PRESS AND INFORMATION OFFICE REPUBLIC OF CYPRUS FACT SHEET POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS March - August 2013

Nicos Anastasiades is proclaimed President –elect of the Republic of Cyprus on election night, 24 February 2013. At the age of 67, he becomes the 7th President of Cyprus, winning with the greatest majority in 30 years. (Photo: PIO Photographic Department)

Presidential Elections I and 1979, the Agreement of the 8th of July, the unanimous decisions of the National Council and is elected President of the the UN resolutions. Republic of Cyprus, for a five year term, follow- ing his victory at the run-off presidential election The painful compromise of the bizonal bicom- held on 24th February 2013, with a majority of munal federation should not keep us from as- 57.48%. serting the full implementation of human rights for all the citizens of the Republic of Cyprus, the During the ceremony for his investiture by the riddance of the country from occupation and the House of Representatives on 28th February creation of a modern, functional and united 2013, President Anastasiades asserts that “The European state which will not allow anyone to Cyprus problem was and shall remain the great- call in question its one and only sovereignty, in- est challenge for our homeland.” ternational personality and citizenship.

The President also points out that: “Any new The new procedure cannot overlook our status procedure will remain of course under the aus- as a European country and the consequent active pices of the UN and will aim at finding a solution and substantial involvement of the European based on the High-Level Agreements of 1977 Union.”

POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS ISSUE 1 CYPRUS FACT SHEET

Aerial view of the “ghost city” of . Since the 1974 military invasion and occupation of part of Cyprus by Tur- key, the area to the south of Famagusta, Varosha, has been sealed off by the Turkish army and access to it is prohib- ited. (Photo: Famagusta Municipality)

I Eurogroup decision on Cyprus rescue programme

In order to safeguard the financial stability in Cyprus and the euro area as a whole, an extraor- dinary meeting of the Eurogroup convenes in Brussels and following intensive negotiations a rescue programme for Cyprus is approved on 25 I Appointment of interlocutor March 2013, consisting of a loan agreement and a Memorandum of Understanding on Specific and the Famagusta proposal Economic Policy Conditionality. The European Stability Mechanism is to provide financial assis- The National Council decides on 16 July 2013 to tance to Cyprus of an amount up to 9 billion EUR, appoint Ambassador Andreas Mavroyiannis as while the International Monetary Fund up to 1 the interlocutor for the Greek Cypriot commu- billion. The government of the Republic of Cy- nity, for the Cyprus problem, who will have the prus commits against its international lenders, ability of being fully engaged in the intercom- the European Commission, the European Cen- munal talks aimed at finding a solution and tral Bank and the International Monetary Fund talking directly with Ankara. (the “Troika”) to implement the programme fully and effectively and to safeguard the country’s The National Council also decides to set up sub- stay in the EU and the Eurozone. committees that will assist the already running working groups for negotiating matters. The House of Representatives of the Republic of Cyprus approves the loan agreement and the The appointment of an interlocutor falls within MoU on 30 April 2013. the framework of President Anastasiades’ initia- tives, which aim at giving a new impetus to the efforts for a solution to the Cyprus problem. These initiatives also include the submission of a I European Parliament President series of confidence building measures, the Martin Schulz visits Cyprus most substantial of which being the return of the city of Famagusta, currently a ghost city, to its lawful inhabitants, under the auspices of the UN European Parliament President Martin Schulz and in line with the 1984 UN Security Council visits Cyprus on 22 April 2013 to attend a Confer- Resolution 550. Apart from the evident advan- ence of the Speakers of EU Parliaments and has tage of reviving the hope of the people of Cyprus a meeting with President Anastasiades, after and being a tangible measure that could push which he states that “It was a serious meeting, it the peace process forward, the return of Fama- is about a serious situation, and I agreed with gusta would also benefit the economy of the the President that he must do his outmost as country. Moreover, this confidence building soon as possible so that the country’s economy measure could help restore the trust lacking is revived, and, to this end, short-term measures between the two sides, while the Turkish Cypri- are needed.” Mr Schulz stresses that “It is our ots could use the port of Famagusta for direct duty as Europeans” […] “to find measures giving trade, under EU supervision. hope to people in the country”.

POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS ISSUE 1