Visiting PACE official makes trip to Varosha

After meeting the Famagusta mayor Simos Ioannou, who informed him about illegal actions in the area, Italian MP and rapporteur of the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy Piero Fassino visited Varosha for himself on Tuesday.

Fassino is tasked with compiling a report on the recent developments in the area for the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE).

According to Turkish Cypriot reports, he held meeting with representatives of the ‘government’ in the north on Tuesday morning.

A statement published by the ruling National Unity Party (KEE) said Fassino will meet Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar later, along with representatives of the Turkish Cypriot religious endowment foundation Evkaf.

The Italian MP was accompanied in his tour of Varosha by KEE members Oğuzhan Hasipoğlu and Özdemir Berova, as well as by Armagan Janan of the Republican Turkish Party.

The ‘mayor’ of Varosha Ismail Arter was also present, as he showed Fassino the recent developments in town, most notably the beachfront redevelopment that was heavily criticised in the Republic and condemned at EU level.

After his meeting with the Italian politician, Ioannou said Fassino “asked several questions which we have answered and we expect him to make a report that is really fair” adding that what is happening in Famagusta is a violation of the decisions of the UN Security Council, Resolutions 550 and 789.

The mayor of Famagusta added that Fassino “has shown a lot of understanding of our positions and we hope that he will convey these to the Council of Europe.”