The story is repeated with different protagonists.
Famagusta and Mariupol.
Cyprus and Ukraine.
Turkey and Russia.
They are two different cities with a lot in common.
TTurkish Invasion
It was Saturday, July 20, 1974, when Turkey invaded our island. Smoke from the explosions and the vibrations and the click of the machine guns are deafening.
At dawn on August 14, Turkish Attila bombed Famagusta. The crime ended with Famagusta, which was trampled by the Turkish boot without any resistance.
Excuse; The protection of the Turkish Cypriots.
Russian Invasion
It was Thursday, February 24, 2022 when the Russian Armed Forces entered Ukraine.
Russian troops have launched attacks from the Luhansk, Sumy and Kharkiv regions (east of the Crimean peninsula) and Zhytomyr and Chernihiv (on the border with Belarus).
Target; «H defending the people who have been persecuted and committed genocide by the Kiev regime for eight years "and that" those who committed multiple crimes against civilians, including citizens of the Russian Federation, will be brought to justice ".
Famagusta and Mariupol were lost in the same way
Famagusta had remained un fortified for 25 days. The Turkish army focused on defending the country's interior. Nicosia and the towns of the villages of Mesaoria are the target.
Ukrainian forces had focused on the battles in Kyiv and Kharkiv, leaving few forces left to defend Mariupol.
Tourist Resorts
"Ghost town"
The enclosed area of Famagusta is called a "ghost town", since since then most of the city remains closed and deserted, with the occupying army not allowing the return of its legal inhabitants, despite the relevant resolutions and decisions of the United Nations.
2020
The occupying authorities opened part of the fenced city of Famagusta in October 2020. On November 15 of the same year, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan visited the Gold Coast beach, where everyone is allowed to enter.
It is noted that in 2016 and 2017, two beaches were opened in Agios Memnomas, one initially only for the members of the occupying army and later the other only for citizens of the pseudo-state and Turkey only.
Thursday 19 May 2022
The occupation authorities are opening another part of the beach in Varosi, continuing the barrage of illegal actions in the enclosed Famagusta.
Purpose; Famagusta to be turned into another tourist resort which will bring in millions.
What will become of the ruins of Mariupol
The Russians have already made their plans for the future of Mariupol and they are not much different from what we see happening in Famagusta. The occupied Ukrainian city will be rebuilt and turned into a tourist resort.
The leader of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic, Denies Pusilin, expressed the intention of the separatists to make Mariupol a tourist resort. "Our mission is to make Mariupol a resort town, something that could not be done before", said according to the Russian agency.
Ports
The Port of Famagusta
The main port of the island.
It served the trade of the city of Evagoras and the whole island. Attempts were made for various upgrades, the last being in 1965, when its capacity more than doubled. Thus the port could now serve up to 18 ships at a time.
The lion's portion was in imports and exports of products.
In 1973, of the 2.926 steamships and sailboats anchored on the island, 1.810 docked at the Port of Famagusta, unloading 2.601.950 tons of goods.
From 1970 the Port of Famagusta began to develop significant passenger traffic due to tourism which had made it one of the top destinations in the world for the time.
Arrivals at the Port of Famagusta in June 1974 arrivals at the Port of Famagusta arrived 2.205 and departures at 2.137.
Geopolitical and Commercial the importance of both Ports
The complete control of the Azov Sea and 50% of the Ukrainian coast of the Black Sea, after the conquest of Mariupol by Russia deprives Ukraine of its trade and the dynamics it possessed, just as it did with the port of Famagusta…
With information from zougla.gr, cnn.gr and Municipality of Famagusta, Statistical Service
By Andri Flourentzou