Cyprus government said on Monday it would cancel the passports of Turkish Cypriot officials in the breakaway state, north of the island.
Several Turkish Cypriot officials, including officeholder Ersin Tatar, are holding or have held passports of the Republic of Cyprus.
However, they govern the Turkish Cypriot state.
The island to the east of the Mediterranean was split in the 1974 Turkish invasion.
This invasion was an inspiration from the Greek coup.
While the international community recognizes the Republic of Cyprus, only Turkey recognizes North Cyprus.
Additionally, the Greek Cypriots run the republic of Cyprus.
The present Cypriot administration said the Turkish Cypriots’ actions undermined Cypriot integrity.
Moreover, the same administration made billions from selling passports to Russian rulers, powerful Cambodians and a Malaysian fugitive.
Efforts to reunify the two states have repeatedly failed, as the relations are extremely low over a dispute for offshore energy.
Turkish Cypriots demand that new conditions for the negotiations. They also demand The move to open a fenced-in city abandoned in 1974.
Cypriot authorities will cancel and refuse to renew or issue passports to individuals who participated in the “pseudo-state,” government spokesperson Marios Pelekanos said.
He added that those involved in trying to reopen Varosha are also included.
Undermining Cyprus
“With their acts and deeds, they undermine the sovereignty, independence, integrity and security of the Republic of Cyprus,” Pelekanos said.
Turkish Cypriot media said the move targeted 14 individuals, Tatar included.
In July, Turkish Cypriot officials announced reopening Varosha beach for possible resettlement.
However, it brought harsh criticism from the Greek Cypriots, as they considered it theft of land.
Thousands of Turkish Cypriots hold Cypriot IDs and passports, as well as birth certificates, as agreed with the Greek Cypriots in 1960.
Communist AKEL, a Greek opposition party, said the passport decision was only for domestic application.
Nevertheless, governments should pay more attention to “arrest the partitionist designs of Turkey.”
Erato Kozakou Marcoullis, a former Cypriot foreign minister, said via Twitter, “It’s a short-sighted and impulsive policy!”
“They’re removing the only element of proof that ‘officials’ of the Turkey-subordinate regime recognize the Republic of Cyprus,” he added.
The local media reported that Tatar obtained a Cypriot passport in 2000.
Evidently, Tatar is a strong advocate of the Turkish Cypriot independence.
