A mood of bitterness and despair has taken hold in the occupied areas in recent months, Hulusi Kilim, the Turkish-Cypriot secretary-general of VOLT, told Politis radio. “Time passing without a solution to the Cyprus issue is working against us,” he said, urging both sides to rebuild trust as the foundation for progress.
Turkish Cypriots, Kilim argued, need and want a leader who represents everyone and defends the interests of their community, someone inclusive and credible who can lower tensions and open political space for a settlement.
Two candidates, two messages
Describing the campaign styles of Tufan Erhürman and Ersin Tatar, Kilim drew a stark contrast:
Erhürman “offered hope for change,” adopting an inclusive approach that spoke to all Turkish Cypriots regardless of political identity. Tatar, by contrast, “focused on fear,” he said.
Kilim added that people in the occupied areas are hungry for change. “With Akıncı there was hope,” he noted, “but under Tatar the situation deteriorated.”