The graffiti on a Limassol mosque did not contain racist or religious hate speech but was instead related to a football rivalry, said Government Spokesperson, Konstantinos Letymbiotis Thursday.
He was responding to a statement by the Mufti’s Office which said that the Republic of Cyprus is failing to protect Muslim places of worship.
“As is well known, the Republic of Cyprus approaches issues related to religious respect and the preservation of cultural heritage with the necessary attention and inherent respect. It is worth reminding that, within this framework, the Government announced fourteen measures last January, aiming to facilitate the daily lives of our Turkish Cypriot compatriots. One of these measures is to provide further access to Muslim monuments in the government-controlled areas,” he said.
Letymbiotis concluded by reiterating the government’s commitment to the rule of law and its respect for the religious heritage of Turkish Cypriots.
“Not a single Muslim religious monument has been abandoned or repurposed,” he asserted.
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