Cyprus has paid for its errors: Christodoulides

Cyprus has been on the right side of history following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, President Nikos Christodoulides said on Tuesday after his speech to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) in Strasbourg.

In questions after the speech, Ukrainian delegate Oleksiy Goncharenko posed a robust question about Russian investment in Cyprus and the entrenchment of Russian interests on the island.

“Cyprus has been on the right side of history from the very first moment because we are victims of the same crime,” Christodoulides said.

He added that Cyprus has fully implemented European Union sanctions on Russia since they were implemented shortly after Ukraine was invaded in 2022, and that Ukraine should “look at which countries are not upholding EU sanctions.

“Ukraine may consider these countries as allies,” he added, pointing to reports on the implementation of sanctions which show Cyprus in full compliance and other EU member states less so.

On the issue of Russian investment in Cyprus, he said “mistakes were made, but that’s the past. We have no golden passport scheme now, and no golden visas. Mistakes were made in the past, but the Republic of Cyprus paid for these errors.”

During his speech, he said Cyprus “in an unwavering fashion” supports the positions of the Council of Europe, before swiftly moving on to the matter of the Cyprus problem.

He spoke of the consequences of the “Barbaric Turkish invasion” in “European Cyprus”, and about how, as a result, “human rights in Cyprus remain tragically an unfulfilled promise for all Cypriots.

“Always, but especially in anniversaries such as this, my thoughts are constantly with the hundreds of thousands of Cypriots who were displaced and year after year wait for the moment that they will return to their homes,” he said.

Taking questions from the assembly, the subject moved back to the Cyprus problem.

“If it depended on Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, it would have been solved years ago,” he replied to one question, adding that “the main problem is Turkey.”

He also said “I grew up in a country which was divided. I want to hand over to my children, to future generations of Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, a reunified homeland.”

The final question was asked by Turkish Cypriot delegate Oguzhan Hasipoglu, with an audible “ooh” ringing around the chamber when he identified himself.

Hasipoglu asked, “isn’t it unfair for Turkish Cypriots to be isolated because your side rejected all the resolutions?”

He went on to reference the Annan Plan referendum to reunite Cyprus in 2004, to which the Turkish Cypriots voted in favour and Greek Cypriots voted against, adding that since then, “the Turkish Cypriots have been penalised and isolated and faced with embargoes.”

Christodoulides answered Hasipoglu’s question with a question, asking “how did you travel to Strasbourg?”

He then said it was likely that Hasipoglu did so on a Republic of Cyprus passport, adding that “one thing alone” has kept the Turkish Cypriots from joining the international community – “the Turkish invasion”.

He added that the Turkish Cypriots “all have the right to a passport of the Republic of Cyprus because they are citizens of the Republic of Cyprus,” before addressing Hasipoglu directly.

“Your future as a Turkish Cypriot, my future as a Greek Cypriot, will not be positive without the reunification of our island,” he said.

Speaking to the Cyprus Mail following the speech, fellow Turkish Cypriot delegate Armagan Candan said that “while [Christodoulides] underlined the individual rights of the Turkish Cypriots, he ignored the Turkish Cypriots’ collective rights.”

He added that Christodoulides’ lack of detail in his words on the matter of political equality between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots “makes us doubt his sincerity”.

He also said Christodoulides “ignored the Greek Cypriot side’s role in previous failures, including rejecting the Annan Plan, and placed all the blame on Turkey.”

“This is factually wrong analysis,” he said.

He also said it is “high time [Christodoulides] keeps his promise” on the set of “unilateral confidence building measures” which he has touted for the Turkish Cypriot community.

Prior to his speech, Christodoulides had hosted a working breakfast with the Greek Cypriot and Greek delegations to the PACE.

At the working breakfast, the members of the delegation informed Christodoulides about the PACE’s “multifaceted work” and about the “important experiences” they gain from their participation in the assembly.

They also expressed their thanks to Dora Bakoyiannis, head of the Greek delegation, as well its other members, “for their kind and continuous cooperation and support” for the Greek Cypriot delegation’s work.

Additionally, they exchanged views on the current developments regarding the Cyprus problem and other matters of international interest, as well as the role of the Council of Europe.

They also discussed the ongoing situation in Gaza and the planned humanitarian aid corridor between Cyprus and Gaza.