A normal government task has become a diplomatic problem. It shows that the difficult situation in Cyprus is still very sensitive. The problem started when Greece gave a national ID card to a person of Cypriot origin. The card used a Turkish name for the person's birthplace. This mistake has caused a formal complaint and quick political action in Cyprus. It shows how technology, diplomacy, and old disagreements are connected in this region.
The person's new Greek ID card listed their birthplace as "Iskele." This is the Turkish name for a town that Greek Cypriots call "Trikomo." This town is in a part of Cyprus that has been under Turkish control since 1974. A Cypriot MP, Nikos Georgiou, brought the mistake to public attention. He wrote a formal letter to Cyprus's Interior Minister. He asked for the mistake to be fixed immediately and said it was against the law.
The MP believes the error was not on purpose. He thinks it came from an automatic function in the Greek police's computer system. This system seems to use Turkish names for places in northern Cyprus. Cypriot officials have talked to Greek officials about it. The Greek ambassador in Cyprus is working to solve the problem quickly.
At the same time, relations between Greece and Turkey have been tense recently. Turkey's defense ministry criticized some Greek officials for what it called "provocative" statements. Although they did not mention the ID card, they said such comments harm positive talks between the two countries.
This event shows that place names in Cyprus are very important symbols. They represent different views of history and politics. The mistake, though small, is serious for Greek Cypriots. It also reminds everyone that in this region, even small technical errors can have big political consequences.