The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) on Wednesday slammed the Greek Cypriot Administration for its efforts to prevent football club Barcelona’s plan to organize a training camp for young players in the TRNC.
TRNC President Tufan Erhurman said he had seen on social media numerous attempts by certain circles in the Greek Cypriot Administration to prevent the camp being organized, stressing that he would not want any Turkish Cypriot or Greek Cypriot to be denied, because of the Cyprus issue, the opportunities available to young people in other countries.
“You may call getting the festival canceled and trying to prevent children from playing football a diplomatic victory, but from a humanitarian perspective, it is clear to me that this is a defeat for all people and for humanity,” Erhurman said in a statement.
Erhurman said such events should not be politicized, recalling calls made after 2004 by relevant UN, EU and Council of Europe institutions for the isolation of Turkish Cypriots to be ended.
Barcelona announced that the training camp for young players is scheduled to be held in the TRNC on Sept. 11.
The far-right National Popular Front party called on the Greek Cypriot Administration’s Foreign Ministry to pressure Spain to prevent the camp from taking place.