Akel Withdraws from Cyprus Forum Citing Right-Wing Pressure and Title Dispute Over Turkish Cypriot Mayor
Akel has officially withdrawn from the Cyprus Forum following controversy over the title of Turkish Cypriot Nicosia mayor Mehmet Harmanci. The forum's organizers altered Harmanci's designation from 'mayor of Nicosia Turkish Municipality' to 'leader of the Turkish Cypriot community of Nicosia' after pressure from the far-right party Elam and certain government members. Akel condemned the move as succumbing to "hysterical right-wing rhetoric" and announced that its leader, Stefanos Stefanou, and other members will not attend the event.
The party's withdrawal follows similar decisions by the Association for Historical Dialogue and Research, the Cyprus Peace and Dialogue Centre, the Turkish Cypriot CTP party, and the Nicosia mayors. Harmanci said the alteration and subsequent pressure undermined efforts to promote peace and mutual respect, describing it as a dangerous example of racist and divisive propaganda. The forum's executive president noted that official requests from Republic of Cyprus officials questioned Harmanci's title, sparking the change to avoid further crisis.
Harmanci praised the solidarity shown by Nicosia's Greek Cypriot mayor, Charalambos Prountzos, who also withdrew from the forum in protest. The dispute highlights ongoing tensions surrounding recognition of Turkish Cypriot municipalities, which historically predate the Republic of Cyprus and are constitutionally recognized despite political sensitivities.
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