Member of the European Parliament, Prof. Dr. Niyazi Kızılyürek, was the guest of the "Peace Talks" organized by the Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU) Faculty of Communication and the Center of Research and Communication for Peace (CRCP). Prof. Dr. Kızılyürek has been serving as a member of the European Parliament since 2019.
Speaking at the opening of the event, Prof. Dr. Senih Çavuşoğlu, Dean of the EMU Faculty of Communication, emphasized the importance of Prof. Dr. Niyazi Kızılyürek's representation in the European Parliament for the Turkish Cypriot community and thanked him for including EMU CRCP in his busy schedule. Prof. Dr. Hanife Aliefendioğlu, the President of CRCP, highlighted the contributions of Prof. Dr. Kızılyürek to peace efforts in Cyprus, noting his numerous works such as books, films, articles, and more, pertaining to the Cyprus issue.
In his speech titled "Turkish Cypriots and the European Union (EU)," Prof. Dr. Kızılyürek summarized the relationship between the EU and the Turkish Cypriots, emphasizing the importance of both Turkey's EU membership and Cyprus at the 1999 Helsinki Summit. Prof. Dr. Kızılyürek stressed that progress towards Cyprus' EU membership has brought the resolution of the issue to a closer point since that time. Prof. Dr. Kızılyürek also noted that Turkish Cypriots need to turn towards the EU, stating that this isolation is unsustainable, and emphasized the existence of the Turkish Cypriot community within the EU, urging acceptance of this reality and acting accordingly.
Prof. Dr. Kızılyürek mentioned that the conditions changed at the 2002 Copenhagen Summit and stagnation began after the voting on the Annan Plan. Prof. Dr. Kızılyürek stated that ongoing consultations with both EU and Republic of Cyprus authorities are taking place regarding the use of the Turkish language in relevant committees of the European Parliament and the participation of universities in Cyprus in the Erasmus program. Prof. Dr. Kızılyürek conveyed the need to increase collaboration with political groups to become more visible within the EU.
Prof. Dr. Kızılyürek reminded that the geographical indication for halloumi was approved in April 2021, bringing the two communities in Cyprus closer and making it possible for Turkish Cypriots to open accounts in banks in the South through recent efforts. He mentioned that he will continue consultations with EU authorities and Cypriot Greek officials regarding the "stateless" group consisting of Turkish Cypriots who cannot obtain citizenship in the Republic of Cyprus due to mixed marriages. Prof. Dr. Kızılyürek emphasized the need for the Turkish Cypriot community to take action and become visible within the European Union, along with civil society organizations, academics, university students, and all relevant stakeholders. Prof. Dr. Kızılyürek highlighted the importance of questioning to what extent Turkish Cypriots who are EU citizens utilize their concrete identities and emphasized that being represented in the European Parliament, the only elected institution in the EU, is a significant opportunity."
