AKEL MEP Giorgos Georgiou in the debate “Stability and security in the Mediterranean and Turkey’s negative role”
9th July 2020, Cyprus News Agency CNA
The intervention of AKEL MEP Giorgos Georgiou during the debate “Stability and security in the Mediterranean and the negative role of Turkey” in the Plenary of the European Parliament in Brussels yesterday:
“Mr. Borell,
The eastern Mediterranean is on fire.
Countries are being torn apart. People are being killed for the redrawing of territories and control of wealth.
The protagonist Turkey, acting as a pirate, is seeking to become the dominant ruler of the region.
It is illegally occupying half of Cyprus.
It is intervening in Syria, Iraq, Libya and Somalia.
It is threatening Greece and conducting illegally drilling in the Exclusive Economic Zone of the Republic of Cyprus.
The European Union is proposing dialogue with Turkey, but the framework, terms and what is at stake must be defined with dignity.
Turkey replies by issuing threats.
It is calling for the abolition of visas for Turkish passports and the revision of the customs union.
It is instrumentalising and exploiting the immigration issue.
It is threatening with new flows of refugees.
Europe must at long last realize the following.
Greece and Cyprus are not the only ones being threatened.
The credibility of the European Union itself is under threat.
Turkey can no longer be held to account by pursuing the policy of appeasement.
Without strong sanctions and comprehensive solutions to the region’s problems based on International Law, the waves of threats Turkey is issuing will overcome Europe itself.
The monster that was nurtured by the tolerance shown by the European Union itself will destroy it…”
