By Dr. Lambros Kaoulas
The city of Famagusta and the surrounding areas, both free and occupied, found themselves in the vortex of a multifaceted international political cyclone.
The recent revelations of "Al Jazeera" caused a political earthquake, leading to the resignation of the Famagusta MP of AKEL Christakis Tziovannis, an announcement for the resignation of Dimitris Syllouris from his duties, the beginning of an investigation by the Attorney General George Savvidis, Termination of the Cyprus Investment Program by Government Spokesman Kyriakos Kousios, following a decision by the Council of Ministers.
The developments of the last two weeks have placed the region high on the agenda of international information and politics. However, there may be an "invisible thread" that "connects" some of them together.
Turkish "Monaco" & the "golden triangle" of Kokkinochoria
The beginning was made with the "sudden" movement of the "opening" of the coastal front in the enclosed area of occupied Famagusta in the first week of October 2020, at a time when international eyes, which have been watching Turkey puzzled lately, open one front. one after the other, they were aimed at the Armenians of Artsakh.
Of course, the "opening" was expected. As of September 15, 2019, with his extensive article in "Simerini", Giannos Charalambidis had warned with maps the extent and expediency of the opening, while with his latest article on October 11, he informs that the contractors are ready to strengthen and upgrade it. tourism industry of the occupiers and their further economic respite. Also, the visit of Fuat Oktay and the "round table" discussion of February 2020 already revealed many things about Turkey's plans.
Studying in detail the published maps, one realizes that the plans go too far and occupying Turkey is shouting to internal and external audiences that it intends to turn the stolen properties of the Greeks of Famagusta into "Las Vegas" of the eastern Mediterranean, in the presence of the wider of the subordinate separatist regime as "Monaco" of Turkey, a scenario promoted since the summer of 2019.
In a scene at the offices of Giovanni Group in Paralimni, in the video of "Al Jazeera", the development in the free area of Famagusta is presented. On the map, Kokkinochoria is presented as the "golden triangle" of Cyprus, apparently as a result of the rapid growth of tourism and the symbiotic construction industry.
Therefore, the demonization of the free area of Famagusta and Kokkinochoria needed a necessary "publicity stunt" for two reasons, one legal-diplomatic and the other purely economic.
The "timing" of the revelations of an international network with the scope and influence of "Al Jazeera" came as a glove for Turkey and the pseudo-state. Where the EU and its member states shoot Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots for violating international law and the peace agreements they themselves signed and did not abide by, Al Jazeera comes with a strong distraction, using a paper that for too many months, to present the Republic of Cyprus as a corrupt state that illegally exploits and sells out European citizenship to Chinese criminals.
Legally, the "opening" of the enclosed area violated not only international law and a host of UN resolutions, but also tarnished the very so-called 1979 High Level Agreements between Spyros Kyprianou and Rauf Denktaş. In essence, Turkey has unilaterally led to the final ditching of the Famagusta affair, removing the last fig leaf for whom it bears the real responsibility for the complete collapse of the base of talks and the rapprochement, the so-called as a sacred gospel and theological dogma.
It is recalled that after the announcements for "opening" came the complaints from international organizations and foreign forces to Turkey. Most recently, EU High Representative Žozep Borel today called for an immediate reversal of Turkey's actions and respect for UN resolutions on Famagusta. At the same time, the illegal "elections" revolved around this development, with many Turkish Cypriots shifting interest in Ersin Tatar in the hope of the super profits that the usurpation of the stolen Varos would bring.
With this in mind, the "timing" of the revelations of an international network with the scope and influence of "Al Jazeera" came as a glove for Turkey and the pseudo-state. Where the EU and its member states shoot Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots for violating international law and the peace agreements they themselves signed and did not abide by, Al Jazeera comes with a strong distraction, using a paper that for too many months, to present the Republic of Cyprus as a corrupt state that illegally exploits and sells out European citizenship to Chinese criminals.
Regarding the second reason, the economic development achieved by the Cypriots of the free area, Kokkinohoriats and refugees, taking advantage of their golden beaches, will now be the main business competitor of "Monaco" that Turkey wants to set up in the so-called "Monaco". Maraş ”, as he calls the enclosed area of Famagusta. So, a demonization of their economic competitor is a hope for shifting the golden growth a few kilometers north, but in the occupied ones.
The political earthquake that is currently shaking free Cyprus proves that the whole "information operation" has achieved, for the time being, some of its goals.
The "corrupt KD" and its developers
The evidence presented by "Al Jazeera" is very serious and should be investigated in depth by those in charge so that no shadow is left. Resignations and announcements are steps in the right direction. Indeed, with the exception of the possibility of a really successful "fishing" on the part of the Cypriots who suspected that something was wrong and eventually trapped the journalists under cover, what was said on the hidden cameras will be a black mark for the Cypriot political system, the Cypriot society and the Cypriot economy for many years.
AKEL Famagusta MP Giovani Group Christakis Tziovanis in his statement spoke of an "attempt at trapping and propaganda" by the Qatari state channel and then relied on the complaint of lawyer Andreas Pittatzis to the authorities.
Andreas Pittatzis, based in Paralimni, said in his own announcement: “I really wonder, did they not care that the state authorities were referred? I really wonder, since October 2019 when they came to my office, why did they wait a whole year to publish them, which they did on the same days that Turkey invaded the city of Famagusta again? Now that their ally Attila is beating us and trying to erode us in Europe, they have taken out of their quiver the poison arrows they were guarding to use at the right time. Whatever their motives, they can not undo the legal actions taken from the outset. "
The President of the Pancyprian Bar Association, Doros Ioannidis, stated that what is presented in the video is a pure criminal offense and is an obligation to be investigated after the appointment of an investigating officer. He spoke of a clear violation of the law, but explained that the testimony is not caught in the courts, it is a trap and the publication by parts of the recording is fragmentary. "These are consequences of the impunity shown by the State for so many years and whoever has responsibilities should be brought to justice," he added. He also said that there are problems with testimony, they are difficult to prove in the courts, especially in financial crime.
Is the "timing" of "Al Jazeera" pro-Turkish?
However, the big question that remains is the time period that "Al Jazeera" chose to publish. If the channel of the Qatari monarchy was honestly cut short for the erosion of democratic institutions in Cyprus and the EU, why did it wait a whole year to publish these serious allegations? Also, why, after publishing these shocking videos, with an emphasis on impressive events, did he leave for a few seconds only the serious fact that complaints were made against his journalists in MOKAS and did not properly communicate with the competent authorities of the Republic of Cyprus? Without, of course, questioning the general existence of corruption and entanglement in Cyprus (this is impossible!), Perhaps the fact that, at least, their own established corruption case came to the attention of the Cypriot state institutions from the day after their investigation would ruin the whole narrative;
Turkey's close relations with Qatar and the fact that "Al Jazeera" belongs to the state of the Gulf monarchy, are not details that are easily overlooked. After all, in the video there are "thugs" against the royal family of the United Arab Emirates, as investors in free Cyprus, who are opponents of Qatar in the Gulf and have now entered into diplomatic relations with Israel. The March 2020 report of the American "Foundation for Defense of Democracies" recalls that Al Jazeera's coverage is highly aligned with the official line of the Qatari government. The network harshly criticizes Doha's opponents while positively presenting the Emirates allies. It rarely covers Qatar, a dictatorship that turns a blind eye to terrorist financing while offering refuge to Hamas officials. "Qatar is increasingly acting in coordination with Ankara to promote their common interests."
As a footnote, the latest Al Jazeera videos are simultaneously a message to all political parties. Firstly, we all pay for the mistakes of each of us collectively because the state and society are us, and secondly, we must be careful when exploiting foreign communication attacks.
The Communist Party is currently exposed, which after taking full advantage of the previous "bunch" of #CyprusPapers, now that their own MP and member of the Central Committee of AKEL is presented by "Al Jazeera" approximately as the "godfather" of the entanglement in Kokkinochoria (originating from the occupied Acheritou and Frenaros himself), the party, numb, barely chanted two lines, before submitting his resignation.
Warlike Fighters & Motorcyclists
The demonstration of about 200 to 250 people at the Deryneia roadblock took place last Sunday night, October 11, at a time when the results of the illegal "elections" in the occupied territories were being announced.
The Turkish and Turkish Cypriot media, as well as the Turkish propaganda digital ecosystem of millions of trolls and boats, took advantage of the images with the Cypriot Greek fans breaking the railing of the Cyprus Police in Deryneia and causing damage at the crossing point. The just rage and indignation against the occupation which was expressed in the way it was expressed, the Greek flags and the flares (and despite the fact that the protesters remained in the free areas and did not try to cross into the occupied areas) were presented to the Turkish media as an attempted arson and allegedly as a celebration of the percentages announced that Mustafa Akıncιν "received". And this while a few days ago the occupied area opened with nationalist fiestas with flags of Turkey, the pseudo-state, Azerbaijan and the Gray Wolves.
The fact that the protesters seem to be "Fighters" who belong to the historic nationalist union of the city of Famagusta, which is embraced by the whole province and the refugees, and especially with very strong nuclei in Kokkinochoria, is another reason for the presentation of free Famagusta. as the "bad" of the case.
A climate of fanaticism was immediately created on the other side, with slogans and raids at the crossing point of occupied Deryneia.
In addition, on the occasion of the "opening" of the beach of Famagusta, the "Isaac-Solomou Memorial Initiative" announced a peaceful protest for October 17, 2020, at the Deryneia roadblock, where the Turkish and Turkish Cypriot mob Denktaş and the military and police leadership of the occupation, killed the people of Paralimni, Tassos Isaac and Solomos Solomou.
The "Memory Initiative", which has been demonstrating flawlessly all these years, without allowing the slightest diversion in the context of its activities, without fanaticism and with strict respect for the law, has become the target of the Turkish digital mob in MKD for a few days now. A climate of targeting of Greek Cypriot motorcyclists is being formed, not only by anonymous accounts, but also by branded ones. The challenge is about "you saw what happened in 1996, come again".
What is certain is that Famagusta, the Queen of Evagoras and the Apostle Barnabas and its province, the southeasternmost tip of Cyprus, Hellenism and Europe, with all that this implies from a geopolitical point of view, will remain for a long time in the center of local and international political news.
Source: TODAY Sunday