Nicosia: Turkey’s violations of international law and human rights in Cyprus and the illegal arrest of five Greek Cypriots were discussed by House President Annita Demetriou, in a meeting she had on Tuesday with the President of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) Koen Lenaerts and Members of the Court, who are paying Cyprus a visit.
According to Cyprus News Agency, Demetriou referred to the illegal arrest and continued detention by the Turkish-occupation regime of five Greek Cypriot refugees on the basis of unfounded charges, noting that this is a political act of retaliation for the prosecution by the Republic of Cyprus of foreign usurpers of Greek Cypriot properties in the island’s occupied territories.
The President of the House expressed her gratitude for the Court’s work as the guardian of the Treaties and the principles and values of the European Union, for the benefit of all European citizens. She noted that the Court offers an additional shield of protection against the challenges that Europe is faced with in today’s geopolitical situation.
The President of the House referred to the Cypriot political system and the clear separation of powers, highlighting the challenges that arise due to the inability to amend the fundamental articles of the Constitution and the unresolved Cyprus problem. She also referred to the parliamentary dimension of the Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the EU and the upcoming parliamentary elections in Cyprus to take place next May.
Demetriou reaffirmed the commitment of the House of Representatives to continuous close cooperation with the European institutions for the benefit of citizens, emphasizing that third countries, which wish to cooperate with the EU, must embrace European principles and values.
CJEU President Koen Lenaerts said that visits to member states that are about to assume the Presidency of the Council of the EU are a practice of the Court with the aim of better informing its members about the specificities of each member state. He also underlined that the accession of a state to the EU presupposes its compliance with the Union’s criteria in the areas of democracy and the rule of law.
The President of the Court also noted that European law is applicable in all member states, while also creating obligations. He stressed that trust between member states is a basic condition for its implementation, in order to protect democracy. At the meeting, both sides underlined the importance of better informing citizens about the functioning of the EU and European law.