Turkish Cypriots Plan to Resettle the Maraş/Varosha Northern Cyprus Village

Turkish Cypriots Plan to Resettle the Maraş Varosha Northern Cyprus VillageSeveral sources are reporting that Turkish Cypriots are planning to resettle the Maraş/Varosha Northern Cyprus village. The village is in the abandoned southern quarter of Mağusa (Famagusta). After the 1974 Turkish intervention (invasion) it came under Turkish control, and has remained abandoned ever since. As of 2019, the quarter continues to be uninhabited and is described as a ghost town. Entry is forbidden to the public.

TRNC Foreign Minister, Kudret Ozersay, on Tuesday 18th June 2019 has now stated that “the time has come to take a solid step on shuttered Varosha.”

According to the Cyprus Mail (19.06.19) a group of experts will be conducting a scientific inventory of its land registry records in order to identify Islamic religious organisation Evkaf properties and environmental risks, Ozersay said after the decision was taken by the TRNC cabinet. This is seen as a step towards opening the fenced off city and determining the rights of former residents of Varosha and the Evkaf organisation.

On the other hand, some cynics say, this may just be a reaction to the possibility that the European Union may take action against Turkey in response to their drilling off Cyprus. If the Turkish army moved into Maraş in order to protect any settlers moving there then there is a danger of the island moving towards the situation Israel now finds itself in, with the associated potential violence.

 

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