Cyprus to revoke passports issued to Turkish-Cypriot officials

Cyprus announced Monday August 23 its intention to revoke passports issued to Cypriot-Turkish officials in the north of the divided island because of their "

"

acts

.

Read alsoIn Cyprus, evidence of Turkish influence

Government spokesman Marios Pelekanos did not specify the identity of the officials targeted but said the decision was linked to plans by Turkey and the Turkish-Cypriot authorities to reopen the ghost town of Varosha (east). , in defiance of UN resolutions.

Since the invasion of the north of the island by the Turkish army in 1974 in reaction to a coup d'état by Greek-Cypriot nationalists who wanted to reunite it with Greece, the Republic of Cyprus, a member of the EU since 2004 , is divided into two parts.

The southern part of the Mediterranean island, inhabited mostly by Greek Cypriots, is ruled by a government recognized by the UN, and the northern part, self-proclaimed Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), is ruled only by Ankara.

14 passports revoked

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and TRNC leader Ersin Tatar announced last month the reopening of part of the old resort of Varosha, fled by its residents in 1974 and sealed off by the Turkish army. "

”said Marios Pelekanos. The actions of these officials "

" he said. "

”he added.

Read also The UN condemns Turkey's positions on Cyprus

The official Cypriot news agency said 14 passports would be revoked, ten of which belong to members

of the TRNC

"

".

Turkish Cypriots can have a Republic of Cyprus identity card and passport, which allows them to enter the EU freely.

Local media reported that Mr Tatar obtained a passport in 2000, but the latter said he had never used it and would gladly return it. It is estimated that more than 100,000 Turkish-Cypriots hold Republic of Cyprus identity cards or passports.