The Green
Line, the UN buffer zone that splits Nicosia, the only segregated
city in Europe, in two is quite a bit older than the Berlin Wall,
which fell after twenty eight years. The Green Line already
celebrated its forty-second birthday. It seems as if in the meantime
another, temporary, barrier has emerged. On the edge of the
historic centre, which lies within the ramparts built by the
Venetians, work is going on to reconstruct the Platia Elefteria, the
square which gives access to the famous Ledrastreet, leading to a
checkpoint through which you are able to go the northern part of the
city where the Turkish Cypriots rule. For years, it was virtually
impossible for Cypriots to cross the Green Line, but that did change
in 2003. Today, there are quite a few Turkish Cypriots working in the
free area, as the part of Cyprus not conquered after the Turkish
invasion in 1974, is called by the Greek Cypriots. The North calls
itself "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus", a country
that has been recognised only by Turkey, which has deployed an army
of nearly forty thousand men in the area. It is in fact the only
territory of an EU member state which is occupied by another country.
Shock therapy
The huge
building site proves that the reconstruction of the square is tackled
on a grande scale. Something you would not expect in a country that
has been hit hard by the euro crisis. For a long time Cyprus balanced
on the brink of bankruptcy. For too long, according to Dr. Andreas
Charalambous, the man responsible for maintaining financial stability
at the Ministry of Finance. According to him, the government in
office at the time the crisis broke out waited too long to ask for
emergency aid, due to a number of reasons. The most important of them
an imbalance in the real estate market, and particularly the high
proportion of Greek sovereign debt in which Cypriot banks were
involved. By waiting too long to ask for aid, the financial situation
worsened unnecessarily, which eventually led to a "shock
therapy". Savers and depositors lost a large part of their
assets above a limit of one hundred thousand euros to save the
country from bankruptcy. Cyprus also had to subject itself to the
regime of a "troika" of the IMF and the EU, in return for
financial aid, which meant cuts on spending and a consequent rise in
unemployment.
Bustling
activity
With the
images of the havoc the crisis causes in Greece on my mind, the
bustling activity in Nicosia is surprising. Yes, there are
empty shops and during my stay I have also seen one elderly woman
begging, but you do not see streets with almost nothing but empty
commercial properties and the poverty and deterioration noticeable in
some areas of Athens is absent. Dr. Charalambous explains that the
aid programme has now come to an end, that Cyprus is able to borrow
from the financial markets again and that the country is trying to
attract new investors. In the last quarter of 2015, some economic
growth already returned. The government, he remarks, strictly
implemented the measures demanded by the troika. It was also
important that there was hardly any violent opposition or social
unrest, like in Greece. Work is underway to strengthen the position
of banks and prudent handling of public finances remains necessary
because, although there is economic growth again, the country is not
yet out of the crisis. His opinion is shared by the chairman of the
Chamber of Commerce, Phidias K. Pilides and its Secretary General,
Marios Tsiakkis. They emphasise the importance of innovation in
medicine, technology and education. In some sectors, such as
construction and retail, the recovery is relatively slow. Shipping
and tourism, however, are powerful engines for the economy. Tourism
is experiencing an unprecedented growth, with 20% more visitors this
year. The sector seems to benefit from the unrest in neighbouring
countries, such as Egypt and Turkey.
Brexit
Although the
clouds over the economy seem to be drifting off, it will still be a
while before we'll see the bright blue sky again, so typical for
Cyprus. Future economic growth also depends on developments in the
eurozone and the situation in the region. There is uncertainty about
the Brexit. According to Mr. Pilides Cyprus is among the top four
countries that will feel the impact of a British withdrawal from the
EU, though the consequences are not yet predictable. A devaluation of
the British pound, as a result of the Brexit can negatively effect
tourism and will be bad for the exports. By contrast, the imports
from the UK will become cheaper. Dr. Charalambous believes that the
effects of a Brexit will largely depend on how Europe will cope with
it and if it can maintain confidence in the euro. For Cyprus it is of
prime importance to focus on keeping the budget balanced for the time
being, which forces the government to set priorities.
Illicit
trafficking
"We are
trying to do more with less," says Dr. Marina
Solomidou-Ieronymidou, director of the Department of Antiquities. As
a result of the crisis the department, essential in preserving the
Cypriot cultural heritage, also had to deal with significant cutbacks
in expenditure. However that was no reason to sit by and do nothing.
The department undertakes numerous activities, despite an inevitable
reduction in the number of staff. "Every Mediterranean country
has sun, sea and beaches, but it distinguishes itself as unique by
its culture," she argues. Digitalising the archives has
priority. This is especially important to intensify the fight against
illicit trafficking of archaeological finds. Not only a lot of
steeling and looting went on during the Turkish invasion and
subsequent occupation of the North, but it also takes place in
neighbouring countries, due to war and violence. In fighting illicit
trafficking Cyprus cooperates with many countries in and outside the
EU.
Cooperation
and preservation
Another
important activity of the department is to facilitate access to
museums and sites for people with disabilities. Information materials
are also made available in braille and in large print for the
visually impaired. The information on monuments and archaeological
sites is available in braille too. In Kourion and Paphos golf cars
were purchased for visitors who have difficulties in walking. Guides
are specially trained to show people with disabilities around.
Furthermore, the department is working on new exhibitions, like in
the near future at Amathus on the occasion of the fortieth
anniversary of the French Archaeological School. Publications appear
in more languages than Greek and English, and with EU support
management plans are drawn up for areas which are on the World
Heritage List of UNESCO, as Chirokitia. The department aims to
promote understanding of its work among the general public, so it
will no longer be seen as a 'hostile' organisation that keeps an
awkward finger in the pie in housing construction and infrastructural
projects. Through a Technical Committee for cooperation in the
preservation of the cultural heritage, it works together with the
Turkish Cypriots to secure as much as possible the conservation of
antiques in the occupied territory, though this is yet limited to
unmovable property and monuments. Of course, the department is also
involved in preserving recent finds, including Roman mosaics, almost
certainly part of a bathhouse, one found during sewer work in Larnaka
the other in Akaki.
That
heritage conservation is not only of scientific interest, but also of
economic, for example because it attracts tourists, goes without
saying. Cyprus appears well on way to recovery from the consequences
of the crisis. However, one difficulty still remains: the question
how to solve the problem of the tragic division of the island.
Published in
Dutch in Griekenland Magazine, winter 2016.
Photo's:
Kees Klok
