Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar has raised concerns after the National Guard utilised Wednesday’s independence day parade to unveil newly acquired LRSVM Tamnava rocket launchers.

He said the Greek Cypriots’ “only vision for the future is to subjugate the Turkish Cypriot people and impose their maximalist goals on us”.

“The participation of Greek warplanes in ceremonies, while simultaneously taking about peace and displaying their new weapons against our people, are the clearest expressions of this mindset,” he said, referring to the two F16 fighter jets which flew over Nicosia on Wednesday morning.

A battery of six LRSVM Tamnava was paraded through Nicosia on Wednesday, while the morning’s parade also saw three Airbus H145M helicopters, which can be equipped with machine guns, rocket launchers, or anti-tank weapons, also make their first public appearance.

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The move comes after the Republic of Cyprus last week took delivery of the Israeli Barak MX air defence system – a surface-to-air missile which is designed to defend against airborne threats including aircraft, helicopters, anti-ship missiles, drones, ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and combat jets.

The receipt of the Barak MX system had also prompted sources from Turkey’s defence ministry to warn of “dangerous consequences”, before adding that the ministry was “closely following” the matter.

“We would like to reiterate that the Greek Cypriot administration’s ongoing armament efforts and activities which could undermine peace and stability on the island could have dangerous consequences,” the sources said.

They added that “any attempt to disrupt the balance on the island is being carefully monitored”, and that “all necessary measures are being taken to ensure the security and peace of the TRNC”.

Defence Minister Vasilis Palmas had pre-empted a Turkish response to the purchase of the missiles, saying it would be hypocritical.

“I consider them to be absolutely hypocritical in the sense that for 51 years, 40,000 Turkish troops have been in occupied Cyprus. Cyprus is a victim of invasion, and its self-evident right to defend its territorial integrity and sovereignty through its deterrent power, through its defensive armour, is an obligation we have towards the Cypriot people and towards ourselves,” he said.

He added that “every state that wants to respect itself takes care of its citizens’ basic security”, before highlighting the fact that the missiles’ arrival was not greeted with fanfare.

“Today, we choose the path of silence, of low tones, and ultimately, because we chose this method and this path, I can declare to you with all responsibility that we have the capabilities to defend the Republic of Cyprus with anti-aircraft and anti-missile defences, if and when it is needed,” he said.

He added, “of course, we all hope that such crises and such situations will not occur in the Republic of Cyprus or on our territory”.