Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Kudret Ozersay, in a written statement, accused the Greek Cypriot administration of trying to suffocate the TRNC economy by targeting its main pillars, which are higher education and tourism.
In his statement, Ozersay said that the Greek Cypriot side is trying to block cooperation between the Eastern Mediterranean University (DAU) and Oxford University.
The Greek Cypriot leadership had no tolerance towards the Turkish Cypriot side, the statement read. Ozersay accused the Greek Cypriot side of targeting TRNC universities as well as the shipping companies using TRNC ports.
Pointing out that such actions were hurting relations between the two sides, Ozersay went on to say the following: “It is understood that unfortunately, the Greek Cypriot leadership cannot stand letting the Turkish Cypriots catch a breath not only over politics, culture and sports, but also in the economic sector. We are faced with a mentality that tries to cut our every contact with the economic world”.
He added that such attempts carried out while the Turkish Cypriot side is trying to improve economic relations between the two sides and supporting the increase in people crossing the borders from both sides, is a real disappointment. Ozersay said that “such attempts will not dissuade the Turkish Cypriot side’s struggle to exist on this island”.
Demonstrating how the Greek Cypriot side needed a change of mind-set, Ozersay wrote:
“While the degrees of graduates from the Eastern Mediterranean University (DAU) are being accepted throughout the world, Greek Cypriot officials are trying to create problems over its cooperation with Oxford University without any legal backing. This is totally unacceptable. It’s obvious they are doing this because they know that higher education and tourism are the two main pillars of the Turkish Cypriot economy. While the degrees of graduates of the Eastern Mediterranean University are being accepted throughout the world, the Greek Cypriot Foreign Ministry is attempting to declare such institutions as illegal. The example with Oxford University is a good one”.
Ozersay concluded by saying that these actions contradict the calls by the Greek Cypriot side to improve relations between the two communities
BRTK
