Turkish-occupied northern Cyprus expressed its disdain yesterday, Wednesday, May 1st, at the Republic of Cyprus having been inducted to the EU. It was an “unjust and historic mistake,” a representative said.
A statement released by the purported “foreign ministry” of occupied Cyprus said: “The EU is the only one responsible for the continued impasse on the island.”
On the 20th anniversary of Cyprus’ inclusion as a member state, they said, “Today marks 20 years since the injustice and historical mistake committed by the EU against the Turkish Cypriot people.”
The statement also claims the Greek Cypriot side “illegally and unilaterally became a full member of the EU.”
The ministry said the EU is “the only one responsible for the ongoing deadlock on the island” because it unconditionally accepted the Republic of Cyprus as a full member “in violation of its own fundamental principles and values, as well as international treaties, despite the fact that the referendums held simultaneously and separately in the north and south on April 24, 2004 confirmed that there are two separate peoples and two states in Cyprus with the right to self-determination.”
It continued, “In fact, the statements of the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, which have been reflected in the press in recent days, show that EU officials do not even feel the need to stop publicly displaying their biased attitude that supports the maximalist Greek Cypriot positions on Cyprus, with the audacity of ignoring the Turkish Cypriot people.”
“Therefore, the EU’s claim that it supports a solution on the island is simply a manifestation of its insincerity,” it added.
“In order to ensure lasting peace and stability on the island and in the Eastern Mediterranean region, it is inevitable that the EU takes responsibility for the mistake it made 20 years ago and [recognises] the inherent sovereign equality and equal international status of the Turkish Cypriot people, accepting the free will of the Turkish Cypriot people in the light of the current reality,” it concluded.
Owing to the fact that the Republic of Cyprus is a member of the EU, Turkish Cypriots currently benefit from rights afforded by EU citizenship.
The Turkish invasion of Cyprus
Turkey’s invasion of Cyprus was initiated on July 20, 1974 and progressed in two phases over the following month. Playing out amid violence between Greek and Turkish Cypriots, and in response to a Greek junta-sponsored Cypriot coup d’etat five days prior, it led to the Turkish capture and occupation of the northern part of the island.
The coup was ordered by the military junta in Greece and staged by the Cypriot National Guard in tandem with EOKA B.
The Turkish-occupied northern region unilaterally declared independence on November 15, 1983, naming itself the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). However, the United Nations rejected this declaration through Security Council Resolution 541. The de facto state is only recognized by Turkey.
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