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Archived Articles
Simeon Mitropolitski is a Canadian analyst, of Bulgarian origin, and a former syndicated columnist with the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA). He is the author of several hundred articles dealing with hot political and economic topics, both national and international.
He was part of the first group of Bulgarian intellectuals and students that began the opposition movement that finally put an end to the communist regime in this country in 1989, and in 1996-1997 participated in international observation teams during the elections in several Balkan countries - Romania, Albania and Bulgaria.
In 2002 Simeon and his family moved from Bulgaria to Canada where they live now in Montreal, province of Quebec. Simeon is a Master of Political Science from McGill University and a B.A. of Political Science and History.
Global Real Estate Project
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Peaceful reunification of Cyprus rejectedGreek Cypriotes rejected by referendum the UN plan for peaceful reunification of the island under a loose confederate authority. On the other hand, the simultaneously held referendum among the Turkish Cypriotes upheld the plan. If accepted by both ethnic communities, it could have provided for gradual withdrawal of Turkish and Greek forces, for gradual return of many of the Greek refugees and for shrinking of the territories now controlled by Turkish Cypriotes from 37% to 28% of the island. It also could have made possible for the entire population to enter the European Union on May 1st, not just the area controlled by the Greek Cypriotes. In fact Cyprus has been divided since 1974 although the problems between the two main ethnic communities go further back. UN permanent military mission was established in 1964, the oldest of all international missions still in operation. To make two different communities coincide in one state means to establish the civic dimension of the citizenship above the narrow ethnic loyalties, something the Balkan region has proven to be unable to do in the last more than century. The only remaining option was to establish Cypriot state as ethnically cleaned area only for the Greeks, which could have been possible if the island was situated somewhere else, and not at the Turkey's backdoor. Greatly helped by the international community, which so far didn't recognize the factual division of Cyprus and continued to see in the Greek Cypriot government the only legitimate authority, the Greek community rejected the plan pending better offers. It's still too early to assess if these calculations were right, but it seems to me that the situation now onward will be substantially different from that between 1974 and 2004 referenda. To keep the economic embargo over the Turkish Cypriot territories after they have accepted by clear majority the UN plan will mean to punish those who have decided to comply with the international community and to award those who have rejected its plans. Not to recognize the Turkish elected body as fully representative for the particular area of the island will mean not to respect the democratic principles. Further, if the plan had been accepted, it would have provided for creation of confederation, respecting the elected bodies of each community. It will be surprising if the EU and the USA keep rejecting diplomatic recognition for this same Turkish Cypriot body, which could have been dealt with in case of referenda victories. Such diplomatic recognition although won't be made in the weeks and months to come. The Greek political and economic lobbies around the world are still too powerful to block such moves. In an election year the administration in Washington won't allow itself the luxury to move away the numerical Greek community. But the crack in the wall surrounding Turkish Cypriot community will occur, perhaps with no loud declarations, sooner than later. The time now on will work for the Turkish Cypriots. Division of the island seems permanent. It will be a matter of honor for the Greek Cypriots not to accept terms that they already have rejected; for the same reasons the Turks won't renounce their previous vote. The great powers won't allow this minor by any standard problem escalating to a big military conflict. For the Turkish Cypriot authorities it will be easier to attract foreign investors, which till now were afraid of being stripped from their assets in case their new properties are claimed back by Greek Cypriot refugees. They rejected the present offer to come back and it's hardly believable that they would take a better offer at any time soon.
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See also the directory of companies providing real estate services in, and general real estate information of Cyprus.
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