Statement of President Tufan Erhürman on the recent remarks by European Union officials on Cyprus

“If the European Union is not sufficiently familiar with Cyprus, it should make the necessary efforts to understand it, if it is familiar, it must reconsider its position.”

Reacting strongly to recent statements by EU officials regarding Cyprus, President Tufan Erhürman issued the following written statement:

“The President of the European Parliament, Ms. Roberta Metsola, has reportedly celebrated the anniversary of the founding of EOKA. These are occurring one after another.

Whilst Ms. Metsola was celebrating the anniversary of EOKA ‘with great enthusiasm’, was she not aware of what this organisation represents for the Turkish Cypriot people?

When the President of the European Commission, Ms. Ursula von der Leyen, stated in her speech that innovators in the field of artificial intelligence are developing the technologies of tomorrow ‘in the shadow of Byzantine churches’, did she assume that this island consists solely of ‘Byzantine churches’?

At the same time, whilst Ms. Ursula von der Leyen was being made to become a part of what is described as a ‘viewing-through-the-hole ritual’, was she unaware that many EU officials have crossed to the north -- on foot or by vehicle -- and have held meetings with us?

As I have said, these occurrences are taking place one after another. If the European Union is not sufficiently familiar with Cyprus, it should make the necessary efforts to understand it, if it is familiar, it must reconsider its position.  

Officials of an international organisation that claims to ‘support a solution in Cyprus’, and even to ‘wish to contribute to a solution in Cyprus’, must recognise that through such statements they are steadily eroding the trust of the Turkish Cypriot people, one of the two equal founding partners in Cyprus.

This is precisely why we emphasise to every EU and EU Member State official we engage with, that there is also a need for ‘confidence-building measures’ with the European Union itself.”