Mehmet Harmancı

Mehmet Harmancı was born in 1977 in Nicosia and he graduated from the Turkish Maarif College. Harmancı completed the Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU) International Relations Department. During his university education, he fulfilled active missions in EMU-KOB (EMU Cypriot Students Union). Harmancı completed his master’s degree in EU and Politics in Liverpool from the John Moores University. Harmancı has been actively involved in both Political groups and Civil Society Organizations moreover he has had vast experience with the private sector especially with regards to the management sector. He started his political life in the Social Liberation Party (TKP) where he undertook the responsibility of President of the Youth Section of the Peace and Democracy Party (BDH) and TKP. He worked as the General Director of a private tourism company between the years 2005 – 2008. In 2008 Harmancı was selected for the Young European Leaders programme by the US Embassy in Cyprus. Between June 2013 and September 2013 Harmancı served as the Minister of Tourism, Environment and Culture. Fulfilling Deputy Secretary General missions, Mehmet Harmancı was then elected as the Secretary General of the Social Democratic Party (TDP). He worked as the Project Manager for the UNDP funded ‘Engage-Do Your Part for Peace’ project for which he completed the required deliverables of the project on behalf of the Management Centre of the Mediterranean. He has also been heavily involved in multicultural environments both as an activist of peace and reconciliation and at an organizational level. Mehmet Harmancı  was elected as the Mayor of the Nicosia Turkish Municipality in the elections which took place in June 2014 and he was re-elected in 2018 as the Mayor of Nicosia Turkish Municipality. He is married and has one child.