The victory of the opposition political parties in the December 25 local elections in the occupied areas demonstrates that a federal solution is still feasible. In Nicosia, Mehmet Harmanci, a close associate of M. Akinci, won with a wide margin. This allows him to continue to work in the spirit of cooperation nurtured years ago by Lellos Demetriades and Mustafa Akinci, a cooperation that benefited both Nicosia and Cyprus as a whole.
In Famagusta, the election was won by Suleyman Ulucay of the Republican Turkish Party, who opposes unilateral moves to open Varosha and supports UN Security Council resolutions.
Turkish Cypriots have sent a message of hope that resonates throughout Cyprus and of course for the forthcoming presidential elections. The dilemma for the Greek Cypriot community is clear: “federation or partition.” The first option allows us to build a united and free country. The second builds a strong border with Turkey at the end of Ledra Street.
I am in this election battle to give impetus to the first option. To achieve this, we need to work hard to break the worst deadlock since the invasion. Together with the two keys to unlocking the stalemate, natural gas and EU-Turkish relations, I propose we launch initiatives and implement bicommunal cooperation projects with the Turkish Cypriots such as photovoltaic parks, a bicommunal hospital and studies to rebuild Varosha with the participation of the EU. To restore an environment of communication and trust and resist all those who either openly or covertly, are working for partition.
Nearly six years have passed since Crans-Montana in 2017. No talks, no communication. Inactivity and Anastasiades’ brainstorming about ‘two states’, the silence of his three associates weakened M. Akinci and brought Ersin Tatar and his ‘two states’ to the fore.
Turkish Cypriot supporters of a federation have sent us a message of hope: to back a federal solution with consistency and to voice our commitment for a settlement in the elections in February.
Cyprus deserves better!
27 December, 2022
