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The closed city of Varosha, adjacent to the city of Gazimagosa in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), was taken during Operation Cyprus Peace, although it was not among the objectives of the Turkish army, and in the 46 years that remained closed, it has been a topic of negotiation many times in the Cyprus negotiations.
THE LIFE OF THE CITY HAS ARRIVED
The city’s waterfront, which was among the places to be awarded to the Greeks, was revived at the instruction of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Prime Minister Ersin Tatar in Ankara the day before.
NEW ENTRANCE DOOR OPEN
Cyprus The Turkish security forces and the municipality of Gazimagosa began feverish work in the last 24 hours. We walked into closed Varosha with Prime Minister Ersin Tatar to see the final preparations before the opening. There was only one entry point to Marash under the control of the military. A second crossing was opened to allow civilians to enter the beach. The place was inaugurated, a street that led to the beach before 1975, whose front was covered with barbed wire and barrels. This place has been determined as the way that civilians will pass.
FIRST STEP WITH TATAR
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We took the first step to Varosha from the new road and gate with Prime Minister Ersin Tatar, and he shared his feelings with the following words: “There is no persecution that the Greeks did to us. If they did, they would try to stop us from even breathing. They constantly vetoed the opening of this city, which had been inactive for 46 years. I have been saying for years that we should open the city under Turkish rule. I thank President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his deputy Fuat Oktay for their support. Turkey fully supports the data by saying “Let’s open now,” I said. The Greeks would react, let them scream all they wanted from there. Maraş is TRNC territory and will continue to be so. This idle and decaying resort paradise should be opened for the benefit of the Turkish Cypriots. Of course, we will protect the property rights of the former Greek owners. “
‘THE GREAT WILL ARRIVE RUNNING’
We asked the Prime Minister of Tartarus: “How will the property rights of the Greeks be protected?” He gives a clear answer: “There is a Real Estate Commission in Nicosia, which the ECHR recognized and established for us, there are already 300 applications from Greek Cypriots here. Of course, it is not only the Greeks who own property in Maraş; There are also foreign companies and we will ask them to run for the commission in Nicosia. We will apply what the court decides. Greek politicians may object, but property restitution is also a human right and I hope that Greeks will come forward in groups. I think the Greek owners want us very much to open it too, they just don’t say it. Let’s complete the opening, they will come running ”.
Omar bilge
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WATER WELLS GREAT DANGER
While the 3.5 km long buildings on the Maraş coast have years of durability, the back streets are reminiscent of science fiction movies. We learn that the greatest danger in buildings is waterholes covered in grass and debris. Therefore, today only the coast opens.
THE ORIGINAL OF MARAŞ, THE OTTOMAN FACT
It is known that Maraş, owned by the Greek Cypriots, was originally owned by the Ottoman Foundation and was looted during the British colonial period. The Cyprus Foundation Administration is determined to participate in property cases that will start after the opening of the city. Director of Foundation Administration Prof. Dr. Ibrahim Benter said that according to the latest foundation certificates from the Ankara state archive, it was shown that most of the city belonged to the foundations established by Lala Mustafa Pasha, who conquered Cyprus during the reign of Sultan Selim I, and Seyyid Abdullah Pasha and Bilal Aga, who were the governors of Cyprus during the reign of Mahmut I. The Governor of Cyprus, Abdullah Pasha, took Maraş, which was a swamp at the time, for 30 kuruş in 1748 and transferred it to the foundation established in his name.
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IT WAS MIDDLE EAST VEGAS
The city of Maraş, which the Greeks left to the Turkish army during the 1974 Cyprus Peace Operation, was the vacation destination of world-famous stars, known as “Las Vegas of the Middle East” before the operation. American actress Liz Taylor is also said to have a summer residence here, and that she spent her vacation here with Richard Burton.
Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor
Sophia loren
The city, which was decided to open to the civilian population before the presidential elections to be held at the TRNC on Sunday, took the following important steps in the 46 years it was closed:
‘THE TURKISH ARMY TAKES IT WITHOUT REQUEST’
In the memoirs of Kenan Evren, the commander of the Turkish troops who advanced to save the city of Gazimagosa during Operation Peace and the architect of the September 12 coup, Kenan Evren said in his memoirs: “We had no intention of taking Maraş. We also saw that the city was in our hands. “We closed it to civilian entrances to use it in negotiations in the future,” he explains.
The city has been the subject of many negotiations with the Greek Cypriots. The Turkish side offered to hand over the city to the Greeks in exchange for opening the Nicosia Ercan airport to international traffic, but the Greek side refused.
The UN Security Council issued two resolutions in 1984 and 1992 demanding the return of the city to the Greek owners, but in the 1990s hundreds of Greeks sued the ECHR for the return of their property in Marash.
The ECHR, for its part, decided to establish a Real Estate Commission in the TRNC, which includes foreign judges. When the federation’s negotiations with the Greeks were inconclusive, the TRNC decided to open the city under Turkish rule.
THE BRITISH ROYAL FAMILY HAS A HOTEL
There are 105 hotels with more stars, 4,649 houses and apartments, 21 banks, 99 entertainment centers, 2,953 offices, one of which belongs to the British royal family. 450 safes in banks and houses are under the protection of Turkish soldiers.
‘THE MARAŞ ECEVİT HERITAGE IS FULLY OPEN’
◊ CHP Group Vice President Engin Altay said that they demanded the opening of not only the coast but the entire Maraş region of the TRNC for the settlement. Altay evaluated the developments in the press conference held at the Assembly as follows:
Bulent Ecevit
‘TRNC IS IN THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN’
“The EU will learn or teach that there is not only the Greek Cypriot Administration in the Eastern Mediterranean. There is also the TRNC in the Eastern Mediterranean, the EU will know first. Two, the EU did not cede the hadsizlig configuration to Turkey. The EU will know its limits. Not because the EU says about the fight against terrorism, not because the West wants it. No security problem can be a reason for restricting fundamental rights and freedoms.
We want from the late Conqueror of Cyprus Bülent Ecevit to open not only the beaches of Maraş, but all of them. Very clear. The view of the CHP is to open Maraş completely. This sight is the legacy of Ecevit, the late Conqueror of Cyprus. We will continue to demand this. ” (◊ ANKARA)
