Euro souvenir note to pay tribute to Turkish Cypriot leader

ISTANBUL

The face of the leader of the Turkish Cypriot peoples’ struggle Fazıl Küçük has been printed on a special souvenir euro note to pay tribute to him.

The limited-edition Zero Euro note was printed through a special permit issued by the European Central Bank.

Around 10,000 notes have been printed.

The money printed to pay tribute to the late leader will be sold in Turkish Cyprus for collectors, Turkish Cypriot media reported.

The note was being printed to pay tribute to Küçük for his great sacrifices and leadership to the Turkish Cypriot people, according to reports.

Other historical figures which have had their pictures printed in tribute include Mahatma Gandhi, Karl Marx, Che Guevara, Fatih Sultan Mehmet and Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.

Küçük was a Turkish Cypriot politician who served as the first vice president of the 'Republic of Cyprus'. Küçük continued as the vice president of Cyprus until 1973 when he was succeeded by Rauf Denktaş.

In 1974, following a coup aiming at Cyprus’ annexation by Greece, Ankara had to intervene as a guarantor power.

The decades since then have seen several attempts to resolve the dispute, all ending in failure.