Akinci criticized for the absence of the TRNC and Turkish flag during the meetings with visitors

Turkish Cypriot President, Mustafa Akıncı who received the French Ambassador to South Cyprus René Troccaz and the Chairman of the Association for Social Reform (OPEK) which operates in South Cyprus in a separate meeting on Friday has been criticized for the absence of the TRNC and Turkish flag during the meetings.

Akıncı in response to the criticism, issued a statement that the habit of conducting cheap politics using the flag still continued.

He pointed out that the Turkish and TRNC flags were also not displayed during visits paid to him by the UN Secretary General’s Special Representative Elizabeth Spehar or the UN Secretary General’s Temporary Special Envoy Jane Holl Lute.

This is not a new situation. This has been the practice even before my term in office. We have our flags flying on mast in front of the Presidency building which greets all those who come to visit this office. Then there are the removable flags we have indoors. They are removed or placed according to the character or nature of the meeting. As an ongoing practice dating before my term we do not impose symbols during visits of foreign dignitaries. We prefer to convey our views to those who come and visit us, he said.

Akinici stated that those who chose to use this issue as an excuse to attack him and his administration were doing so intentionally.

This is why I chose to issue a public statement on the matter, he added.

BRTK