Tension in the Parliament with Kairidis’ statement on Cyprus – “I am afraid that the partition of Cyprus has taken place since 1974”

A heated discussion erupted in the House’s Foreign Affairs Committee, with chairman Dimitris Kairidis focusing on the partition of Cyprus rather than addressing what opposition MPs labeled as “illegal occupation,” which is Greece’s official stance.

In response to remarks made by MP Alexandros Kazamia, Kairidis noted, “I wouldn’t describe Erdogan’s actions as ‘dreams’ of partition. The partition has been a reality since 1974, but let’s not dwell on it. We understand each other…” This led to a tense exchange where Kazamia underscored the seriousness of the issue, pointing out that even within the ruling New Democracy party, some members acknowledge the pseudo-state recognized by Turkey. He asserted that Cyprus must not be partitioned and condemned any acceptance of Turkey’s ambitions, calling such sentiments alarming and worthy of strong opposition. Kairidis countered, stating that while there’s general opposition within the Greek parliament, people’s perceptions of reality are shaped by international relations—realities that cannot be overlooked. Kazamia responded by arguing that reality is continuously shaped in international relations and should be actively resisted.

Kairidis accepted this point but emphasized the urgency to act despite difficult conditions. A debate ensued regarding terminology, with Gervais and Katrinis clarifying that what is happening is illegal occupation, while Kairidis maintained it is illegal partition, which he opposes. Kazamia noted that Kairidis seemed to be correcting himself, suggesting that Kairidis had previously acknowledged the partition’s reality. Kairidis compared dreams with nightmares, warning against normalizing partition, while Kazamia reiterated that such a reality should be neither accepted nor realized. Kairidis then asked if Kazamia had witnessed the Turkish soldiers and the partition firsthand; Kazamia affirmed that he had seen it all. The dialogue sharply questioned the presence of Turkish soldiers in Cyprus and whether Erdogan’s ambitions are dreams or tangible realities. Kazamia stressed the illegality of the occupation, a sentiment echoed by Katrinis, who referred to it as an illegal occupation. Kairidis acknowledged that the illegality is undisputed and shared his personal experience of witnessing Turkish soldiers in Cyprus, describing the situation as a nightmare—one that he fears extends beyond Erdogan’s aspirations into a perilous reality that must be confronted.