The government will not nullify the social-welfare state, President of the Republic Demetris Christofias has pledged.
The government`s aim on measures to be agreed with the Troika (EU, ECB, IMF) in order to deal with the crisis will be that these are balanced, President of Republic Demetris Christofias has pledged.
In an address marking the 52nd anniversary of the Independence of Cyprus, President Christofias sent a message of optimism despite the difficulties the country faces, with a specific reference to the discovery of hydrocarbon reserves within Cyprus` Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and the resulting positive prospects for the country.
At the same time, referring to the Cyprus issue, he highlighted the fact that despite an impasse reached at the negotiating table due to the stance of the Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu, the vision for a solution must be kept alive by all.
“Despite the fiscal pressures that we face, mainly due to the exclusion of Cyprus from the international markets, we would not have been compelled to resort to the support mechanism if it was not necessary to recapitalise at least one big bank”, he said, adding that “this is the objective and hard reality”.
The President of the Republic pointed out that “the resort to the support mechanism has created a new reality for Cyprus, which we are trying to address responsibly”.
An effective negotiation with the Troika, he added, “necessitates the formulation of a comprehensive package of measures, which will be documented and include a cost analysis”.
“It is this imperative task that the Government is currently carrying out through intensive work”, he stressed.
President Christofias reiterated “that we will present the package we are talking about before the political parties and the social partners and will discuss it with them”.
“Our wish and expectation is to reach a consensus and an understanding in order to achieve the widest possible support in the negotiation with the Troika, for the good of our country and our people”, he noted.
According to the Cyprus President “the measures that will be taken will have a social cost”.
Our aim, he added, “is that whatever the repercussions they be allocated in the most balanced and rational way possible, and for each person to assume a burden corresponding to his or her financial ability”.
“Our effort will continue to focus on the restoration of the economy, on the support for growth, but also of social cohesion”, he stressed.
He further assured that “this government will not nullify the social-welfare state for the creation of which we have been on the frontline over the years, and we have contributed in practice during the last years towards its improvement and development”.
“This is the message I send, in particular to the vulnerable groups of the population and to all those who were hurt by the economic crisis, like the unemployed for example”, he underlined.
President Christofias recalled that “this is not the first time that our people were compelled to make sacrifices in order to address difficult situations. They have done so also during the much more difficult conditions of 1974”.
“All of us together, with a high sense of responsibility, and with the labour movement leading the way, we managed back then in a short period of time, to address the most critical situation in our history and to return shortly to periods of growth and prosperity”, he said.
He further expressed his belief that “we will show the same sense of responsibility at the present time as well in order to address the consequences of the economic crisis”.
Referring to the Cyprus issue he said that “we are called upon to continue the struggle with realism and commitment to principles, in order to terminate the occupation and to reunify Cyprus within the framework of a just, under the circumstances, viable and functional solution”.
“We will not tire in stating that partition is catastrophic for our homeland. Partition cannot safeguard permanent peace and security for the country”, he stressed.
President Christofias expressed the point of view that “the conditions will keep deteriorating with the passing of time”. Turkey, he added, “exploits the passing of time to reinforce the fait accomplis of the occupation on the ground. We must be honest with the citizens”.
“Besides, big words and shallow slogans usually accompanied actions that led to calamities and tragedies”, he said, adding that “unfortunately, there are not many choices to reach a solution”.
According to President of the Republic “the choice is down to one: It is the solution for a bizonal, bicommunal federation with political equality, one state with a single sovereignty, single citizenship and single international personality”.
“It is solution that we have accepted, together with the Turkish Cypriot community, through the High Level Agreements of 1977 and 1979”, he recalled, adding that “it is this solution that the United Nations and the European Union have adopted in a large number of their resolutions and decisions”.
President Christofias further said “the inability to reach an agreement is not the result of the agreed basis for a solution”, adding that “it is due to the refusal of Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot leadership to cooperate towards such a solution. It is due to their philosophy to promote a solution of two states in Cyprus”.
President Christofias outlined in brief a history of the negotiations since 2008.
Referring to the more recent developments, he said that “with the assumption of the leadership of the Turkish Cypriot community by Mr. Eroglu there was backtracking in the negotiations”.
“The Turkish Cypriot leader did not honour the commitments that we jointly undertook before the UN Secretary General for the continuation of the talks from the point we had reached with Mr Talat”, he said.
In practice, he added, “he refused to reaffirm the convergences that had been achieved and he essentially nullified them”.
“The negotiations on the Cyprus issue have reached an impasse and in essence a deadlock, because of his behaviour, which is infused with the political philosophy for two states in Cyprus”, he stressed.
President Christofias said that “with this uneasy situation as the background, we must all together keep alive the vision for a solution to the Cyprus issue”.
“A solution that will be based on the UN resolutions on Cyprus, on international and European law, and the High Level Agreements of 1977 and 1979”, he continued, adding that “in this effort, I also invite our Turkish Cypriot compatriots to make their contribution”.
“The impasse in the Cyprus issue and the adverse developments in the economy, undoubtedly bring about circumspection and skepticism”, he noted, adding that “there are, however, at the same time, developments under way and will contribute to the efforts for better days to come”.
Referring to the discovery of hydrocarbons within the Republic’s Exclusive Economic Zone, he pointed out that “it is definitely a development of great importance for our country”.
“This development is the result of the methodical and decisive implementation of the plan that we prepared for the discovery and exploitation of the submarine wealth of Cyprus”, he noted.
President Christofias continued to say that “through a serious and well designed policy we manage to address Turkey’s challenges and threats and to have the support of the entire international community”.
“In the context of our policy for the promotion of the exploration and the exploitation of the hydrocarbon reserves of Cyprus we will soon conclude the second round of licensing”, he added.
He further noted that “at the same time, we are pushing forward the implementation of the plan to transform Cyprus into an energy centre, a development that will have great, positive consequences both on the economy as well as for our country in a broader sense”.
“In honouring the 52nd anniversary of the Independence of Cyprus we send a message of optimism despite the difficulties and the problems we face”, he stressed, adding that “we believe in the abilities of our people and we invest in them”.
“We honour the Independence of Cyprus convinced that today’s difficult times will be succeeded by much better days in the near future”, he said finally, pledging that “we shall keep working for these better days”.
Cyprus was divided in 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. UN led talks have been underway since 2008 with a view to reunite the island under a federal roof.
