Greece’s four Euro-vision points to Cyprus caused a political stir

The 2023 Eurovision has caused a political stir on the island after Greece’s national jury awarded the island’s entry only four points in the final when it has traditionally awarded them the top twelve points allotted by national juries.

Cyprus made it to the contest's finale with Andrew Lambrou and his song ‘Break a Broken Heart’ after securing a spot during the second semi-final. However, Greece failed to pass the semi-final stage, with Victoras Vernicos and his song ‘What they say’.

Despite reactions coming out two days after the show in Liverpool, many Greek and some Cypriot commentators quickly judged Athens’ national jury for their decision, even taking it as a snub to Greece’s support of Cyprus and the Cyprus problem.

Many Greek Cypriots saw this as a betrayal from the “mother country,” while many Greeks saw this as a sign that Athens is pulling away from Nicosia.

Former Justice Minister Emily Yiolitis compared it to the lack of the Cyprus problem being discussed in a recent debate between political leaders in Athens, where elections will be held to elect a parliament on Sunday. She said: “The complete lack of mention of Cyprus in the Greek debate by all the political leaders, without exception, was less suggestive than the four at Eurovision, showing to everyone that for the motherland, Cyprus is far away.”

Greece and Cyprus share a language and religion in common, despite the latter being a separate country, and many Greek Cypriots look to Athens as the ‘motherland’.

Meanwhile, another Cypriot celebrity Tasos Tryfonos also expressed his outrage over the four points given by Greece, saying that the Greek committee should be ashamed. “If Greece had given Cyprus the 12 points it objectively deserved, Cyprus would finish in the top ten. Pity,” he said.

However, in Greece, the issue was seen as a problem of not caring enough for Cyprus. Former foreign minister Nikos Kotzias, who was present at failed 2017 Cyprus talks, said: “The four points given to Cyprus at Eurovision is not the problem, but the result is another example of the attempts made by many sides of the sovereign establishment to distance the Greek community from the great island and the Cyprus problem, to promote their rejectionist plans.”

Another Greek popstar Katy Garbi also weighed in on the matter, saying that if Greece continues treating Cyprus like this, Nicosia will take halloumi cheese and Cypriot popstar Anna Vissi away from them.

Despite only getting four points from Greece, who gave their twelve points to Belgium, Lambrou said he was grateful for any support he got from Greece and Australia, his home country. “I want to say to the people of Greece and Australia, I feel your love, I feel your support, and that means the world to me. I love you so much, sending it all back to you,” he told Star TV in Greece.

Cyprus has been snubbed from the Greek twelve points in the past, with the last time being in 2015, when Athens gave Cyprus’ entry John Karayiannis ten points.