TRNC Authorities Slam Archbishop Georgios’ Easter Remarks

Officials in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) have strongly condemned the Easter statements made by Archbishop Georgios of the Greek Orthodox Church and Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides. The TRNC government called on the international community to take note of what they described as inflammatory and offensive rhetoric, urging a critical evaluation of the language used.

In his Easter message, Archbishop Georgios appealed to Greece and the Republic of Cyprus to unite in a struggle for the “expulsion of the Turks and the salvation of the homeland,” while also accusing the United Nations of remaining neutral in the Cyprus dispute.

According to local media, the circular—distributed to all churches ahead of Easter—stated that “at this stage, there is no room for any further concessions.”

The Archbishop went on to blame the UN for its “unwillingness and inability to persuade Turkey to agree to a fair and lasting solution to the Cyprus problem.” He also criticized the organization for continually pressuring Greek Cypriots to make additional concessions as a sign of their commitment to peace.

“We’ve reached a point where no further concessions are possible. We cannot afford to remain idle in the face of the risk of being uprooted from our ancestral land,” the message read.

Turkish Cypriot President Ersin Tatar responded by calling the Archbishop’s words “a language of hostility,” warning that such rhetoric from both the Church and the leadership of the Republic of Cyprus seriously undermines any efforts to foster dialogue based on mutual understanding.

Tatar emphasized that the Turkish Cypriot people will never compromise their sovereignty or dignity, reiterating that a resolution can only be achieved on the basis of sovereign equality and equal international status.

“Statements like these, made during Easter, do serious harm to any hopes of building dialogue based on mutual respect and understanding in Cyprus. Both addresses reflect a mindset that rejects compromise, threatens our sovereignty, and seeks to revive failed approaches of the past,” Tatar said.

Similar sentiments were echoed by other high-profile TRNC officials, including ministers, political party leaders, and mayors across the country.