Erdogan: "The days when the new Ercan will be used for international flights are not far away"

Erdogan expressed his great pleasure in attending the opening ceremony of the Ercan Airport Terminal and Runway, and extended congratulations on the 49th anniversary of the Peace Operation, where the presence of Turkish Cypriots on the island was assured, declaring it to the friendly and hostile.

Erdogan highlighted that the Ercan Airport, which was opened for civil air traffic on February 3, 1975, includes a terminal building of 20,000 square meters, a parking area of 34,000 square meters, and a main runway measuring 2,755 meters in length.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan emphasized that the newly equipped terminal building and dual runway of the airport are capable of accommodating wide-body aircraft, with a total area of 7.8 million square meters. He stated, "With the new runway measuring 3,010 meters in length, compared to the existing runway of 2,755 meters, the airport has been made suitable for all models of passenger planes." He also noted that the new terminal is six times larger than the previous one.

Erdogan highlighted that the Ercan Airport, which can now serve up to 20 million passengers, not only contributes directly to tourism but also brings more investment, income, and employment opportunities.

Denouncing the unjust and unlawful practices of the international community, Erdogan stated that Ercan Airport is only allowed to have direct flights to Turkey, and explained, "The Turkish Cypriots provide air traffic services in compliance with international civil aviation standards within the Ercan recommended airspace. The airport offers advanced technology and Turkish hospitality to both domestic and foreign passengers."

Expressing that the days when the newly opened terminal and runway will be used for international flights are not distant, Erdogan extended an invitation to the international community, stating, "I invite them to lift these entirely political restrictions, which lack a legal basis, by also heeding the call of former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who acknowledged that there is no UN Security Council resolution justifying or supporting the isolation imposed on our Turkish Cypriot brothers."

Erdogan reiterated his call to support the idea of coexistence between two equal states, rather than dominance, tension, and a culture of conflict on the island of Cyprus.

Celebrating the Peace and Freedom Day on July 20, Erdogan paid tribute to all the martyrs, veterans, and heroes, including martyr Major Fehmi Ercan, after whom the airport was named.