Verheugen accused EP of acting slowly to help Turkish Cyrus

Speaking in the EP plenary session, Verheugen said that damages caused in Cyprus after the (simultaneous) referenda on the UN plan can still be overcome, and noted that the EP was acting slowly regarding the financial support for encouraging the economic development of Turkish Cypriots.

Criticizing those who had doubts about Turkey’s membership, Verheugen said that claims that Turkey’s membership would harm social project of Europe were not right. Everybody will see in the future that Turkey’s membership will be for the benefit of two parties, he added.

The European Council decided to end economic isolation of TRNC after Turkish Cypriots voted in favor of the UN plan and the Greek Cypriots voted against it.

The European Commission, which had taken action after this decision of the Council, prepared a regulation on extending 259 million U.S. dollars of financial support to TRNC, and on enabling exports of agricultural goods produced in TRNC.

The Foreign Affairs Committee of EP had decided to discuss and vote this regulation in the EP plenary session as soon as possible.

Especially the Greek Cypriot and Greek parliamentarians in the EP are trying to delay the vote on the regulation, and to shape up the method of the financial support as they want.