GCC Press Review 28 June 2021

Front Page Headlines

Politis

They’re playing with our lives by rejecting vaccination

Privileges to the vaccinated to persuade the hesitant youth.

  • Varosha: Famagustians are requesting a national policy
  • Surveillance system – Buffer Zone: €150 million for armament programmes

Phileleftheros

SOS from climbing indices

Members of the Scientific Advisory Committee are urgently going to the Presidential Palace today. The afternoon meeting with a full agenda.

  • Action plan for Varosha: To curb Turkish plans
  • MPs getting to work from today: Bills for the side-effects of the crisis

Haravgi

People from Varosha are mobilising to save their town

They’re asking from the government/political leadership to be on their toes in view of Erdogan’s visit.

  • Occupied areas: Tatar will re-examine the proposal for the appointment of a special representative
  • The threat from the surge of cases brings a meeting at the Presidential Palace

Alithia

Alarm for Famagusta

Developments coming: The occupation of the town in three stages. Erdogan’s visit on July 20 to be monitored. How Turks are planning to grab properties even with the involvement of Famagustians. Only hope to change Turkish plans are pressure from USA, EU and UN. Famagustians launching mobilisations, they’re going to speak with the President on July 6.

  • Complacency is increasing cases
  • Cyprus and Greece held a joint search and rescue exercise called ‘Salamis’

Main News

Famagusta Municipality calls for national strategy on Varosha

Alithia, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Territory

OVERVIEW

Famagusta Municipality officials will meet with President Nicos Anastasiades next Monday to call for a national strategy Varosha in view of imminent provocative actions by the Turkish side, the dailies report.

Famagusta Mayor Simos Ioannou told the Cyprus News Agency that they will ask for a national strategy in the case where the Turkish side asks the former GC inhabitants to return to their town under TC administration. Ioannou said “this will be the biggest problem we will be confronted with…If there is no proper handling, many problems will follow.” He said they will ask the President what foreign officials have said when the matter has been discussed with them.

Ioannou said the Turkish side is on the one hand telling GCs to return under TC administration and on the other that Varosha belongs to the religious organisation EVKAF. But, he added 90% of the buildings are unhabitable, and there is no infrastructure. He added that the Municipality will also discuss the matter with Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides, stressing that “the Municipality of Famagusta cannot impose on the UN what they will do. That is what the Government must do”.

On Thursday members of the Municipality will meet the American Ambassador as part of their efforts to meet officials from the five permanent members of the UN Security Council (UNSC), the papers write.

Ioannou said he expects that the planned visit to the north of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on July 20, the anniversary of the Turkish invasion, goes hand in hand with moves on Varosha. That is why, he said, an anti-occupation protest is planned at the crossing of Derynia on the night of July 19. Some protesters will stay there overnight, he added.

Ioannou also said that Turkey is not receiving enough pressure from the US and the EU and has as a result gotten out of control. He said that through the Municipality’s contacts with diplomats, he has understood that Turkey is justifying its actions by claiming that they are not interfering with private property but with public areas, Phileleftheros reports.

Alithia reports citing statements by Ioannou that Erdogan and TC leader Ersin Tatar have a three-stage plan for the occupation of Famagusta with limited international reaction, with stage one currently in effect. This stage foresees the opening of public spaces such as roads, beaches and parks. Meanwhile, the paper writes that the town has been transformed into a massive construction site aiming to complete preparations for Erdogan’s visit in July.

Ioannou told the paper that the second stage will be the call to property owners to return and utilise their properties under TC administration. The third stage, he said, will be the re-appearance of EVKAF at the right time to claim properties in the area.

Alithia reports that Turkey’s plans is to reopen the town and seize properties and utilise them in view of transforming Varosha into a new ‘Mediterranean Las Vegas’ that will reap millions. Plans involve tourist infrastructure, casinos and entertainment.

Regarding the announcement that Erdogan is expected to make during his visit to Varosha on July 20, Alithia reports that the Turkish President will likely proclaim Varosha as a non-military zone and withdraw Turkish troops from the area, allowing his plans to move along.


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