Nicosia: Cypriot MEP Loucas Fourlas, member of Democratic Rally (DISY) and European People's Party (EPP), has appealed for the intervention of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic to stop the Nexus electronic music festival, organized by the Serbian company EXIT Festival, scheduled for September 18, 2026, at Kyrenia Castle, located in the Turkish-occupied region of Cyprus.
According to Cyprus News Agency, Fourlas, in his capacity as chair of the Delegation to the EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee, has written to the Serbian President urging him to take decisive action to prevent the festival. He emphasizes in his letter that Kyrenia is an essential part of the Republic of Cyprus, and its castle is a monument of significant historical and cultural value to the Cypriot people.
Fourlas warns that hosting a major musical event in the occupied castle, in collaboration with the illegal entities operating in the area, could inadvertently legitimize and normalize the contested status quo. He insists that although Cyprus supports cultural and artistic exchanges as a bridge for friendship and cooperation, it cannot allow such events to become a means of recognizing or empowering illegal secessionist structures.
He further elaborates that alongside his communications with the Serbian political leadership, he remains in continuous contact with the Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus in Serbia to coordinate efforts and utilize all possible communication channels with the relevant Serbian authorities.
The Cypriot MEP stresses that the issue transcends the scope of a musical event, touching on broader concerns of sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the international legal status of the Republic of Cyprus.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974 following Turkey's invasion and occupation of its northern third. Efforts led by the UN to resolve the division have so far been unsuccessful, mainly due to Turkish intransigence. The most recent negotiations in July 2017 at Crans-Montana, Switzerland, ended without resolution.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, as his term nears its end, announced plans for another meeting in a broader format after thorough preparations, though no specific timeline was provided. He has secured agreement from both sides and the guarantor powers for this initiative. Mara Angela Holgun, Guterres' Personal Envoy on Cyprus, is engaging with the involved parties, while Executive Vice-President Raffaele Fitto acts as the European Commission's Special Representative for Cyprus.