Ship with Turkish flag raises concern in Cyprus

Concern was raised by the ship with the Turkish flag that was spotted off the coast of Limassol.

The incident has been reported to the authorities, and the Ministry of Shipping is monitoring the case.

Deputy Minister of Shipping, Marina Hatzimanoli, invited to comment on the matter on the "News Dissemination" show on SPOR FM 95.0, clarified that the specific ship is not Turkish, as it carries the flag of Lebanon. "It was purchased by a Turkish company last November, hence the large flag on the side," she said.

Furthermore, Ms. Hatzimanoli mentioned that "the said ship anchored in Limassol on Saturday solely for refueling purposes and continued its journey to Lebanon in the early hours of Sunday."

Regarding whether the Republic of Cyprus accepts ships with Turkish flags, she emphasized that "unlike the Turkish Republic, we do not have an embargo on ships flying Turkish flags or ships of Turkish interests. It is entirely legal for them to anchor in our ports, and that is why we demand the lifting of the measures imposed by Turkey on our own ships. Any ship coming from the occupied areas is illegal."