‘Save us, Erdoğan!’ Greek Cypriot businessman begs Turkish PM

Ömer BİLGE NICOSIA – Hürriyet

Hristou said he would move to Turkish Cyprus if his problems were not solved. AA Photo

A Greek Cypriot businessman has urged Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan “to save” him from the Greek Cypriot government in the south.

Leondis Hristou, 56, who has a bus and taxi business, addressed Erdoğan as “the guarantor of the Republic of Cyprus” in a letter to the Turkish prime minister.

“I am the father of four kids. The state has been torturing me economically for years. I have two taxis and I bought 20 buses, getting into debt. I wanted to carry tourists between Limassol and Larnaca, but they won’t allow it. [Greek Cypriot authorities in the south] also canceled my previous licenses,” Hristou said in the letter.

Speaking to daily Hürriyet, Hristou said he faxed his letter to Erdoğan’s office and said one of his friends would soon visit Ankara to deliver it to the prime minister personally.

Hristou said he would move to Turkish Cyprus if his problems were not solved.

“Turkey claims it intervened in Cyprus in 1974 to maintain the order. The order in Cyprus [the Greek Cypriot part] is disturbed again. If Turkey is a guarantor, Prime Minister Erdoğan should maintain the order again,” Hristou said.

He added that he would organize a protest in Ankara “if Erdoğan doesn’t care.”

The Treaty of Guarantee between the Republic of Cyprus, Greece, Turkey and the United Kingdom, which was signed in 1960, recognizes the three countries as Cyprus’ guarantors of independence, territorial integrity and security.