The written statement by President Ersin Tatar in commemoration of the 11th anniversary of the passing of Founding President Rauf Raif Denktaş reads:

“We commemorate our Founding President Rauf Raif Denktas on the 11th anniversary of his passing, who crowned the sovereignty of the Turkish Cypriot people with the proclamation of our State the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.    

We remember our great Leader with respect, longing and gratitude.  We are fully  aware of the importance of protecting our State and inherent rights of the Turkish Cypriot People, our sovereignty, independence and freedom which is the greatest legacy he left to us, and are following in his footsteps.

Rauf Raif Denktaş has instilled national consciousness, strengthened national identity and transformed a community into a People with a State through  a lifetime of tireless effort and hard work having devoted his entire life to the national cause. 

It should not be forgotten that people without a State and sovereignty are destined to lose their freedom and independence and become slaves of other people. History is full of such examples.

Under the leadership of Rauf Raif Denktaş, we have crowned the TRNC by raising generations with free conscience and wisdom where sovereignty rests unconditionally with the nation in a democracy. It is our most important responsibility towards future generations and  the legacy left by our late Founding President Denktaş to continue to work with all our energy to further strengthen the TRNC with its economic power, political status and independence.

With the virtue of living as honorable and free people in our own sovereign State which will  be celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, Turkish Cypriots are determined to carry further the legacy left to us by Rauf Raif Denktaş, Dr. Fazıl Küçük and the Turkish Cypriot Mujahideen.

It is for these reasons that at every opportunity we put forward the need and necessity for the inherent equal rights of the Turkish Cypriot People to be reaffirmed, a policy fully supported by Motherland Türkiye, which is the only settlement that will benefit the island of Cyprus and the region. Sustainable peace and stability can be achieved on the island only through this acknowledgement. We continue to defend the TRNC, the greatest legacy entrusted to us by our Founding President.

Rauf Denktas has been an inspiration to all oppressed nations by carrying the torch from the War of Independence forward and establishing the first Turkish State outside the borders of the National Pact  and it is our responsibility, sacred duty and historical debt to continue in the same path and to protect our sovereignty in all circumstances and conditions.  

Turkish Cypriots, who have always adopted the slogan 'freedom and independence' which most concisely expresses our nation's values over thousands of years, will continue to protect our State, sovereignty and freedom, and we shall not be bystanders to the "hegemonic fait accompli" of the Greek Cypriot side.

If today we are living under the roof of our own State, sovereign, free and fearless, we owe it to the great sacrifice and resistance of our people, our martyrs, our Mujahideen, Mehmetçik and Motherland Türkiye.  

With these thoughts and feelings, whilst I greet our veterans with respect, I commemorate our Founding President Rauf Raif Denktaş, our leader of the struggle for freedom and independence Dr. Fazıl Küçük, and our martyrs with gratitude.  May they rest in eternal peace."