Transitional periods and not permanent derogations for the practical implementation of specific provisions of the solution
Statement of Toumazos Tsielepis, member of the Political Bureau and Head of the Cyprus Problem Office of the C.C. of AKEL
AKEL C.C. Press Office, 24th July 2015, Nicosia
I thank the President of the Democratic Party DIKO for the honour of upgrading me to the position of chief counselor of the President of the Republic. To be serious though however, I simply participate in a broad support group of the Negotiator, as is exactly also the case with a representative of the Democratic Party. It is obvious that such claims are verging on the ridiculous.
Faithful to his usual practice of distorting positions of those who disagree with him and in the comfort of a monologue, the President of the Democratic Party suggested that I publicly justified permanent derogations from the acquis communautaire. What I actually said is that there will be transitional periods for the practical implementation of specific provisions of the solution and not permanent derogations – unless of course Mr. Papadopoulos believes that it is possible once the solution has been signed to immediately move all the Turkish Cypriots living in Greek Cypriot properties and all the Greek Cypriots living in Turkish Cypriot property without previously making the necessary arrangements for their relocation.
Not only do we reject permanent derogations, but we indeed feel proud because for the first time the implementation of the freedom of settlement and acquisition of property by all Cypriots, anywhere on the island, with absolutely no restriction whatsoever are included in the Christofias – Talat convergences. Naturally, Mr. Papadopoulos took care to demonize even this convergence as well.
