President Ersin Tatar issued a statement to clarify the situation relating to the proposal of naming the new airport being built at Ercan Airport in Lefkoşa as Dr. Fazıl Küçük, which has been on the public agenda for a while. Emphasising that the proposal was made by the Dr. Fazıl Küçük Foundation, President Tatar said: “I respect this proposal, however the allegations that I made a decision to change the name are not true. The issue concerns the Council of Ministers.”

In his statement, the President said: “Dr. Fazıl Küçük is a person who led the Turkish Cypriot people in their struggle to coexist in Cyprus during their most difficult days, from the 1930s to the 1974 Cyprus Peace Operation. The foundation, led by Dr. Küçük’s son Mehmet Küçük, has for the past two years been putting forward the proposal to give the new airport the name of Dr. Fazıl Küçük,  the construction of which is about to be completed.

 

FEHİM ERCAN IS OUR MARTYR

Stating that he attaches great importance to keeping  alive the name of pilot Major Fehmi Ercan, who was martyred in 1974, President Tatar said: “The foundation management brought the issue back to the agenda during their recent visit to the Presidency. I stated that the name Ercan could be given to our other airport in Geçitkale, but I also stated that this decision could only be taken by the Council of Ministers after receiving the opinions of relevant parties such as Civil Aviation Organisation. It is out of question for me to decide on a name change. Unfortunately, some people are trying to wear me down with the names of our martyrs Fehmi Ercan and our leader Dr. Fazıl Küçük.  But they are in a futile effort. Nobody can teach us how to take care of our martyrs and leaders.”