Üstel reacts to GC National Guard’s threating statements targeting TRNC

Prime Minister Ünal Üstel stated that the a New Year video released by the Greek Cypriot National Guard contained threatening statements targeting the TRNC, noting that it clearly demonstrated that the Greek Cypriot mindset remains unchanged.

In a written statement, Üstel said that the video shows Greek Cypriot sailors explicitly expressing a wish for ‘warships to reach the ports of Girne and Gazimağusa in 2026. He added: “This is not the language of peace. It does not foster trust, nor can it be described as the language of a solution.”

Üstel further stated that the Greek Cypriot administration has made a habit of harassing the TRNC and the Turkish Cypriot people at every opportunity, while continuing to pursue its fundamental objective of asserting control over the entire island. “This mentality has not changed. The dream of Enosis* continues to influence the political and military decisions of the Greek Cypriot side, despite the passage of decades have passed” he said.

Emphasizing that “The historical facts are clear,” Üstel, noted that following the withdrawal of the British from the island, the processes were not undertaken by the Greek Cypriot administrations with the aim of sharing the island equitably with the Turkish Cypriot people as equal partners. Instead, he said these efforts were aimed to transforming the island into a ‘Greek Cypriot-Greek island’.

*Enosis is a political term meaning ‘union’ in Greek, referring specifically to the objective of uniting Cyprus with Greece.