Newsroom
The European Commission has again urged Turkey to meet its long-ignored obligations toward Cyprus, warning that Ankara’s push for a “two-state solution” only undermines UN efforts for reunification.
In its annual report, the EU said it recognizes only the Republic of Cyprus under international law and condemned Turkey’s continued refusal to cooperate with Nicosia. It also pointed to military activity in Cyprus’ airspace and waters and Ankara’s attempts to connect its electricity grid to the occupied north while blocking the EU-backed Great Sea Interconnector project.
The report highlighted Turkey’s ongoing reopening of Varosha and the expansion of military and drone bases in the north, moves the UN has repeatedly called to reverse.
Brussels also criticized Turkey’s human rights record, citing arrests of journalists, opposition figures, and activists this year, as well as growing concerns over judicial independence and democratic backsliding.
Despite the harsh words, the EU stopped short of taking any real action. Instead, it called Turkey a “key partner” in migration and regional security, a softer stance that, for many in Cyprus, feels like déjà vu.
“Progress depends on reforms and political will,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said, noting that while countries like Ukraine, Moldova, and Montenegro are moving forward with reforms, Turkey’s accession process has remained frozen since 2018.
For Cyprus, the message was clear: strong statements, little pressure, and still no movement on the decades-old division of the island.
*For the full unabridged version by Pavlos Xanthoulis (in Greek), click here.
