House President to send letters to EU counterparts on Varosha

House President Annita Demetriou said that she will inform her EU counterparts on the issue of Varosha, in light of recent reports on the sale of hotels owned by Greek Cypriots in the fenced off area of Varosha.

In statements on Wednesday, following a meeting she had with Depa Head Marios Karoyan, Demetriou said that she will send a letter in which she will brief her counterparts about the violations of UN resolutions on Varosha. She added that on parliament level, both her and Cyprus parliamentarians make use of every step to inform on international level about the issue of Varosha.

Demetriou also said that the public needs to know of our steps, about the dangers of division and the solution of a bizonal, bicommunal federation.

House President also said that she expects President Christodoulides to convene the National Council soon to discuss all these issues and future actions.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Varosha, the fenced off section of the Turkish occupied town of Famagusta, is often described as a ‘ghost town’.

The Turkish Cypriot leadership announced in July 2021 a partial lifting of the military status in Varosha. A few months earlier, on October 8, 2020, the Turkish side opened part of the fenced area of Varosha, following an announcement made in Ankara on October 6.

The UN Security Council called for the reversal of this course of action, while the UN Secretary General, in his latest report on his mission of good offices in Cyprus, reiterated his concern over developments in the fenced-off area, noting that the position of the UN on Varosha remains unchanged. The EU also expressed grave concern.