MEP Loukas Fourlas has taken aim at what he described as "personal ownership claims, petty politics and a struggle over who gets credit for the success," commenting on the decision by Serbian company EXIT to withdraw from the electronic music festival that had been planned for September near Kyrenia Castle in the occupied north.
'A responsible and correct decision'
In a written statement, Fourlas said the outcome came about through "coordinated efforts by many sides," stressing that the objective throughout had been to stop the event from taking place in occupied Kyrenia at all.
"I want to be clear: in cases like this, there is no room for personal ownership claims, petty politics, or a struggle over who gets credit for the success. The rush by some to present themselves as the sole architects of a development that came about through the coordinated efforts of many sides does not reflect either the reality or the seriousness of the matter," he said.
"The question was never who would get the credit. The question was whether the event would go ahead in occupied Kyrenia. And that has been achieved," he added.
Fourlas said he welcomed EXIT's withdrawal "with full satisfaction," calling it a "responsible and correct decision." He said that through its public statement, the company had come to understand the "deep historical and emotional significance" that Kyrenia and its castle hold for the Cypriot people, along with the sensitivities tied to the Turkish occupation.
He also praised the response of Serbia's political forces and the reaction from Serbian society more broadly, saying it showed that the friendship between Cyprus and Serbia "is not confined to the political level, but has deep roots between the two peoples."
Fourlas said that from the outset there had been "coordinated and substantive action," directed both at Serbia's political leadership and at the company organising the event. As MEP and chair of the delegation to the EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee, he said he remained in continuous and open contact with those involved, with the goal of securing EXIT's withdrawal. "The company ultimately understood the seriousness of the matter," he said.
Kyrenia 'is not just any venue'
Fourlas said Kyrenia "is not just any venue for a music event," but "occupied land of the Republic of Cyprus," describing its castle as an integral part of Cyprus's history and cultural heritage.
He thanked all those he said had contributed to the outcome, both in Cyprus and in Serbia, particularly those who recognised that culture can only serve as a bridge between peoples when it respects historical memory, international law and the sensitivities involved.
"Today we hold on to the positive: a Serbian company listened, understood, and made the right decision. This is a message that strengthens the bonds of friendship between the two peoples," he concluded.
EXIT confirmed its withdrawal from Nexus, the festival that had been due to take place on 18 September near Kyrenia Castle, in a written response to Parathyro, expressing what it called sincere and deep regret over its original decision to take part. The company said it had not fully grasped how strongly the consequences of Cyprus's division continue to be felt, and that withdrawing carried serious legal and financial consequences despite being, in its own words, the right course of action.
EXIT's statement did not confirm an earlier claim by ELAM MEP Geadis Geadi, who had announced the withdrawal a day before EXIT's own confirmation and presented it as the outcome of his personal intervention. Asked directly by Parathyro whether Geadi had played a role, EXIT did not mention him by name, describing instead a broader process of listening to concerns and consulting institutions in Cyprus.
Fourlas had earlier written to Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić urging that the festival be cancelled. EXIT's withdrawal concerns only its own participation; the local organisers, working through the company La Nouba, have not announced that Nexus itself has been cancelled.
