Turkey and institutions affiliated to the north are reportedly conducting disinformation and propaganda campaigns in Cyprus, a Polish embassy officer said on Wednesday, pointing out that the aim was to cause fear and weaken the Republic’s status in the region.

The officer was presenting a study on misinformation and disinformation campaigns in Poland and Cyprus during a working lunch with journalists hosted by the embassy in Nicosia.

The officer said Poland had recently had to deal with such campaigns, related to fake news on social media which gained momentum.

Referring to Cyprus, the officer said there had been “spectacular examples of anti-immigrant information on social media in Cyprus”.

Other fake news included Ukraine, affecting public opinion.

The officer cited a recent survey, according to which more than 70 per cent of Cypriots got their information from social media.

Regarding Turkish propaganda, the officer said “Turkey and the institutions affiliated to the occupied side are conducting disinformation and propaganda campaigns within Cyprus”.

“They try to portray the Republic of Cyprus as a state dependent on external powers” with the aim of causing fear, mistrust, to weaken the Republic of Cyprus’ status in the region, to undermine trust within Cypriot society, to influence international relations, to generate tensions with Arab or Islamic countries and to recognise the presence of Turkey in the north, the officer added.