Famagusta is in danger, the EU must act now, tomorrow will be too late!!
Intervention by AKEL MEP Yiorgos Georgiou in the EP plenary debate on the European Council results
AKEL MEP Y. Georgiou Press release 6th October 2020
“For the past two years, Turkey has been continuing its illegal activity in the Cypriot Exclusive Economic Zone. For two years now, unfortunately, we are witness to a ghastly theatre. To tell you the truth, of course we didn’t expect the European Council to impose sanctions on Turkey. And I’m sure it won’t be imposing sanctions in December either, for reasons we all know too well. Certainly, sanctions are not an end in themselves, Mr. Michel.
You want to send out a positive political agenda to Turkey. But Turkey must first change course. Turley must stop violating the sovereign rights of the Republic of Cyprus. It should enter into negotiations with a positive attitude for a solution of the Cyprus problem, on the basis of bi-zonal, bi-communal federation. It must stop issuing threats and planning the illegal colonalisation of Famagusta. It’s good that the Turkish exploratory vessel Yavuz has left the Cypriot seas. However, the ghost town for 46 years, namely the city of Famagusta, is once again being threatened and is in danger.” This what AKEL MEP Yiorgos Georgiou stressed emphatically, addressing the plenary session of the European Parliament, in the presence of European Council President Michel and the President of the European Parliament David Sassoli. The subject of the plenary discussion was the results of the European Council on 1-2nd October.
Regarding Famagusta, AKEL MEP Georgiou reminded Mr. Sassoli that 450 years after the siege of Famagusta for a whole year and its occupation by Lala Mustafa, despite the heroic resistance of a Venetian Markantonios Bragadinos, it is once again threatened with its illegal colonalisation. As the AKEL MEP characteristically stated, history must not be repeated. Famagusta is a European issue and the EU must act immediately to prevent this possibility from happening. Y. Georgiou underlined that if Famagusta is colonalised, this will destroy any prospects for the solution of the Cyprus problem. The AKEL MEP added that in fact if the Cyprus problem is not resolved, the tensions in the Mediterranean will continue and no dialogue will succeed. That is precisely why, he stressed, Europe must act. It must literally act now, because tomorrow will be too late!
Commenting on the positions expressed by MEP’s, the President of the European Council S. Michel reaffirmed the EU’s solidarity on Cyprus and argued that it is not enough that the Turkish vessel Yavuz has left, which is why he said they will be vigilant. Furthermore, he underlined that he supports the procedure of the United Nations and hopes that there will be a possibility for the dialogue to resume so that various issues will be discussed for progress to be recorded e.g. as to how the revenues from hydrocarbons will be shared. Of course, regarding the issue of hydrocarbons, to which Mr. Michel referred to, the AKEL MEP pointed out that this has already been resolved, on the basis of the Christofias-Talat convergences recorded on this issue, as well as the ensuing actions as part of the acquis of the talks.
In closing, Mr. Michel stressed that Europe supports and will be present at the Multilateral Conference on the Eastern Mediterranean.
