In contemporary Cyprus, the ascription of ethno-religious identity is highly political and juridical. Contrary to the submitted report of the Republic of Cyprus (RoC), this paper argues that the gist of the difference—and of the ‘Cyprus problem’—lies precisely with how groups and communities are described in official and popular discourse. It is on the basis of such socio-legal representations that rights are granted or denied, duties enforced, both north and south of the Green Line. This situation is problematic and should be unacceptable. Especially in cases where religious beliefs and ethnic origins are conflated as suggested above, the regulation of ethno-religious identity becomes not just a complex but paradoxical exercise with serious power implications on the ground. This means, crucially, that certain politicised routes and discursive possibilities are enabled in Cyprus, and others are marginalized or disabled. This paper argues that the dominant bicommunal framework that is the colonial legacy of the island has bequeathed an aporia to the bearer of Cypriot identity; an aporia that requires sustained critical attention and reflection.