Politis

The Carnival of Occupation

Published February 21, 2026, 14:09
The Carnival of Occupation

The article examines the paradoxical coexistence of festive mood and unresolved national issues in Cyprus, specifically at the Limassol Carnival held near the dividing line. The author analyzes two possible interpretations: societal habituation to partition and the need to continue social life as a coping mechanism. It highlights that public joy does not necessarily imply oblivion, but can be a way to deal with a difficult reality. The article emphasizes the difference between the experience of the older generation, who lived through the events of the occupation, and the younger generation, who rely on a distorted version of history. It warns that transferring the same emotional burden to younger generations can create rifts rather than continuity. Political maturity, according to the author, is not achieved through guilt, but through understanding and critical thinking. Furthermore, the need for strategic thinking and institutional seriousness in addressing the issue of occupation is underlined, as well as a consistent demand for accountability from political leadership. The struggle for resolving the problem is not expressed through slogans, but through informed participation and persistence in choices that will yield results, such as the removal of the Turkish army. Finally, the article concludes that the normality that has been established over the past fifty years is administrative and social, but not historical or moral. Unresolved issues remain as pending matters and wounds that shape the future, while a society deprived of moments of joy does not become more patriotic, but more fragile.

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