Who is Ersin Tatar: the fifth president of Northern Cyprus, from media to politics

Elected fifth president of Northern Cyprus with 51.74 percent of the vote in the elections held on Sunday, Ersin Tatar received his certificate from the Supreme Board of Elections today at noon. Ersin Tatar’s career, which has gone through several stops from the media sector to politics, continues with the Presidency.

Tatar, who was elected president by leaving his rival Mustafa Akıncı behind in the second round of the elections, the first round of which was held on October 11, has been president of the National Unity Party (UBP) since October 2018.

Tatar, who served as Minister of Finance in Northern Cyprus in 2009, also held various management positions in his party, UBP.

As of May 22, 2019, he was Prime Minister, heading the coalition they formed with the Popular Party.

Tatar, born in Nicosia in 1960, completed his secondary and secondary education in England. He graduated from Cambridge University in 1982 with a BA in economics.

The Tatar career after entering university education has a close relationship with the media sector in Turkey. Tatar, who served as General Coordinator of Show TV in Istanbul for about 10 years from 1992, established Kanal T, the first private television channel in North Cyprus, and continued his business activities on the island.

Continuing with various television and magazine projects in the media sector in the 1990s and early 2000s, Tatar’s speech in Cyprus politics was the Party of National Unity.

The UBP, which was founded by the first president of Northern Cyprus, Rauf Denktaş, on October 11, 1975, was in power from its inception until the 2003 elections, except for 1994-1996.

The UBP, which attracts right-wing voters in general, approaches the solution of the Cyprus problem from a nationalist perspective. The UBP, which maintains that the “federation” framework, widely accepted on the island, no longer works, is in favor of a two-state solution, that is, the existence of two different states in the south and north of the island.

However, the actors involved in the negotiations on the solution of the Cyprus problem, especially the United Nations, are not inclined to this approach.

In the north of the island since 1974, the organization began the process to formally recognize the Turkish government, only Turkey.

Ersin Tatar highlighted the UBP’s long-standing approach to the tensions around Cyprus during his tenure as Prime Minister and presidential candidacy.

You are in the prime minister during the Tatar, Mediterranean, Greek period and causing tensions with the Republic of Cyprus during natural gas exploration activities making frequent public statements and “showing field assets together with Turkey,” he argued.

Tatar, in his statements to the press during Cyprus’ hydrocarbon exploration activities regarding “the rights of Turkey’s firm stance in the eastern Mediterranean, and that is very important in terms of protecting interests,” he said.

as UBP leader shortly before the Tatar presidential election promising close relations with Ankara together with the President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, by various sectors of the country, especially Mustafa Akinci was interpreted as “electoral interference”.

The move, announced by Tatar during his visit to Ankara, to “partially open the closed area of ​​Varosha” was criticized both by actors in the region and by many politicians in northern Cyprus.

Cyprus since 1974 and postponed each time the topic of discussion was evaluated as an agenda of the opening talks in Varosha, although in part, that Turkey and Northern Cyprus take a “unilateral step”.

The focus of criticism was that UBP candidate Ersin Tatar saw the opening of the Maraş region as “an opportunity for tourism development” and emphasized that the people of northern Cyprus would benefit economically from it.

The election of Ersin Tatar as President of Northern Cyprus was announced in the world press with the headlines “The candidate supported by Erdogan won.”

Although the Tatars reject Ankara’s positive attitude towards him, “the Turkish Cypriots would receive the right to support from Turkey,” he argues.

Tartarus responded to the criticism: “We must strengthen the TRNC. We can do this also with the support of Turkey. Turkish Cyprus interrupts the memorization of my leadership. Behind me is the pure Republic of Turkey,” he said.

After the victory in the elections, Tatar said that the important thing was to lead his country to better days in unity and solidarity.

Turkey Tayyip Erdogan, President Rexhep and his deputy Fuat also thank Oktay. We, as a people faithful to our people at all times, as we fight for survival on our side, feel the pride and pride of being together with Turkey. In order for the Motherland selection material to prolong the conversation with Turkey, we refused. “

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also congratulated Tatar by making a phone call with Tatar, who was elected President of North Cyprus.

Tatar, who will serve as president for the next five years, thanked all voters and said “everyone will be president.”

On the other hand, the tension of natural gas on the island and the expectations about the solution of the Cyprus problem indicate that the waters will not settle for a time in Cypriot politics.

The government collapsed with the withdrawal of the Popular Party from the coalition, which had tensions with Ersin Tatar during the elections, and a government has yet to be established.

It is also curious what kind of prospect for a solution Tatar will propose to start negotiations on the Cyprus problem.