Setting up a State

Abstract

This chapter traces a historical trajectory of Northern Cyprus and Transdniestria, highlighting the political context, the outbreak of violence, and the declaration of statehood. It does not provide an extensive overview of conflicts as such but focuses instead on the perspective of secessionists. The objective, however, is not to test or compare the validity of claims to statehood but to present a story of how sovereignty, in the eyes of local actors, turned from enemy into savior-liberator.¹