Erdogan visits Cyprus, attacks “enemies of Turkish Cypriots”

Tatar, a follower of close ties with Ankara, said authorities plan to lift military status for a part of the area, adding that 3.5 per cent of the city will be granted civilian status.

The Foreign Ministry in Athens reacted by condemning such action.

“Turkey must immediately stop its provocative and illegal behaviour and comply with international law,” said in the Greek Ministry's statement.

The announcement was made during a two-day visit by Erdogan, corresponding to the anniversary of the Turkish occupation of Cyprus in 1974 that divided the Mediterranean island along ethnic lines.

In his address, Erdogan attacked “Turkish Cypriot enemies”, including Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

Turkey's president reiterated his call for a two-state <x0 solution” in Cyprus, while criticising the European Union, which has rejected the idea. European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen said earlier this month that the member bloc in which Cyprus joined in 2004 would never “accept” such an agreement.

Hundreds of Greek Cypriots staged a protest against Erdogan's visit to Varosa, an abandoned suburb of the town of Famagusta that had until recently been out of reach and under strict Turkish military control. Varossa had remained empty since 1974, but Turkey and Turkish Cypriot authorities last year allowed entry into the area. This angered the Greek Cypriot residents of Varosa, who saw the move as an attempt to pressure them to relinquish their rights to their property.