The President of the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce (TCCC), Turgay Deniz, and Board Member Serhan Kombos expressed their support for British Conservative MP lain Duncan Smith’s initiative to promote direct flights from the UK to the TRNC.

According to a statement released by the TCCC, Deniz and Kombos, who participated in the second annual Turkish Cypriot Cultural Festival organized by the Council of the Turkish Cypriot Associations of the UK, signed the proposal for direct flights from UK to the TRNC on Sunday, 17 June 2018, at the festival.

Speaking at a press conference at the festival, TCCC President Turgay Deniz noted that the UK is one of the guarantor countries of Cyprus, and underlined that the Turkish Cypriots have consistently supported the solution and voted “Yes” for the Annan Plan in 2004.

Deniz stated that promises were given to lift the isolations imposed on the Turkish Cypriot people but the EU has not kept its promises. These pledges have not been enacted even to this day, and Turkish Cypriots remain isolated from the international community.

The economy of the Turkish Cypriots cannot grow to its full potential because of these unjust isolations, TCCC President Turgay Deniz said. He urged for these embargoes and isolations to be lifted as soon as possible and for direct flights to the TRNC to start.