Mustafa Akıncı

Dozens of people pushed aside police barriers on Feb. 29 in Cyprus to protest the closing of a crossing point in the medieval core of the ethnically divided island nation's capital.

Protesters chanted and raised placards opposing the closure of the Nicosia crossing point, which the Greek Cypriot government said it ordered to help prevent the possible spread of the new coronavirus.

Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akıncı on Feb. 22 reiterated that the most realistic option for a settlement in Cyprus is bi-communal, bi-zonal federation.

Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci has suggested that Varosha, a southern suburb of Famagusta that has been fenced off and abandoned since Turkey invaded northern Cyprus, is being used as an election gimmick, adding that he supports UN-backed efforts to reopen the ghost town.

Turkish Cypriot main opposition Republican Turkish Party (CTP) leader and presidential candidate Tufan Erhürman has stated that a policy based on an approach that will not increase mutual tensions with Ankara is significant.

The people of Turkey and the Turkish Cyprus will not accept deadlock as the fate of the long-divided Mediterranean island of Cyprus, said Turkey's vice president on Feb. 15.
Fuat Oktay's remarks came during a meeting on the legal, political and economic aspects of reopening the abandoned town of Varosha (Maraş) -- empty for decades -- in the Turkish Cypriot city of Gazimağusa.

Turkish Foreign Minister Melvut Cavusoglu described Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci as "unreliable," after the later said the prospect of Crimea-style annexation with Turkey was "horrible".

"I've never worked with a more unreliable politician," he said in a press conference on Monday.

Senior Turkish officials on Feb. 8 condemned the remarks by Mustafa Akıncı, the leader of Turkish Cyprus in a British daily.         

The condemnations came after Akıncı talked to The Guardian about the long-standing reunification efforts in Cyprus island.         

The current president of the Turkish Cyprus announced on Feb. 5 that he will contest the 2020 presidential election to be held on April 26.

Mustafa Akıncı told reporters in the capital Lefkoşa that he will run as an independent candidate.

Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci will meet next Monday to discuss possible ways of cooperation to protect the Cyprus population from the coronavirus.

The presidential election in Turkish Cyprus will be held on April 26, 2020.

The election bans will start on March 1, according to the statement made by Turkish Cyprus Supreme Election Board (YSK).

Four politicians announced the presidential candidacy.