Articles published by South Cyprus press have thrown a spotlight on developments in Maras/Varosha that have greatly affected the Cyprus issue, and caught the administration in the south off guard, Kibris Postasi reports.
This is following the news that a Turkish Cypriot businessman is purchasing three hotels in Maras/Varosha from Greek Cypriot owners. The word is that such a development has caused the Greek Cypriot administration off guard.
The administration in the south could only announce that it had nothing to do with the sales and that they were private transactions.
According to reports, the Greek Cypriot administration will focus on convincing international actors to restart the dialogue regarding the Cyprus issue in the near future and on proposing the appointment of an EU official to intervene in the process.
It was reported that in a meeting held by Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides with the so-called “Mayor of Varosha,” it was decided to make the “remainder of 2023” the “enlightenment year” about Varosha, and that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had asked for “ideas and assistance for the remaining time” from the so-called municipality.
It was reported elsewhere that the powers within the EU proposed to Turkey that it accept substituting the EU membership process with the elevation of the Customs Union or a “special relationship” with Turkey through a Free Trade Agreement, but this has created a new complication for Greek Cypriot leader Christodoulides.
According to the news, the Greek Cypriot administration wants to link the prospect of upgrading the Customs Union to the solution of the Cyprus issue, handing over the jurisdiction of Varosha to the UN, and Turkey “fulfilling its obligations to South Cyprus” in a different way than planned by powerful circles within the EU.
