Publisher’s killing stuns divided island of Cyprus, stirs fears of renewed instability

Publisher’s killing stuns divided island of Cyprus

NICOSIA, Cyprus — Political leaders expressed shock Tuesday at the slaying of a powerful publisher, puzzling over possible motives for a killing that stirred feelings of insecurity on this war-divided island.

Andy Hadjicostis, the 41-year-old director of the Dias publishing group, was fatally shot late Monday outside his home in central Nicosia, in an attack that bore the hallmarks of a contract killing.

Police spokesman Michalis Kastounotos said the victim was shot twice — in the back and chest — as he stepped out of his car. He died at the scene, in an upscale area of the Cypriot capital that includes several embassy compounds and is heavily policed.

The spokesman said the gunman fled on a motorcycle driven by an accomplice. No shell casings were found.

Hadjicostis was seen as a rising star in the island’s majority Greek Cypriot community, taking over a media stable founded by his father.

It includes the private Sigma television station, the conservative daily Simerini, a popular radio station and several magazines.

Hadjicostis was a vocal critic of a United Nations draft settlement plan to reunify the island that was rejected by Greek Cypriots in a 2004 referendum.

Settlement talks restarted in 2008 and are ongoing.

Cyprus has been split since 1974 when Turkey invaded after a coup by supporters of union with Greece. The island joined the European Union six years ago, but only Greek Cypriots enjoy the benefits of membership.

The island’s president, Dimitris Christofias, took a break from renewed settlement negotiations to visit the victim’s family.

“The police will exhaust all their resources to solve this horrible crime,” Christofias said. “These are like scenes from an ancient tragedy … The family’s pain is unfathomable.”

Former president Tassos Papadopoulos’ corpse was stolen from his grave on Nicosia’s outskirts last month. He was seen by some nationalist Greek Cypriots as a symbol of resistance against peace deals they believe have been weighted against them.

Parliament speaker Marios Karoyan said the shooting may have been an attempt to destabilize the island but did not elaborate.

“Our democracy is strong enough to withstand acts of violence like this,” he said. “We will not let lawlessness, crime and murder prevail.”

The daily Simerini suggested Hadjicostis’ murder may have been linked to the theft of Papadopoulos’ corpse.

“Some people don’t want this place to calm down. They don’t want citizens to live in conditions of security and calm,” it said in a front-page editorial.”

“We … assure the Greeks of Cyprus that we will not cower. We are not terrorized or intimidated and … will not succumb to criminals.”