Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar criticized the Greek Cypriot rival’s decision to revoke his passport on Tuesday (August 24), saying the move was aimed at destroying his community.
The internationally recognized government of Cyprus, run by Greek Cypriots, said on Monday that it would cancel or refuse to renew passports held by some Turkish Cypriot officials in the secession government in northern Cyprus.
Tens of thousands of Turkish Cypriots, including Tatars, hold or hold passports of the Republic of Cyprus, even if they live in Northern Cyprus, which is only recognized by Ankara. Turkish Cypriots enjoy the same rights as the Greek Cypriot passports.
“The Greek Cypriot side’s decision to revoke part of the Turkish Cypriot passports proves once again that the’Republic of Cyprus’ has been transformed into a country composed entirely of Greek Cypriots and has not respected the legal rights of the Turkish Cypriots. In any case, the Turkish Cypriots On one side,” the Tatar told Reuters in a statement.
Cyprus stated that it took action against individuals who undermined the integrity and sovereignty of the island, particularly the Turkish Cypriot authorities’ decision to open a partially abandoned ghost town in July.
It is understood that Monday’s action was targeted at 14 people, including Tatars whose passports have now expired, and Prime Minister Ersan Saner who left the enclave.
Cyprus split during the Turkish invasion triggered by a brief coup d’état launched by Greece in 1974. The friction was at least ten years old, when the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot power-sharing government collapsed in violence three years after independence from Britain.
Since then, Cyprus has been managed by Greek Cypriots, and relations between the two countries are now at their lowest point in many years.
Cyprus’s decision to revoke its passport comes as its European Union partners are reviewing the Cypriot investment plan for its unreliable citizenship. Before being forced to cancel passports last year, it made billions of dollars in selling passports to beneficiaries, from Russian oligarchs to well-connected Cambodians, many of whom have never been to the island before.
An independent team in June stated that most of these passports were issued illegally.
