GREETING OF CHRISTOS CHRISTOFIDES, MEMBER OF THE C.C. OF AKEL, TO THE CONGRESS OF THE TURKISH CYPRIOT TEACHERS´ TRADE UNION (KTOS)

 

13th April 2013

 

Compatriots,

 

Dear friends,

 

On behalf of the C.C. of AKEL allow me to convey to you all a warm and militant greeting and to wish every success to the deliberations your Congress.

 

Your Congress is taking place at a particularly difficult time for the people of Cyprus. The negotiations on the Cyprus problem have been frozen for nearly a year due to the decision of Mr. Eroglou and Turkey to suspend talks on the pretext of the assumption of the EU Presidency by the Republic of Cyprus. However, previously the talks on the Cyprus problem were at an impasse too since Eroglou and Turkish leaders refuse to confirm those convergences that have been achieved at the negotiating table. At the talks, whether covertly or openly, they are in essence putting forth the position for two separate states in Cyprus. The solution of the Cyprus problem is more imperative than ever before. The Turkish Cypriot community continues to suffocate under Ankara’s dangerous embrace, facing the problem of its survival as a separate community. The Greek Cypriot community is coming under dangerous external pressures with regards the economy, but at the root of these pressures are the Cyprus problem and the permanent partition, the natural gas reserves and their exploitation by foreign powers and not by the Cypriot people. We, the Cypriot people, are in danger of losing everything in half of our country and of being turned into long-term servants of foreign masters and interests.

 

At the same time, we are as a people on the verge of the imposition of harsh neoliberal policies that are already affecting the livelihood of Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots. As far as the Turkish Cypriot community is concerned, these policies have been imposed by Turkey in the form of an ultimatum, while Greek Cypriots are experiencing the violent shocks to the economy, with broader goals and objectives that will lead to an immediate deterioration in working people’s living standards. The Troika’s policy with the “shock and awe” attacks and the imposition of brutal neo-liberalism is historically trapping people in a political enslavement, unemployment, poverty and humiliation over many years.

 

Today we are at a new stage of the struggle. Together with the struggle for a proper solution of the Cyprus problem in a bi-zonal bi-communal federation that will reunite our country and people, the struggle must also be waged for the economic survival of the people against neo-liberalism and foreign dependencies. Your own Organization can play a leading role in this direction.

 

Common struggle of Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots for our common free future in conditions of prosperity!

 

Long live Cyprus!

 

Long live the Cypriot people!

 

Long live our common struggle!