By ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ (GREEK) TÜRKÇE (TURKISH)
It’s very easy to give lessons in politics. It is difficult to take them. With the ease of a teacher, we give lessons to the Turkish Cypriots on how to become Europeans, as we have become, and how to kick out Turkey, which we have failed to kick out.
I read the following: “The Turkish Cypriots may be used to the best of both worlds, but that does not guarantee them anything in the long run. And they should realise this. They want the citizenship of the Republic of Cyprus, which offers them the status of European citizens, but they do not… recognise it. The Republic of Cyprus must implement policies of rapprochement with Turkish Cypriots that have been missing since 1960. Not with gifts, which turned out to be an easy and unrealistic practice. But with a systematic briefing on what it means for all citizens to function and participate through the Republic of Cyprus. And what a free and European Cyprus means, without the occupying power Turkey.”
It’s not for Turkish Cypriots to be taught what it means for all citizens to function and participate through the Republic of Cyprus, and what it means for Cyprus to be free and European, without the occupying power Turkey. It is the Greek Cypriots who need systematic briefing. Turkish Cypriots have known since 2004, while Greek Cypriots have not realised this for 20 years now. Since they took to the streets and demonstrated against Rauf Denktaş and in favour of a solution to the Cyprus problem, Turkish Cypriots have understood what it means for all citizens to function and participate through the Republic of Cyprus and what it means for Cyprus to be free and European without the occupying power Turkey. They succeeded in kicking out their historical leader from the leadership and then attempted to kick Turkey out of Cyprus too.
In the referendum, they voted in favour of the functioning and participation of all citizens through the Republic of Cyprus and in favour of a free and European Cyprus, without the occupying power Turkey. In fact, they voted with an overwhelming 65% (a rare percentage for such a decision). But Greek Cypriots, those who are still lamenting over the occupying power Turkey in their articles, voted with an astonishing 76% against the functioning and participation of all citizens through the Republic of Cyprus, against a free and European Cyprus and in favour of the occupying power Turkey remaining in Cyprus.
The lessons should therefore be given elsewhere. The Turkish Cypriots seem to have learned their lesson, and the way things are going, they too will soon not want a free and European Cyprus without the occupying power Turkey.
Source: WHEN THE T/CYPRIOTS DISCOVERED WHAT IT MEANS TO FUNCTION WITHIN THE REPUBLIC OF CYPRUS
