NTM, discussed the local government politics with Mediterranean municipalities in Marseilles

Nicosia Turkish Municipality (NTM), attended the Mediterranean Local and Regional Administration Forum which was organized by the United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) Mediterranean Committee in Marseille City. The Mediterranean Local and Regional Administration Forum, which brought together about 500 local administrators and representatives from various Mediterranean cities, took place under the auspices of UCLG and EU Committee of Regions, Union of French Municipalities and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of France on 22nd- 23rd of June in Marseilles City of France.

    In the forum which lasted for two days, seminars about development perspectives, last improvements in local governments, the role of environment in development politics, the place of international funds in local development and intercultural dialogues.

   In the opening of the meeting which began with the speech of the Mayor of Marseilles, Jean- Claude Gaudin, the Mayors of Marrakech, Beirut, Stuttgart and Piemonte made speeches as representatives of Mediterranean cities.

   In the intercultural dialogue panel, where the head of the session was Eleni Loucaides,  member of the Committee of Regions and the Nicosia Greek Municipal Council’s Foreign Relations Committee, Deniz Birinci, the Head of Foreign Relations Department of NTM, took the floor and said that Nicosia, which is placed just in the middle of the Mediterranean basin has a special position from all point of views. Pointing that the half of the historical walls, which are placed in the middle of the city are in the Turkish side and the other half in the Greek side; she reminded that before the political and physical division of the city, it was divided into two separate administrations. Stating that Nicosia, which has had two separate municipalities for 50 years, needs cooperation in the fields of social and culture, Birinci pointed that, in this context, Nicosia may set an example of important intercultural dialogue.

   Mentioning that Nicosia has the traces of  French, Italian, English, Ottoman, Turkish and Greek cultures in various periods of history and it is necessary to continue the solidarity of  Nicosia with these cultures which existed in the past, Birinci invited the Mediterranean cities to make common works with the two sides of Nicosia.

   Birinci drew attention to the friendly relations among the current two Mayors of Nicosia and called the Mediterranean Municipalities to give support for strengthening this cooperation. Birinci stated that there is so much to do from protecting the old walls of the city to increasing the quality of the air, and from developing the sewage project, that is an example of 30-year Turkish-Greek cooperation, to student exchange programs. Ms. Loucaides’ answer to Birinci’s speech as ‘there is no need for international cooperation, we can do the our work ourselves’ was interesting to note.

   In the meeting, lastly the Greek Cypriot ‘Mayor of Kyrenia’ Maria Ioannou made a speech and said that Girne is occupied, all the historic and cultural heritage is robbed and their right to get back to their homes was taken from them, she added that this ‘inhumanity’ should be stopped. This speech made the positive atmosphere in the room get tense and received negative reaction from the audience.

   On the last day of the forum, a closure statement was prepared to be presented in the Euro-Med Heads of State Summit, that will meet in 13rd  – 14th of July.

   In the statement, the Heads of States of the countries which have a coast to the Mediterranean Sea of were called to give importance to economic, social and regional integrity, empower the local administrators for reaching the common denominator in spite of the economic differences, plan the improvements in social and environmental subjects on the basis of making a contribution to sustainable development, include the administrators, who are the closest to the community, in the peace process, to support cooperations in professional context, collaborate with local governments in the fields of health like saving cultural heritage and tourism and to cooperate in protecting democracy for the sustainable development of the area. NTM became full member of United Cities of Local Governments (UCLG) Mediterranean Committee, which aims to improve the collaboration and dialogue among the cities surrounding Mediterranean basis, in last November.