To DIKO's shots, which asks AKEL and Andreas Mavroyiannis to explain "whether they agree with the action of Niyazi Kiziljirek to vote against the resolution of the European Parliament condemning the Turkish-Libyan Memorandum", AKEL's press spokesman, George Koukumas, responded via a written statement.
In particular, Mr Koukumas says that "either DIKO is completely unaware of the functioning of the European Parliament, or it is now copying the cheap slanderous tactics of DISY against AKEL and Niyazi Kiziliyurek".
Koukumas explains how: "the position of AKEL and its MEPs against the unacceptable and illegal Turkish-Libyan memorandum has been expressed dozens of times through positions and votes within the European Parliament (most recently by voting in favour of an amendment to the Turkey Progress Report, June 2022), with statements by the Left Group, but also with the question submitted to the Commission already in December 2019 by Niyazi Kiziljirek and George Georgiou together with 25 other MEPs from various countries and political groups. As reiterated there "This agreement violates the international law of the sea, the principle of good neighbourly relations and the sovereignty of neighbouring coastal states over maritime zones. In particular, it clearly and unquestionably disregards the legitimate rights of EU Member States such as Greece and Cyprus."
"The resolution adopted the day before yesterday in the European Parliament concerned the overall situation in Libya and contained a series of references with which we as the Left Group disagree (migration, EU military missions, no mention of NATO's responsibilities, of the EU's responsibilities regarding the export of arms to Libya, etc.)," Koukoumas notes.
"This was the reason why it was voted against by almost the entire European Parliamentary Group of the Left, although we obviously agree with paragraph 1g which calls for the annulment of the Turkish-Libyan Memorandum. In the same way, the EP Resolutions on Turkey are not voted by Cypriot MEPs, although they contain positive references to certain issues", he adds.
"I wonder if the DIKO MEP who voted against the Report on Turkey in June does not want the withdrawal of Turkish troops from Cyprus as included in the relevant Resolution? I wonder if he does not condemn the Turkish-Cypriot memorandum as it was included in the resolution he voted against?"
"After the decision of the DIKO leadership to stop calling for a change in governance and support the coalition candidate Nicos Christodoulides, the downhill slide is dizzying. From the Grivas Museum and the bullshit about divestment, it has now reached the point of fabricating news to slander AKEL. We hope the downhill slide will soon come to an end..."
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