Turkish Cypriot journalist Şener Levent has been awarded the ‘Doros Loizou prize’ in recognition of his contribution to Cyprus, in an event organised by the socialist EDEK party.
Receiving the prize from EDEK President Marinos Sizopoulos and honorary party leader Vasos Lyssarides on Thursday night, Levent expressed the wish “not to die before we witness the liberation of our country”. Levent, who is a journalist and publisher of the Turkish Cypriot daily “Afrika”, said he was above all, Cypriot and addressed those present as “brothers”.
Levent, in his speech, expressed his opposition to the presence of all foreign armies in Cyprus, according to a Cyprus News Agency (CNA) report. He pointed to the British Sovereign Bases and the “Turkish occupation army which has held our country captive for 41 years”. He also said he disagreed with a bi-zonal solution, noting that he wishes to see “a unified country, not divided by borders”.
EDEK party leader Marinos Sizopoulos said that Levent had been honoured for his “political contribution, as well as his struggle in support of the Republic of Cyprus, our common homeland”.
The event was also attended by the Minister of Education Costas Kadis, members of Turkish Cypriot organisations and the former leader of the Democratic Rally party and former MEP Yiannakis Matsis.
The prize is awarded in the memory of Doros Loizou, a Greek Cypriot poet and politician and youth member of EDEK, who was assassinated in 1974, in a failed attempt against the founder of EDEK, Vassos Lyssarides.
Cyprus Weekly
