Prayers were said for TRNC founding President Rauf Denktaş yesterday on the fifth anniversary of his death.
The late leader was remembered at mosques across the country and ceremonies were held in Lefkoşa.
Among messages issued to mark the anniversary, highlighting Mr Denktaş’s lifelong devotion to the Turkish Cypriot cause, Prime Minister Hüseyin Özgürgün called him an outstanding statesman and political leader who had been determined to protect his people’s rights and interests. He said the late leader’s words would always be remembered and passed on to future generations. Derviş Eroğlu, who succeeded Mr Denktaş as the TRNC’s third president, described him as ”an important milestone… as a resistance fighter, a diplomat, a lawyer and statesman”.
”His legendary life story sets an example to those fighting for freedom. Turkish Cypriots were very lucky to have him as a leader who carried his people to statehood from the point of extinction,” said Dr Eroğlu.
The ruling National Unity Party called the TRNC Mr Denktaş’s ”most important legacy” and said it would ”always be upheld as the symbol of Turkish Cypriot sovereignty”.
Mr Denktaş died of multiple organ failure on January 13, 2012, aged 87. A mausoleum and museum in his memory is under construction in Lefkoşa.
