**More than 5,100 Turkish Cypriots Granted Cyprus Citizenship Since 2004**
A total of 5,176 Turkish Cypriots have received Cypriot citizenship since 2004, according to data released by the Interior Ministry on Monday. This figure reflects a significant trend in citizenship grants over the years, with the majority occurring before formal criteria were established.
Between 2004 and February 2007, a total of 2,972 citizenships were granted, representing the largest share of the total. This period was marked by a lack of formal guidelines for citizenship approval, allowing for a more rapid processing of applications. However, the pace of citizenship grants slowed considerably after the cabinet implemented formal criteria on February 14, 2007. From that point until 2013, only 1,806 citizenships were granted.
The decline continued in the following decade, with a mere 67 citizenships awarded between 2014 and 2023. This trend indicates a tightening of the approval process for Turkish Cypriots seeking citizenship.
Recent changes to the criteria, revised on February 2, 2024, have led to an uptick in citizenship grants, with 331 Turkish Cypriots obtaining citizenship since the revisions took effect. The new criteria primarily address cases involving children born in Cyprus to foreign parents, often Turkish settlers. These applications now require cabinet approval under the civil registry law, diverging from standard citizenship application procedures.
The Interior Ministry has clarified that it does not maintain records of pending citizenship applications. Instead, it receives requests or letters that are not formally logged in its system. The cabinet's criteria consider various factors, including the nationality of the foreign parent, the location of the parents' marriage, and the circumstances surrounding the Turkish parent's entry into Cyprus.
The issue of citizenship for Turkish Cypriots and children of mixed marriages is closely tied to Cyprus' accession to the European Union in 2004. This accession granted Turkish Cypriots residing in the northern part of the island the right to EU citizenship as citizens of the Republic of Cyprus. However, following Cyprus' entry into the EU, EU law was suspended in the north due to its lack of effective governance by the Republic.
Turkish Cypriots holding Cypriot citizenship enjoy the same rights as other EU citizens, including freedom of movement and residence across member states, regardless of whether they live in the government-controlled areas or the north.
Since the establishment of the criteria, citizenship applications from Turkish Cypriots and children of mixed marriages have been processed on a discretionary basis by the cabinet. This approach has faced legal challenges, particularly regarding its compliance with the principle of equality. A notable case involved Eda Hancer, who was born in Nicosia in 1978 to a Turkish Cypriot mother and a Turkish father. Hancer argued that the citizenship provision indirectly discriminated against Turkish Cypriots based on the legal status of a parent's entry or residence in Cyprus.
The Supreme Court unanimously rejected her appeal, affirming that the criteria set by the cabinet did not violate equality principles or constitute indirect discrimination. The court underscored that the granting of citizenship is a sovereign act subject to state discretion and not an automatic entitlement, even when formal conditions appear to be satisfied.
Despite the court's ruling, the provision has faced ongoing criticism from advocacy groups and affected families. Critics argue that the application of the criteria effectively excludes children whose Turkish Cypriot or Turkish parents settled in the north after the 1974 Turkish invasion. A review conducted in 2022 highlighted that the exceptions to the criteria were largely limited to children whose parents had married outside Cyprus or whose relationships began independently of the invasion, leaving many children of mixed marriages unable to obtain citizenship despite having a Cypriot parent.
As the debate over citizenship continues, the situation remains complex, reflecting the broader challenges of identity, nationality, and the legacy of division on the island of Cyprus. The evolving criteria and their implications for Turkish Cypriots and their families will likely remain a focal point in discussions surrounding citizenship and rights in Cyprus.