28 July 2021; MEMO: The Turkish Foreign Ministry yesterday condemned the European Union's statement on the partial reopening of the Maras region in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), Anadolu news agency reported.
"This and similar unrealistic statements, ignoring the Turkish Cypriot people, and reflecting only the views of the Greek Cypriot side, have no value or validity for us. This biased position of the EU, displayed with the pretexts of membership solidarity and veto concerns, is not helpful for the solution of any problem," ministry spokesperson Tanju Bilgic said in a statement.
Bilgic reiterated his country's full support for all decisions taken by the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) authorities and their proposals regarding the settlement of the Cyprus issue and the Maras initiative.
Maras was abandoned after a 1984 UN Security Council resolution stipulating that only its original inhabitants could settle in the town.
In October last year, the town was partially reopened to the public after being a "ghost town" since 1974. The TRNC had announced the opening of Maras to tourists in 2019.
