TRNC Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu issued a message on the occasion of the 21-25 December Struggle and Martyrs’ Week and stated “I commemorate our martyrs with respect and mercy, and our veterans with gratitude on the 58th anniversary of 21st December 1963, which went down in history as “Bloody Christmas”, when the Turkish Cypriots in Cyprus were massacred with planned and brutal attacks”.

The Minister stated that if the Turkish Cypriots can live freely in these lands under the roof of their Republic, they owe it to the martyrs and veterans and added that the Greek Cypriots, who could not digest the Turkish presence in Cyprus, pursued a dream they called “Enosis” and carried out inhuman attacks against the Turkish Cypriot people for 11 years, starting from 21st December 1963. Stating that they achieved their freedom and sovereignty by resisting with the support of the Motherland, who is with them under all circumstances, Minister Ertuğruloğlu emphasized that the only way they can look to future with confidence is to protect the State and move it forward.