TRNC’s 39th birthday celebrations to be held
CELEBRATIONS and events will be held on Monday and Tuesday to mark 39 years since the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus came into existence on November 15, 1983.
According to an official programme, the main events will begin at noon on Monday with a 21gun salute followed by an address to the nation by President Ersin Tatar on the state broadcaster BRT.
The President will then lay wreathes at the mausoleums of Turkish Cypriot leaders Dr Fazıl Küçük and Rauf Raif Denktaş, the founding President of the
TRNC, at 3pm and 3.30pm respectively.
The day will also see a procession start at 10am from the National Education Ministry to the Presidency building.
An Ottoman-style marching band of Turkey’s National Defence Ministry will also give concerts on Monday at Ecevit Meydanı in İskele at 10.30am and in front of the Atatürk Monument in Girne at 3.30pm, and on Tuesday at 4pm in front of the Macro store in Gazimağusa.
On Tuesday Mr Tatar will accept congratulations from members of the public at the Presidency
at 9am. There will then be a wreath-laying ceremony at the Atatürk Statue in Lefkoşa at 9.30pm. The main military parade will start at 10am on Dr Fazıl Küçük Bulvarı in Lefkoşa.
Banks, schools and government departments will be closed for the day, which is a national holiday.
The highlight of the celebrations will be a performance by “Solo Türk”, the Turkish Air Force’s aerobatics demonstration F16 jet, above the Atatürk Statue in Girne at 3.30pm on Tuesday, weather permitting.
A Public Works and Transport
Ministry announcement said that the flying of drones and air sports activities have been banned between the hours of 2.30pm and 6pm tomorrow and on Monday, and between 9.30am and 6pm on Tuesday,
due to “rehearsals and demonstration flights by Solo Türk”.
A number of sports and cultural events to mark November 15 are also planned to take place this weekend and throughout the week.