Indeed, despite the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974, and the continuing occupation of a significant part of its territory, the Republic of Cyprus was admitted as a full member of the European Union in 2004.
As Polyviou points out, since 1963, Cyprus has experienced constitutional breakdown, political turmoil, every possible type of aggravation and threat, as well as invasion and continuing military occupation, but somehow its Government and legal and political system have not only survived but have also been considerably enriched by a variety of elements from other legal and political spheres, including the European Union and International Law and practice. In his book, the author investigates some of the reasons for the survival and durability of the Republic of Cyprus and its legal and political system.
The central issues explored in the book are the amazing and unexpected survival of the Republic of Cyprus through all the problems encountered since 1963, and the extent to which such survival was due to law or politics or both. This latest book of P.G. Polyviou is essential reading for all those interested in the Cyprus problem, International Law and contemporary politics.