Greece and Cyprus are faced with three different challenges, President of the Greek Parliament Nikos Voutsis said on Monday after a meeting he held in Nicosia with his Cypriot counterpart Yiannakis Omirou.
Voutsis, on his first official Cyprus since he assumed office in October, said that the three challenges included the Cyprus issue, the solution of the economic problems as well as terrorism.
“These are three challenges which constitute a greater challenge to our joint effort to play a leading role in order to address these specific challenges, overcome the economic crisis and deliver real long term solutions to our national interests,” he said.
On the refugee crisis, Voutsis said the drama of the refugees was clearly seen on the Greek islands and noted that around 3,000 people had died in the Mediterranean Sea in just one year.
He called for a solution to the crisis in the region and warned that the problem could not be solved by offering Turkey six billion euro or by asking Greece to have hot spots.
In his statements, Omirou said that the two countries shared the same positions as regards the main national issues. Referring to the crisis in the region, he said that Cyprus and Greece were factors of stability, security and cooperation and that both countries believe that terrorism should also be addressed in the root of the problem.
During the meeting, they also discussed the economic crisis, and they agreed that the EU has to change its course towards “investments, growth and the creation of jobs”, Omirou said.
The Cyprus issue was also on the agenda of the meeting. The Cypriot House President said that they both shared the same position that the Cyprus problem was one of invasion and occupation.
During the meeting, Omirou honoured the Greek official with the Cypriot Parliament`s medal for his `struggles for Democracy, Freedom, Justice and Peace”. (CNA)
