Turkey threatens with settlement of Famagusta to stop punishment of property usurpers
Source: in-cyprus.com
The occupation regime has resorted to new scare tactics as it attempts to force the Cyprus government into abandoning the late in the day but nevertheless now intensive campaign of cracking down on European or third country nationals illegally purchasing or selling Greek-Cypriot properties in the north of the island.
According to a report by political editor Costas Venizelos, this latest carrot and stick (minus the carrot), is the threat to settle the fenced off city of Famagusta, in blatant violation of Security Council resolutions establishing the area’s status quo.
This one dimensional bullying approach has been engineered and executed on many occasions in the past, as Turkey knows no other way to maintain the mass injustices it has perpetrated and in addition perhaps secure additional gains in the process.
The Venizelos sources put the occupation regime’s attempts at using Famagusta as leverage, down to the fact that the latest arrests of property usurpers had a subsequent major financial impact, as illegal sales of stolen land has been a massive source of income.
According to reports, the Afik Group, owned by Turkish usurper Simon Aykout, currently in custody, was forced to lay off 700 employees following the latest developments, which have scared off many foreign potential buyers, while many illegal owners are now selling out and leaving the occupied territories.
So, under pressure, the threat of bringing settlers to the fenced off city is the stick Turkey hopes will ease the crackdown on usurpers. At the present time, say the Philenews sources, there’s been no actual movement on the ground towards this end, with no immediate Turkish decisions expected. It’s just a sounding out based on different scenarios.
The Cyprus government however is taking the threat seriously and has been assessing any public or backstage intention or statement by the occupation regime.
Such as remarks by so called ‘Prime Minister’ Unal Ustel, who appears to have confirmed a story that he had leaked, on granting a Turkish-Cypriot businessman permission to repair and operate hotels that he has purchased in the fenced off city, following agreement with their Greek-Cypriot owners. This however, appears not to have taken place.
It has to be said however that last July, several reports had indicated that a businessman had indeed bought four hotels in Famagusta, even opening bookings for 2025, through www.varoshahotels.com. Individuals who attempted to book rooms through this page or even another application, were not able to do so.
Ustel was seconded in his recent remarks by Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar, who confirmed this Famagusta threat game, while the Greek-Cypriot owners of the hotels involved, refuted claims that they had sold off their property.
In any case, Costas Venizelos reports that the Turkish side is moving cautiously on this thin ground, nevertheless the danger appears to be real. Any settlement of Famagusta would essentially bury Cyprus solution prospects and to be sure, put any real discussion of property and territory considerations to their eternal rest.
The original article: belongs to in-cyprus.com .
