Kyrenia municipality protests exclusion from meetings with UN envoy Maria Angela Holguin

Nicosia, Cyprus. The Kyrenia municipality protested on Tuesday that it was not included in consultations with UN envoy Maria Angela Holguin during her current visit to the island. The announced programme covers meetings with delegations from the Famagusta and Morphou municipalities only.

Mayor voices concern

Kyrenia Mayor Akis Violaris, whose municipality has functioned in exile since the Turkish invasion of 1974, expressed strong displeasure and concern over the planned meetings. He described the omission of his municipality as unacceptable.

Related: Kyrenia municipality to seek separate meeting with UN envoy Holguin after Famagusta and Morphou

RelatedKyrenia municipality to seek separate meeting with UN envoy Holguin after Famagusta and Morphou

Violaris told the Cyprus Mail that neither the government nor the UN had informed Kyrenia of any meeting. The same applied to the occupied municipalities of Akanthou, Karavas, Kythrea, Lapithos, Lefkoniko and Lysi.

Questions over selection

According to the municipality, its information is that President Nikos Christodoulides proposed that Holguin meet the occupied municipalities, but she chose to see only two of them. It asked which criteria had been applied and whether refugees were being sorted into two separate classes.

The municipality said the exclusion “cannot be dismissed as a mere oversight”. Its statement also asked whether an effort was under way to present the matter as already settled before any plan had been tabled or discussed.

Call for equal inclusion

The municipality argued that no initiative or proposed solution could separate refugees into those allowed to return and those denied equal treatment. It said: “We refuse to accept a logic of selective representation.” It added that including all municipalities on an equal footing is a built-in duty and not a favour.

Famagusta meeting scheduled

Famagusta Mayor Simos Ioannou said his meeting with Holguin is set for 4.15pm on Saturday at the old Nicosia airport. It will take place after she meets the Morphou delegation.