The Turkish Cypriot Prime Minister, Ünal Üstel, has strongly criticised the latest reports regarding the cancellation of an FC Barcelona youth football camp that was due to take place in Northern Cyprus following intense pressure from the Greek Cypriots, denouncing what he described as a systematic “policy of isolation” aimed at marginalising the Turkish-origin population on the island.
Üstel reacted strongly to the announcement of the cancellation of the football camp that FC Barcelona’s academy (La Masia) had planned to hold in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, specifically from 7 to 11 and from 16 to 20 September “near the Near East University in Lefkoşa, in Northern Cyprus”, as announced by the club on its website.
As soon as the news broke, the Greek Cypriot far-right party National Popular Front (ELAM) put pressure on the Spanish Government and the government in Nicosia itself to prevent the event from taking place, and following the intervention of the Greek Cypriot government and the Cyprus Football Association, the event was finally cancelled – a move that was hailed as a success by the ultra-nationalists of ELAM, according to reports in Turkish media.
Üstel accuses the Greek Cypriots of promoting their isolation
In a written statement, the Turkish Cypriot Prime Minister stated that “Celebrating FC Barcelona’s withdrawal from Northern Cyprus as a ‘success’ is an admission of the isolation imposed on the Turkish Cypriot people”, and described what had happened as yet another example of the Greek Cypriot administration’s attitude towards the Turkish Cypriots.
The Prime Minister emphasised in this regard that the event was not a political activity nor an attempt to secure recognition, but merely “a sporting event at which Turkish Cypriot children and young people would meet with the academy of a world-renowned football club. But they could not even tolerate that”, he lamented.
Üstel confirmed that the Cyprus Football Association (which represents only the southern half of the island) lodged a protest with UEFA and the Spanish Football Federation, whilst the Greek Cypriot government took diplomatic steps and the far-right ELAM also did everything in its power to secure the cancellation of the training camp. “In the end, Barça’s training camp in northern Cyprus was cancelled and ELAM was able to say: ‘We have achieved our goal’,” he denounced.
Addressing the Greek Cypriot government that controls southern Cyprus, Üstel asked: “So, what is your objective? To prevent Turkish Cypriot children from playing football? To prevent our young people from engaging with the world of international sport? To prevent our universities from appearing under the name ‘Northern Cyprus’ in world rankings? To prevent artists, sportspeople and students from coming to Northern Cyprus? To isolate the Turkish Cypriot people from the world, hinder their economic and social development and make them invisible on this island?”
Barça becomes the focus of the dispute in Cyprus
The Turkish Cypriot leader pointed out that, whilst on the one hand there is talk of winning the trust of the Turkish Cypriots, or of reaching a solution on the island and cooperating with the Greek Cypriots, on the other hand diplomatic pressure is being used to prevent something as innocent as a children’s football camp. “This is not what building trust looks like. This is a policy designed to keep the Turkish Cypriot people in isolation,” he insisted.
The Prime Minister also denounced the fact that this incident involving FC Barcelona is not an isolated case, and recalled, for example, that there had already been protests against the inclusion of universities from the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (KKTC, by its Turkish acronym) in the QS World University Rankings under the name ‘Northern Cyprus’, or that the measures adopted in the energy sector between Turkey and the KKTC were denounced to the United Nations; other international events scheduled to take place in Turkish Cypriot territory have also been subject to pressure to be cancelled.
“What sort of shared future in Cyprus can be built like this?”
“The Turkish Cypriot people should not connect with the world. The TRNC should not develop economically. Its universities should not achieve international success. Its young people should not participate in international sporting organisations. The name ‘Northern Cyprus’ should not be heard anywhere in the world”, lamented Üstel sarcastically, reiterating once again that “the Turkish Cypriot people are the original and equal owners of this island” and concluding with a question about the FC Barcelona’s controversy: “What sort of shared future are they going to build (in Cyprus) those who consider the cancellation of a children’s football camp a victory?”.
VOTE
EDITORIAL TEAM
🧿 About us
.
Edited and reviewed by:
Pablo Gómez is a specialist in Turkey and has been editor-in-chief of Hispanatolia since 2011. He has been analysing current affairs and geopolitics in Turkey and the surrounding region since 2006.
…
📣 Your ADVERTISING on Hispanatolia
.
🤗 HELP US WITH A DONATION:
💗 Paypal
