By late Thursday night, the Republic of Cyprus had still not responded to a series of Turkish-Cypriot offers to assist in battling the massive wildfire ravaging the mountains above Limassol and threatening Paphos. The only concrete cross-line contact all day was the symbolic—some say purely cosmetic—visit of Turkish Cypriot politician Tufan Erhürman, an opposition figure, to the south’s crisis centre in Ypsonas. Once again, a natural disaster exposed the island’s inability to turn polite words into practical cooperation.
Offers Piled Up—And Went Nowhere
Earlier, Turkish Cypriot leader and President of the internationally recognized Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Ersin Tatar, publicly committed personnel, equipment, and technical expertise from the north, funneling the proposal through both the United Nations and direct calls to Greek-Cypriot officials. Tatar said fully equipped crews were already “on standby,” describing the pledge as a humanitarian duty that transcends politics. Mayors in northern Nicosia and Kyrenia backed him up, telephoning their southern counterparts to place trained municipal fire teams at their disposal. Smaller Turkish-Cypriot parties issued press statements and social-media posts, urging Nicosia to say yes.
Yet hour after hour, no answer came. Government spokespeople in the capital limited themselves to general updates on foreign aid arriving from Israel, Greece, and Jordan—never mentioning the resources waiting just a few kilometres away across the Green Line.
The Lone Gesture: Erhürman’s Visit
Late on Thursday, Erhürman, leader of the Republican Turkish Party and a candidate in next year’s northern elections, crossed the checkpoint and drove to Ypsonas. Cameras captured him shaking hands with senior officers and promising help “in any form the Republic requires.” The meeting produced warm words and no shared action plan. By nightfall, the blaze remained out of control, and the north-side fire trucks stayed parked.
Frustration Boils Over Online
Meanwhile, Turkish-Cypriot volunteers flooded Facebook, X, and Instagram with sentimental photos and messages. One post read, “We’re thirty minutes from the buffer zone, but nobody picks up the phone.” Another simply asked, “Do trees carry passports?”
Photo: 24sports