Elam accused of being ‘descendants of Eoka B’ after parliamentary bid to close crossings (Updated)

An overwhelming majority in parliament on Friday shut down a proposal by nationalist party Elam seeking to close the crossings until the Cyprus problem is resolved.

The proposal was rejected with 35 votes against the idea, two votes in favour and two which abstained.

Elam leader Christos Christou told deputies during the session that it was time to finally decide to bar all movement to and from the north, closing the checkpoints until a solution to the Cyprus problem is found.

Akel’s Giorgos Loukaides said it was shameful Greek Cypriots were proposing such an idea, calling Elam “descendants of Eoka B”. The borders of the country are in the furthest corners of the island, in Kyrenia and Apostolos Andreas, he added, and every checkpoint is a crack in the walls of occupation, “building on the message that we are one people in a unified nation”.

Diko leader Nicolas Papadopoulos said his party couldn’t vote on such a proposal as it would lead the Republic and the Cyprus problem into a minefield. Such an idea only suggests partition, and enacting Elam’s proposal would only give Turkey the upper hand.

Settlers living in Greek Cypriot property in the north would be able to point to the Republic’s decision to close the borders in any dispute at the European Court of Human Rights, Papadopoulos said. He also sought to remind Elam that the island in its entirety joined the EU, with the acquis communautaire suspended in the north.

Any such move would be unconstitutional, he added.

Disy MP Nicos Tornaritis also highlighted the issue of the enclaved, saying no one had the right to take a decision closing the checkpoints. He said such proposals identify with the Grey Wolves and move towards a permanent division of the island.

 

Edek highlighted that reopening the checkpoints should be done in a way “which does not upgrade the pseudostate in any way”.

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