Luxembourg-SANA
The European Parliament adopted by a large majority a draft resolution calling for sanctions against Turkey for its ongoing violations and provocations in the Eastern Mediterranean.
The Cyprus KNews website stated that 440 parliament members voted in favor of the draft resolution, while 193 voted against it and 35 abstained.
The resolution calls for imposing sanctions "without delay" on Turkey because of its attempts to impose a fait accompli in Cyprus, its territorial waters, and its continuous violations in the eastern Mediterranean, including regarding Greece.
The decision, which came under the heading of escalating tensions in Varosha in the wake of the illegal actions taken by the Turkish side and the urgent need to resume talks, focuses on the recent violations of the Turkish regime's sovereignty of Cyprus, represented by Erdogan's visit to Varosha, and indicates that Ankara can avoid further sanctions except through dialogue and cooperation. And tangible progress on the ground.
The European deputies called for the return of Varosha to its legal residents under the interim UN administration, in line with the Security Council resolutions in this regard, and to refrain from any moves that would bring about a demographic change on the island through the illegal settlement policy.
The resolution also called on the European Council to maintain a unified position on Turkish illegal activities and to respond with harsh penalties.
The European Union had previously condemned the Turkish regime's reopening of part of Varosha Island, saying in this regard that "the attempt to impose a new de facto situation undermines mutual trust and the prospects for a comprehensive solution to the problem in the two parts of Cyprus by negatively modifying the situation on the ground and consolidating the permanent division of the island."