Turkish Cypriot political figures have condemned the attack on a 47-year-old Turkish Cypriot man in Ayia Napa, who remains intubated at Nicosia general hospital following the assault.

Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman has said that the Turkish Cypriot side moved swiftly to establish contact with relevant authorities following the attack.

According to reports from the occupied north, Erhurman said that, from the moment they were informed of the incident, contacts had been made with the relevant bicommunal technical committee, the authorities in the north and officials of the Republic of Cyprus.

He also wished the injured man a speedy recovery and said that the public would be informed should any new information emerge regarding the case.

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The attack has sparked strong reactions across the political spectrum in the north, with ‘prime minister’ Unal Ustel condemning the assault and stating that such attacks could not be tolerated.

“If nationalist hatred or hostility towards the Turkish Cypriot identity lies behind this attack, then this is not simply an isolated crime, but a very serious hate crime directed against social peace, the will for coexistence and human values,” Ustel said.

He added that the authorities of the Republic of Cyprus were expected to identify and bring those responsible to justice, arguing that the investigation should be conducted in a transparent and effective manner, without any attempt at a cover-up.

‘Tourism minister’ Fikri Ataoglu also condemned the attack, saying it was unacceptable for a person to become the target of such a violent assault because of their identity, language or origin.

“This attack constitutes a serious threat not only to the individual concerned, but also to social peace and the culture of coexistence,” he said, while wishing the victim a speedy recovery.

Meanwhile, People’s Party leader Kudret Ozersay expressed his sorrow over the incident in a post on social media, noting that the victim’s condition remained serious.

He stressed that it was of “utmost importance” that those responsible be identified and punished, both to ensure justice and to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.

The comments came after Cyprus police arrested three 18-year-olds in connection with the assault, with investigations into the circumstances surrounding the attack continuing.