American singer Anastacia arrived in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (KKTC) on Thursday for a gig slated for Saturday at the country’s swanky Cratos Premium Hotel despite efforts by Greek Cypriots to prevent the event from happening.
Anastacia came to İstanbul on Thursday evening en route to the KKTC. She declined to comment to reporters at the İstanbul airport. The 42-year-old renowned singer, whose has sold more than 20 million albums worldwide, first called off her gig, originally slated for Sept. 25, due to growing pressure from the Greek Cypriot diaspora in the US. The owner of the $220 million newly built luxury hotel, Murat Bozoğlu, persuaded the singer to change her mind and perform in the KKTC as she had originally agreed.
Bozoğlu had previously invited pop star Jennifer Lopez, but the singer had decided to cancel her performance last minute after a storm of angry protests from Greek Cypriots who thought her performance would lend the KKTC political legitimacy.
Cyprus was split after a Turkish intervention that followed a Greek Cypriot coup engineered by the military junta ruling Greece in 1974. The internationally recognized Greek Cypriot government, which runs the southern part of Cyprus, has accused Turkey of occupying Greek Cypriot land.
Renowned Spanish singer Julio Iglesias and R&B singer Rihanna were also forced to cancel their planned performances in the KKTC, which is not internationally recognized and has been isolated from rest of the world for decades. Turkish Cypriots in the north accuse Greek Cypriots of persistently blocking efforts to end their international isolation even after they voted for a plan to reunite the island in 2004, a plan rejected by Greek Cypriots.
via Today’s Zaman, your gateway to Turkish daily news.
Leave a Reply