All welcome at anti-occupation events says Disy leader

Anyone who wants to participate in the anti-occupation event condemning the invasion and as a crime that has continued for 49 years, is welcome, House president and Disy leader Annita Demetriou, told the CyBC on Friday.

She reiterated statements made late on Thursday in response to the condemnations issued by Elam, Edek and one independent party member over the Famagusta municipality having invited Suleyman Ulucay, de facto mayor of occupied Famagusta, to Saturday’s event.

“Every opportunity” to come together to state what is still happening in Cyprus should be taken, Demetriou said.

“I don’t understand why the matter has taken on such proportions, there are always Turkish Cypriots in attendance, every year,” she added, describing the reactions as counter-productive and likely to dissuade Turkish Cypriot participation in future.

Through initiatives and anti-occupation events “we must send a resounding message that we condemn the ongoing crime and work methodically to restart the dialogue,” Demetriou had said earlier in a statement.

“If we really mean that we want to work in concert to restart negotiations and reunify our country on the basis of law, all these statements that I am watching with dismay, must stop,” she said.

“We should neither divide people, nor sow ‘fear syndromes’ and undo positive developments [towards] restarting negotiations,” Demetriou added.

Reacting to Famagusta Mayor Simos Ioannou’s announcement of the attendance of Ulucay on Thursday, Edek said it was unacceptable to invite an illegitimate institution of an unrecognised state, which rose to its position through illegal procedures and is not covered by the 1960 constitution.

“The so-called ‘mayor’ [Suleyman Ulucay] has usurped the town hall of the occupied city and installed himself inside the building and supports the [re]settlement of Famagusta, which Turkey and the occupying regime are proceeding with, in violation of UN Security Council resolutions,” Edek added.

But Ioannou countered later that the election of a separate Turkish Cypriot mayor was in fact prescribed by the 1960 constitution.

Ioannou also said the participation of a Turkish Cypriot delegation was a first and demonstrated the will towards a solution. He explained that his Turkish Cypriot counterpart would attend, as well as a 12-person Turkish Cypriot youth choir who are to perform songs about reunification and peace.