Northern Cyprus

National days and holidays

• March Eid al-FitrThe religious holiday marking the end of Ramadan, with a date that changes every year.
• 23 April National Sovereignty and Children's DayA holiday commemorating the opening of the Grand National Assembly in 1920, dedicated to children.
• May Eid al-AdhaThe major religious festival of sacrifice, lasting several days, with a date that changes every year.
• 19 May Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports DayAn official holiday marking Atatürk's landing in Samsun in 1919, dedicated to youth.
• 20 July Peace and Freedom DayA Northern Cyprus national holiday marking the start of the 1974 Cyprus Peace Operation.
• 1 August Communal Resistance DayNorthern Cyprus public holiday celebrating the Turkish Cypriots' struggle.
• 15 November Northern Cyprus Republic DayA national holiday marking the 1983 proclamation of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

Northern Cyprus news More →

Diplomacy

Greek Cypriot administration asks EU to revisit common defence clause

The Greek Cypriot Administration of Southern Cyprus (GCASC) has asked the European Commission to reopen debate on the EU's common defence clause, according to Politico. GCASC leader Nikos Christodoulides wrote to Commission President Ursula von der Leyen about Article 42(7) of the Lisbon Treaty, which covers mutual assistance between member states.

Kıbrıs GazetesiOctober 22, 2026, 19:47

Education

Target 2027: State to cover university tuition for TRNC citizens

Ulusal Birlik Partisi (UBP) leader and Prime Minister Ünal Üstel announced that, as in European Union countries and Turkey, the TRNC will offer young people free university education. Üstel said the policy, to be implemented in 2027, will support young people's education while easing the economic burden on families.

DiyalogOctober 22, 2026, 18:46

Diplomacy

Christodoulides-Holguin meeting set for October 30

Menelau told Astra yesterday, according to a report in Haravgi, that the sides aim to advance preparatory work on the basis, methodology and Confidence-Building Measures (CBMs) to resume negotiations and create conditions for a broader meeting.

Gündem KıbrısOctober 22, 2026, 17:14

Diplomacy

Dânâ briefs UK parliamentarians on latest Cyprus developments

Presidency Undersecretary Mehmet Dânâ addressed an event at the British Parliament in London on Wednesday that was attended by many parliamentarians. He reviewed recent developments in the Cyprus issue, confidence-building measures, the negotiation methodology set out by President Tufan Erhürman, and Turkish Cypriot expectations of the United Kingdom, one of the three guarantor states.

Kıbrıs GazetesiOctober 22, 2026, 16:05

Economy

Turkey's central bank cuts policy rate for first time since January

Turkey’s Central Bank (TCMB) Monetary Policy Committee cut its one-week repo auction rate, the main policy rate, by 1 percentage point, from 37 to 36 percent. The meeting was chaired by Yaşar Fatih Karahan. The committee also lowered the overnight lending rate from 40 to 39 percent and the overnight borrowing rate from 35.5 to 34.5 percent. It is the first rate cut since January.

Kıbrıs GazetesiOctober 22, 2026, 14:49

Diplomacy

Fidan to host R4 and R4+E3 foreign ministers' meetings in Istanbul tomorrow

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will host foreign ministers' meetings of the R4 (Türkiye, Egypt, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia) and R4+E3 (UK, Germany, France) groups in Istanbul tomorrow. According to Foreign Ministry sources cited by Anadolu Agency (AA), the German, British and French foreign ministers, Johann David Wadephul, Ed Miliband and Jean-Noel Barrot, will also attend.

HavadisOctober 22, 2026, 13:24

Countries and regions of the Turkic world