Turkish Cypriots on the divided island of Cyprus, who are EU citizens, have the opportunity to participate in EU elections. Niyazi Kizilyürek, the first Turkish Cypriot member of the EU Parliament, is dedicated to ensuring that Turkish Cypriots can exercise their rights as EU citizens.
Despite being located in the north of the island, Turkish Cypriots are entitled to citizenship in the Republic of Cyprus, the internationally recognized state. However, their identity remains largely invisible due to their location and lack of recognition by any other country except Turkey. This has resulted in most Turkish-speaking residents living in the north and Greeks living in the south.
Turkish Cypriots are attracted to Cyprus citizenship because it allows them freedom to travel as EU citizens. However, this comes at a cost as their cultural and political autonomy is threatened by pressure from Turkey. Kizilyürek advocates for Turkish Cypriots to exercise their rights as EU citizens and participate in programs like Erasmus. He believes that this will help promote a distinct Cypriot identity and ensure cultural and political autonomy for Turkish Cypriots on the island.
The complex issue of citizenship and voting rights in Cyprus is further complicated by the Turkish military intervention 50 years ago, resulting in a division between Greek-dominated south and Turkish-controlled north. Despite this division, Kizilyürek aims to bridge this gap through his candidacy in 2019’s EU elections where he mobilized significant support from both sides of the community.
The failure of negotiations between Turkey and Greece contributed to frustration among Turkish-speaking residents who supported reunification roadmap but were left with little progress towards achieving it.
Kizilyürek’s efforts towards promoting direct relations between Turkish Cypriot community and EU help reduce pressure on assimilation into Turkey while promoting distinct Cypriot identity.
In conclusion, Kizilyürek’s dedication towards ensuring that Turkish Cypriots can exercise their rights as EU citizens has given them hope for recognition and cultural autonomy on an island divided for decades.
