Akel withdraws from Cyprus Forum over change to Harmanci’s title

Nicosia, Cyprus. Akel has withdrawn from the Cyprus Forum, citing “hysterical right-wing rhetoric” after organisers stopped referring to Turkish Cypriot Nicosia mayor Mehmet Harmanci as a mayor following pressure from Elam and members of the government. The party said leader Stefanos Stefanou informed the forum on Saturday that he would not attend, and that other invited Akel members would take the same stance.

Withdrawals follow title change

“Hysterical right-wing rhetoric cannot determine public dialogue in our country,” Akel said.

Akel joins Harmanci, Nicosia mayor Charalambos Prountzos, the Association for historical dialogue and research, the Cyprus peace and dialogue centre, and Turkish Cypriot political party the CTP in withdrawing from the forum in recent days.

The withdrawals began after organisers changed Harmanci’s designation from “mayor of [the] Nicosia Turkish Municipality” to “leader of the Turkish Cypriot community of Nicosia” last week.

Elam objection

Announcing his withdrawal, Harmanci said the change followed a reaction from Elam. Last Wednesday, Elam said it was “dismayed to learn that the pseudo-mayor of occupied Nicosia will participate in the Cyprus Forum”.

Elam said its members had also been invited but had “responded unequivocally that if ‘officials’ of the pseudo-state participate, we will not attend”. Elam member of the European Parliament Geadis Geadi attended last year’s event.

Harmanci said he subsequently received an email from Cyprus Forum officials stating that “the title was changed to prevent the crisis from escalating further”. He said he told them the change “cannot be considered a simple case of crisis management”.

He called the sequence of events a “dangerous example of how racist and divisive propaganda, manipulation, and attempts at political intimidation can easily undermine steps taken to promote common sense, mutual respect, and a culture of peace”.