You have probably already read – some of you have probably already studied – the work of the twelve-member Eastern Mediterranean Think Tank, which constitutes a coherent and comprehensive proposal for the solution of the Cyprus problem. This proposal is contained in 40 easily readable and easily digestible pages.
This proposal is the first coherent and comprehensive plan for the solution of the Cyprus problem, coming from a bicommunal group, which worked for many months to formulate a text capable of serving as a basis for the restart and rapid completion of the peace process that would lead to the reunification of Cyprus.
The proposal is based on the United Nations resolutions and the Guterres framework, tabled by the UN secretary-general at the failed Crans-Montana conference, some five years ago. The proposal rightly assumes that the only state structure that could be accepted by all those involved in the Cyprus conflict is that of a federation.
There are no two identical federations
It is a fact that the structure of the relatively few, long-living federations that exist in the world is the result of historical developments and the conditions prevailing in each particular case. It is precisely for this reason that there are no two federations that are identical or substantially the same. The federation is an attempt to reconcile conflicting goals. It is a system of government that functions at two levels, the federal level and the constituent state level, to serve the interests of all citizens of the country and, at the same time, to cater for the peculiarities and the interests of the citizens of each component of the federation.
The state apparatus must be frugal
In a small federation, such as Cyprus, the operating costs of the state apparatus must be under constant monitoring and control, since the risk of the federal structure collapsing, as a result of the escalation of state operating costs, is real. Obviously, the economic dependence of one or the other constituent state on foreign powers is highly undesirable and it must be avoided at all costs, because such economic support is never provided “free of charge”.
Safety valves are an absolute must
Limiting the number of the constituent states to two (the North and South Constituent States) increases the risk of “polarisation”, which could lead to conflict. It follows that the federal structures must incorporate safeguards that will protect the system by proactively defusing confrontational tendencies. It is obvious that a properly structured federation must discourage constituent states from leaving the federation and, instead, it must incentivise all constituent states to act in a way that ensures the longevity of the federation.
Thus, one can come to the safe conclusion that a sustainable system must have the following features:
A community of goals and perceptions
Those elected to govern the federation and the two constituent states should – in broad terms – be standing on the same segment of the political spectrum and should be on friendly terms with each other (hence the concepts of an “allied” electoral platform and of a “weighted voting system”). For a moment, think of the chaos we will be led into, if – for example – the rotating presidents have diametrically opposed views on the international orientation of the country, on the management of the economy, on the fiscal policies that should be followed or on the management of the national wealth of Cyprus.
The ‘rules’ of the game” must be formulated jointly
In a small federation, such as that of Cyprus, the formulation of the “rules of the game” (i.e. the legislative process) must be carried out jointly by the two constituent states. The exception will be the rules of “secondary” importance, where their formulation will be delegated to the constituent states. The joint formulation of the rules is not expected to be a particularly difficult task, given that the basic ones (to the extent of about 70 per cent) are now formulated at the level of the European Union. For a moment, consider what chaos we will be led into if the rules governing the environment, the currency, public policy, state borrowing and the rights and obligations of citizens are shaped, at will, by each constituent state.
The executive and the judicial arms of the state must be decentralised
In contrast to the joint formulation of the basic rules, the application of the jointly formulated rules and the policing of their proper implementation will be done by each constituent state, through the executive and judicial arms of each state, always with the right of recourse to the federal courts and, ultimately, to the judicial mechanisms of the European Union.
The feeling of belonging to a common homeland is important
Of the utmost importance is the creation of the feeling of belonging to a common homeland, a goal that is secured by a series of proposals concerning the state symbols and the state anthem, the place names, a set of common standards, the state documents that will be presented in all three official languages of the Federal Republic of Cyprus (in the Federal Republic of Germany the state documents are presented in 10 languages, which include Greek, Turkish and English!) and, of course, by the practical recognition and acceptance of the multicultural profile of Cyprus.
Citizens’ safety and security must be a top priority
Under the proposal, the issue of the physical and social security of all the citizens is secured through the participation of the European Union in protection and defence mechanisms, but also in deadlock resolution procedures that will mainly operate at the federal level.
Protecting fundamental rights is also of vital importance
Finally, of the utmost importance is the issue of guaranteeing and protecting the fundamental rights of citizens, as set out in Articles 18 to 25 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.
The emphasis is on the citizen’s everyday life
The novelty of the Eastern Mediterranean Think Tank’s approach is the great emphasis given to issues relating to the citizen’s daily life. The past downgrading of this aspect of the political problem of Cyprus has resulted in cultivating fear amongst both Greek and Turkish Cypriots that the differentiation of the status quo could have serious negative repercussions on their daily lives and/or on their professional careers. Allaying these fears is an essential ingredient of the proposed plan.
You will find all of the above and much more, in sufficient detail (because the devil is in the detail) on the website <eastmed-thinktank. com>. After studying these interesting proposals, please pose the following 3 questions to the presidential candidates:
- Which specific proposal don’t you like?
- Why don’t you like it?
- What is your realistic, alternative proposal?
Christos Panayiotides is a regular columnist for the Cyprus Mail, Sunday Mail and Alithia
