Ankara: Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz met with Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Ersin Tatar at the Presidential Complex, focusing on boosting bilateral cooperation. The discussions revolved around strengthening Trkiye-TRNC relations across various fields, regional developments, future economic cooperation, and digital transformation in public services.
According to Anadolu Agency, Yilmaz attended a Trkiye-TRNC police service vehicle handover ceremony, marking significant anniversaries, including the 454th anniversary of the conquest of Cyprus and the founding anniversaries of the Turkish Resistance Organization and the Security Forces Command. Yilmaz emphasized Trkiye's commitment to supporting Turkish Cypriots in diverse sectors like education, healthcare, transportation, infrastructure, energy, and agriculture.
The cooperation between Trkiye and TRNC includes sharing expertise in public services and coordination during natural disasters, along with providing equipment and vehicles. Yilmaz announced the introduction of 29 new vehicles, including 24 service vehicles and 5 fire trucks, noting that 12 of the police vehicles were supplied under the Financial Support Program. Additionally, technical equipment, fingerprint scanners, mobile systems, IT infrastructure support, and uniforms for motorcycle police were provided to enhance institutional capacity and working conditions.
Yilmaz highlighted the establishment of a central unit, G¶§Net integration, and six mobile migration vehicles, which have strengthened border security in the TRNC and enhanced efforts against irregular migration. The vice president also participated in the opening of the TRNC Earthquake Monitoring and Assessment Center in Nicosia, supported by Trkiye's Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD).
Yilmaz expressed pride in AFAD's work, underlining the importance of effective earthquake management. He mentioned that the center, equipped with nationally developed software, provides a science-based, data-driven earthquake analysis infrastructure, offering capabilities for early warning, damage assessment, and crisis management.
TRNC President Ersin Tatar, speaking at the center's opening, stressed the importance of disaster preparedness and thanked Trkiye for enhancing the TRNC's capacity. He highlighted the center's value and expressed willingness to cooperate with the Greek Cypriot Administration in disaster response, acknowledging the center's support.