Cyprus Today

Shame on EU

President Ersin Tatar blasts European Union’s treatment of Turkish Cypriots ahead of second anniversar­y of Maraş opening

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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.”

 ?? ?? Flowers were handed out to people visiting Maras last Saturday, the second anniversar­y of its partial reopening
Flowers were handed out to people visiting Maras last Saturday, the second anniversar­y of its partial reopening
 ?? ?? President Tatar presenting a gift to a ‘British citizen’ who entered Maraş at noon last Saturday
President Tatar presenting a gift to a ‘British citizen’ who entered Maraş at noon last Saturday

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