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Those who move to or frequently spend time in Northern Cyprus usually bring more than just suitcases. They have expectations, many practical questions, and the desire to find people with whom they can share a part of their daily lives. Setting up a new apartment takes a few days. Familiarity, on the other hand, requires encounters, and these rarely happen spontaneously. Especially in the first few weeks, small contacts can make a big difference. Someone knows a tradesperson, explains the next step with the authorities, or recommends a doctor who's easier to communicate with. A quick message might turn into a coffee. A few weeks later, you recognize the first faces in your own town – and for us, that's the real difference between emigrating to Northern Cyprus and simply moving. The island boasts a surprisingly diverse community. Turkish Cypriots, people from Turkey, Great Britain, Germany, Scandinavia, Eastern Europe, Africa, and many other regions live side by side and together here. Which network suits you best depends primarily on what you're looking for. The international community: The Foreign Residents One of the most established contact points for life in Northern Cyprus is the association [ The Foreign Residents in the TRNC ], or TFR for short. According to its own statements, it was founded in 1998 and is recognized as a non-profit organization. It now has more than 1,700 members from 44 countries. TFR combines social gatherings with practical support. The association provides information about the stay, health issues, and daily life on-site, and also organizes excursions, lectures, festivals, and a Canasta group. The "Ping Pal Buddy System," where people check in with each other regularly and look out for one another, is particularly valuable. Medical equipment can be borrowed on a temporary basis. Imagine you've just unpacked your boxes, don't know anyone in town, and are wondering what life as an expat in Northern Cyprus will even be like. Let's call her Elena – a woman in her late forties who moved to Esentepe alone. In the first few weeks, even grocery shopping and trips to the bank felt unfamiliar because there was no one she could quickly ask for help. Through a recommendation, she found her way to the Tuesday meetings of the TFR (Turkish Women's Forum) in Esentepe. She recounts: On her second visit, she was already addressing someone by their first name, and by her fourth, she had a Ping-Pal partner who has been in touch every week since – not out of obligation, but because something like a friendship had developed over time. For single women venturing into a new beginning in Northern Cyprus, this reliable little network can make all the difference between truly arriving and merely surviving. Getting started is easy. According to the current event calendar, there are regular meetings: - on the first and third Tuesday of each month from 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm at the Sivil Savunma Teşkilat Başkanlığı in Esentepe, - Wednesdays from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM at Sultan's Restaurant in Çatalköy, - Fridays from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM at the Blue Song Restaurant in Lapta. Membership is currently applied for in person at one of these meetings; the website states an annual fee of 150 TL. Dates and conditions are subject to change, so it's always worth checking the [ TFR website ] before your first visit. German-speaking contacts in Northern Cyprus Speaking your own language provides a sense of security at the beginning. In a German-speaking group, experiences regarding accommodation, vehicles, insurance, schools, medical care, and everyday routines are easier to understand, and often this is where the first personal network develops. The [ German Community of Northern Cyprus ] describes regular monthly meetings at various locations: joint brunches, traditional meze evenings, and seasonal events. According to the community, current invitations are published in their Facebook group. This is where we bring in a second couple we frequently encounter in our work: Let's call them Ingrid and Thomas, a married couple in their early seventies who have been living in Alsancak for several years. For them, the language wasn't the main issue, but rather the question of what to do with their time in retirement when the familiar structures of their working lives suddenly disappeared. A brunch organized by the German Community of Northern Cyprus led them to another couple from the same region in Germany – now both couples spend every other Sunday together at the seaside, and through this connection, Thomas has found his place in a hiking group. For a married couple in the second half of their lives, this is often precisely what matters: developing new rituals together that truly make retirement in Northern Cyprus a unique chapter in their lives. The page [ InfoNorthCyprus ] also lists other Facebook groups for foreign residents, including "North Cyprus Fan Group" and "Germans in North Cyprus, Expats and Long-Term Vacationers". Before joining, it's worth taking a look at the group rules, recent posts, and the administrators. A German-speaking network is particularly helpful when a specific question arises urgently. For a lasting sense of belonging, it's also worthwhile to connect with neighbors and the international community, so that your daily life in Northern Cyprus remains open to the many cultures that shape this place. Telegram: fast, international and topic-specific Telegram groups and channels usually work faster than traditional forums. Some spread news, others serve as a platform for open exchange about events, services, transportation, or life as a foreign resident. The public channel [ Northern Cyprus News ], according to its own description, is aimed at students, foreign residents, and expats. There, users can share tips and current observations from Northern Cyprus. [ Search North Cyprus ] also publishes information in English about daily life, weather, offers, and services. WhatsApp groups: close to everyday life Many social connections in everyday life in Northern Cyprus are organized via WhatsApp. There are neighborhood groups, apartment complex chats, parent groups, hiking groups, animal welfare networks, sports clubs, and private groups for German- or English-speaking residents. Such groups are often deliberately not publicly listed; access is gained through neighbors, clubs, schools, restaurants, or an initial personal meeting. This restraint protects members: A public invitation link makes phone numbers and profile information visible to many strangers. Therefore, we deliberately list the relevant contact points here instead of individual private links, which, in any case, could only be published with the explicit consent of the respective administrators. Anyone joining such a group would be well advised to read along for a while first, respect the group's purpose, be sparing with advertising, and treat others' personal information confidentially. A friendly introduction including your region of residence and your own interests usually opens more doors than a long list of questions on the first day. Encounters beyond the telephone Digital groups make it easier to get started. Community then grows in real-world settings. A club afternoon, a hike, a language course, or helping with a local project brings together people who already have something in common before they even really know each other. In Girne and along the coast, you'll find sports clubs, golf and hiking groups, cultural initiatives, animal welfare organizations, and charitable projects. Local communities often announce events via their websites and social media, and restaurants and cafes frequently serve as informal meeting places. Those who attend regularly will eventually become familiar faces. Even a few Turkish words can be more helpful than you might initially think. A greeting, a thank you, or an inquiry about someone's well-being can transform a relationship by demonstrating interest in the place and its people. No one has to forgo the familiar German-speaking community for this – closeness through one's own language and openness to local life complement each other; they are not mutually exclusive. How to find the right community A good starting point is your own region. Those living in Esentepe or Çatalköy are best advised to attend one of the TFR meetings in the east of the island. For Lapta and Alsancak, the western meeting point is recommended. German-speaking residents can find initial contacts through the German Community of Northern Cyprus and the aforementioned Facebook groups before venturing further into the international community. Telegram provides a quick overview of English-language news and public discussions. Private WhatsApp groups are usually only opened after a personal meeting – and this order has a pleasant side effect: you already know someone before sharing your phone number with an entire group. You can recognize a helpful community by its tone. Questions are welcome, different experiences are shared, and advertising remains manageable. Good groups openly state who runs them and what their purpose is. They don't promise shortcuts regarding residency rights, health, or investments. A home can grow from contacts. Arriving in Northern Cyprus rarely happens in a single day. It develops through recurring paths, familiar voices, and people helping one another – whether it's a single woman finding her first Ping-Pal partner through a Tuesday meeting, or a married couple who become part of a hiking group over brunch. The sea and the mountains give the island its character. Community provides stability to the new daily routine. Some journeys begin with a Telegram message and later lead to a meeting in Esentepe, Çatalköy, or Lapta. The crucial step is moving from reading to meeting in person. In the next article, we'll look at which official procedures actually need to be completed in the first few weeks—a topic where these very contacts often make the biggest difference. If you don't want to miss any posts: You can subscribe to our newsletter further down this page, then every new update from Northern Cyprus will come directly to you. The best communities for Northern Cyprus Anyone who wants to emigrate to Northern Cyprus, already lives on the island, or simply wants to exchange ideas with other interested people will find a lot of helpful information, experiences, and contacts in the following Facebook groups and communities. 🇩🇪 German-speaking Facebook groups Germans in Northern Cyprus – Emigrants & Long-Term Vacationers One of the largest German-speaking communities for emigrants, long-term holidaymakers and anyone interested in life in Northern Cyprus. 👉 https://www.facebook.com/groups/DeutscheAufNordZypern Northern Cyprus Fan Group Open exchange about travel, emigration, real estate, everyday life and life in Northern Cyprus. 👉 https://www.facebook.com/groups/NordzypernFanGruppe 🌍 International Facebook groups North Cyprus Expats Group One of the largest international expat groups with daily posts about authorities, visas, doctors, tradespeople, real estate and life on the island. 👉 https://www.facebook.com/groups/NorthCyprusExpats 🤝 Community Associations & Networks The Foreign Residents in the TRNC (TFR) Probably the best-known association for international residents of Northern Cyprus. In addition to an active community, TFR regularly organizes meetings and events and offers a wealth of information for newcomers. 🌐 https://tfrnorthcyprus.com/ Membership information: 👉 https://tfrnorthcyprus.com/about-tfr/ German Community Northern Cyprus A German-speaking community with regular meetings, events and personal exchange. 🌐 https://www.deutschecommunitynordzypern.com/ueber-uns 📚 Other helpful platforms InfoNorthCyprus A comprehensive collection of the most important Facebook groups, associations and communities around Northern Cyprus. 🌐 https://nb.infonorthcyprus.com/facebook-groups Expat.com – Northern Cyprus Forum International forum for emigrants with many personal accounts and questions about life in Northern Cyprus. 🌐 https://www.expat.com/en/forum/europe/cyprus/north-cyprus/ 📲 Telegram channels about Cyprus for everyone – whether from North or South Cyprus An open German-speaking community and network for everyone interested in all of Cyprus. Motto: "We bring all sensible people together." 👉 https://tinyurl.com/CyprusForAll Northern Cyprus News Latest news and developments from Northern Cyprus. 👉 https://t.me/NorthCyprusnews Search North Cyprus Telegram channel with information, offers and news about Northern Cyprus. 👉 https://t.me/s/searchnorthcyprus *Editorial note: Elena, Ingrid and Thomas are not real names, but typical examples from stories we hear again and again - this allows us to show real experiences without revealing the privacy of individuals.

Yesterday we told you about the school in Esentepe and why the Turkish Cypriot side is approaching new rounds of talks with some caution. Today, on the third day of his visit, António Guterres sat down with Tufan Erhürman and Nikos Christodoulides for the first time as a trio. His initial outcome sounded rather sobering: He is prepared to convene a new meeting in the 5+1 format, together with the guarantor powers Turkey, Greece, and Great Britain – but only after sufficient preparatory work has been done. He did not specify a date (AP, UN Web TV). Those familiar with our article on the Guterres Models will expect precisely this restraint. The larger-scale approach will only emerge once smaller steps have proven viable. However, what particularly strikes us today is something that hardly any headline specifically mentions: almost simultaneously with the visit, new energy corridors have been developed on both sides of the island. And these corridors perhaps reveal more about the political landscape than it initially appears. Two lines, one sea On July 10, Turkey and Northern Cyprus signed a memorandum of understanding for a gas pipeline across the Mediterranean. It is planned to run from Anamur on the Turkish coast to the Teknecik power station near Kyrenia, a distance of 101 kilometers, 97 of which will be underwater. It will consist of two pipes, each 22 inches in diameter. Imagine the route: from the Turkish Riviera, it crosses the open sea and comes ashore where the coastal road east of Kyrenia gradually transitions into a more rural landscape – precisely the area through which the road to Esentepe also runs. Turkish gas is initially intended to secure electricity and heat for Northern Cyprus and reduce its dependence on liquid fuels. However, one detail warrants closer examination: the pipeline is designed for bidirectional flow. Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar stated that gas could later flow from Cyprus to Europe via Turkey (Anadolu Agency). Julian Bowden of the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies points out that the planned capacity significantly exceeds Northern Cyprus's needs – an indication that a potential export function is being considered once policymakers and operators reach an agreement (Anadolu Agency). Meanwhile, a second route is taking shape south of the island. Eighteen days after the Turkish-North Cypriot memorandum, Eni and TotalEnergies announced their final investment decision for the Kronos gas field, containing more than three trillion cubic feet of gas. Production is slated to begin in 2028, with transport via the existing Zohr facilities in Egypt and from there onward to Europe as liquefied natural gas (LNG) (Eni, TotalEnergies). Kronos is not a sudden development: the field was discovered in 2022, further evaluated in 2024, and in February 2025, Cyprus, Egypt, and the companies involved had already agreed on the future transport route. The decision of July 28th thus concludes a multi-year process; it is not the result of a single visit. The government of the Republic of Cyprus has explicitly condemned the Turkish-North Cypriot memorandum (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cyprus). This publicly presents two firmly opposing positions: on the one hand, sovereign energy security for Northern Cyprus, and on the other, the internationally recognized jurisdiction of the Republic of Cyprus over its maritime territories. No joint agreement between North and South is known, nor is there any evidence for one – anyone claiming that Guterres helped negotiate the Kronos Agreement during his visit is confusing temporal proximity with causation. The silent question behind the loud rejection And yet, one observation remains that is difficult to ignore: Guterres would hardly be preparing a 5+1 meeting if he hadn't discerned any common ground between the parties in recent weeks. He knows the failure of Crans-Montana from his own experience and won't lightly invite everyone to the table again. Perhaps the real agreement doesn't lie in a document at all, but in a quiet coexistence: Northern Cyprus is building its energy future with Turkey, the Republic of Cyprus with Egypt, Eni, and TotalEnergies – and as long as neither side effectively hinders the other's infrastructure, there remains room for both simultaneously. This would not contradict the Guterres model we described the day before yesterday, but rather be its logical continuation: first small, self-contained steps that build trust before the larger solution is even up for discussion. The only difference is that this time the steps don't consist of crossings or solar installations in the buffer zone, but of pipes and investment decisions. What this could mean for people on both sides Political equality is a powerful concept that often feels very concrete for Turkish Cypriots: Will they be involved in decisions that affect their future, or merely informed about them? If both energy pathways are allowed to coexist without either side having to abandon its partners, the result could be more than just cheaper electricity in Kyrenia or export revenues in the south. It could create the possibility of future joint projects in electricity, water, or renewable energy, without each individual decision having to wait for a complete political solution. We don't want to overstate this interpretation. It's a hypothesis, based on the timeline, the bidirectional interpretation of the Northern Line, and Guterres's willingness to adopt a new format – nothing more. A document confirming such a tacit agreement doesn't exist and probably never will, even if it does. What we will be paying attention to in the coming days Whether this observation will lead to more will be revealed by small signals: Will political rejection persist while projects on both sides continue unhindered? Will Holguín receive a concrete task for the next meeting after this visit? And will a working group on energy or revenue sharing eventually appear on the agenda? Equally important to us would be a visible answer to the question of how the Turkish Cypriot community can participate in the island's economic opportunities – a joint fund or guaranteed utility rights would be a first, tangible indication. Guterres departs without leaving a finalized plan. The goal is 5+1 talks (Model V). Perhaps two separate paths under the same sea will converge long before the political establishment officially announces it. Or, to put it another way, if the people and politicians on the island can't yet reach an agreement, perhaps the energy supply on the seabed off Cyprus can? If you don't want to miss an episode this week: You can subscribe to our newsletter further down this page, then every new update from Northern Cyprus will come directly to you. Sources: AP, UN Web TV, Anadolu Agency (technical data), Anadolu Agency (export function), Eni, TotalEnergies, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cyprus, and our own articles from July 27 and July 26.

Yesterday we told you how UN Secretary-General António Guterres traveled to Cyprus for the first time in 16 years as the first head of state to do so. Today, on the second day of his visit, the arrival turns into serious work: separate talks with President Nikos Christodoulides and with the Turkish Cypriot negotiator Tufan Erhürman, a joint dinner this evening, and a trilateral meeting of all three scheduled for Wednesday ( Euronews; AP ). Following his talks, Guterres said he would do everything in his power to support Greek and Turkish Cypriots at this crucial moment. The United Nations could accompany and promote peace, but shaping it would require the people of the island themselves and their political leaders, together with the guarantor powers Greece, Turkey, and Great Britain. This sounds reserved, almost cautious – and this caution has a reason that must be understood in order to grasp what is actually being negotiated here. Anyone familiar with our article from two days ago about Guterres's patterns will recognize two of them again today. First, the individual aspects are examined before any larger format is even up for discussion – this is precisely what we are currently witnessing with the separate meetings. And the larger meeting will only take place once sufficient preparation has been made: that's why Christodoulides, Erhürman, and Guterres will not sit down together until Wednesday at the earliest, not today. Where does today's reluctance come from? In his commentary on the Secretary-General's latest report, Tufan Erhürman highlighted something that is easily overlooked in the headlines: Guterres and the Security Council have repeatedly pointed to the growing social and economic divide between Turkish and Greek Cypriots. This divide deepens the estrangement, day by day. Increased contact, trade across the Green Line, new crossings, and concrete cooperation – all of this could improve people's daily lives and gradually build new trust ( Cyprus Mail ). To understand why many Turkish Cypriots approach new rounds of talks with a certain skepticism, one must look further back than 1974. The Republic of Cyprus was established in 1960 as a partnership between two politically equal communities, with a bi-communal structure extending to the presidency, parliament, and administration. From December 1963 onward, this order collapsed under violence. Turkish Cypriot officials lost their positions in government and administration. According to sources compiled by Mustafa Ergün Olgun, in the first nine days of fighting alone, some 25,000 Turkish Cypriots were expelled from 104 villages, roughly a quarter of the Turkish Cypriot population at the time. In the years that followed, tens of thousands lived in enclaves that together comprised only about three percent of the island—a life that a report by the UN Secretary-General at the time described as a “veritable siege” (Olgun, Betrayal - The Other Side of the Cyprus Case, pp. 57 and 64). Olgun writes as a Turkish Cypriot eyewitness and later negotiator. His book clearly represents one side of the story. At the same time, he bases key passages on UN documents and diplomatic telegrams. One of these stands out: In a 1964 telegram to Secretary of State Dean Rusk, then-US Under Secretary of State George W. Ball warned that if the external defenses of the Turkish Cypriots were eliminated, the government could proceed with a “systematic genocide” and “liquidate” the Turkish Cypriots (Olgun, p. 70). This term is not a later legal finding, but rather the documented assessment of a high-ranking diplomat from that era. Persecution, expulsion and years of restrictions for Turkish Cypriots are therefore not merely an assertion, but documented history - just as the massacres of 1974 in Atlılar, Muratağa, Sandallar and Taşkent, in which mostly women and children fell victim, are part of documented history. In many international summaries of the Cyprus question, the history of the Turkish Cypriots only begins in 1974. Eleven years of persecution, expulsion, and life in enclaves are omitted – and with them, a key to why trust is so cautiously given away in the north today. 2004: A yes that had no consequences Four decades later, the Annan Plan presented a comprehensive proposal for reunification. On April 24, 2004, the two communities voted separately: approximately 65 percent of Turkish Cypriots voted yes, while about 76 percent of Greek Cypriots voted no (Olgun, p. 364). The joint solution thus failed. A few days later, the Republic of Cyprus joined the European Union, while EU law remained suspended in the north. More background information and details can be found in our book. For many Turkish Cypriots, this very process became an experience of profound injustice: they had agreed to the UN plan, yet remained politically and economically isolated. After the referendum, the Council of the European Union declared its determination to end this isolation, and Kofi Annan called on the international community to remove unnecessary obstacles. Financial aid and the Green Line agreement brought about limited openings, but the intended direct trade has still not been fully realized (European Parliament; European Commission). This history continues to shape every new round of negotiations. Anyone expecting renewed trust must understand that a friendly appeal alone is hardly sufficient – this time, the Turkish Cypriot side needs the assurance that its agreement and willingness to compromise will have practical consequences. And then there's a school that's already thinking about tomorrow. We know Esentepe from our own experience as a place with mountains at its back and the sea at its doorstep. While a new political process is being discussed in Nicosia, a new school building is nearing completion here. The Çatalköy-Esentepe Municipality reported on the progress of the work in mid-July ( Çatalköy-Esentepe Municipality news overview ). Next to the discussions of a UN Secretary-General, a school building initially seems small. For the families here, however, it means something very concrete: children gain spaces to learn, teachers a place where they can impart knowledge and guidance, and parents the assurance that their community is thinking about tomorrow and not just today. Guterres himself also emphasizes education as a place of reconciliation, and we share this view: peace is most evident where young people are given a future and where origin does not determine who is allowed to learn and who is not. Turkish Cypriot children should be allowed to know what their families experienced between 1963 and 1974. Greek Cypriot children deserve the same honest access to their own families' experiences. From truth, understanding can grow, on both sides of the island. What must remain from this visit The second day did not produce a finished peace plan, nor was that to be expected. However, it did create a space in which the true imbalance could finally be addressed: the unequal international status, the economic disparities, the experience of 2004, and the concern that another "yes" vote would again be without reliable consequences. A new process therefore needs a clear framework – political equality that is tangible in everyday life, agreements with a timetable and verifiable steps, direct contact, trade, and fair participation in the island's opportunities for both sides. Meanwhile, in Esentepe, a place where the next generation will learn is quietly taking shape. The new school building won't solve the Cyprus conflict, nor would anyone expect it to. But it does show for whom a solution is actually being sought: for children, for families, for people who live here and are building their futures on this island. Guterres cannot impose peace, as he himself has said, and he is right. What the UN can contribute is ensuring that the truth is heard, that inequality is named, and that this time a promise is formulated in such a way that both communities can trust it. On Wednesday, when Christodoulides, Erhürman, and Guterres sit down together for the first time, we will know whether this leap of faith will bear fruit. If you don't want to miss an episode this week: You can subscribe to our newsletter further down this page, then every new update from Northern Cyprus will come directly to you. All love Samira & Marten Sources: Own article: Cyprus question in motion (July 27, 2026) Own article: When Guterres mediates – the Guterres patterns (July 26, 2026) Euronews: Guterres after the separate talks on July 28, 2026 AP: Guterres visit and possible expanded meeting Cyprus Mail: Guterres report on the growing socioeconomic gap Çatalköy-Esentepe Municipality: News and new school building European Parliament: Commitment to ending isolation and Direct Trade Regulation EU Commission: Aid program for the Turkish Cypriot community Mustafa Ergün Olgun: Betrayal – The Other Side of the Cyprus Case, full English version, Palgrave Macmillan/Springer Nature, 2025.

It's just before 7 p.m. when the first cars begin to back up in front of the Home for Cooperation in Nicosia's buffer zone. Waiters in the small cafes along Ledra Street are quickly putting out a few more chairs, and journalists with cameras are finding spots with a view of the old sandstone walls. Here, between the two halves of the island, history is being made this Monday evening: UN Secretary-General António Guterres is arriving in Cyprus – the first visit by a UN Secretary-General to the island in 16 years (Euronews ). If you're currently considering buying property in Northern Cyprus, emigrating here, or investing your money on the island, you'll hardly be able to avoid it in the news this week. And rightly so, because what's happening between Nicosia, Girne, and New York ultimately concerns precisely the questions that truly concern you as a future resident or investor: How stable is this country? Where is it headed? And what does that mean for your life here? A visit with a clear schedule Guterres is not traveling alone. He is accompanied by UN Deputy Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo and Under-Secretary-General Jean-Pierre Lacroix, responsible for peacekeeping operations such as the UNFICYP mission, which has been monitoring the buffer zone for decades (ProtoThema ). Even before his arrival, his personal envoy, María Ángela Holguín, met separately with President Nikos Christodoulidis and Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhürman to lay the groundwork (Euronews ). Until Wednesday, July 29, Guterres himself will be holding talks with the leaders of both communities, negotiating delegations, technical committees, and representatives of civil society. His goal sounds modest, yet it is ambitious: to find common ground on which serious negotiations can be rebuilt. Diplomatic sources assume that the visit is intended to prepare for an informal, expanded five-party conference, possibly on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York this coming autumn (Turkish Minute ; Arab News ). Important for you as a reader: This is currently an assessment by observers, not a confirmed date – the island is therefore at the beginning of a potential process, not at its end. What's been the problem for 52 years The core of the dispute remains the same as that faced by previous generations of mediators. The Republic of Cyprus insists on a bizonal, bi-communal federation with political equality for both communities. Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot side, on the other hand, are increasingly demanding a two-state solution . The government of the Republic of Cyprus itself describes its expectations for this round of talks as follows: "We are cautiously optimistic, remaining realistic," according to Euronews – a statement that reveals how cautiously even those involved are expressing hope. Anyone who has followed the Cyprus issue for some time already witnessed this caution in July: After Tufan Erhürman's statement and the signals from Ankara at the beginning of the month, the process briefly seemed to gain momentum – followed by renewed tensions surrounding the EU-Turkey customs union. Guterres's visit now is the most concrete step in a long time, but it is just that: a step, not a result. The road no one forgets What distinguishes this visit from mere diplomacy are the people accompanying it, without a seat at the negotiating table. The bi-municipal citizens' initiative "United Cyprus" has registered demonstrations on both sides of the island for the days of Guterres' visit: in the south on the access road to the UN office near the University of Nicosia, and in the north at the Kermia roundabout in Metehan Cyprus Mail . Their slogan is unambiguous: "Federal Solution Now." For us, this is precisely the part of the story that is often overlooked. While in New York and Nicosia, they are discussing formulas and five-party formats, at this roundabout in Metehan stand ordinary people who have had family, friends, and neighbors on both sides of the border for decades. This kindness of heart, with which so many people here approach one another despite all the political obstacles, is something we have encountered again and again on the island—and it is this kindness that gives us hope, regardless of how the negotiations ultimately turn out. What does that mean for you? If you are considering living, buying, or investing in Northern Cyprus, it is worth taking a sober look at two separate levels. The fact is: the political status of the island remains unresolved, and this visit is unlikely to change that in the short term. Reunification has neither been agreed upon, nor is a timetable for it established. Therefore, the conditions under which emigrants move to Northern Cyprus today, buy apartments, or acquire holiday homes will remain the same for the time being as before this visit. Speculation, on the other hand, encompasses everything said about the potential impact of a future negotiation outcome on the real estate market, property rights, Ercan Airport, or everyday life – there are simply no reliable facts on this at present, only assumptions from various interest groups. Anyone who is already explaining to you exactly what a Cyprus deal would mean for your land registry entry is selling you a prediction as a certainty. What remains for us is to focus on the island itself: a place where, this week, diplomats and neighborhood initiatives are simultaneously striving for the same future. We will follow how the talks progress until Wednesday, continuing our many previous articles on the potential new movement in the Cyprus question. Until then, what has always been true for life in Northern Cyprus holds true: those who come here don't come for the headlines, but for the people, the light, and the sea – and these will remain, regardless of what is decided at the negotiating table. All love Samira & Marten --- **Sources:** - [Euronews: Cyprus facing a new chance for peace? Guterres seeks common ground](https://de.euronews.com/my-europe/2026/07/27/zypern-guterres-staaten) - [ProtoThema: UN announces Antonio Guterres' visit to Cyprus from July 27 to 29](https://en.protothema.gr/2026/07/16/un-announces-antonio-guterres-visit-to-cyprus-from-july-27-to-29/) - [Turkish Minute: UN Secretary-General Guterres to visit Cyprus for stalled peace talks](https://www.turkishminute.com/2026/07/17/un-secretary-general-guterres-to-visit-cyprus-for-stalled-peace-talks/) - [Arab News: Guterres to travel to Cyprus to advance peace efforts, UN says](https://www.arabnews.com/node/2651187/world) - [Cyprus Mail: Peace initiative plans bicommunal rallies during Guterres visit](https://cyprus-mail.com/2026/07/26/peace-initiative-plans-bicommunal-rallies-during-guterres-visit)

Sometimes, from the outside, world politics looks like a sudden movement. A general secretary arrives. A special envoy holds talks. Newspapers write about new opportunities, old obstacles, and possible future formats. Politicians persistently reiterate their red lines. They have to, otherwise they'll lose the support of their own people. Civil society reacts and makes its voice heard. And suddenly, an issue that had been frozen for years seems alive again. That's exactly what's happening right now with the Cyprus issue. António Guterres will visit Cyprus from July 27 to 29. He will meet separately with Nikos Christodoulides (South) and Tufan Erhürman (North), then bring them together, speak with technical committees and representatives of civil society, and also visit the Committee on Missing Persons. This is not a random itinerary. It is a very carefully constructed diplomatic image. (Kıbrıs Postası , TRNZ Public Information Office) And if you look at how Guterres has worked in other deadlocked conflicts so far, you can see a pattern. First, a time window is sought (Guterres pattern I) Guterres usually gets personally involved when a conflict is old, but something has changed around it. This is precisely the case with Cyprus. The security situation in the Eastern Mediterranean has become more precarious. Energy, gas, electricity, migration, Turkey-EU relations, NATO, Israel, the US, and the regional order are more closely intertwined than they were a few years ago. At the same time , Guterres' term of office ends in late 2026. The Cyprus Mail today explicitly points out that he will leave his post in less than six months and yet will still dedicate considerable time to the Cyprus issue. This is a first sign of the "Guterres pattern". A Secretary-General rarely comes at this stage simply to show courtesy. He comes when a small window of opportunity opens somewhere. This window may be very narrow. It may close again. But it is large enough for the UN to examine whether this movement can become a process. Then the sides are tapped individually (Guterres pattern II) The second pattern is the separate questioning of the sides. Guterres rarely works by immediately sitting everyone down at the table and hoping for a grand agreement. He first conducts exploratory talks. For this purpose, he uses personal envoys, special envoys, negotiators, technical teams, and quiet discussions. In Cyprus, María Ángela Holguín is assuming precisely this role. She is speaking with both leaders, with Ankara, with Brussels, with the EU leadership, and with other stakeholders. Following the informal meeting in March 2025, the UN reappointed her to work with the parties on the next steps and to advise Guterres. UN Press Release In her own statement, Holguín clearly described what it's all about: building trust, examining concrete initiatives, involving the technical committees, giving voice to the chambers of both sides, and finding practical areas that serve the people. UN Cyprus Talks This isn't a grand stage. This is rigorous, honest preparation, and this preparation is often the decisive part. Small packages come before the big solution (Guterres pattern III) The third pattern is perhaps the most important: Guterres rarely looks for the final solution immediately. He first looks for a package that demonstrates movement. Following the informal meeting on Cyprus in March 2025, Guterres did not speak of a final solution. He spoke of confidence-building initiatives: additional crossings, demining, a technical committee for youth, environment and climate, solar energy in the buffer zone, and the restoration of cemeteries. He also announced a personal envoy to prepare the next steps. UN At first glance, this sounds smaller than the comprehensive Cyprus solution that older Cypriots, who still remember a united Cyprus, so desperately desire. But that's precisely the logic. When two sides cannot agree on the major issue, the UN examines whether they can compromise on concrete, smaller matters. An additional border crossing, a joint environmental measure, and a humanitarian gesture for the missing. A youth committee here, a technical step regarding energy there. It begins with a small game of ping-pong and is intended to work its way up to the major issues until everything is resolved. Therefore, it's important to understand that these initial small and symbolic steps cannot resolve the conflict on their own. However, they do demonstrate whether the sides are still capable of acting together. In game theory terms: One seeks an initial cooperative equilibrium before opening the grand endgame. The powers behind the parties are involved (Guterres Model IV) The fourth pattern can be seen particularly well in other Guterres initiatives. During the Black Sea Grain Initiative, Guterres met with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in April 2022. This led to an arrangement with Turkey as the central bridging state. Ultimately, a Joint Coordination Centre was established in Istanbul, with representatives from Russia, Ukraine, Turkey, and the UN. The initiative did not bring about a peaceful resolution to the war. However, it did enable a functioning corridor for grain and food supplies. UN Black Sea Grain Initiative That is a very important point. Guterres doesn't always have to resolve the entire conflict to achieve something crucial. Sometimes he creates a workable intermediate structure. A corridor. A coordinating body. A system of checks and balances. A mechanism that allows the parties to function together despite their political differences. The pattern was similar in Yemen. The UN brokered a ceasefire in 2022 that included concrete concessions: fewer attacks, fuel ships for Hudaydah, commercial flights to and from Sana'a, and talks about reopening roads. Later, the focus shifted to a roadmap outlining the ceasefire, salaries, ports, roads, and the political process. In Libya, however, the Berlin Conference was, from Guterres' perspective, only the beginning. First, the states that had direct or indirect influence on the conflict were involved. Afterwards, military, economic, and political working structures were established. UN Applied to Cyprus, this means: A solution is unlikely to emerge if only North and South talk to each other. Turkey, Greece, Great Britain, the EU, and indirectly also the USA and Israel are part of the reality of this conflict. That is precisely why it is significant that Holguín is holding exploratory talks in Ankara and Brussels, and that Athens and Nicosia coordinated closely immediately before the visit . Only when enough preparation is complete does the larger format come into play (Guterres pattern V). We think we are exactly where we are right now, between patterns IV and V. The fifth pattern: The big meeting only happens after some preliminary negotiations have taken place. In Cyprus, this would be an expanded informal format, often described as 5+1: the two sides, the three guarantor powers Greece, Turkey, and the United Kingdom, and the UN. Today's press coverage points precisely in this direction. The Cyprus Mail writes that Guterres apparently wants to see concrete results from his meetings before the process moves towards an informal five-party conference. This is important. Because a 5+1 conference without preparation would simply be another meeting with familiar positions. The south would point to UN resolutions, the Republic of Cyprus, EU law, and reunification. The north and Ankara would insist on political equality, security, direct contacts, and a different methodology. Greece would back Nicosia. Turkey would back the north. Britain would seek stability. The EU would emphasize legal and political continuity. Such a meeting requires a bridge beforehand. Guterres seems to be looking for precisely that bridge. What remains for Cyprus? If one takes this pattern seriously, then the visit should not be interpreted as a finished solution plan. It is more of a test. Guterres is testing whether the two sides are still, or once again, flexible. Holguín is testing whether the red lines might be formulated differently. The technical committees are testing whether practical cooperation is possible. Civil society is testing whether there are still people on both sides who want to publicly support a shared future. And the international actors are testing whether Cyprus, in the new regional situation, can continue to become a site of deadlock or a place of connection. That sounds cautious. But it's more than just stagnation. The ping-pong game can begin tomorrow. Because sometimes change doesn't begin with a grand declaration. It begins with someone talking to the right people in the right order. With concepts being sorted out. With old red lines being translated into new procedures. With one side realizing it won't immediately lose face by listening. With the other side recognizing it won't be subordinated, but given a place. The current press situation serves as evidence. Today's press shows exactly this pattern. First, Guterres' program is very structured. He begins with separate talks, then incorporates technical and humanitarian levels, brings both leaders together, and concludes with a press conference. Kıbrıs Postası describes the topics as confidence-building measures, a methodology for a possible new negotiation process, and an examination of an expanded 5+1 format. Secondly, the Cyprus Mail today asks unusually directly why Guterres is devoting so much time to the Cyprus issue. The article is skeptical, but this very skepticism is interesting. If there were no progress at all, a Secretary-General's trip shortly before the end of his term would be difficult to explain. The newspaper identifies as the key question whether Guterres can secure concrete results before a larger, informal conference is convened. Thirdly, civil society is becoming visible. A bi-municipal peace initiative is calling for parallel demonstrations in the north and south. In the north, at the Kermia/Metehan roundabout, and in the south at the entrance to the UN office opposite the University of Nicosia. The motto is: federal solution now. Cyprus Mail Fourth, the energy issue remains very much in the background. Charles Ellinas describes in today's Cyprus Mail that Cyprus doesn't just have an energy project problem, but a problem of planning, responsibility, market design, and implementation. Old power plants, high electricity prices, LNG delays, battery storage, renewable energies, and the Great Sea Interconnector are all interconnected. It's remarkable that this topic has enjoyed such high press coverage for days. Perhaps the aim is also to raise awareness of change among the population. Ultimately, solutions must be supported by the people, and this provides them with another argument for that. That also fits with the larger situation. Cyprus is not just negotiating about the past. Cyprus is negotiating about its future. About electricity, gas, water, ports, pipelines, property, security, freedom of movement, and European participation. That is precisely why the Cyprus question is bigger today than an old conflict between North and South. It is a crossroads in the Eastern Mediterranean. Perhaps that's the real point. Guterres will very unlikely be able to leave Cyprus with a finished peace. That would be an oversimplification. But perhaps something else is at stake right now. Perhaps it's about transforming decades of antagonism back into a collaborative process. A process in which the south retains its international and European role, the north can contribute more strongly to its political dignity and equality, Turkey is not pushed out of the equation, Greece gains security, the EU maintains stability, and the people on the island feel that their daily lives can become easier. Perhaps through cooperation in the energy and water sectors? Perhaps through the international opening of Ercan Airport in Nicosia? That wouldn't be a final solution. But it would be a new level. And sometimes an old question needs precisely that: not more repetition of the same old arguments, but a new order of interests. An order in which no one disappears. An order in which everyone is needed. An order in which Cyprus is no longer described merely as a divided island, but as a potential bridge between Europe, Turkey, and the Eastern Mediterranean. Perhaps that's precisely why Guterres is here. Not because everything has already been resolved, but because for the first time in a long time there's enough movement again. The preliminary talks apparently went very well; otherwise, Guterres wouldn't be traveling here and wasting his last days in office (Sample IV). Now we wait and see if an old game can be rekindled and the powers that be can sit down at the table (Sample V). For peace on the "Island of Love" All love Samira & Marten

Why a new life sometimes begins on an island Sometimes a new chapter in life doesn't begin with a grand decision, but perhaps with a quiet feeling, or even a glimpse of the sea. Sometimes with a morning when the sun shines so brightly over the mountains that you suddenly breathe differently. With a dinner in a simple restaurant where the salad tastes fresh, the coffee lingers, and no one has to leave immediately. For many people, Northern Cyprus is simply a typical holiday destination in the south. Sun, sea, warmth, good food, friendly encounters. But for some, something lingers. A thought. A longing. A question that can no longer be completely ignored: Could this be more than just a passing thought? Could Northern Cyprus become a new chapter in one's life? That's precisely what we're writing about today. Not as a promise that everything is easier here, nor as a romantic escape story, but as an invitation to take a possibility seriously: Northern Cyprus as a new chapter in life for people who sense that their previous life may not have been wrong, but has become more restrictive. For many, a new chapter of their lives begins in Northern Cyprus at precisely this point: not with a final decision, but with the permission to rethink their own lives. Anyone who thinks about Northern Cyprus The people who are involved with life in Northern Cyprus are very diverse. These are retirees who don't just want to manage their retirement. Emigrants seeking a freer life. Families who want to give their children more nature, more sunshine, and a different daily routine. Self-employed individuals who can work digitally. Those seeking meaning, who sense they need not just a different place, but a different rhythm. Sometimes they are also quietly wealthy individuals who don't seek the limelight, but rather peace, discretion, and a less noisy life. Many don't want to destroy their old structures. They simply want to let them recede into the background. They want less bureaucracy, less rigid schedules, less constant evaluation. More freedom. More of a Mediterranean lifestyle. More simple days. More nature. More sea. More time to reconnect with themselves. Emigrating to Northern Cyprus often doesn't begin with a business plan. It begins with an inner calling. Those considering emigrating to Northern Cyprus are therefore often not just looking for an address on an island. They are seeking a different relationship with time, work, money, nature, and themselves. You can't prove this calling beforehand. You can't calculate it in a table. You can only feel it. And then you can begin to follow it. Samira and the Call of the Island For Samira, Northern Cyprus became more than just a place on a map in 2018. She came here and felt that this island was good for her. Not just because of the sun, and not just because of the sea, but because of a quality that is harder to describe: love, nature, vastness, and closeness to herself. Here she found something that had been missing in Germany: a kind of lightness, less rigidity, more space between things, and more opportunity to be at peace with herself. Perhaps this is precisely the point at which Northern Cyprus can become a new chapter in life: when a place is not only beautiful, but something within us responds. Samira's story illustrates what a new beginning in Northern Cyprus can mean: not throwing away everything old, but finally giving space to what has long been missing. Some people experience it immediately. Others need several trips. Still others only realize it when they are back home, lost in thought as they look at pictures of Esentepe, Girne, or Golden Beach. For some, it starts very quietly. A first vacation. Then a second. Then conversations. Then research. Then suddenly this sentence: Let's take a serious look at this. Why emigrate to Northern Cyprus? The question "Why emigrate to Northern Cyprus?" has many answers. For some, it's the climate. The many sunny days. The possibility of going to the sea every day without having to plan a vacation. For others, it's the food: fruit from the trees, fresh vegetables, wild herbs, fish, 100 varieties of halloumi, green and black olives, markets, simple restaurants, and Mediterranean cuisine in general. For many, it's also about money. Life in Germany, Austria, or Switzerland has become expensive. Everything has been driven by economics. Parking costs money, housing costs money, transportation costs money, even small freedoms come at a price. In Northern Cyprus, the rat race is less hectic for many. Perhaps you still have to work, plan, earn money, and calculate, but some things feel less burdensome. There are people who get by better here with less money because the sun shines, fruit hangs on the trees, you can spend a lot of time outdoors, and everyday life creates less pressure to consume. Living in Northern Cyprus often means buying less and experiencing more. No constant clicking on Amazon, no next-morning delivery, fewer spontaneous impulses to consume. Instead, you go into town, ask around, talk to people, find things—sometimes more slowly, but often more consciously. This is precisely what can change everyday life in Northern Cyprus, and this is precisely why living in Northern Cyprus is not a retreat for many, but a conscious step towards a simpler, clearer and often more humane life. Everyday life changes people. Those who stay here quickly realize that a new life isn't just about sunsets. Even in Northern Cyprus, there are residency issues, taxes, insurance, car repair shops, tradespeople, internet access, doctor's appointments, shopping, repairs, and days when you simply have things to do. But the overall context is different. People often prefer to get up because the light is brighter. The body wakes up more quickly. Food can become more natural when you nourish yourself well. You spend more time outdoors. You go to the sea, the forest, the mountains, to markets. You might pick fruit, gather herbs, walk barefoot on sand, or swim in salt water. Many people meet on the beach in the evening. Not as a big event. Just like that. Shortly before sunset, they go into the sea, exchange a few words, share a laugh, grab a towel, a bathrobe, then head home again. That's life on the Mediterranean in its simplest form. And it does something to your sense of well-being. For many, this life on the Mediterranean becomes real when emigrating to Northern Cyprus is no longer just an idea, but becomes part of everyday life through small routines, paths and encounters with Northern Cyprus. In Germany and Switzerland, many people work until the evening. For retirees and pensioners, there are often few people to talk to during the day. In Northern Cyprus, the rhythms are different. People work here too, of course. But they connect more easily, across age groups, backgrounds, and life situations. Daily life in Northern Cyprus is often more communicative as a result. This everyday life in Northern Cyprus arises from small things: a conversation at the market, a quick dip in the sea, a coffee between errands, an evening when you realize you didn't need much to be content. You meet people more quickly. It's easier to strike up a conversation. After a while, you get to know the market stall, the waiter, the neighbors, the mechanic, the people on the beach. A country only becomes a home when it is home to people. The great fear: What will we live on? The biggest question is often money. How do we manage with what we have? And if we need to earn more money: How do we earn it? This is a valid question. Emigrating to Northern Cyprus is easier if you have an income, savings, or a clear work structure. Many people continue to work remotely for Germany, Austria, or Switzerland. Others travel back once a month or every six weeks, attend on-site meetings, and work from the island the rest of the time. Some are building something of their own here: consulting, services, healthcare professions, real estate, tourism, import, export, crafts, digital projects. Emigrating to Northern Cyprus can be particularly interesting for self-employed people if they can reorganize their work and gradually relocate their center of life. Not everything is possible. Language plays a role. The market is smaller. Sourcing goods often goes through Turkey, via local traders, or through channels that require more patience. The embargo and the limited international recognition of Northern Cyprus complicate some things. But this is precisely where an important inner question lies: If you were to start your professional life all over again today, what would you do? What did you enjoy doing as a child? What were your childhood dreams? What do you have energy for without draining it? What truly makes you happy? People often ask too early: How can I monetize this? Perhaps the first question should be different: How can I create real value? Once you find an answer to that, making money becomes a technically solvable problem. Then it's about target audience, offering, language, structure, price, reach, and contacts. That's work. But it's manageable work. Therefore, a new beginning in Northern Cyprus doesn't just start at the airport. It often begins with self-confidence. Thus, Northern Cyprus becomes a new chapter in life not simply through a change of location, but through the question of what value we can truly create with our abilities. You don't just abandon family. Many people wonder if moving to Northern Cyprus means leaving family behind. Of course, proximity changes. You can no longer just spontaneously see children, grandchildren, parents, or friends around the corner. That's something to take seriously. But distance is different today than it used to be. Those living in Hamburg with family in Freiburg, Stuttgart, or Saxony are also several hours away. Cyprus has airports, connections, and routes. You can organize trips, find suitable intervals, plan visits, and divide up the time. Proximity is not just geography, but also care, reliability, communication, returning, inviting, being there. For many people, Northern Cyprus becomes a possible new home when they understand: We don't have to leave anyone from our hearts behind. We just need to organize closeness differently. What needs to be said honestly Northern Cyprus offers a great deal of freedom, but it is not a static country. It is a country in the process of catching up. Construction is underway everywhere, with new housing developments, shops, and roads springing up. Rules are changing. Costs are shifting. Residency requirements are being adjusted. Property taxes can increase. Minimum wages have been significantly raised in recent years, which can be important and beneficial for many workers, but it also changes the cost of everyday life and services. Anyone planning to live in Northern Cyprus therefore needs flexibility. At the same time, living in Northern Cyprus remains attractive to many because this flexibility also creates opportunities: new services, new contacts, new projects, and a country that is still developing. The perceived stability can shift. A law, a rule, a tax, a procedure can be amended. This is not unusual in a growing country, but it is different from systems where many things remain very consistent for decades. Therefore, one shouldn't arrive with the expectation that everything here will stay the same as it was on their first holiday. Northern Cyprus is vibrant. And vibrancy is dynamic. That's challenging. But it's also part of this island. Mistakes happen. Anyone starting something new will make mistakes. That's true in Northern Cyprus just as it is in Germany, Switzerland, simply everywhere. Perhaps you buy something too quickly. Perhaps you trust a statement too much or misunderstand a rule. Perhaps you plan too short a timeframe and only realize later which area truly suits you. This is not the end. Often, the biggest setbacks are precisely the doors through which we grow. They force us to enter new territory, ask questions, accept help, and find solutions. The new beginning in Northern Cyprus therefore does not require perfection. It requires trust. Trust in one's own ability to learn. Trust in people. Trust that there can be a solution again tomorrow. And perhaps that is precisely one of the most beautiful qualities of this island: this fundamental optimism. Tomorrow the sun will rise again and it will be another beautiful day. Northern Cyprus experience: You accomplish less and achieve more. One of our most striking observations is this: In Northern Cyprus, you sometimes feel like you accomplish less in a day. And yet you achieve more. Shopping in town takes time. A conversation takes time. An errand leads to a coffee. A repair requires two attempts. A visit to the market lasts longer because you meet people. The day passes faster, more intensely, sometimes seemingly less productively. And yet something happens. People live more in the day. You become more aware. You talk more. You make more conscious decisions. You become more focused because not everything is immediately available. You learn to set priorities. This Northern Cyprus experience is difficult to explain, but many feel it quickly. Perhaps this very experience in Northern Cyprus is one of the reasons why some people return after their first visit: they've ticked off fewer things, but experienced more. The day isn't emptier. It's richer. For whom is Northern Cyprus a good fit? Is Northern Cyprus a suitable place to emigrate? For some people, yes. Very much so. For people who love the Mediterranean lifestyle. For retirees who don't just want to manage their retirement. For families who want to show their children more of nature. For freelancers who can work remotely. For those seeking meaning who feel they need a different rhythm. For quietly wealthy individuals who seek peace and tranquility. Retirement in Northern Cyprus can be wonderful if you stay active, seek out contacts, think about your health and don't retreat to an isolated villa. Living in Northern Cyprus as an expat is well suited to people who like flexibility, are friendly, want to learn patience and do not expect everything to work like in Germany, Austria or Switzerland. Anyone looking to emigrate to Northern Cyprus should therefore not only check prices, properties and formalities, but also honestly consider whether this more open, Mediterranean rhythm suits their own nature. Northern Cyprus is perfect for people who love nature. For people who want to swim every day. For people who appreciate simple restaurants. For people who see an unpolished landscape not as a flaw, but as authenticity. First come Perhaps one doesn't have to decide on a new chapter in life in Northern Cyprus immediately. Perhaps it all starts much smaller. With a holiday. With a three-and-a-half-hour flight and a few days of light, sea, and sunsets. Drive across the country in a rental car, with open eyes and an open heart, and get to know it. Ask yourself: How does my body feel here? How do I breathe here? How do I sleep here? How am I here? What is life like in Northern Cyprus? No brochure can fully answer that question. You have to experience it. You have to walk through Girne. Eat in a village. Sit on the beach. Go to the market. Talk to locals. Talk to expats. Maybe also read our book, because it contains many voices, places, and experiences that can help you see the country from more than just an outsider's perspective. Emigrating to Northern Cyprus: Experiences rarely begin with certainty. For some, these very first experiences in Northern Cyprus later become an inner compass: the sea, the people, the light, everyday life, and the feeling that a new chapter is possible. They begin with curiosity. And sometimes with courage. Northern Cyprus as an invitation Northern Cyprus is not an escape. It is an invitation. An invitation to re-examine one's own life. Not to disdain the old structures, but perhaps to let them fade into the background. An invitation to take sun, sea, nature, community, simplicity, and personal responsibility more seriously once again. For some, Northern Cyprus remains a beautiful holiday destination, and that's perfectly fine. For others, however, Northern Cyprus becomes a new chapter in their lives. And for some, a first impression blossoms into a new home. Then, Northern Cyprus becomes a new chapter in life, no longer just a thought, but a path that slowly takes shape. If you feel this island calling you, you don't have to decide everything right away. You can come first. Look. Feel. Ask questions. Test things out. You have nothing to lose. Perhaps your new beginning in Northern Cyprus starts with a short holiday, and perhaps after just a few days you'll realize whether this island is simply beautiful or whether it truly has something personal to say to you. All love Samira & Marten

Why Martina and Peter from Switzerland are making a question visible to many Sometimes a new phase of life doesn't begin with a big decision. Sometimes it begins with a message. With a question. With a sentence that sticks in your mind. Or with people who look at Northern Cyprus from afar and suddenly realize that this island touches something within them. That was also the case for Martina and Peter from Switzerland. They are among those who see Northern Cyprus not just as a holiday destination, but as an opportunity. A place where a different rhythm becomes conceivable. A life with more sun, more sea, more freedom, and perhaps also a closer connection to oneself. And it is precisely through her story that something we encounter again and again can be explained: Emigrating to Northern Cyprus is not a permanent vacation. It might feel like this at first. That's precisely the magic. The mountains. The sea. The light. Coffee with a view of the vast expanse. The warmth on your skin. The thought that an ordinary Tuesday here can also be a day where you go swimming in the morning, play paddle tennis or go to the gym, and sit in the evening with a fresh salad, meze and halloumi at sunset. But if longing is to become a genuine life plan, the second question arises: How does one really live here? Why people are looking to Northern Cyprus The reasons why people consider emigrating to Northern Cyprus are very diverse. Some seek more sunshine. Some seek less pressure. Some don't want to speak ill of Germany, Austria, or Switzerland, but they sense that things have become more restrictive there. Too much structure. Too much bureaucracy. Too much city. Too many costs. Too many routes that look the same every day. Too little space between things. This perspective is particularly interesting coming from Switzerland. Switzerland is a beautiful country. Safe, orderly, reliable, clean, and well-organized. But for some people, this very order can eventually become a form of confinement. Everything works. Much is secure. Life is predictable. And yet, the question sometimes arises whether predictability alone constitutes true vitality. With Martina and Peter, we sense precisely this search. It's not about devaluing an old life. It's about allowing a new image to emerge. More sea. More warmth. More Mediterranean food. More time outdoors. More personal responsibility. More opportunity to experience yourself in a different light. For many, emigrating to Northern Cyprus is therefore not just a change of location. It's an inner thought: Perhaps our lives can take a different turn. When vacation becomes everyday life Northern Cyprus can be alluring. The first swim in the sea. The first coffee in Girne. The drive over the mountains. An evening in a simple restaurant. A visit to the market with bags full of goods. The view of the water. The 320 days of sunshine that are so often mentioned here. All of that is real. And yet, a holiday feeling only becomes real when everyday life sets in. Even in Northern Cyprus there are bills, appointments, workshops, tradesmen, buying new chairs, insurance, authorities, residency issues, internet contracts, doctor visits, taxes, car repairs, shopping, and days when you simply get things done. This is the point we would always emphasize to people like Martina and Peter: Emigrating to Northern Cyprus is not a permanent vacation, but a new everyday life in a very special place. Many continue to work for Germany, Austria, or Switzerland. Digitally. In consulting roles. Self-employed. Sometimes with a sea view, but still at a desk. Others travel back regularly, attend meetings, and handle the rest from the island. Still others are building something entirely new here: services, consulting, crafts, healthcare, real estate, tourism, import, export, or small personal projects. And some find a job that isn't paid at all, but is meaningful. We know people who collect trash on the beach every day. Quietly, persistently, lovingly, and without much fuss. They set off with folded black bags, pick up plastic, string, bottles, and small, carelessly discarded items, and later place them, filled, by the roadside next to the trash cans. They do it because they love this place. This too is everyday life. Perhaps even one of the most beautiful parts. What can be challenging at the beginning Those who come from a very orderly country sometimes experience Northern Cyprus as both liberation and a challenge. That is precisely the truth. Many people here are looking for a little less regulation, less control, less bureaucratic burden. At the same time, more freedom also means more improvisation, more spontaneity, and more personal responsibility. Not every spare part is immediately available. Not everything can be ordered with a click. Not every arrangement works the way you might be used to in Switzerland or Germany. Sometimes you have to ask in three different shops. Sometimes someone knows someone. Sometimes a solution is built that doesn't look perfect, but works surprisingly well. Emigrating to Northern Cyprus therefore also means becoming more practical again. You learn to fix things. To ask questions. To wait. To improvise. To accept, and that a smile can sometimes mean many things: Yes. Maybe. I understand. I half understand. I don't want to disappoint you. We'll see. This isn't malice. Often it's politeness. But it can create misunderstandings. That's why it helps to double- and triple-check important things in a friendly manner. Appointments, prices, deliveries, documents, repairs. Not out of mistrust, but from experience. Northern Cyprus often operates through relationships, repetition, and patience. Understanding this makes it easier to arrive. Being alone, loneliness and community In our book we wrote about the difference between being alone and being lonely. Being alone can be beautiful on this island. You can walk by the sea, sit in the mountains, listen to the wind on a terrace, or simply wander through a place without needing a destination. This solitude is not a deficiency. It can be a gift. Loneliness is something else entirely. It can come when friends and family are far away. When you don't yet speak the language. When dealing with a government office doesn't go smoothly. When you don't know who to call when something happens. For many people who emigrate to Northern Cyprus, community is therefore important. Northern Cyprus is a very communicative country. It's easy to strike up a conversation. In markets, cafes, on the beach, in small shops, in restaurants, in Facebook groups, WhatsApp groups, Telegram groups, with locals, with Turkish Cypriots, with Turks, and generally with many expats from all over the world. We humans are all seekers. Many have started over at some point. Many know what it's like to find your place in a new country. A country only becomes a home when it's home to nice people. And there are plenty of those in Northern Cyprus. For whom is emigration to Northern Cyprus a good fit? Northern Cyprus is a good fit for people who love Mediterranean life and can also cope with a rough-around-the-edges country. It suits people who see beauty, even if something needs fixing. It suits people who want freedom and can take responsibility. It suits people who don't expect everything to work like it does in Switzerland, Germany, or Austria. Northern Cyprus is not Dubai. Not a polished brochure image. Not a place where every corner has been polished to a high sheen. It is a country with rugged edges, great nature, simple restaurants, warm encounters, improvised solutions, old stones, open landscapes and moments that linger. In many places, you can drive almost directly to the sea, get out, swim, put on your bathrobe afterwards, and drive home again. You can buy fruit and vegetables at markets, eat wonderfully in simple restaurants, hike in the mountains, and in the evening realize that a day doesn't have to be efficient to be worthwhile. Those seeking absolute perfection will have to do a lot of explaining and exhausting work here. Those seeking vibrancy will find plenty here. For people like Martina and Peter, that's precisely the question: Do we want a life that is completely organized? Or one that sometimes challenges us, but also connects us more with ourselves? When longing becomes a decision Some people come to Northern Cyprus, go on holiday, fall in love, and fly home again. Then they come back. And again. At some point, you're sitting at the airport and realize that the return flight is harder than before. You're already planning your next trip before you've even properly arrived back, perhaps even at Ercan Airport in Nicosia. A wonderful vacation turns into a half-hearted longing. This half-hearted longing becomes a thought. And this thought sometimes becomes a new chapter in life. Perhaps that's precisely why Martina and Peter are such a good example. Because their question isn't loud. It's quiet, honest, and very human. What if our lives could change again? There are spiritual and sensitive people who say that Northern Cyprus lies on two special ley lines, on energetic lines of the Earth. Whether one believes this literally or understands it metaphorically is up to each individual. But many do indeed feel a special energy here. Things become clearer. Desires intensify. Decisions surface more quickly. Perhaps it's the light. Perhaps the sea. Perhaps it's the fact that a different, Mediterranean way of life suddenly becomes imaginable. When we write about emigrating to Northern Cyprus, we're not writing about a permanent vacation. We're writing about an opportunity. About a phase of life. About a country that isn't perfect, but can touch you deeply. About people like Martina and Peter, who dare to take a question seriously before it might become an answer. Anyone interested in Northern Cyprus should come here. Explore the country. Get to know the people. Visit a market. Sit by the sea. Walk through Girne. Eat in a village. Talk to locals. Talk to expats. Spend a day simply observing how your body feels here. Often you'll know then. Emigrating to Northern Cyprus isn't a permanent vacation. Perhaps for some it's something better. A place where you rediscover what a day can feel like when you don't just go through the motions, but truly live it. All love Samira & Marten

Sometimes a fresh perspective helps to see an old topic in a new light. In recent months, the name Jiang Xueqin has repeatedly surfaced in international discourse. He is a Chinese-Canadian teacher, author, and public thinker who combines historical patterns, game theory, and geopolitical analysis under the umbrella of Predictive History . Media outlets such as The Business Standard describe him as someone who reads international conflicts less morally and more strategically: Who are the players? What interests do they have? What constraints limit their decisions? Which historical patterns repeat themselves? Jiang himself doesn't work like a traditional news analyst, but rather as an interpreter of power games, empires, overextension, and misjudgments. His theses are partly speculative and should therefore not be considered definitive predictions. What is interesting, however, is his perspective: He doesn't first ask what actors say publicly, but rather what game structure underlies their actions. (The Business Standard , Jiang Lens) This perspective could be helpful for Cyprus. The Cyprus question is often framed as a historical or legal dispute. The north speaks of protection, security, and political equality. The south speaks of occupation, sovereignty, property rights, and international law. Turkey speaks of guarantees, strategic depth, and the rights of Turkish Cypriots. Greece stands with the Republic of Cyprus. The EU defends its legal framework. The US focuses on NATO, Turkey, Israel, energy, and the Eastern Mediterranean. Britain remains part of the security architecture through its Sovereign Base Areas. Israel considers gas, shipping lanes, and regional stability. All of that is correct. But if you look at it from a game-theoretical perspective, you ask a slightly different question. Then the question is not just: Who is right? Then it reads: Who needs what to be able to move around? The Cyprus question as a game with many players In a simple argument, there are two sides. Cyprus is not a simple dispute. There is at least the north, the south, Turkey, Greece, the EU, the UN, Great Britain, the USA, and Israel. In addition, there is Russia, regional energy companies, investors, property owners, displaced persons, students, tourists, emigrants, and the people who live on this island every day. Each of these actors has different interests. The south wants to secure its international recognition, its EU membership, and its sovereignty. It wants to prevent the Turkish side from creating a new reality through de facto actions that will be difficult to reverse later. The North wants to break out of its isolation. It doesn't want to be merely administered, but to be seen. It seeks political equality, economic openness, security of supply, and the feeling of not being pushed back into a system where its voice can be drowned out. Turkey wants to protect the north, maintain its role in the eastern Mediterranean, act as an energy hub, and prevent Cyprus from becoming a purely Greek-European outpost. The EU wants stability, legal certainty, energy supply, controlled migration and a Turkey that does not completely fall out of the Western order. The US wants to keep Turkey in NATO, secure Israel, regulate energy routes and remain capable of action in the eastern Mediterranean. Reading this, one quickly realizes: Neither side can simply disappear. Neither side can win completely. And neither side can permanently pretend to be able to completely ignore the interests of the other. Why stagnation is sometimes rational This is perhaps one of the most uncomfortable insights of game theory: stagnation can be rational for individual players, even if it is bad for everyone together. For a long time, the south had little incentive to make significant changes. It was internationally recognized, a member of the EU, and could legally maintain the status quo better than the north. The North had little incentive to return to a process that could ultimately lead to an order in which political equality is promised but not adequately guaranteed in practice. Turkey had little incentive to relinquish its protective role as long as it did not receive an equivalent security architecture. The EU had little incentive to openly rethink the problem as long as the status quo remained manageable. This creates a balance that doesn't really make anyone happy, but appears less risky in the short term to many players than movement. Such a balance feels like political stagnation. From a game theory perspective, it is a blocked game. Why the current topic of "energy" is changing the game Now energy is added. The gas fields around Cyprus, the planned natural gas pipeline from Turkey to Northern Cyprus, the electricity storage plans in the south, and possible connections to Europe, Israel, Egypt and Turkey are changing the structure. Suddenly, it's not just about memory and law. It's about money, supplies, investments, infrastructure, and pathways to the market. The southern region enjoys international recognition and can issue legally valid licenses within the framework of the Republic of Cyprus and the EU. However, the development of the gas fields requires security, investment protection, stable transport routes, and political stability. The north does not have this international recognition, but is geographically and strategically located in a position that is very important for Turkey and potential energy routes. Turkey does not possess the internationally recognized Cypriot mining rights, but can operationally disrupt, block, protect, offer, or create alternative routes. The US and Israel have an interest in ensuring that energy in the eastern Mediterranean does not remain permanently trapped in an unresolved conflict zone. That changes the incentives. The status quo will become more expensive. And it is precisely at this point that progress could be made. Cyprus as a small board in the big American game At this point, the Cyprus question touches upon Jiang's larger thesis about the decline of the USA. In his view, the decline of an empire is not only evident where it disappears. It is also evident where it is still present but can no longer simply maintain order. That's exactly how one could read Cyprus. The US remains important in the Eastern Mediterranean. It hasn't disappeared. It has influence through NATO, Israel, energy companies, security architecture, diplomacy, and its relations with Greece, Cyprus, and Turkey. But it can no longer simply dictate a clear order that everyone else must follow. They need Israel, Greece, the Republic of Cyprus, Turkey, stable energy supply chains, and an EU that remains capable of action. At the same time, they need a Turkey that doesn't drift too far towards Russia, China, or the BRICS countries. This is a game with too many boards. For Jiang, this would be a sign of imperial overextension : The hegemon is still strong, but his strength is no longer sufficient to resolve all contradictions. He must balance and negotiate. He must now take seriously those actors who were previously treated as subordinate players. Turkey is a good example of this. It cannot simply be ignored. It is a NATO member, controls access to the Black Sea, and is important for migration, energy, the Middle East, Central Asia, and the connection between Europe and Asia. While it does not possess the internationally recognized mining rights of the Republic of Cyprus, it does have operational power. It can disrupt, protect, offer, block, or open pathways. In this logic, Northern Cyprus becomes a small but important touchstone. The official Western order states: The Republic of Cyprus is the recognized state, and the solution should be found within the UN framework. Operational reality, however, dictates that a stable energy, security, and peace order cannot be established in the Eastern Mediterranean without Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot side. It is precisely in this gap between official order and practical power that movement is emerging. This doesn't mean the US will collapse because Cyprus remains unresolved. That would be far too sweeping. But Cyprus illustrates on a small scale what Jiang describes on a larger one: the American-led order can no longer impose its preferred solution on its own. It must work with actors who possess their own leverage. The decline is therefore not manifesting as an immediate retreat. It is manifesting as the need for negotiations. That is what we are experiencing now. And perhaps this very pressure to negotiate is even an opportunity for Cyprus. Because if the US, the EU, and the region recognize that the north and Turkey can no longer simply be managed as a problem, but must be part of a viable solution, the old game plan could change. What could one deduce from this? Applying Jiang's way of thinking to Cyprus leads to a simple yet crucial insight: a solution is unlikely to emerge simply because one side suddenly adopts the other's narrative. Rather, it arises when interests shift in such a way that cooperation becomes more beneficial to all parties than obstruction. This is not a romantic notion, but it can have a peaceful effect. Peace doesn't have to mean everyone tells the same story. Perhaps it's enough, at least initially, if everyone recognizes that their future will be better if they allow a new, shared order. For the south, this could mean that its own international recognition and EU integration will not be weakened, but rather become more valuable if they lead to a common island architecture. For the north , this could mean that equality is not only formulated as a political promise, but practically secured through its own administration, participation in energy revenues, protective rights, infrastructure and direct participation. For Turkey, this could mean that it does not lose its influence, but gains a legal, economic and strategic bridge into a European context. For the EU , this could mean: It gains more stability in the eastern Mediterranean without completely excluding Turkey. For Greece, this could mean that the old conflict line with Turkey is defused at a particularly sensitive point. For Israel and the USA , this could mean: energy, security and regional order will become more predictable. Game-Theoretical Conclusion for Cyprus Game theory currently points neither toward full reunification nor toward the international recognition of two sovereign states. However, as the geopolitical framework changes, the status quo that remained stable for decades is gradually losing its attractiveness for several actors. This increases the likelihood of a new equilibrium that at least partially takes the core interests of all sides into account. The most likely first step appears to be a gradual economic and legal rapprochement between North Cyprus and the European Union, combined with growing institutional cooperation. In the long term, this could develop into a highly decentralized federal or federal-confederal order: one internationally recognized state with two largely self-governing constituent parts, a shared European legal framework, and limited common institutions. Such a model would not give any actor a complete victory. Yet it could become the first stable cooperative equilibrium in which no side has to give up its core security and identity interests. From a game-theoretical perspective, this is where the greatest current opportunity for a sustainable solution to the Cyprus question may lie. And sometimes peace begins when someone has the courage to redraw the game. With love, Samira & Marten

Anyone currently in Cyprus probably hears it every day. It sounds loudest at midday. That's when the sun is high, the pine trees smell of resin, the air shimmers above the stones, and even the cats disappear somewhere in the shadows. Suddenly it's there. This bright, continuous, vibrating **Ziiiiiiii**. It comes from the trees. From the pines, the olive groves, the gardens, the slopes above the sea. You can hear it in Alagadi, in Esentepe, in Bellapais, in Girne, on the beach, on the street, on terraces, in holiday complexes, and sometimes even through closed windows. Many people who are in Cyprus for the first time in the summer eventually ask: What is this, exactly? The answer is small, inconspicuous, and astonishing: They are cicadas. The sound of a Mediterranean summer For many people, this sound is as much a part of the Mediterranean as salt on the skin, pine needles under the feet, and a cold coffee in the shade. Some find it loud at first. Almost electric. As if a cable were singing somewhere. Others immediately hear it as a holiday. The south. Warmth. Midday stillness. And perhaps this sound will change forever once we know what's behind it. The cicada sings for a very old, very clear reason: its visible life has suddenly become very short. Many cicadas spend most of their lives underground. As nymphs, they sit there in the dark, on roots, sucking plant sap and slowly growing. Depending on the species, this hidden life phase lasts several years. Only when the time is right do they emerge from the ground, climb onto a trunk, bark, or branch, and transform into the winged insects we see in summer. UC IPM , Amateur Entomologists' Society Then their visible life begins. And this life lasts only a few weeks. Years in darkness, weeks in light That's precisely what makes cicadas so touching. They live for a long time in hiding. Silently. Underground. At the roots, in the darkness, in the slow rhythm of the trees. Then they come out, and suddenly everything is light, warmth, air, tree bark, wings, and song. The mannasing cicada, *Cicada orni*, also known as the ash cicada, has a life cycle that European sources describe as lasting several years; a Portuguese biodiversity source indicates a total development time of approximately three years for this species. Adults typically appear in the Mediterranean region from June or July onwards and can remain active until early autumn, depending on the region. (Virtual Biodiversity Museum) Several cicada species can be found in Cyprus. The Mannas cicada is one of the best-known and most common cicadas in the Mediterranean and describes this summer phenomenon very well. Scientific literature lists Cicada orni as one of the common Mediterranean species and also points out that the cicada fauna of Cyprus is diverse. PMC / Checklist of singing cicadas The sound originates in the body. What's fascinating is that cicadas produce their sound with their bodies. The males possess special sound organs on their abdomen, called tymbals or drum organs. You can imagine them as a small, elastic membrane that is very quickly compressed and released. Muscle movements create clicks and vibrations that combine to produce this penetrating sound. The abdomen acts like a resonating chamber. Thus, a tiny insect can create a sound that can fill an entire hillside, garden, or bay. University of Connecticut Cicadas Only the males sing. They use this to attract females. What sounds to us like an endless summer noise is, for the cicada, courtship, a sign of life, and perhaps also a competition with all the other males in the tree. When many people sing at the same time, it creates this great tapestry of sound that lies over the Mediterranean summer. Why they sound louder in the heat You may have noticed that cicadas are particularly audible when it is hot. Cicadas are heat-loving. Their activity, muscular function, and song are strongly dependent on temperature and sunlight. That's why they are so much a part of the hottest hours of the day. On cooler, cloudy, or windy days, the landscape suddenly seems quieter. In the evenings, when the heat subsides, this intense hum often ceases. Then other sounds take over: the wind, the clinking of glasses in the restaurant, voices on terraces, the sea. The day belongs to the cicadas. The evening belongs to the people again. Loud and harmless Cicadas can be surprisingly loud. Some species are among the loudest insects in the world; sound levels of over 100 decibels have been recorded for certain cicadas, and for some even over 120 decibels at close range. Distance, direction, species, environment, and duration all make a significant difference. CSIRO To humans, cicadas are primarily one thing: loud, conspicuous, and completely harmless. They usually sit well camouflaged on trees and do what cicadas do in summer: sing, mate, lay eggs and then disappear. Why this sound fits Northern Cyprus so well Perhaps I love this sound so much because it tells a story about Northern Cyprus. It is nature. Raw, warm, vibrant, sometimes overwhelming, and precisely for that reason, real. Northern Cyprus has its own voice in summer. The heat has a voice. The pine trees have a voice. The soil, which has supported hidden life for years, suddenly releases something. And then you sit there, perhaps with a cold drink, perhaps after swimming, perhaps on the way from Girne to Esentepe, and hear this humming. The first time you spend summer on the island, you almost automatically ask yourself: What is this? Once you're familiar with it, you suddenly hear a story. One hears years in the dark. You can hear it for a few weeks in the light. You can hear summer in all its power. A small miracle by the wayside Perhaps the most beautiful thing about cicadas is that you almost never consciously see them. You can hear them everywhere and find them with a patient eye. They are so well camouflaged on bark, branches, and trunks that you often miss them. You stand right next to them, look into the tree, and follow the sound. That fits somehow, too. Much of what defines a country reveals itself in subtle and recurring signs. Some things must be heard, smelled, felt. Northern Cyprus consists of Bellapais, Salamis, Girne, the Karpaz Mountains, and Alagadi. And it consists of the small summer signs along the way. The dust on the shoes. The resinous scent of the pine trees. The warm stone wall in the evening. And this Ziiiiiiii, which lies above everything. If you hear it tomorrow So if you happen to be in Cyprus and you hear this sound, stop for a moment. Look up at the trees. Perhaps it will only reveal itself after a moment. And now you know that up there sits a small animal that has lived in darkness for years and is now giving its all for a few weeks. It sings its own summer song. And you may listen. And perhaps the sound that was just noise will suddenly become something completely different: a sign that the Mediterranean summer is truly here. All love Samira & Marten Sources - UC IPM: Cicadas, life cycle and nymphs underground: https://ipm.ucanr.edu/home-and-landscape/cicadas/ - Amateur Entomologists' Society: Cicada glossary, tymbal and life cycle: https://www.amentsoc.org/insects/glossary/terms/cicada/ - Museu Virtual Biodiversidade: Cicada orni: https://museubiodiversidade.uevora.pt/elenco-de-especies/biodiversidade-actual/animais/artropodes/insectos/cicada-orni/ - Phrygana.eu: Cicada orni, Mediterranean activity and adult life: https://phrygana.eu/Fauna/Cicadomorpha/Cicadidae/Cicada-orni/Cicada-orni.html - PMC: Checklist and provisional atlas of singing cicadas, Cicada orni as common Mediterranean species: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7567745/ - Cicadina: Review of Cicadas / Auchenorrhyncha of Cyprus: https://public.bibliothek.uni-halle.de/cicadina/article/view/78 - University of Connecticut: Cicada behavior and tymbals: https://draft.cicadas.uconn.edu/behavior/ - CSIRO: Why cicadas are loud: https://www.csiro.au/en/news/All/Articles/2018/December/sounds-of-summer-why-are-cicadas-so-loud - CDC/NIOSH: Cicada noise and hearing context: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/bulletin/2021/cicada.html

Tomorrow is one of those days when you not only visit Northern Cyprus, but understand it a little better. July 20th is an official public holiday in the north. It is called Barış ve Özgürlük Bayramı , Peace and Freedom Day. For the Turkish Cypriots, this day symbolizes protection, security, and the continued existence of their community after a long period of persecution and atrocities. For the Greek Cypriots in the south, however, the same day is a painful reminder of the events of 1974, which marked the beginning of division, loss, missing persons, and abandoned homes. Anyone visiting the island should therefore experience this day with open eyes and respect. Not as a loud political statement. Rather, as a moment when you realize that this beautiful island isn't just beaches, restaurants, markets, and sunsets. It has memories. It has wounds. And it has people who connect very different stories to the same date. A special morning by the sea July 20th begins early in the north. A ceremony takes place early in the morning at Yavuz Çıkarma Beach near Alsancak, west of Girne. This stretch of coastline is closely linked in Turkish Cypriot history to the 1974 landing. Wreaths are laid, flags are presented, and people remember those who lost their lives. Anyone traveling in Girne, Alsancak, Lapta, or along the west coast these days will quickly realize that this is no ordinary summer day. Flags are flying from streets, cars, houses, and public buildings. Official ceremonies are taking place in Lefkoşa, Girne, Gazimağusa, Güzelyurt, İskele, and Lefke. People are visiting monuments, families are attending memorial services, and as the day progresses, many places become more solemn, crowded, and visible than usual. This can be very impressive for visitors. You might be standing at the port of Girne, looking out at the sea, listening to music or airplanes in the distance, and you realize: This isn't just a holiday being celebrated. This is a country telling its story. Ships, airplanes and the visible side of the holiday Among the elements that visitors particularly notice are the ships and flight demonstrations. According to the Cyprus Mail, Turkish naval units are expected to participate in the celebrations in northern Turkey this year. Specifically mentioned are the TCG I. İnönü , the TCG Zıpkın , and the TCG Gökova , which are said to be open to visitors. Cyprus Mail A Solotürk flight is also expected to be visible over Girne on July 20th at 6:00 PM. The Turkish Cypriot Information Authority (KKTC) cites the area around the Atatürk monument in Girne as the reference point. For many vacationers, this is an unexpected sight: Just moments ago, they might have been lying on the beach, drinking a coffee, or strolling through Girne, and suddenly the sky becomes part of their day. Airplanes fly over the coast, ships lie off the island, people look up, children film with their cell phones, and older people stand more quietly. It is a day that is visible. And perhaps that's precisely what's important: July 20th isn't just found in books, speeches, and news reports. It's present in the cityscape, by the sea, on the streets, and in everyday life. What the day means for the North In the north, July 20th is seen as a day of rescue and protection. Official discourse refers to the Turkish peace operation of 1974. Many Turkish Cypriots associate it with the end of a time when their community felt threatened and the beginning of a living space where they felt safer and more protected. The years of persecution, of an insecure and threatened life, and of the fear of murdering loved ones, perhaps even themselves, had come to an end. It was the beginning of a process that would culminate in the founding of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. This view is deeply rooted. You encounter it in conversations, in family stories, in monuments, in schoolbooks, in pictures, and in the way the day is celebrated. For many people here, it is not an abstract political date, but part of their own biography or the history of their parents and grandparents. The laments about the injustices and threats of the 1960s and 70s have still not been heard, respected, or addressed. The world lacks the insight that these people suffered grave injustices. If one wants to understand the Turkish Cypriots, one must be able to hear and bear the stories from that time, not dismiss them with misinterpretation. To grasp how Cyprus operates, one must understand why security is such a crucial concept for the north. What the day means for the South In the south, the same day is remembered differently. Sirens will sound there at 5:30 a.m. on July 20. According to the Republic of Cyprus, they commemorate the beginning of the Turkish invasion. They are not a current warning signal, but a memorial for the dead, missing, displaced, trapped, and refugees. Gov.cy , Cyprus Mail For many Greek Cypriots, this day is also marked by profound sorrow. By homes in the north that had to be hastily abandoned. By families torn apart. By places that now exist only as memories, photographs, or pain. The Greek Cypriots, too, are victims of this era. They, too, were whipped into action and incited against their will for the imperial ambitions of their homeland. The average islander of Greek origin simply wanted to live his life among olive and orange groves. He wanted to see the sun rise, be with his family, and cultivate friendships. Turkish and Greek alike. Both sides carry a deep, unhealed wound from this time. That, too, is part of the truth about this island. The Greek Cypriots are suffering as well. Perhaps that's precisely what makes Cyprus so moving. Because so much beauty and so much history coexist here. You can swim in the clear water, sit under bougainvillea, drink an iced coffee, and simultaneously feel that this island offers so much more than any holiday brochure could ever tell you. Anyone who wants to be there tomorrow Anyone who is in Northern Cyprus tomorrow can experience parts of this day. It will likely be most visible in Girne, Lefkoşa, and around Alsancak. In Girne, it's worth taking a look towards the harbor, the coast, and the Atatürk Monument in the afternoon and early evening, if you want to see the air show. Those wishing to visit naval units should inquire locally about the exact times and access points, as security and protocol matters can be subject to change at short notice. It is important to note: This day is not a normal tourist event. Of course, you can watch, take photos, and be present. But you should do so with the same attitude you would have when attending a religious ceremony, a memorial service, or a national holiday in another country: friendly, attentive, not intrusive, not mocking, not careless. For many people it is a day of pride. For others, a day of mourning. As a guest, one should respect both. Why energy is also resonating this year In 2026, this anniversary will have an additional layer. Turkey will not be represented this year by President Erdoğan himself, but by Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz . This is interesting because Yılmaz was in Northern Cyprus on July 10th to sign the memorandum on the planned natural gas pipeline between Turkey and Northern Cyprus. He is, in a sense, the perfect Turkish statesman for the central theme of this anniversary. This pipeline is intended to run from Turkey to Teknecik and, as a first step, help to make the north's energy supply more stable and cleaner. Kıbrıs Postası Thus, this year, July 20th is not just a story about the past. He also talks about the future. Water from Turkey, planned gas from Turkey, potential electricity connections, new infrastructure, improved services, perhaps even cleaner air on the northern coast: For many people in the north, these are not abstract projects. It's about whether everyday life will become more reliable. Whether the electricity supply will be more stable. Whether the Teknecik (a local energy provider) can operate more cleanly. Whether hotels, restaurants, families, and businesses can plan for the future. That's the practical side of big politics. The South is also seeking energy security Interestingly, the South is working on similar fundamental questions at the same time, but in a different way. The Cyprus Mail reported on July 18 that the Republic of Cyprus is accelerating the development of centralized energy storage. This includes private storage projects with more than 200 megawatts of power and around 500 megawatt-hours of storage capacity, as well as hybrid solar and battery systems . The north is therefore looking more towards Türkiye, gas and physical connections. The south is focusing more on storage, solar, grid stability and European energy integration. These are different approaches, but they all stem from the same fundamental question: How will this island be supplied safely, cleanly and affordably in the future? Perhaps this is one of the quiet commonalities that should not be overlooked on this anniversary. Two systems, one island As long as Cyprus remains politically divided, many infrastructure issues will likely be addressed separately. The north is expanding its supply network via Turkey, while the south is developing its own storage, solar, and grid solutions within the framework of the Republic of Cyprus and the EU. This can look like competition. Perhaps one day it could become a supplement. If a viable solution to the Cyprus question is ever found, these systems could not be at odds with each other, but rather mutually reinforcing. The north could contribute connections to Turkey and its energy grid. The south could contribute EU law, international recognition, storage technology, a solar strategy, and investment security. Together, Cyprus could turn its location between Europe, Turkey, and the Eastern Mediterranean into a strength. This is not an official plan yet. But it is a hopeful thought. Perhaps peace begins in everyday life. Tomorrow, flags will fly in Northern Cyprus. People will participate in ceremonies. Ships will anchor off the coast. Planes will fly over Girne. Restaurants will still open. Children will eat ice cream. Tourists will ask what's happening. In the evening, music will play somewhere, and the sea will lie so still, as if it has carried all these stories for centuries. Perhaps that's exactly what Northern Cyprus is. A country that is beautiful, even though it is difficult. A country that remains friendly despite its difficult history. A country where one can talk about memory, peace, electricity, water, the sea, family and the future on the same day. July 20th is celebrated in the north and mourned in the south. This tension cannot simply be ignored. It is part of the island's reality. But perhaps one can still hope that something new can eventually emerge from understanding both perspectives. A future where safety is no longer pitted against pain. A future where infrastructure doesn't divide, but connects. A future in which a light burns reliably, a monastery is preserved, a beach is protected, and people from both parts of the island can live together more easily again. Perhaps peace sometimes doesn't begin with a grand statement. Perhaps it begins with becoming quieter on such a day, looking more closely, and wishing that one day this island will no longer have to stand between its memories, but will be able to build a shared future from them. All love Samira & Marten

In our book, we wrote extensively about how surprisingly affordable life in Northern Cyprus can feel. This refers primarily to the period in which many of our observations were made: the years 2022 to 2024. We were talking about vegetables that you don't buy individually at the market like little treasures, but by the bagful for 1 to 2 euros each. A bag of tomatoes. A bag of cucumbers. A bag of herbs. A bag of peppers. In those years, you sometimes felt like you were carrying home an entire kitchen for just a few euros. We wrote about gasoline that cost less than a euro per liter back then. About restaurants where you could linger late into the evening without having to mentally calculate the price every time you glanced at the menu. About cafés with air conditioning, about sea views, about conversations that didn't have to end after five minutes because the next appointment was already pressing. And we wrote about something that you only understand after being here longer: Northern Cyprus makes life cheaper also because it doesn't constantly tempt you to buy things. There's no Amazon here, half-asleep, trying to sell you three things you never actually needed. There are fewer impulse buys, less of a flood of packages, less of that quick "Oh well, I'll just order it." You go to the market. You drive to the shop. You ask someone. You even wait sometimes. And suddenly you realize that many things that once seemed urgent aren't actually needed at all. That's part of the North Cypriot lifestyle. Buy less, experience more. Click less, see more. More coffee. More sunsets. More restaurants in the evening. More conversation. More Mediterranean life. But now it's 2026. Between our observations from the years of our book's publication and everyday life today lie several years, much inflation, increased attention to Northern Cyprus, more tourism, more new construction, and a different cost situation. Therefore, the honest question is worthwhile: What of that is still true? What has become more expensive since the 2022-2024 book period? What has remained the same? What might even still feel cheap in euros? And where should you look more closely today if you want to live, spend the winter, emigrate, or simply stay longer in Northern Cyprus? Northern Cyprus is cheaper, but not cheap everywhere. In our book, we've already described Northern Cyprus as a place where the value for money is particularly striking. During the period from 2022 to 2024, we wrote about overflowing market bags, inexpensive fruits and vegetables, affordable restaurants, easy car rentals, lower living costs, and that wonderful feeling of not constantly needing more money. This feeling will still exist in 2026. But it has matured. Northern Cyprus is no longer simply "cheap." That wouldn't be a fitting word for a country where people live, work, raise children, pay rent, and navigate daily life with the Turkish lira. For many people from Germany, Austria, Switzerland, or England, Northern Cyprus remains very affordable if they think in terms of euros, pounds, or another more stable currency. However, for those earning their living here in lira, the same price increases are significantly more difficult to manage. That's something you always have to keep in mind, to be fair. The Cyprus Mail reported in early 2026 that inflation in the north remained high at the end of 2025. Restaurants, hotels, education, entertainment, and culture, in particular, experienced sharp price increases. At the same time, visitor numbers to the north rose significantly. Increased demand, more tourism, more new construction, and greater international attention: all of this is making Northern Cyprus more vibrant, but also more expensive. (Cyprus Mail) The market remains the best place to understand Northern Cyprus. Anyone wanting to know the cost of everyday life in Northern Cyprus shouldn't start by going to a large supermarket. They should go to the market. For example, the Wednesday market in Girne. Tomatoes, figs, melons, cucumbers, herbs, potatoes, and eggplants aren't just there for decoration; they're a real part of life. Prices are written on pieces of cardboard. The produce is constantly being rearranged. The best-looking fruits go on top. There's talking, inspecting, laughter, weighing, and bagging. In our book, we described with great amazement how, between 2022 and 2024, one could buy several bags full of fruit and vegetables for just a few euros. We remember that 1 kg of lemons cost €0.60 back then. Today, the market has become more expensive. You can feel it. But it remains one of the great advantages of living here. Recent cost overviews for Northern Cyprus continue to confirm that local food, fruit, vegetables, and simple baked goods are significantly cheaper than in many European countries. North Cyprus Global The difference lies in the behavior. Those who buy seasonally, eat locally, and embrace what the country has to offer can still live surprisingly cheaply in Northern Cyprus. However, anyone who wants German brand-name products, imported cheese, specialty goods, electronics, specific cosmetics, or everything exactly as it is at home will find that Northern Cyprus is not a discount paradise. Imports cost money. And here, imports sometimes cost more than you might expect. Perhaps it's even healthy. Northern Cyprus encourages us to eat more simply, seasonally, and locally again. More tomatoes. More cucumbers. More olives. More bread. More herbs. More of what's available. Living: The biggest difference lies in the location Rents in Northern Cyprus remain attractive compared to Germany or Southern Cyprus. But even here, what was once a hidden gem has long since become a mainstream market. Girne, Esentepe, Iskele, Long Beach, and prime locations with ocean views are in high demand. These areas are home not only to locals, but almost exclusively to expats, retirees, digital nomads, students, vacationers, and investors. This drives up prices. Current cost guides for modern apartments under 90 square meters in popular areas often cite monthly rents of around €500 to €800 for well-equipped apartments, and even more in particularly desirable locations. There, we see prices for similarly sized apartments reaching up to €1,400. Simpler apartments, locations further inland, or less touristy regions may be cheaper. Cyprus Tax Life What's also true from our book: Renting in Northern Cyprus is often more personal than in Germany. Much is done through contacts, recommendations, and direct agreements. Long-term leases are frequently agreed upon for a year. Sometimes rent is paid in advance or quarterly. Once trust is established, many things become more flexible. That's nice, but it requires clarity. Anyone planning a longer stay should carefully clarify the rental agreement, payment terms, utilities (electricity, water, internet, site fees), and any potential tax registration of the rental agreement. Those applying for a residence permit especially need their documents to be in order. Electricity, water, and the summer truth Northern Cyprus is having a wonderful summer. But this summer has come with a bill. It's called an air conditioner. In June, July, August, and September, electricity suddenly becomes a major everyday concern. A house with multiple air conditioning units costs more than a small apartment where cooling is consciously controlled. Those who work from home a lot during the day pay more than those who travel. Someone with a house with a pool, garden, and large living space lives differently than someone in a small apartment in Girne. Current overviews indicate that electricity costs for a two-person household are roughly €60 to €100 per month, depending on the season and consumption. In summer, this can be significantly higher. Electricity costs of €300 are also normal then, especially if one prefers to keep the house cool. Water remains comparatively inexpensive, often in the range of €15 to €25 per month. North Cyprus Global And this is precisely where you realize why the major energy issues we've written about in recent weeks are so important for everyday life. Gas pipelines, power plants, electricity cables, water from Turkey: it all sounds like politics. But ultimately, it's about whether the lights stay on quietly in a restaurant on a hot afternoon, whether the air conditioning works, whether a hotel can plan ahead, and whether families can better estimate their expenses. Eating out: still a pleasure, but no longer at the old price. Dining out is an integral part of life in Northern Cyprus. An evening with meze, bread, salad, grilled meat, fish, or a simple chicken shish is more than just eating. It's about socializing. You sit outside. Someone knows someone else. Children run around. The waiter remembers what you ordered last time. This way of eating is still more affordable than in many German cities. But prices have risen here too. Simple local eateries, small village restaurants, roadside snack bars, or the square where locals eat, remain reasonably priced. Beach clubs, hotel restaurants, tourist areas, and international cuisine, on the other hand, can quickly become significantly more expensive. This is not surprising. Northern Cyprus is becoming more visible, and visibility changes prices. For a couple, eating out is often still very affordable if you stick to local restaurants. However, those who eat out several times a week should consciously factor this expense into their budget. A current guide estimates that eating out for a couple costs between €200 and €400 per month, depending on frequency and expectations. North Cyprus Global: We personally currently budget an average of 1000 TL per person per meal, including non-alcoholic drinks, at beach resorts. That's about €18.50. The exception, as in Germany, is meat. A perfect filet steak dish has cost around €30 to €40 in Northern Cyprus since 2025. That's perhaps an important point to note. Mobility: It will be difficult without a car Northern Cyprus is a land of cars. There are buses. And you should definitely use them once in a while, because they're part of the local experience. But those who actually live here will usually need a car. Getting around between villages, beaches, supermarkets, doctors, restaurants, and government offices is much easier with your own car. Renting a car costs about €30 per day. However, it becomes cheaper the longer you book it. In our book, we described gasoline prices as very low for the years 2022 to 2024. That was one of the most striking points. By 2026, the situation is different. Gasoline remains very moderate compared to other European countries, but the old bargain prices of under €1 are no longer the same. Currently, prices of 70 TL, or about €1.30, are being observed. Compared to Germany, this is still a sensational price. When buying a car, we recommend purchasing used vehicles from reputable dealers here. Importing a car is very complex and expensive due to customs fees. This should only be attempted by experienced individuals. In addition, there are insurance, taxes, a vehicle inspection (like a TÜV), maintenance, tires, and occasional repairs to consider. On the plus side, garages are often more personal, direct, and cheaper than in Germany. Many things can be resolved easily. You send a message, drive by, talk to someone, and often a solution can be found. Admittedly, however, the standards are not entirely comparable. This is a piece of Northern Cyprus. Health: a real advantage, but please use common sense. Medical care was already an important point in our book. We described how doctor's visits, medications, and many medical services can be significantly cheaper than in Germany. This advantage still exists. Current overviews often list private doctor visits as costing between 30 and 50 euros. Medications are frequently cheaper, and pharmacies are easily accessible. North Cyprus Global Nevertheless, no one should emigrate without insurance and a plan. Those who are young, healthy, and flexible calculate their expenses differently than someone with pre-existing conditions or who is retired. Private health insurance can vary significantly in cost depending on age and coverage. For many people, it's advisable; for some, it's essential. Generally, residency automatically provides local insurance coverage. It might be worthwhile for older or more vulnerable individuals to also take out a very affordable private health insurance policy at a university hospital. This effectively provides full private patient coverage for a very small fee. However, for visitors or tourists, the international coverage provided by their domestic health insurance company is definitely sufficient. Northern Cyprus is friendly. But friendliness is no substitute for good preparation. What has stayed the same, and what has become more expensive? Comparing the observations from our book period 2022 to 2024 with those from 2026 reveals a clear picture. What has remained is the abundance of markets, the warmth of the people, the simple joy of good food, the proximity to the sea, the short distances, the chance for a life with less pressure and more sunshine. The great advantage of local products has also remained. Those who live here like someone who truly embraces Northern Cyprus can continue to live very well and affordably. Gasoline, rents in popular locations, restaurants and hotels, construction costs, good new buildings, imported products, cars, and electronics have all become more expensive. Electricity costs in the summer should also not be underestimated. Local food, many services, water, simple restaurants, doctor's visits, and medications remain cheaper compared to Germany. It's also important to consider that the minimum wage in Northern Cyprus has increased from approximately 400 British pounds to approximately 1,200 British pounds since 2022. Otherwise, the local population would not have been able to cope with the aforementioned price increases. Therefore, local products are also affected by the price hikes. The biggest difference may not lie in a single number, but in the attitude. It used to be easy to describe Northern Cyprus as an affordable place. Today, it would be more accurate to say: Northern Cyprus is still more affordable if you live locally. It's expensive if you bring all your old European habits with you. Sample budgets for guidance Of course, everything depends on lifestyle. But as a rough guideline, one can say: A frugal single person who lives simply, shops locally and is mindful with money can get by on a much smaller budget than in Germany. Around €1,000 per month can be enough. Someone who wants to live centrally in Girne, eat out often, drive a car, travel and buy imported products should plan for around €1,500 per month or more. A couple with a typical lifestyle, renting an apartment, driving a car, shopping locally, eating out occasionally, and having private savings should roughly budget for about €2,500 per month. Some spend less, others considerably more. A house with a garden, pool, multiple air conditioners, and a sea view immediately changes this calculation. This lifestyle, including more restaurant visits and more European products, will likely cost closer to €5,000 per month. Retirees with paid-off mortgages often live particularly well because their biggest expense is eliminated. Then, things like the market, car, electricity, water, healthcare, food, and leisure activities can remain surprisingly affordable. These figures are not a guarantee. They represent a range of feelings. Who would benefit from visiting Northern Cyprus? Northern Cyprus is worthwhile for people who are not just looking for a cheaper place, but a different rhythm of life. For people who can go to the market in the morning and enjoy the fact that the tomatoes smell like tomatoes. For people who don't need every product to be from Germany. For people who can live with minor imperfections. For people who don't get nervous when things sometimes rely on relationships, conversation, and patience, and are happy to take a little longer. It's worthwhile for retirees who want to use their money more consciously. For digital workers who want to combine proximity to Europe, sunshine, and lower costs. For families seeking more space and less hustle and bustle. For people who want to live, not just calculate. But Northern Cyprus is not a place for everyone. Anyone expecting absolute predictability, German-style administration, perfect infrastructure, full EU legal certainty, public transport like in a major city, and consistently uniform standards will sometimes be surprised. On the other hand, anyone looking for a country that has retained its human touch will find much that has become rare in Central Europe. Conclusion: Everyday life costs less if you don't import it. Perhaps the most beautiful truth about Northern Cyprus is this: Life here isn't just cheaper because individual prices are lower. It's cheaper because perspectives are changing. We need less staging. Less consumption. Less structured programming. A visit to the market can be an experience. A simple coffee by the sea is sometimes enough to fill an entire morning. A conversation with a neighbor replaces the next app. A plate of fresh salad, bread, and grilled meat can bring more joy than an overpriced meal in a city where no one has time. Northern Cyprus became more expensive in 2026. That's true. But it's still a place where, with open eyes, you can get a lot of quality of life for your money. Especially if you're not trying to recreate Germany under palm trees. Those who accept Northern Cyprus as it is will realize: everyday life here has its own value. And sometimes that is precisely the biggest difference. All love Samira & Marten

When UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres comes to Cyprus at the end of July, he will arrive on an island where the major forces of the eastern Mediterranean now meet very clearly. On one side stands the Republic of Cyprus: internationally recognized, a member of the European Union, embedded in European law and European institutions. On the other side stands Northern Cyprus: closely connected to Turkey culturally, economically, in terms of security, and on a deeply human level. Turkey itself is a NATO member, a regional power, an energy hub, and a bridge between Europe, Asia, the Black Sea, and the Middle East. The confirmed occasion is this: according to current reports, Guterres is expected in Cyprus at the end of July. The UN is keeping the process visibly open. The official framework remains a bizonal, bicommunal federation. Everything beyond that is interpretation, thought experiment, and political search space. The Real Stalemate Perhaps this is exactly where movement begins: today, neither the Greek Cypriot side nor the Turkish Cypriot side can simply be argued away. The EU cannot be thought out of the island. But Turkey cannot be negotiated out of the security reality of Northern Cyprus either. Both sides have their strengths, their interests, their history, their wounds, their rights, and their fear of ending up as the side that gives in and loses. Perhaps Cyprus therefore does not need a solution that gives victory to one side and defeat to the other. Perhaps the island needs an architecture in which both spheres bring their strengths into one shared whole. Cyprus as a Bridge Republic One possible idea would be this: Cyprus as a bridge republic. Externally, Cyprus would remain one common state and part of the European Union. The south would be the European legal anchor: recognition, EU membership, international treaties, licenses, and investment security. The north would be the bridgehead toward Turkey: with its own political dignity, strong self-government, cultural autonomy, and an officially recognized role in the relationship with Turkey and the wider region. In this way, something currently described as a problem would become a function. The south brings recognition and access to the EU. The north brings the connection to Turkey. Turkey brings proximity, security interests, infrastructure, energy expertise, and access to a possible superhub for gas and electricity. The EU brings law, markets, funding, and institutional stability. A Special Economic Zone Between the EU and Turkey Such an architecture could also be imagined economically: as a special joint economic zone in Cyprus. Cyprus would be both inside the EU and a gateway to the Ottoman world. From the Turkish perspective, this zone would also be a kind of special economic zone: a regulated place through which Turkish companies, energy actors, craftsmen, universities, and investors could do business with Europe. For the EU, this would be a controlled form of integration. Turkey has around 86 million inhabitants. Full EU membership would massively shift the internal balance of the Union. Around 300,000 people in Northern Cyprus would not disturb that balance. Precisely for this reason, the Turkish Cypriots may not be the problem, but part of the solution, including for the long-standing Turkey-EU question. Greece would also have an advantage in such a model. Athens would not have to watch Turkey create facts alone through the north, but could participate through a common, European-embedded Cyprus in stability, energy cooperation, trade, and security in the eastern Mediterranean. Above all, this could help defuse a very old conflict. Greater Turkish and greater Greek visions would no longer have to collide over Cyprus. Instead, a clear line would be drawn at precisely this sensitive point. Israel and the United States would also be impossible to ignore in this architecture. A Cyprus solution that touches gas, transport routes, investments, and security also touches Israeli and American interests. A new order would therefore have to be stable enough to reassure not only Nicosia, Ankara, and Brussels, but also Jerusalem, Washington, and the energy companies expected to invest billions. Gas as a Shared Future Project This idea becomes especially clear when it comes to gas. The gas fields around Cyprus are only truly valuable if they can be safely developed, insured, financed, transported, and sold. The south can issue internationally recognized licenses. But geographic and political reality does not end at a legal line on paper. Turkey is close. Northern Cyprus lies in between. In a new Cyprus architecture, this could become a shared advantage. Through the south would come international recognition and European legal capacity. Through the north and Turkey would come a regional transport and processing logic that could be practically interesting for Europe. Energy, Water, and Mobility Energy would then become more than a source of revenue. It would mark the beginning of a shared island strategy. Cyprus has sun, sea, wind, short distances, and a manageable domestic market. A common solar and gas strategy could secure the island’s energy supply: gas for stable baseload supply and cleaner electricity generation, solar energy for homes, hotels, agriculture, charging points, and small businesses. Mobility could also become part of this idea. If Northern Cyprus receives its planned gas pipeline connection through Turkey, with gas able to flow in both directions, and if the island also offers excellent conditions for solar energy, Cyprus could become a testing ground for vehicles that truly fit this landscape: passenger cars, small delivery vehicles, island buses, hotel shuttles, municipal vehicles, solar hybrids, gas-hybrid vehicles, or electric vehicles with local charging infrastructure. There is already a point of connection: with GÜNSEL, Northern Cyprus has its own electric car project from the environment of Near East University. Anyone who has read our book “North Cyprus Conversations” already knows this side of the country. Northern Cyprus is also university, research, awakening, inventiveness, and the will to build something of its own from limited possibilities. Water also belongs to energy. Decentralized desalination plants, powered by solar energy and secured by stable grids, could relieve villages, agriculture, hotels, and households. Water would then no longer be merely scarcity management, but a planned abundance for fields, gardens, tourism, and families. A Cypriot Future Fund For this new order to serve not only states, corporations, and governments, it would need a second pillar: a Cypriot Future Fund. In its basic idea, it could be compared to the Norwegian sovereign wealth fund, adapted to Cyprus’s particular situation. A fixed share of the revenues from gas, energy, pipelines, ports, and major infrastructure projects would flow into a common fund. Unlike in Norway, however, this fund would have to work more strongly on Cyprus itself: in education, infrastructure, energy, water, research, crafts, agriculture, technology, legal clarity around property, and future-oriented projects. The decisive point would be that these investments are sustainable. They should serve people today while also leaving future generations with a stronger foundation. The fund should not finance an inflated welfare state, but strengthen the island’s inner capital: the skills of its inhabitants, the quality of its education, the reliability of its infrastructure, the productivity of its businesses, the fertility of its landscapes, and trust in clear rules. Education would be a key part of this. A future fund could support vocational schools, master craftsman programs, and practical training centers. Experienced craftsmen from the EU, Turkey, and both parts of Cyprus could build programs in which young people learn the professions the island truly needs. That would be a very practical peace. One that does not arise only in negotiation rooms, but in workshops, teaching kitchens, solar fields, water plants, hotels, small businesses, and construction projects. Law, Property, and Normality The legal system would also take on new importance in such a model. If the north increasingly grows into European rules, courts, property clarification, registers, building regulations, consumer protection, and investment security, one of the island’s most difficult questions would gradually become easier to order: Who owns what? Who may use what? How are old claims respected? How do new rights arise? For investors, families, builders, returnees, and people who have lived for decades with unresolved stories, this would be a central part of normality. Why Think Anew? Perhaps this is exactly the point at which Guterres now stands. Anyone who truly wants to move something will hardly find a solution by simply rearranging the old sentences. The familiar paths have been described, negotiated, defended, and blocked for decades. If they had been enough, Cyprus would have moved forward long ago. A solution that pleases only one side will fail again against reality. A solution that takes all interests into account at least far enough that no one loses their dignity could become viable for the first time. This is also about healing. Every reasonable person who deals with the Cyprus question knows the pain that has arisen on both sides. Many families have lost. Many people had to leave. Many fear that their story will be overlooked in the name of a new order. Such wounds deserve respect. But healing rarely comes from endlessly circling around the same injury. It arises more often where people once again see a fair, reachable, and positive perspective ahead of them. A Thought Experiment, Not a Finished Plan This is not an official plan. It is a thought experiment. But perhaps such an old question as the Cyprus question needs precisely these new images. Because Guterres is coming to an island where no one can simply be wished away: not the EU, not Turkey, not the north, not the south, and not the people who live here, hope here, work here, raise their children here, and want one day to grow old in peace. Perhaps a solution begins where one stops removing one side from the equation. And perhaps Cyprus then becomes exactly what, by its location, it could always have been: an island between worlds that no longer breaks apart because of that position, but builds a shared future from it. These are precisely the sides of Northern Cyprus that we write about in our book “North Cyprus Conversations” and regularly here on the blog “North Cyprus Conversations”: about people, places, energy, culture, wounds, opportunities, and the question of how a divided island can once again become a shared space for the future. With love, Samira & Marten Sources and points of contact UN, EU and the status question Cyprus Mail: Report on the expected visit of UN Secretary-General António Guterres to Cyprus at the end of July 2026: https://cyprus-mail.com/2026/07/16/guterres-to-visit-cyprus UNFICYP: Official framework of the UN peacekeeping mission in Cyprus: https://unficyp.unmissions.org/ UN Security Council Resolution 1251 (1999): Basis of the UN position on a single Cyprus with a bizonal, bicommunal federation: https://undocs.org/S/RES/1251(1999) UN Security Council Resolution 186 (1964): Founding resolution for UNFICYP: https://undocs.org/S/RES/186(1964) Associated Press: Guterres and informal UN talks to revive the Cyprus process: https://apnews.com/article/d1ea8ce0917e766b558112ac796f61e4 Guardian: An assessment of the urgency of the Cyprus question and the role of the UN after 60 years of UNFICYP: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/mar/07/its-now-or-never-for-cyprus-reunification-says-top-un-official European Union: Basic information on the Republic of Cyprus as an EU member state; note that all of Cyprus is EU territory, but the acquis is suspended in the north: https://european-union.europa.eu/principles-countries-history/eu-countries/cyprus_en EU Protocol No. 10 on Cyprus: Legal basis for the suspension of EU law in the territories without effective control of the Republic of Cyprus: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A12003T%2FPRO%2F10 EU Green Line Regulation 866/2004: Rules governing the movement of goods and people across the Green Line: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32004R0866 European Commission: Aid Programme for the Turkish Cypriot community: https://commission.europa.eu/funding-tenders/find-funding/eu-funding-programmes/aid-programme-turkish-cypriot-community_en Eurostat: EU population and population weights of the member states, as background to the question of why full Turkish accession would significantly alter the EU balance: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Population_and_population_change_statistics Turkish Statistical Institute / TurkStat: Official Turkish population statistics, background information on the population size of approximately 86 million inhabitants: https://www.tuik.gov.tr/ Gas fields, energy and the eastern Mediterranean Northern Cyprus in a nutshell: Previous article on the gas fields and the question of why the Republic of Cyprus suddenly needs the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus: https://www.nordzypernaufeinwort.com/post/die-gasfelder-zyperns-warum-die-republik-zypern-die-t%C3%BCrkische-republik-nordzypern-pl%C3%B6tzlich-braucht Associated Press: ExxonMobil/QatarEnergy, Glaucus and Pegasus in Block 10; possible gas flows from 2033: https://apnews.com/article/97ce4d93e6b8696bef3b13b7d352d5bf Associated Press: Cyprus could export gas to Europe from 2027 onwards, according to government sources, initially via Cronos and Egypt: https://apnews.com/article/eacc086ae45ad703632a17ffa6379fba Associated Press: Pegasus-1 as ExxonMobil/QatarEnergy's new discovery in Block 10 and overview of Aphrodite, Calypso, Cronos, Zeus and Glaucus: https://apnews.com/article/feb8e06f039fd49f04728abad743c444 Associated Press: Eni/TotalEnergies and the development of Cypriot gas reserves to supply Europe: https://apnews.com/article/2627af12a66837c5755933df9f9967ef Associated Press: Eni close to development decision for Cronos, possible gas deliveries to Europe from 2027/2028: https://apnews.com/article/63782a863824efab172345b4714562d9 Associated Press: Chevron/Aphrodite and pipeline option towards Egypt: https://apnews.com/article/69db325fbe30f7240319952371f2c42f Associated Press: Chevron and time horizon for Aphrodite's development: https://apnews.com/article/5702b41d81f7248833f0d7abe3eb969f Eni: Gas discovery offshore Cyprus, Calypso-1, Block 6: https://www.eni.com/en-IT/media/press-release/2018/02/eni-announces-a-gas-discovery-offshore-cyprus.html Eni: Cronos-1 gas discovery offshore Cyprus, Block 6: https://www.eni.com/en-IT/media/press-release/2022/08/eni-announces-significant-gas-discovery-offshore-cyprus.html ExxonMobil: Glaucus-1 discovery offshore Cyprus, Block 10: https://corporate.exxonmobil.com/news/news-releases/2019/0228_exxonmobil-makes-natural-gas-discovery-offshore-cyprus TotalEnergies: Presence and activities in the Eastern Mediterranean/Cyprus: https://totalenergies.com/ Chevron: Eastern Mediterranean / Aphrodite connection via Chevron activities in the region: https://www.chevron.com/ Cyprus Mail: Report on Eni CEO Claudio Descalzi and his statement that EastMed solutions must include Turkey: https://cyprus-mail.com/2023/05/19/no-eastmed-pipeline-without-turkey-eni-says Reuters: Background on the Cyprus-Israel question, Aphrodite/Yishai, and the development of the field: https://www.reuters.com/ US Energy Information Administration: Eastern Mediterranean energy overview and regional gas connections: https://www.eia.gov/international/analysis/regions-of-interest/Eastern_Mediterranean Israel Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure: Energy policy and gas as background to Israel's role in the Eastern Mediterranean: https://www.gov.il/en/departments/ministry_of_energy_and_infrastructure/govil-landing-page Türkiye, Northern Cyprus and new gas pipeline Turkish Ministry of Energy: Signing of the Turkey-TRNC natural gas pipeline, Anamur-Teknecik, approximately 101 km, two 22-inch pipes, bidirectional: https://enerji.gov.tr/news-detail?id=31870 Turkish Ministry of Energy: Homepage with energy strategy, LNG expansion and pipeline projects: https://enerji.gov.tr/homepage BOTAŞ: Turkish state-owned pipeline and gas company: https://www.botas.gov.tr/ TANAP: Trans-Anatolian Pipeline as part of the Turkish gas hub between the Caspian region and Europe: https://www.tanap.com/ TurkStream: Pipeline context Russia-Turkey-Southeast Europe: https://turkstream.info/ Reuters: Background on Turkey as an energy hub and gas flows towards Europe: https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/ Electricity, solar, water and infrastructure European Commission / CEF: EU funding for the EuroAsia/Great Sea Interconnector to end Cyprus's energy isolation: https://cinea.ec.europa.eu/news-events/news/connecting-europe-facility-eu-supports-euroasia-interconnector-2022-01-27_en Great Sea Interconnector: Project website for the Israel-Cyprus-Greece power connection: https://www.greatseainterconnector.com/ Associated Press: Cyprus, renewable energy and the EuroAsia/Interconnector context: https://apnews.com/article/90ffb1e56057796d40a55db95f47e6fb International Energy Agency: Country and energy profiles as background information on energy dependency and transformation: https://www.iea.org/countries/cyprus International Renewable Energy Agency: Data and background on renewable energy in Cyprus: https://www.irena.org/ Republic of Cyprus Water Development Department: Water policy, desalination and water supply in the south: http://www.moa.gov.cy/moa/wdd/wdd.nsf/ European Environment Agency: Water stress, climate adaptation and the Mediterranean region as a context for desalination and agriculture: https://www.eea.europa.eu/ European Commission: Vocational education and training as a background for possible EU vocational education and training and exchange programs: https://education.ec.europa.eu/education-levels/vocational-education-and-training Cedefop: European Centre for the Promotion of Vocational Education and Training, as a link for crafts, qualifications and professional standards: https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/ Mobility, GÜNSEL and potential island industry Near East University / GÜNSEL: Contact point for North Cypriot electric vehicle and mobility projects: https://gunsel.com.tr/en/ Near East University: Background information on research and university structures in Northern Cyprus: https://neu.edu.tr/ Togg: The Turkish electric vehicle industry as a potential industrial reference framework: https://www.togg.com.tr/ Pilotcar: Turkish manufacturer of small electric and commercial vehicles as an example of light mobility industries: https://pilotcar.com.tr/en/ Future fund and social use of raw material revenues Norges Bank Investment Management: The Norwegian sovereign wealth fund as a benchmark for the long-term management of oil and gas revenues for the benefit of present and future generations: https://www.nbim.no/ Government Pension Fund Global: Background information on the Norwegian fund model: https://www.nbim.no/en/the-fund/about-the-fund/ Natural Resource Governance Institute: Principles on commodity funds, transparency, and good management of commodity revenues: https://resourcegovernance.org/ International Monetary Fund: Fiscal rules, sovereign wealth funds and commodity revenues as a financial policy background: https://www.imf.org/ Own preliminary work and blog links North Cyprus Conversations: Article on gas pipeline, energy and security of supply in Northern Cyprus: outputs/artikel-entwurf-gasleitung-tuerkei-nordzypern-2026-07-12-v3.md North Cyprus Conversations: Article on Cyprus's gas fields and their political significance for North and South: outputs/artikel-entwurf-gas-schuerfrechte-zypernfrage-2026-07-10.md North Cyprus Conversations: Published Alagadi/Turtle Beach article as a human counterpoint to the geopolitical level: https://www.nordzypernaufeinwort.com/post/ercan-am-turtle-beach-wo-nordzypern-nach-meer-musik-und-sommer-riecht North Cyprus Conversations: Blog with regular articles about Northern Cyprus, the Cyprus question, everyday life, people, energy and culture: https://www.nordzypernaufeinwort.com/