AKEL and Turkish Cypriot trade unions affiliated with the World Federation of Trade Unions have reaffirmed their support for a Cyprus settlement based on a bizonal, bicommunal federation with political equality, following a meeting on Wednesday at AKEL headquarters.
AKEL general secretary Stefanos Stefanou said the Cyprus issue remains a matter of “first and vital priority” for the party, arguing that without a settlement there can be no lasting peace and security on the island. A solution, he said, would bring liberation and reunification for Cyprus and its people, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots alike, while opening new prospects for the country.
Stefanou described the meeting as productive, noting that the Turkish Cypriot trade union movement has been active in efforts to promote a settlement. He also referred to joint initiatives with PEO, both on the Cyprus problem and on issues affecting everyday life under the current conditions. AKEL, he said, continues to support efforts for the resumption of negotiations, which have been stalled since 2017, on the basis of the negotiating acquis built up especially after 2008.
The two sides also discussed how joint action could help promote the idea of a settlement in both communities, with Stefanou stressing that any effort to reach a solution must be supported by society itself. He said they agreed to continue dialogue and decide on specific initiatives in that direction. DEV-IS president Semih Kolozali, speaking on behalf of the Turkish Cypriot unions, said the meeting was not simply an open discussion but a foundation for their shared wish to build a common future.
He said the Cyprus problem remains a major obstacle for both sides of the island, economically, culturally and in terms of labour rights. “Every day that the status quo continues is another day lost from the future of Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots,” he said. Kolozali said the unions agree that the only solution is one based on United Nations parameters: a bizonal, bicommunal federation with political equality.
He added that although political division is used on both sides to separate the two communities, economic realities create a different situation for workers. Labour exploitation, he said, has no nationality, while global and local economic instability is increasing inflationary pressure in both communities and eroding workers’ purchasing power. Kolozali said it was a historic duty for the unions not only to defend workers’ rights on each side, but also to develop common mechanisms to address shared problems by overcoming “artificial boundaries”.
He said the strongest step in that common struggle was the commitment to continue defending workers’ rights and to secure fair, safe and humane working conditions. He concluded by expressing the unions’ determination to work with “all their strength and sincerity” for the reunification of Cyprus under a peaceful federation.
