Greek Cypriots were threatened on Wednesday by former Turkish defence minister and current Turkish parliamentary defence committee chairman Hulusi Akar that the coming Easter may be their last.
In a social media post, Akar wrote, “In the homeland of the Turkish Cypriots, those dreaming of Easter… This will be your last Easter.” The post was accompanied by a map of Cyprus with its northern third overlayed with the flag of the self-proclaimed ‘Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus’ (TRNC).
The post is the latest Cyprus-related social media activity on Akar’s account. He had previously posted a gif image of the flags of Turkey and the ‘TRNC’, accompanied with the text, “rely on your common sense,” “the genie is out of the bottle,” and “the lesson given out by the Turkish soldiers will be harsh.”
Last week, Akar met Turkish Cypriot representative in Ankara Ismet Korukoglu and wrote that “Cyprus is not a Greek island” and that “the island is the homeland of the Turkish Cypriots, watered with the blood of martyrs.”
He added, “Today, two sovereign, equal states are inevitable. We are one, we are together, we are determined, we are resolute.”
In social media posts, he refers to the “Turkish Republic of Cyprus,” having declared in 2024 that “there is no Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, but a Turkish Republic of Cyprus.”
Last month, he visited Cyprus, meeting Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman, the occupied north’s ‘prime minister’ Unal Ustel, ‘parliament speaker’ Ziya Ozturkler, the chiefs of staff of the Turkish armed forces in Cyprus, and Turkey’s ambassador in Nicosia Ali Murat Basceri. He also visited Varosha.
Akar is a retired four-star general who previously served as chief of staff of the Turkish armed forces and as defence minister between 2018 and 2023.
Source: Cyprus Mail
