Shemaine Bushnell Kyriakides
What’s all the hullabaloo about? That’s what I found myself asking after watching MEP Fidias Panayiotou’s interview with Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar. In my view, it was a fascinating, necessary, and, yes, bold move. But apparently, not everyone agrees.
Let me be upfront: I’m not Cypriot by birth. I didn’t grow up with the Cyprus problem in my textbooks or family dinners. I married into it, and after more than two decades of living here, I’ve come to understand and deeply empathize with the pain Greek Cypriots carry, especially those who lost their homes in the occupied north. But I’m also aware that there’s another side to the story. One that, until now, I hadn’t really heard firsthand.
That’s what made Fidias’ interview with Tatar so important. For once, instead of filtered quotes or political spin, we got to hear directly from the Turkish Cypriot leader himself, unedited, uninterrupted, and unvarnished. Like it or not, that's rare.
Let’s be clear: Fidias didn’t go easy on him. He asked some tough questions about a unified Cyprus vs. two states, about the Annan Plan, about Turkey’s financial influence, and even about Tatar’s own income. He even asked him directly if he was Erdogan’s puppet and if he liked President Christodoulides. Some answers were dodged (predictably), but others were surprisingly honest. And yes, at times, Tatar sounded like a man stuck in the past. He brought up Cyprus’ time under Ottoman rule and the Zurich-London Agreements, lamenting what he sees as the loss of Turkish Cypriot rights after the 1974 coup. It was classic historical justification, but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be heard and scrutinized.
And let’s not pretend that dialogue is a new concept. The Republic of Cyprus has participated in countless rounds of peace talks over the years, from Crans-Montana to UN-facilitated meetings in New York and Nicosia. We've seen a rotating cast of UN envoys try to nudge both sides closer to a solution, often armed with proposals for confidence-building measures and frameworks for a bizonal, bicommunal federation. Yet time and again, talks stall. Agreements unravel. Hopes rise only to be deflated. It's a frustrating cycle we’ve all lived through.
That’s part of why Fidias’ conversation stood out. It didn’t promise a solution. But it did offer something we don’t often get: transparency. A candid look into how the other side sees things, even if we don’t agree.
I’m not saying Tatar won me over. He didn’t. In fact, the interview only reinforced how firmly he’s committed to a two-state solution, which will make President Christodoulides' job even harder. But the point isn’t about liking Tatar or agreeing with him. The point is that this was the first time many of us got to hear directly from someone we’ve spent decades hearing about, but rarely from.
What struck me most was how natural the conversation felt. Fidias asked questions many of us would want to ask. And when the answers weren’t clear, he pushed again. At times, Fidias’s tone felt a little too light for the gravity of the topic, but overall, the interview was refreshing and genuinely compelling.
Of course, the backlash came fast and loud. Some political voices called it a betrayal. They said the interview gave legitimacy to the occupied north. But did it really? Or did it simply shine a light on where the other side (or at least Tatar) stands, warts and all?
Criticism is fair. Dialogue is fairer. For decades, we’ve been hearing what our side thinks the other side thinks. Maybe it’s time to hear it straight from the source, even if it’s uncomfortable. Especially if it’s uncomfortable.
Like many, I believe Cyprus deserves peace and justice. But we won’t get there by avoiding hard conversations or punishing those who dare to ask unpopular questions. We get there by listening, questioning, challenging, and sometimes, by just showing up to the table.
So no, Fidias isn’t a traitor in my book. He’s a curious young man who did what more of us should try: listening not to agree, but to understand. That’s not weakness. That’s courage. Especially when you expect the criticism and do it anyway.
