Statement by the Home for Cooperation 

in response to article "Έλεγχος και στο Σπίτι της Συνεργασίας"

To all our colleagues, friends and followers,

Following the publication of an article in Politis Newspaper on 26/01/2020 titled “Έλεγχος και στο Σπίτι της Συνεργασίας”* (Checks and the Home for Cooperation), In order to avoid further possible misunderstandings we would like to clarify that  the title of the article can be misleading when taken out of the context of the rest of the article.

The article discusses the amendments to the Code of Implementation of the Green Line Regulation, which was announced towards the end of 2019, the reasons and the procedures in general. One paragraph of the article refers specifically to the Ledra Palace checkpoint, where the Home for Cooperation is located and to the visitors of the Home for Cooperation.

We would like to state that as Home for Cooperation, we have not received any official information about mentioned amendments and/or checks at the Ledra Palace checkpoint concerning our visitors or staff.

In our view, any amendments as are presented in the article, can have negative effects on contact between people from across the divide and act as a source of discouragement for people who are willing to engage with one another by putting a new set of checks and barriers. In particular, the Ledra Palace checkpoint has a unique importance as it is the only area in the buffer zone, where several multicommunal organizations are based and are active in peacebuilding in Cyprus, including the Home for Cooperation.

We hope that any amendments to the code of Implementation won’t affect the current status quo and / or any changes will take place with a collaborative approach including the civil society organizations like the Home for Cooperation, whose work will be affected greatly from such change.

Thank you.

This statement was regarded as necessary in response to the questions and comments we have received from the friends of the Home for Cooperation and bears no complaints against the Politis Newspaper or the author of the article.

*For reference:

Original article: https://bit.ly/2O2BFtq

 Translation published in Turkish-Cypriot media: https://bit.ly/311HzQH