Niyazi Kizilyurek reflects on the life and legacy of author Vasos Ftopoulos

Academic and former Member of the European Parliament Niyazi Kizilyurek recently shared a lengthy public reflection following the death of Cypriot author and publisher Vasos Ftopoulos. The two figures shared a long and often confrontational history characterized by deep ideological divisions. In his tribute, Kizilyurek described Ftopoulos as a unique but controversial personality who operated a bookstore and the 'Aegeo' restaurant in old Nicosia.

Kizilyurek highlighted Ftopoulos's adherence to what he termed an 'anarcho-nationalist' ideology, noting that the author openly championed the concept of 'Enosis' and held harsh views against Turks, Turkish Cypriots, and federalist-leaning Greek Cypriots. He recalled a 1988 encounter at Ftopoulos's restaurant where he confronted the proprietor over a sign reading 'A good Turk is a dead Turk.' Kizilyurek stated that he compared this rhetoric to Nazi anti-Semitic slogans, a claim that underscores their fundamental disagreement. According to the reports, Ftopoulos viewed the Republic of Cyprus with disdain and sought to maintain a staunchly nationalist discourse that resonated with specific segments of the youth at the time.