Provocations by authorities in the north during an anti-occupation event by Famagusta municipality event on Saturday evening are “condemnable” President Nikos Christodoulides said on Sunday.

Speaking to journalists after a memorial service for the island’s first resident, Archbishop Makarios, about drones from the north disrupting the demonstration, he said, “first and foremost I condemn such actions. I think it is the first time that this violation has occurred”.

But, he added, “there is another dimension. It wasn’t just drones”.

He said for the first time since he has been attending this annual event, previously as government spokesman and foreign minister was that Turkish marches and celebrations could be heard.

“It was a way to harass the event. But, as long as we see developments, as long as we see data in the direction of resolving the Cyprus problem, surely some who embrace the partition of Cyprus, some who are supporters of the continuation of this unacceptable state of affairs, and I am referring to the Turkish side, will seek to create problems, create new issues and difficulties.

“This is condemnable, what needs to be done will be done. At the same time, I would like to say that we are committed to our goal.”

Asked if the timing of events in the north was coincidental, Christodoulides replied firmly in the negative.

“The Turkish occupying army may have wanted to send some messages. I don’t know who is behind this action, what preceded it, who gave the instructions, why it happened, and so on. All this is reprehensible, there is no excuse”.

Regardless of such istractions, he said the Greek Cypriot side remains focussed on its goal.

“We are making a great effort to start an international effort, which is promising and this is not wishful thinking, it is on the basis of what we are discussing, what we have seen, how we are moving forward and we will do everything so that there is a positive result.”

He added that during private and joint meetings, with Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman, with UNSG Antonio Guterres last week, the latter made it clear “there is no doubt, in relation to the intended goal – any shadows in relation to the two states, any other forms of solution outside the box, have been erased”.