LEFKOSA - Foreign Minister of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Turgay Avci condemned in a written statement Monday an attack on the Great Mosque in Limassol (Greek Cypriot Side).
Avci said the incident created wide reaction among Turkish Cypriot community and asked the Greek Cypriot administration to punish the perpetrators and take necessary measures including shutting down the bar located right next to the mosque.
Avci said one of the biggest reasons of the incident was the allotment of the building owned by the foundations authority as a bar. He said a group of drunken Greek cypriots attacked around 30 Turkish Cypriots --who were at the mosque for prayer-- with stones and sticks and caused damage in the mosque.
"It is obvious that the Greek Cypriot side is still uneasy about the Turkish presence in the island. The allotment of the building --right next to a mosque open to worship-- as a bar by the Greek Cypriot administration and the Greek Municipality in Limassol irresponsibly despite the complaints of mosque goers, can not pe explained in a different way," said Avci.
(OZG-ULG)