Turkish Cypriot leader urges depoliticization of children’s rights issues in mixed marriages and education
Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman has called for the human rights issues affecting children of mixed marriages, Maronite children, and pupils at the Greek Cypriot school in Rizokarpaso to be addressed without political conditions or exploitation. Erhurman highlighted that these matters are high on his agenda, with ongoing efforts to resolve obstacles such as loss of scholarships, visa denials, and restrictions on participation in international competitions due to parental origin or birthplace.
Erhurman emphasized that when addressing concerns regarding pupils at the Karpasia school, political recognition is not imposed, underscoring that these are about children’s welfare. He referred to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’s inclusion of these issues among seven confidence-building measures aimed at fostering cooperation, including mine clearance, citizenship for children of mixed marriages, sports, and joint disaster response.
However, the Republic of Cyprus government spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbiotis stated that granting citizenship to children of mixed marriages is governed by legal frameworks and EU status, not a confidence-building measure. Since 2004, over 5,000 Turkish Cypriots have been granted Republic of Cyprus citizenship, with applications currently reviewed under revised criteria implemented in 2024, involving individual cabinet approval for cases of children born to one foreign parent in Cyprus.
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