Although missionaries have the legal right to proselytize in both communities, missionary activities are monitored closely by the Greek Cypriot Orthodox Church and by both Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot authorities. The Orthodox Church is suspicious of any attempts to proselytize among Greek Cypriots. On occasion the Greek Cypriot media has given extensive coverage to the activities of foreign missionaries, creating a chilling effect on those activities. There are occasional apprehensions under these laws resulting in publicity but no arrests. The Greek Orthodox religion is taught in all public primary and secondary schools in classes held twice per week in the government-controlled area.
Parents can request that their children be excused from such instruction.
There is no government-sponsored ecumenical activity. Both the Government of Cyprus and the Turkish Cypriot administration have constitutional or legal bars against discrimination. The basic agreement covering treatment of Greek Cypriots and Maronites living in the north and Turkish Cypriots living in the south remains the 1975 Vienna III Agreement. Among other things, this agreement provides for facilities for religious worship. No other religious organization is tax-exempt or receives subsidies.