Shame on EU
President Ersin Tatar blasts European Union’s treatment of Turkish Cypriots ahead of second anniversary of Maraş opening
THE European Union should be “ashamed” of the way it has treated Turkish Cypriots, President Ersin Tatar has said.
Mr Tatar, speaking to Turkey’s Anadolu news agency last Friday, accused the EU of “rewarding” the Greek Cypriot side with membership of the bloc despite their overwhelming rejection of a unification deal, dubbed the “Annan Plan” after the late UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, in a referendum in April 2004.
Just a week later the Greek Cypriot side was admitted to the EU while the Turkish Cypriot side, despite saying “Yes” to the plan, was left out.
“We said yes to the Annan plan, they said no,” Mr Tatar said. “They were rewarded with EU membership [in May 2004]. The EU should feel ashamed of its treatment of Turkish Cypriots.”
Mr Tatar made the comments ahead of the second anniversary of the partial reopening of the former “ghost town” of Maraş, also known as Varosha, on the island’s east coast.
He said that the decision to open parts of the fenced-off town on October 8, 2020, was taken against the backdrop of the failure of the EU to end the economic isolation of the Turkish Cypriots, for example through direct trade, as had been promised in the wake of the 2004 referendum.
“The reopening of Maraş was a decision long
overdue for Turkish Cypriots, who have suffered greatly under embargoes and from international isolation,” Mr Tatar explained.
“We needed to take a step in response to our unjust treatment by the international community. The Maraş initiative and the two-state solution policy are part of the same step.”
During the interview Mr Tatar also repeated calls for the former residents of Maraş, the centre of Cyprus tourism before 1974, to apply to the Immovable Property Commission (IPC).
Since 2006 the IPC has been examining claims from Greek Cypriots for restitution, compensation or exchange regarding property left behind in North Cyprus following the events of 1974.
As of April 29, 2022, 7,111 applications have been lodged with the IPC, of which 1,324 have been concluded through “friendly settlements” and 34 through “formal hearing”. The IPC has awarded more than £335 million to Greek Cypriot applicants as compensation.
Mr Tatar said that some 500 Greek Cypriots have so far applied to the IPC regarding property in Maraş.
However the Cyprus Turkish Foundations Administration (Evkaf) has “also applied to the commission seeking its property rights, which
date back to Ottoman
times,” Mr Tatar added.
Meanwhile President Tatar visited Maraş last Saturday to attend an event to mark the second anniversary of the partial reopening of the area following its demilitarisation.
Gazimağusa Mayor İsmail Arter, Security Forces Command commander Major-General Zorlu Topaloğlu, MPs and other officials took part.
Mr Tatar presented a “small gift” to a “British citizen” who entered Maraş at noon. Mr Arter handed out flowers to visitors while the Gazimağusa Municipality band put on a concert.
Asked by reporters what the “next steps” will be in Maraş, Mr Tatar said that some “public services” could start being provided in the area.
“It’s not easy, but some things are now on track,” he said. “My wish is for Maraş to be completely opened to life.”