Concerns Raised Over New Measures Granting Citizenship to Turkish Cypriots of Mixed Marriages in Cyprus

Concerns have been raised over new measures introduced by the government of Cyprus to grant citizenship to Turkish Cypriots of mixed marriages.

The criteria for granting citizenship have not been made clear, leading to confusion and criticism from political parties. Deputy Government Spokesman Yiannis Antoniou stated that the measures were aimed at breaking the deadlock in Cyprus talks, but emphasized the need for a humanitarian approach without compromising the political framework.

There are currently nearly four thousand pending applications, some of which may fall within the new criteria. However, the verification of evidence and documents provided by Turkish Cypriots remains a significant challenge. Political parties have called for more specific information on the measures and expressed concerns about granting citizenship in light of the ongoing Turkish occupation.

The government has been urged to broaden and clarify the measures, taking into consideration the complex nature of the Cyprus problem. The Movement for Resolution of Mixed Marriage Problem welcomed the government's move but noted that there is still a long way to go.