Selma Eylem, President of KTOEÖS, announced at a joint press conference that a general strike of all affiliated organizations will occur on Friday, May 2, 2025. The day's events will include a gathering at the old PEVAK area at 6:30 PM, followed by a march culminating in a rally in front of Kuğulu Park in northern part of Nicosia.
Eylem emphasized that the struggle would continue until the controversial regulation was withdrawn. She stated that the regulation contradicts the "national education law" and "Atatürk's principles and reforms" while promoting the ideology of Turkey's conservative government. "This rally will respond to those who underestimate us Turkish Cypriots, ignore our will and existence, attack us, insult us, and threaten to put us in our place," she declared, calling on everyone to participate and voice demands for secular education and a "clean," secular society.
Burak Mavis, Secretary-General of KTÖS, expressed the union leaders' determination: "We are tired of living 'as if' in this country. We will not allow children to be covered." He clarified that while women's clothing choices are not an issue, they oppose the mandatory covering of children, citing the opinions of doctors and psychologists to support this stance.
Mavis also criticized the mismanagement in the Turkish Cypriot community, referring to increasing crime rates, traffic accidents, lack of investment in hospitals and schools, and inadequate prisons. He rejected labels such as "Greek lovers" or "terrorists" directed at the organizations, attributing such characterizations to the "administration's" incompetence. He claimed these actions are being carried out under the direction of Turkey's ruling party, aiming to undermine secular education and way of life. "This society takes the hand extended to it but bends the hand raised against it," he warned.
The organizations also announced that they would continue collecting signatures against the regulation, create a solidarity fund for teachers facing sanctions, and plan to inform international organizations such as the UN and EU about the situation.
Meanwhile, in what appears to be a related and urgent development, a government delegation from the internationally unrecognized TRNC is making an emergency visit to Ankara. The Deputy Premier Minister and Minister of Tourism, Culture, Youth, and Environment, Fikri Ataoğlu, announced this. Ataoğlu stated during a television program that the delegation would depart for Turkey tonight, with meetings with Turkish officials scheduled for tomorrow.
Ataoğlu highlighted the need to discuss "problematic issues on the table" between "government partners," acknowledging that members of the Democratic Party (DP) are experiencing difficulties due to recent developments. "We will go to Ankara tonight. Tomorrow, there will be a meeting in Ankara. As three-party presidents, we will sit and talk until tomorrow's meeting," he stated, referring to the leaders of the three parties that comprise the "government" coalition.