TRNC President Tufan Erhürman reacted to efforts by some circles within the Greek Cypriot administration to block a football camp that Barcelona plans to organize in the TRNC for young players.
Erhürman said on social media that he had seen numerous efforts to prevent the camp from taking place, adding that no Turkish Cypriot or Greek Cypriot should be deprived, because of the Cyprus issue, of opportunities offered to young people in other countries.
In his statement, Erhürman said the cancellation of the event and preventing children from playing football could be described as a diplomatic victory, but from a humanitarian perspective, it would be a defeat for all people and humanity.
Stressing that such events should not be politicized, Erhürman recalled calls made after 2004 by institutions of the United Nations, the European Union and the Council of Europe to end the isolation of Turkish Cypriots.
Barcelona announced plans to hold the football camp for young players in the TRNC on September 11. The far-right National Popular Front Party asked the Foreign Ministry of the Greek Cypriot administration to pressure Spain to prevent the camp from taking place.