summits, there were no outcomes, not even the opening of the Haspolat-Louroujina crossing point. "All that came out of these summits was a decision to clean cemeteries," he said.

Stressing the urgency of reconnecting Turkish Cypriots with the world, Erhürman pointed to two major setbacks in recent years, the foremost being property issues. “We warned repeatedly: if property matters are not placed on a sound footing, it will cause problems both domestically and internationally,” he stated. The result, he argued, has been strained foreign relations and a loss of predictability at home.

“Our commitment is to restore the Presidency as a mechanism that speaks to the world,” Erhürman declared. He criticised the current administration for failing to lead on domestic issues, citing the sharp depreciation of the Turkish Lira and uncontrolled population growth. “Even the wealthiest in this country can no longer travel abroad,” he said, noting that although advisors in tourism, health, and economy were appointed, none of the presidency’s four core functions were meaningfully fulfilled over the past five years.

“This country’s only political window to the outside world is the Presidency,” Erhürman said. “It is the sole authority that can represent us to the European Union, the United Nations, and Turkey. But what has it communicated over these five years?” he asked, concluding that there has been no tangible output.

Reiterating his pledge, Erhürman said, “The functioning of the economy depends on clear communication with the world. The Presidency, which should have played a much more active role, spent the last five years in utter passivity.”