US Vice-President Joe Biden is scheduled to visit Cyprus between 21 – 23 May. During the visit, an announcement by the Americans is expected on the financing of a project to reconstruct Famagusta including Varosha/Maras, ‘Famagusta Gazette’ reports.
Famagusta’s Mayor-in-exile, Alexis Galanos has described the forthcoming visit by Joe Biden to Cyprus as a very positive development.
Abandoned by its Greek Cypriot inhabitants as they fled the advancing Turkish troops in the summer of 1974, the ghost town of Varosha has remained under Turkey’s direct control since then.
The UN has called for the return of the town to its lawful inhabitants but so far, Ankara has refused.
Author Alan Weisman, who wrote a book titled “A World Without Us” and was interviewed in 2009 said that in general, experts agreed that Varosha would probably have to be bulldozed. Although he does not claim to be an engineer, experts say that the structurally unsafe buildings, which have been severely exposed to the elements and had metal fatigue and mould, could not be refurbished.
