A WRITTEN Declaration condemning the destruction of cultural heritage in the north, prepared by Cypriot MEP Panayiotis Demetriou and Italian Christian Democrat Iles Braghetto has been signed by 110 members of the European Parliament (EP) in only three days, Demetriou’s office said yesterday.
A statement said that the Written Declaration had been lodged with the EP on Monday, reporting on the desecration of 133 churches in the north, the change of use of 78, the conversion of 28 to military installations and the use of 13 as barns.
EP members were also informed that 15,000 icons had been stolen from churches in the north.
The Written Declaration asks the committee and council of the EP to take measures for the protection of the remaining cultural heritage and to include the issue in Turkey’s accession course.
“The Written Declaration strengthens the probability of inclusion of the subject of the destruction of cultural heritage in Cyprus by Turkey,” the statement from Demetriou’s office said.
Both MEPs who penned the declaration said they were very satisfied with the response of other EP members.
“The countersigning in just a few days of such a large number of members of parliament shows the huge interest and the sensitivity of this subject,” said yesterday’s statement.
It is hoped that 367 signatures will ultimately be collected from MEPs in order for the Written Declaration to become a resolution by the EP. The required number of signatures must be collected inside a three-month period.
The Written Declaration condemns the pillage of Greek Orthodox churches and monasteries and the removal of their ecclesiastical items and calls on the Commission and the Council to take the necessary actions to ensure respect for the Treaty and the protection and restoration of the affected churches to their original Greek Orthodox status.
It also calls on the Commission and the Council to examine this matter under the relevant chapters of the negotiations with Turkey and instructs its President to forward the declaration, together with the names of the signatories, to the Commission and the Council.
What the Turkish army did in the occupied areas is really shameful! They showed no sign of respect
