Cyprus: If anyone thought the Eurovision Song Contest wasn't about politics, think again.
Soul searching has begun in Cyprus after the island, divided between Greek and Turkish Cypriots since 1974, gave an unprecedented eight points to Turkey in the annual pan-European pop competition. Turkey's entry, Sertab Erener, belly-danced her way to victory in the contest in Latvia on Saturday.
The long-time rivals traditionally snub one another in the glitz, but telephone voting by the Greek Cypriot public this time around has set the island abuzz with speculation.
Was it rigged? Was Cyprus trying to win favour with Ankara after a recent easing of checkpoint crossings on the island? Was it taking the moral high ground as a future EU member? Or was it simply a matter of musical taste? Newspapers published a breakdown yesterday of voting by the majority Greek Cypriots.
Predictably, Greece got top marks with 2,243 votes, followed by Russia with more than 500 and third - Turkey with 489 votes.
Was it a conspiracy or did Greek Cypriots simply enjoy Erener's explosion of rhythm - along with the rest of Europe? Views differed on the streets of Nicosia. Many said they liked the song, others were critical of the vote.
"Why should we help them when they have brought so much distress to Cyprus?" one woman told the Simerini newspaper.
"If it was youngsters who voted for Turkey I can only assume they don't share the same nationalist feelings others have had since the invasion," said music producer Phillipos Pavlou.
Turkey invaded the northern third of the island in 1974, dividing the island along ethnic lines.