Address by the President of the House of Representatives
at the extraordinary plenary meeting on the occasion
of the visit to Cyprus of the Greek Prime Minister
It is with particular pleasure that I welcome the Greek Prime
Minister, Mr Alexis Tsipras and his high-level delegation to this Extraordinary
Meeting of the House of Representatives, on behalf of all its Members.
Mr Prime Minister,
Your visit to Cyprus, the first abroad upon assuming your duties as
Prime Minister, is vested with particular significance. Primarily, it reaffirms
the close and inextricable links between Greece and Cyprus, which in these
difficult times acquire a new dimension and a new dynamic.
I seize this opportunity to express, from the floor of the House, the
deep gratitude of the people of Cyprus for the unwavering support, solidarity
and alignment of Greece in the long struggle we are waging for justice and the
liberation of our country. The unfailing solidarity between Greece and Cyprus is
reflected in the harmonious and fruitful cooperation that has developed in all
areas and levels and which, I am confident, will continue and be further
strengthened during your premiership.
After all, there is no room for complacency. The current conditions
call for vigilance and alertness. For forty years, the people of Cyprus have
experienced the painful consequences of the Turkish invasion and occupation.
They are tragic witnesses of the flagrant violations of their fundamental human
rights and freedoms. They are still experiencing the grief of their uprooting
from their ancestral homes, the usurpation of the labours of a lifetime, the
prolonged agony of the relatives of missing persons for the ascertainment of the
fate of their loved ones, the desecration of their holly sites and monuments
that constitute a unique centuries-old world heritage.
Yet, we do not lose our courage and we continue to struggle, having
as our only weapon the universal values and principles of the UN Charter, which
have also laid the foundations of the European Union. The principles of
democracy, mutual respect and solidarity between States, which unfortunately
prevail only sometimes and are, some other times, assailed selectively and
cynically, in the name of the might is right and all kinds of threats and
expediencies.
Mr Prime Minister,
Greece and Cyprus are experiencing this cynicism first hand, being
the targets of escalating provocations by Turkey. In the case of Cyprus,
regrettably, the response of the international community to Turkey’s arrogant
and expansionist policies is exhausted in exhortations and in keeping
equidistant positions that place the victim and the perpetrator on an equal
footing, thereby punishing the former and exonerating the latter. The absence of
a resonant and strong reaction to the unacceptable Turkish allegation about a
“defunct” Republic of Cyprus is highly indicative of this attitude of the
international community. Certainly, the international recognition of the right
of Cyprus to exercise its sovereign rights within its Exclusive Economic Zone,
as it already does, in accordance with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea,
is very important. Yet, this response
is not sufficient to curb Turkey’s provocative stance, which not only undermines
the negotiation process aiming at the settlement of the Cyprus problem, but
escalates tension and causes further instability in the turbulent region of the
Eastern Mediterranean.
Pressures exerted on the Republic of Cyprus for the immediate
resumption of talks are not constructive either, if Turkish piracy provocations
are not lifted; in other words, as long as the second Turkish NAVTEX is still in
force and while Turkey’s decision to anchor the seismic vessel "Barbaros" and
the warships accompanying it outside the occupied port of Famagusta is
interpreted as a "gesture of goodwill" on her side. Moreover, the recent
statement by the Turkish Prime Minister regarding the purchase or construction
of a platform that will be used for drilling activities within the Exclusive
Economic Zone of the Republic of Cyprus, demonstrates Turkey’s intention to
appropriate Cyprus’ undersea wealth by using military force and our Turkish
Cypriot compatriots as an alibi.
Mr Prime Minister,
The very substantial role that Greece and Cyprus are called upon to
play in efforts to establish conditions of security, peace, stability and
cooperation in the Eastern Mediterranean and in further promoting dialogue
between the European Union and the countries of the region, constitutes a
central pillar of our countries’ common strategy, which has been constantly
evolving and enhanced.
The serious challenges against global security, especially the
terrorist threat that has emerged from this region and is labeled as "the
Islamic State", leave no room for complacency. A tragedy has been unfolding at
Europe’s doorstep, as thousands of Syrian refugees have fled to neighbouring
countries, causing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis. From Syria and Iraq,
the terrorist threat is rapidly spreading, fueled by intolerance and extremism,
but also by poverty, xenophobia, social exclusion and discrimination.
The response of the international community must be commensurate with
the magnitude of the threat, on the basis of collectiveness, solidarity and
coordination and with due respect of human rights. We express our satisfaction
that the Greek and the Cypriot EU Commissioners have been assigned very
important portfolios, which pertain to key matters, such as migration, crisis
management and humanitarian aid.
Mr Prime Minister,
Solidarity, as a fundamental principle of the European Union, must
govern relations and synergies between partners, in both their political and
economic dimensions. Sadly, Cyprus was used as a guinea pig in an unprecedented
and cruel predatory seizure of the deposits of unsuspecting citizens, the
collapse of its banking sector and the brutal destruction of the country’s
economic model. Moreover, strict measures were imposed on our country, which
were disproportionate to the size of its debt. The discussion about whether the
Eurogroup’s decisions were right or legal remains open. What is certain is that improved economic
indices do not reflect the people’s level of prosperity. It is also certain that
growth cannot be achieved in conditions of recession. Moreover, as it has been
proven beyond any doubt, strict austerity alone, without offsetting growth
measures, exacerbates recession and unemployment, leads to the contempt of
institutions and threatens social cohesion.
Mr Prime Minister,
Greece and Cyprus are not alone in their struggle against sterile
austerity, which affects the quality of life of European citizens. In any case,
fiscal discipline and growth are not mutually exclusive, on the contrary, they
can coexist, provided that due emphasis is placed on the individual, their needs
and rights, in conditions where the rule of law, equality before the law and
good governance prevail. The European Union must be primarily a Union of the
peoples. It is therefore necessary to ensure that citizens endorse the vision of
European integration, feeling that they have a say and a role in decisions,
which affect their lives, those of their children and of future
generations.
On the basis of these principles, Greece and Cyprus will pursue their
efforts to exit from the crisis, while contributing, as equal partners in a
constructive manner, to efforts aimed at tackling the serious matters that
concern and, sometimes, divide the European Union. At the same time, the
development by Greece and Cyprus of strategic relations with countries of the
wider Middle East region constitutes a substantial contribution towards
achieving stability in the European Union’s southern neighbourhood, as well as
European energy security.
On our side, we wish to assure you, on the occasion of your visit
that the people of Cyprus will not falter. We will pursue our struggle,
certainly with prudence and responsibility, but also by rejecting the logic of
supremacy of the occupation power and by refusing to concede to any pressures of
third parties, which rather than being in the direction of the transgressor of
international law, they overturn every sense of morality and justice, by using
double standards.
We will insist on safeguarding the rights of the people of Cyprus as
a whole, on the withdrawal of the occupation troops and the settlers, on
ensuring the smooth and efficient functioning of the State, on our peaceful
coexistence with our Turkish Cypriot compatriots, as well as on achieving
prosperity and progress for the whole people of Cyprus.
We are aware that on this thorny path, we have the steadfast support
and alignment of the leadership and the people of Greece. For this brotherly
alignment, we express our profound gratitude.
Mr Prime Minister,
Congratulating you wholeheartedly on your election and wishing you
and your Government every success in your demanding duties, I have the pleasure
and honour to invite you to address the House of Representatives.
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