The burning of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and Turkish flags during Easter celebrations on the Greek Cypriot side of the divided island irked the Turkish Cypriot side. The provocative incident on Sunday was “unacceptable,” Turkish Cypriot officials said.
Greek Cypriots have been more daring recently in their anti-Turkish salvo. Most recently, a group of Greek Cypriot extremists has tried to attack Turkish Cypriots on the buffer zone, during a rally to celebrate the anniversary of EOKA, a terrorist faction known for massacres of Turkish Cypriots during the second half of 20th century.
Turkish Cypriot Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu said in a statement that Greek Cypriot side was still dominated by the EOKA mindset and he condemned “this fascist act.” “Attacks on our flag is an attack on our nation and it cannot be tolerated,” he said. “Turkish Cypriots have power to protect its sacred symbols as it did it in the past,” he underlined.
The incident came roughly one week after a Greek Cypriot military official openly targeted TRNC in provocative remarks, when he voiced hope to mark future Easters in “occupied homeland,” referring to the Turkish Cypriot side.
Cyprus has been split since 1974 when a Greek Cypriot coup aimed at Greece’s annexation of the island led to Türkiye’s military intervention as a guarantor power to protect Turkish Cypriots from persecution and violence. The TRNC was founded in 1983 and is recognized only by Türkiye. The Greek Cypriot administration, widely recognized internationally, has long supported a bi-communal federation model, while the Turkish Cypriot side has increasingly emphasized full sovereignty for the TRNC. United Nations-led talks over decades have so far failed to produce a comprehensive settlement.
As talks continued between the sides, Greek Cypriots started improving relations with Israel, to the chagrin of the TRNC and guarantor Türkiye. A trilateral summit of the Greek Cypriot leader, the Greek prime minister and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last December prompted concerns for the two countries. The three sides agreed to increase their military cooperation after the summit in Israel.
