The illegal visit to occupied Cyprus by Turkish vice president Cevdet Yılmaz is set to take place today, further inflaming tensions on the island.
According to reports from the occupied areas, Yılmaz will participate in the launch of a new mobile e-government application and carry out visits to several villages in the Karpasia region, which remains under Turkish occupation since the 1974 invasion.
The move is being widely condemned as another attempt by Ankara to reinforce its influence over the occupied territories and legitimise the separatist regime in the occupied areas. Official Nicosia considers such visits illegal under international law and a direct violation of the sovereignty of the Republic of Cyprus.
Diplomatic observers note that Turkey frequently uses high-profile visits of senior officials to the occupied territories as political statements, aimed at consolidating its presence and challenging international pressure. Today’s appearance by Yılmaz underscores Ankara’s continued push to deepen administrative and political ties with the occupied part of the island.
The government of Cyprus is expected to issue a formal protest, reiterating its position that the only recognised state on the island is the Republic of Cyprus.
This latest illegal visit to occupied Cyprus comes amid broader regional instability and ongoing disputes over sovereignty, energy exploration, and Turkey’s role in the eastern Mediterranean.
Also read: UK Cypriot Federation demands removal of Afzal Khan
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