The President spoke to the press during his visit to the set in Gazimağusa on Sunday, after meeting officials of the production team and the actors, where he commended “the producers and the near to 150 actors and personnel on the film set”.    Stating that the 26-episodes will be broadcast to 85 million people in Turkey, the President added that viewers from more than 80 countries will also be able to watch the series.


President Tatar indicated that in 1960, the Turkish Cypriots had, with goodwill signed international treaties but that afterwards, at “Bloody Christmas” in 1963, with the commencement of armed attacks bringing them to the point of annihilation, Turkish Cypriots were forced to abandon their homes and lands and faced genocide, which he said will be shown in the series.


“The series will show what took place in Cyprus and the plight of the Turkish Cypriot people who were forcefully ejected from the state apparatus, who suffered atrocities and hardship as they faced armed attacks and were forced to defend themselves, fleeing from 103 Turkish Cypriot villages which were attacked by Greek and Greek Cypriot forces and the EOKA terrorist organisation as part of their aspiration to unite the island of Cyprus with Greece,” the President said. 


The President said that the series is being filmed with a “large budget which I welcome despite the economic difficulties and the pandemic,” adding that “this is a very important project which has come about due to the value and importance Turkey attributes to this issue and it is aimed at showing to the whole world our just struggle to coexist on this island”.


Indicating he has received information that the first episode will be ready by the end of March, President Tatar stated that the first season will comprise of 26 episodes and that the series may be continued, adding that the series is to be broadcast at a period "when intensive preparations are being made for the five-plus-UN informal meeting, and with Cyprus being in the centre of international attention".


“The struggle of the Turkish Cypriot people has not ended,” the President said. “Our position is clear. Negotiations for a federal settlement has failed for more than half-a-century, due to the Greek Cypriot hegemonic aspiration. Our new vision now is for settlement based on sovereign equality of two States that are in a cooperative relationship.  In this respect, the filming and broadcasting of this series prior to the five-plus-UN informal meeting will give us strength.” 


President Tatar emphasised that Turkish Cypriots are in solidarity with Republic of Turkey and said “Republic of Turkey is the motherland of this country and has always supported the Turkish Cypriots.  This was also the case in those years of hardship.  We will be seeing this in the series.  Turkey has never left Turkish Cypriots in destitute.” 


President Tatar stated that Turkey is involved in the Cyprus issue as a guarantor and as the largest country in the region with 1,900 kilometres of coastline, adding that the Republic of Turkey is the only country Turkish Cypriots can trust as a guarantor.

President Tatar reiterated that it is important to know the recent past and history so that a correct basis for settlement can be found, and he emphasised that Cyprus is no longer a local issue, because there are countries from all over the world are trying to play a role in the affairs of the region.