Dispute over the nature of the book about Eleni Foka

A public controversy has emerged in Cyprus following recent statements by schoolteacher Eleni Foka regarding the book 'Kai Polla Epikranthi: I Eleni tis Karpasias' by author Evridiki Perikleous-Papadopoulou. While Foka has publicly characterized the work as a biography of her life, the author released a statement on July 28, 2026, clarifying that the book is a literary novel containing fictional elements inspired by true events and testimonies.

A group of Foka's former students has intervened in support of the author, stating that they participated in the multi-year research for the project. According to these students, the use of fiction was a deliberate choice requested to protect the identities of those involved, a decision they claim was known to and accepted by Foka herself. The students assert that Foka was actively involved throughout the writing process, providing personal testimonies and reviewing drafts as the text was being developed.

This development highlights a conflict between the subject's current perception of the work and the collaborative origins described by the author and the supporting group of former students. There is no mention of legal proceedings or further planned actions at this time.