Alpha News

Erhurman Expresses Displeasure with von der Leyen's Speech

Published January 8, 2026, 14:31

Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman expressed his displeasure with the speech of the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, at the accession ceremony of the Cypriot presidency, as she made no mention of Turkish Cypriots. Mr. Erhurman accused Ms. von der Leyen of focusing on the history of Byzantium, overlooking the presence and needs of Turkish Cypriots on the island. Mr. Erhurman stated that he will not ignore the absence of reference to Turkish Cypriots and will continue to raise the issue in every forum. He emphasized the need for confidence-building measures between the EU and Turkish Cypriots and will explain his views to all EU officials he meets. Furthermore, Mr. Erhurman mentioned that they have already extensively explained their views on the political dimension of the issue and the anomaly concerning Cyprus within the EU. He underlined the determination of the Turkish Cypriot people to assert their rights and not to have their presence on the island overlooked.